Neutrino by Frank Close

Frank Close is Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics, and Fellow Emeritus at Exeter College at Oxford University. He was formerly Head of Theoretical Physics Division at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, vice President of the British Science Association and Head of Communications and Public Understanding at CERN.

He is the only professional physicist to have won a British Science Writers Prize on three occasions. He is one of the best writers in the English language regardless of the subject matter. I’ve read a number of science books and I know how easy it is to make scientific subjects complicated. Frank Close explains things really clearly and he’s the ideal writer to provide lay people such as myself with an explanation of the strangest particle in existence, the neutrino (and yes there are anti-neutrinos too).

The neutrino was first postulated by the physicist Wolfgang Pauli in 1930 and it was to be many decades before its existence was proven but along the way it was found there are three varieties of neutrino which can all oscillate that is change form, so although a certain flavour of neutrino may leave the sun or a supernova on its journey into the universe, this neutrino can change along the way depending on what it bumps into.

Neutrinos are without charge, almost without mass, and can pass through matter for billions of years before they interact with anything at all. Billions of neutrinos will have passed through you, your computer screen, and the keyboard while you’ve been reading this review. But now neutrino astronomy is giving humankind views deep into the hearts of distant galaxies and allowing us to see back into the past of the universe.

Where on Earth?

These places will NOT be found an any map or in any atlas.

This book describes a large number of little-known tourist sights from around the world. A book for the discerning traveller who has been everywhere else.

Read about the earwax museum called Monsieur Tussauds in London and the unhappy beaches of The Maldives. Discover small islands in the Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean. Read reviews of little-known museums in England and Canada.

East Uist, just to the West of South Uist, is a mysterious place. In amongst the peat bogs, crow-filled craggy peaks and lochans, archaeologists have found evidence of stone circles and cromlechs that were built on artificial platforms about two inches in height. The theory is that the people of East Uist were practising their skills gradually and learning from their mistakes on smaller projects, before heading off to the Orkney Islands where much larger and higher platforms were required.

This book is available at a discount between 17th – 24th April. 

Time Traveller’s Diary

The Greeks were going to use a real horse at Troy until…

This is the diary of a time-travelling health and safety executive who tries to stop accidents through history before they happen.

If Dr Who can travel in time then why can’t a Health and Safety Exec do the same? The Exec influences the Greek carpenter Epeius not to use a real horse to hide the soldiers in and to use an anatomically correct wooden horse instead as this will allow the free passage of air through the soldiers’ working environment.

When Wyatt Earp is shooting people “full of lead”, the Exec points out to Earp that lead is poisonous to people and that he should use silver instead.

In Arthurian England, The Lady of the Lake is chastised for not wearing a rubber diving suit for her watery job of distributing swords to passers-by.

Attila the Hun is warned to let women and children escape from the villages he is burning to the ground.

All of these stories will be available at a discount until 24th April.

Office Life – 59% off until 14th March

5 Days in the life of an English office – you can buy it here

There’s lots of banter and insults flying around in this story.

One person goes to the wrong place for the weekend, another has horrible personal habits, and a couple have sex over a desk when no one is watching, but someone is listening.

Office Life is a story about the voyage of Albert Merton from a boorish anti-environmentalist to a supporter of the fight against Global Warming.

Initially, Albert is described as coming from a different planet because of his throwaway attitude towards everything and everybody. He insults people and doesn’t see anything wrong in the way he behaves. He is a conspicuous consumer who drives a Hummer, who doesn’t put paper in the recycling, and who despises people who keep fit.

Gradually, he begins to see the light. His children are learning about green issues at primary school and there’s a person at work called Nigel Todd who lives a considerate life and keeps fit. Albert challenges Todd to a race, but loses. Albert says he will beat Todd the next time. He starts to live a healthier lifestyle.

Albert is a lot cleverer than people give him credit for – he finds out the identity of a mole at his company, who has been giving secrets to one of their suppliers. He does this by looking at the phone messages of the supplier’s main manager, whilst this manager is out of the office.

The book is not just about Albert, but also includes a number of diverting characters. There’s a rather fat, jolly contractor, who is exceedingly good at programming, there’s a lady who dresses like her mother did 30 years previously, but who is very practical. There’s a loudmouth character who doesn’t know when to shut up, a woman who doesn’t have sex often enough for her own liking, a man who drives his car into a motorway barrier at 100 mph sideways, and a man who can’t stop breaking wind and who has to go outside and emit his farts in the fresh air. These people and others interact with and influence Albert.

Ultimately, Albert is a good person who tries to do the right thing more often than not; he learns a lot from Todd and grudgingly admires him for the stance he takes, even though initially Albert doesn’t respect Todd.

Interwoven with Albert’s story is another thread relating to a character called Tommy Bunn, who learns some lessons about life during the book. At first, he does strange things, such as going to the wrong village to attend a rock concert. Gradually, Bunn matures and finally he is able to hold a nice conversation with a female.

