Jon Davis

The era of optimism and widespread prosperity that defined the United States since the end of World War II is grinding to a halt just as James is struggling to finish college. His dream of making a stylish life in the city isn't going as planned. Debt is beginning to mount as he longs for fun and escape. It isn't until he befriends a mysterious young woman who shares many of his tastes does he begin to believe things are turning around. She is Loren Anders, an heir to a global finance empire and aspiring fashion model. She is buoyant and fun, something James has longed to be. Quickly he is enveloped in to her chic world of travel and excess. But as the Great Recession approaches, Loren's realm of opulence begins to unravel. James is forced to recognize the true importance of the things he covets and discovers a path to fulfillment by putting aside the illusions that promised happiness.

Not long ago there was prosperity. Every worker had a job and those whose fortunes weren't on the rise held out hope that their day would soon come when they too joined the burgeoning league of millionaires that seemed to be produced overnight. This era is ending just as James is struggling to finish college. His dream of making a stylish, sophisticated life in the city isn't going as planned. Debt is beginning to mount as he longs for hedonistic fun. It isn't until James accidentally befriends a mysterious young woman who shares many of his tastes and aspirations does he begin to believe that things are turning around for him. She is Loren Anders, an heir to a global finance empire and aspiring fashion model. She is buoyant and fun, something James has longed to be. But as the Great Recession approaches, Loren's realm of opulence and glamour begins to unravel. James is forced to find fulfillment by putting aside the illusions that promised happiness.

"Davis is as good as DeLillo at playing off our internal hunger for meaning against surface senselessness. And Davis catches the surface brilliantly."--American Book ReviewPunctuated by subversive humor, verbal theatrics, and moments of strange, luminous beauty, Davis' clear, unsentimental poems are meditations and mediations on contemporary existence and the unreliability of language, emotions, and the memory to gather it all in. Jon Davis, author of five collections of poetry, earned his MFA from the University of Montana. He has received a Lannan Literary Award and currently teaches at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The study of prime ministers and the reforms of British central government in any era are fascinating. The interaction between the temporary, often inexperienced, but largely elected ministers and the experienced, but theoretically subservient, senior civil servants provides enormous interest. It is a matter that relates directly to many of the battles going on in British politics today. This book concentrates on the Harold Macmillan, Harold Wilson, Alec Douglas-Home and Edward Heath years when the battle between the Civil Service and the Government was at its most intense. What makes this book even more compelling is that many of the key players have given their own published accounts since leaving office - including Richard Crossman, Barbara Castle and Tony Benn. Dr Jon Davis' book is based on years of meticulous research and it will be essential reading for any historian or student of British politics during the post-war years.

Differential equations is a subject of wide applicability, and knowledge of dif­ Differential equations is a subject of wide applicability, and knowledge of dif­ ferential ferential equations equations topics topics permeates permeates all all areas areas of of study study in in engineering engineering and and applied applied mathematics. mathematics. Some Some differential differential equations equations are are susceptible susceptible to to analytic analytic means means of of so­ so­ lution, lution, while while others others require require the the generation generation of of numerical numerical solution solution trajectories trajectories to to see see the the behavior behavior of of the the system system under under study. study. For For both both situations, situations, the the software software package package Maple Maple can can be be used used to to advantage. advantage. To To the the student student Making Making effective effective use use of of differential differential equations equations requires requires facility facility in in recognizing recognizing and and solving solving standard standard "tractable" "tractable" problems, problems, as as well well as as having having the the background background in in the the subject subject to to make make use use of of tools tools for for dealing dealing with with situations situations that that are are not not amenable amenable to to simple simple analytic analytic approaches. approaches.