Hitler's Secret Weapons of Mass Destruction

Hitler's Secret Weapons of Mass Destruction is a book by Michael Fitzgerald.

It examines a number of "secret" weapons (often based on new technologies) that Hitler insisted were "miracle weapons" that would halt the advancing allied armies in their tracks, reverse the fortunes of the German armed forces and bring the ultimate victory that he had long promised the German people.

However, what were these "miracle weapons"? Were they real or fantasies within the mentally diseased mind of Hitler?

In his book Fitzgerald examines the remaining records and archives of both Germany and the allied armed forces and he proves that some of the weapons were real attempts to use science to create weapons that would defeat the allied forces. A problem faced by researchers such as Fitzgerald is that many of the records were destroyed in allied bombing campaigns or were destroyed by the German armed forces or taken by Soviet army units.

He looks at the rocket programme of the Germans, flying discs, so-called foo fighters, alternative energy production and much more besides.

He also takes time to debunk some of the more hysterical claims so beloved of conspiracy theory fanatics.

For example he makes a detailed examination of The Bell. He writes about what The Bell wasn't (it wasn't anything to do with anti-gravity for example) it might, he speculates, have been designed to breed uranium or plutonium or could have been an early type of particle accelerator. 

He shows that one of the apparent mysteries surrounding The Bell project was merely a mistake in transcribing the name of a female scientist involved in the project.

It's an interesting and informative book and is published by Arcturus Publishing and costs £7.99.

The Philosophy of Humour

The Philosophy of Humour is a book by senior academic, published comic author and poet Paul McDonald, who is a Senior Lecturer at Wolverhampton University.

In this book McDonald takes the reader through the various and multiplicious theories of comedy and humour.

There is no one, single unifying theory of what makes people laugh and it is the aim of this book to do that, at least to some extent.

It critically examines the philosophical approaches to humour of great minds down through the ages such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Descartes Hobbes, Bergson, Kant, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Freud and Bakhtin.

However, the book also dips in to several other disciplines such as psychology and psychoanalysis, the theory of literature, religion, cultural studies, philosophy.

However, this is not a dry, theoretical work as it offers the student/reader the opportunity to partake in humorous creative writing exercises.

The book is published by Humanities-Ebooks and costs £11.75 and is also available as an e-book via Amazon at £3.72.   

Tales of Mossycup Wood Frogbit and the Big Gloop

Tales of Mossycup Wood Frogbit and the Big Gloop is a wonderful children's book debut from Emma Jane Dunne.

At the heart of Mossycup Wood you will find Poggle Hollow few people know about its existence and those few people who do know about it, tend to try to keep it as a secret.

The Pogglewitts live there, they are small, very friendly and fun-loving people who have made nests for their homes in the oldest of the trees in the heart of the woods.

Their lives are full, but filled with wondrous things to do to help keep them happy. Waking up to the singing of the dawn chorus, watching the clouds as they float on by, collecting dust from butterflies,or singing to the minnows in the water.

It's a great book for children aged 4 to 7 and adults alike who will be utterly charmed by the stores and the colourful illustrations.

It's published by Matador at £9.99.

Hello

Hello is a debut book from Natalie Axander.

It helps children learn how to offer greetings in a wide variety of languages, in the guise of her hero Kevin as he daydreamingly travels around the world.

It's a well written and well illustrated book which will be great for children and adults to read together.

The illustrations were originated by Natalie Axander and drawn by ValEria Ko.

It's published by Matador at £6.99.

Aya and Papaya Discover What Makes Everyone Special

Aya and Papaya Discover What Makes Everyone Special is a new book in the splendid Aya and Papaya series of illustrated children's books, created by MQ.

It's a very special day for Aya and her best friend, Papaya, as they are going to take a ride on an 'plane to visit Aya's grandparents.

When they are at the airport waiting for their flight they see many different people who are from a lot of different places from all over the world.

Aya learns about them and comes to realise that everyone is special, but in their own, often totally unique, way.

Created by MQ, it's written and produced by Andy Abey, Anne Bleeker, plus the Qs.

The splendid and vivid illustrations are supplied by Leo Antolini.

It's due for publication by Matador on 28th August at £8.99.

Out of the Noise

Out of the Noise is a very interesting autobiography from Michael Fisher.

It tells the story of his early life, in the North Staffordshire town of Leek. The title of the book comes from an expression that locals use about their town, "Out of the Noise" it's a market town located between two hills and, as the expression goes, "Out of the Noise."

There are stories about the wonderful toys that his engineering father crafted by hand, the terrible December Disaster (the Christmas tree caught fire) and more interesting tales of growing up in a small market town in the north Midlands in a Moorlands town.

Read about seaside holidays of the type you probably went on yourself, street parties and the town's annual May Fair and a variety of special events, including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

There's also some moving memories such as his uneasy relationship with his father as Michael grew inot an adolescent and a favourite auntie who provided him with loving support during these difficult times.

The book is also very well illustrated with a wide range of well reproduced photographs.

It's an evocative and very moving, poignant book and really must be on the reading lists of anyone with an interest in the social history of Britain.

It's published by The Book Guild at £9.99

The House is on Fire and the Kids Are Eating Ice Cream

The House is on Fire and the Kids Are Eating Ice Cream is a collection of poems which is for those who like their coffee black and their poetry even blacker.

There are poems about death, disaster and hangovers.

About buses that are filled with a whole panoply of weird creatures and characters, the poet's very own Cleopatra, or Morticia (of both types).

Of rabbits that panicked and rabbits that didn't. And why this might be the case.

There's a house fire, sleep, or lack of it and almost everything else, besides.

Thomas R. Langton has what can only be described as a mordant sense of humour and the ability to craft some excellent poems from premises that are at once mundane but also ethereal in their nature.

It's published by Matador at £8.99 on 28th August.