Three Free Books for Aussies (K)

A trio of free pre-order books for Australians in the Kindle store today. All are from HarperCollins and are most likely pricing errors that will be corrected later on, but if you order them while they are free, you'll get them at no charge when they are finally released.

Collins New Naturalist Library (9) - A Country Parish, by A. W. Boyd
The natural history of an ordinary English country parish was one of the first subjects that suggested themselves when the New Naturalist series was planned. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com

The natural history of an ordinary English country parish was one of the first subjects that suggested themselves when the New Naturalist series was planned. Being chiefly farmland and therefore practically all man-made, most country parishes are extremely complex from the naturalist’s point of view and also inevitably contain a vast amount of human history. Any attempt to describe their plants and animals has to be closely related with the ways of man himself, who must be regarded as the chief element in the community – a fact which has been obvious enough to naturalists ever since the days of Gilbert White. For this book we are fortunate to have found an author who combines a thorough all-round knowledge of natural history with a sound insight into human customs, history, pastimes and farming methods. Arnold Boyd has lived in Cheshire all his life – since 1902 in the parish of Antrobus, part of the old parish of Great Budworth, the character of which is typical of much of the Cheshire Plain. In keeping with the best tradition of English amateur naturalists, he excels as a collector of facts, as has been apparent from his previous books, his writing in the Manchester Guardian and other journals, and in his assistant editorship of British Birds. By weaving together his collection of facts he presents us with a book of remarkable unity and which shows a wide grasp of every aspect of the living communities. This charming yet erudite portrait will protect his beloved parish forever from the ravages of human forgetfulness.

Plato: Philosophy in an Hour, by Paul Strathern
Philosophy for busy people. Read a succinct account of the philosophy of Plato in just one hour.

Plato is still seen by many as the greatest of all philosophers, inspiring many of the finest thinkers through the ages. Indeed, many see all later philosophy as nothing but attempts to answer the questions he raised. He founded the Academy, the world’s first university, in 387 BC and taught that the physical world is not reality but rather a reproduction of the true source.

Plato: Philosophy in an Hour is a concise, expert account of Plato’s life and philosophical ideas – entertainingly written and easy to understand. Also included are selections from his work, suggested further reading and chronologies that place Plato in the context of the broader scheme of philosophy.

Pretty as a Porn Star, by Madelaine Moore
Emily and Luke meet at film school and become lovers. One night, while they are making love, she notices the red light on his camera. The SOB is recording them! She’s angry but also turned on and gives the sexual performance of her life. Luke confesses that he shoots their nights of passion, but only because his rampant desire for her has ruined him for porn. His only source of visual stimulation is this very private collection of movies. Ever-pragmatic Emily realises that if watching herself in action turns her on, wouldn’t watching themselves do it for other people? The couple begins making private-consumption porn movies that Emily writes and Luke directs. Their crew of film students expands to include ‘talent’ as they branch out into producing porn for sale, often shot guerilla-style, using public events as a backdrop for films with stories and dialogue as well as increasingly dangerous, exciting sex. And Emily’s desperately torn between wanting to star in her own scripts and her fear of discovery. If her lovely but puritanical step-mother, who controls her trust fund, were ever to find out . . . And she does, but with an outcome that Emily could never have predicted.