Mystery Groups – Book discount

Do YOU have trouble putting IKEA furniture together? Yes? There’s a Buddhist group who can help in this book, which is available at a discount between 28th February and 7th March.

These 40 groups are surrounded in mystery. Little is known about them, hence the shortness of the book and the low price. And the fact I made them all up. Here is an example:

Buddhists for Peaceful Ikea Furniture Assembly (BPIFA)

Buddhists belonging to this group can be phoned by purchasers of Ikea flat-pack furniture and asked to come along to the purchaser’s home to provide a peaceful environment when the furniture is being put together. BPIFA have discovered a more harmonious environment promotes more peaceful furniture assemblage and encourage IKEA customers to use their services.

The BPIFA even bring along spare Allen keys just in case there aren’t enough provided. One satisfied customer, George T Trent of Oklahoma said, “Without those Buddhists, why that furniture might still be unmade to this day – those Oms really calmed me down, especially when I felt like shooting the instructions with ma shotgun. Those Buddhists really made things easy. They were non-threatening in every way, but I am not sure I could wear orange all day.”

How the Yeti was Named and other stories.

How did the Yeti receive its name?

Find out in this book – available at a discount between 17th February and 24th February.

You can also read:

1. an obituary of a WWII flying ace who fell off a mountain along with his guide dog
2. a rejection letter sent to William Shakespeare about Hamlet
3. an updated rendering of the Three Musketeers
4. the true meaning of words such as aroma, portfolio, and drastic

Keeping in Touch – 67% Savings

My book Keeping in Touch is available here at a discount from 10th February to 17th February.

We are closer to those further away than to those nearer to us.

A story about communication in the 21st Century. Is Social Media making us unsociable. Are all our heads in The Cloud?

The hero of this story is at the centre of everyone else’s communications whether she wants to be or not. At work, on the bus, or at home, the people who are closest to her are in communication with people further away. She cherishes a conversation on the bus and realises how difficult it is to remove technology from our lives.

Although communication has never been easier, it seems we are always trying to communicate with people who are far away to the detriment of those who are near by.

The Goat Parva Murders

This excerpt is from the book entitled The Goat Parva Murders an English Murder Mystery book set in the countryside. 

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The stalker trained his binoculars on the ground floor lounge window where Danica Baker-Clements could be seen in her underwear watching TV. Danica’s blonde hair tumbled over artificially brown shoulders and the rhododendron branches twitched as the binoculars moved slowly over her complete loveliness. An owl screeched in the trees behind the stalker – the bird was catching mice in Doggett’s Field near the Baker-Clements’ house and had been disturbed. The warm night air was filled with the scent of honeysuckle.

The stalker was anticipating Mrs Baker-Clements removing her clothes during the evening as was the custom on Tuesdays and so intent was he on sharing every moment with her that he failed to hear the slight footfalls behind him. Danica Baker-Clements began to unhook her bra and the stalker’s breathing increased in intensity.

As the bra fell aside the stone hit the stalker’s skull rendering him unconscious instantly. He fell forward into the bush and then slumped to the ground, his glassy eyes surveying the lounge window but this time without binoculars. The assailant picked a bloom, placed it in the stalker’s mouth, and clamped the mouth shut.

For Rosemary, thought the assailant, the fight back begins.

Two minutes later Tim Armstrong cycled down the Baker-Clements’ drive and parked his bike out of sight behind the greenhouse. He was on time. He kept to the shadows created by the strong moonlight and soon knocked on the dining room window. Mrs Baker-Clements smiled, removed her last item of clothing, and headed to the window. They were seen only by a pair of lifeless eyes.

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The Goat Parva Murders stars two policemen Detective Inspector Colin Knowles and Detective Sergeant Rod Barnes who have been working together for a few years and get along really well. There’s lots of dialogue and banter with some humour thrown in amongst the murders and suspects.

For a flavour of this book and other books of mine please see the Tik Tok page: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianworkerbooks

Diary of a Buddhist Cat

Freddie the Buddhist Cat is now on TikTok. Here is a link to the page  https://www.tiktok.com/@julianworkerbooks

Freddie treats everything with respect. People, animals, birds, plants, even his breakfast.

Freddie finds Buddhism.

Saved from the shelter by John and Mary, a new life begins. Then he meets Gemma. 

She regards humans as oppressors as they took her kittens.

Gemma thinks Freddie is soft in the head but sees his approach brings rewards as Freddie wins friends, gains knowledge, stops thieves, and even helps a squirrel fly further from a children’s slide.

From daring rescues to saving souls – this cat has the heart of a lion and the wisdom of The Buddha.

To read further, please visit this link – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GPQJTB2

Office Life – 67% Savings

A book on life in an English office called Office Life is available at a discount from 8th December to 14th December.

5 Days in the life of an English office

There’s lots of banter and insults flying around in this story.

One person goes to the wrong place for the weekend, another has horrible personal habits, and a couple have sex over a desk when no one is watching, but someone is listening.

The main character undergoes a transformation after losing a race and feels better for it.