The Speed Of Sound

In this propulsive thriller, one of the most ingenious young men in the world has also become the most dangerous...or has he? Harmony House is more than a "special place for special people." It's a think tank where high-functioning autistic savants harness their unique abilities for the benefit of society. Resident Eddie Parks's contribution is nothing less than extraordinary: an "echo box" that can re-create never-recorded sounds using acoustic archeology. All Eddie wants is to hear his late mother's voice. But what he's created is inadvertently posing a threat to national security. To Harmony House's shadowy government backers and radical extremists, the echo box is the ultimate intelligence asset--an end to the very concept of secrecy. Now for Eddie and the compassionate Dr. Skylar Drummond, the true nature of the institution is becoming chillingly clear. As ruthless competing enemies close in on Eddie and his miraculous machine, Skylar risks all to take him on the run. Because once that prize is won, Eddie Parks will no longer be considered a "special person" but a dangerous redundancy. An inconvenient echo that must be silenced.

It was the end of an era. It was a turbulent, colorful, and altogether remarkable period, four short years in which America’s most popular industry reinvented itself. Here is the epic story of the transition from silent films to talkies, that moment when movies were totally transformed and the American public cemented its love affair with Hollywood. As Scott Eyman demonstrates in his fascinating account of this exciting era, it was a time when fortunes, careers, and lives were made and lost, when the American film industry came fully into its own. In this mixture of cultural and social history that is both scholarly and vastly entertaining, Eyman dispels the myths and gives us the missing chapter in the history of Hollywood, the ribbon of dreams by which America conquered the world.

The bestselling author of The Mozart Effect taps cutting- edge science to show how we can use sound to improve our lives and achieve our goals. Based on over a decade of new research, Don Campbell, bestselling author of The Mozart Effect, and Alex Doman, an expert in the practical application of sound and listening, show how we can use music-and silence-to become more efficient, productive, relaxed, and healthy. Each chapter focuses on a single aspect of everyday life, providing advice, exercises, wide-ranging playlists, and links so readers can use the music they love to create the perfect soundtrack for any goal or task. Also included are "Sound Profiles"-brief stories showing how real people creatively tap the power of sound to improve their own and others' lives. Inspiring, practical, and truly enjoyable, Healing at the Speed of Sound opens the door to a fuller, richer, and much more harmonious life.

The remarkable story of rising to the top of the music charts, a second act as a tech pioneer, and the sustaining power of creativity and art. Thomas Dolby’s hit songs “She Blinded Me with Science” and “Hyperactive!” catapulted him to international fame in the early 80’s. A pioneer of New Wave and Electronica, Thomas combined a love for invention with a passion for music, and the result was a new sound that defined an era of revolutionary music. But as record company politics overshadow the joy of performing, Thomas finds a surprising second act. Starting out in a rat-infested London bedsit, a teenage Thomas Dolby stacks boxes by day at the grocery and tinkers with a homemade synthesizer at night while catching the Police at a local dive bar, swinging by the pub to see the unknown Elvis Costello and starting the weekend with a Clash show at a small night club. London on the eve of the 1980s is a hotbed for music and culture, and a new sound is beginning to take shape, merging technology with the musical energy of punk rock. Thomas plays keyboards in other bands’ shows, and with a bit of luck finds his own style, quickly establishing himself on the scene and recording break out hits that take radio, MTV and dance clubs by storm. The world is now his oyster, and sold out arenas, world tours, even a friendship with Michael Jackson become the fabric of his life. But as the record industry flounders and disillusionment sets in, Thomas turns his attention to Hollywood. Scoring films and computer games eventually leads him to Silicon Valley and a software startup that turns up the volume on the digital music revolution. His company barely survives the dotcom bubble but finally even the mavericks at Apple, Microsoft, Netscape and Nokia see the light. By 2005, two-thirds of the world’s mobile phones embed his Beatnik software. Life at the zenith of a tech empire proves to be just as full of big personalities, battling egos and roller-coaster success as his days spent at the top of the charts. THE SPEED OF SOUND is the story of an extraordinary man living an extraordinary life, a single-handed quest to make peace between art and the digital world.

After the introductory chapters in each volume, the material in each chapter starts out with definitions and engineering formulas, applies these to the individual gases, and proceeds to advanced theory at the molecular level. The formulas and theory are illustrated with examples throughout. Uncertainty, in both measurement and prediction, is a recurring theme throughout both volumes. The engineering formulas are suited to engineering and science students at the undergraduate level. The advanced theory is for professionals and students at the graduate level. The Handbook will survey the state of the art from 1921 to the present, pointing out gaps in our present knowledge.

The bestselling author of The Mozart Effect taps cutting-edge science to show how we can use sound to improve our lives and achieve our goals. Based on over a decade of new research, Don Campbell, bestselling author of The Mozart Effect, and Alex Doman, an expert in the practical application of sound and listening, show how we can use music-and silence-to become more efficient, productive, relaxed, and healthy. Each chapter focuses on a single aspect of everyday life, providing advice, exercises, wide-ranging playlists, and links so readers can use the music they love to create the perfect soundtrack for any goal or task. Also included are "Sound Profiles" - brief stories showing how real people creatively tap the power of sound to improve their own and others' lives. With nearly one hundred active links to music, video and downloads in the book, the authors demonstrate how others use the inspiring force of music. But this enhanced e-book edition offers even more: exclusive audio and video directly from the authors (including hand-picked musical selections) that not only illustrate how concepts in the book have affected their lives but also help you apply those lessons to your daily routine. Combining the joy of music with the strength of science, Healing At The Speed of Sound™ will set you on the path to a full, rich and truly harmonious life.