Ken Blake

The Bob & Tom Saga: Volume Two - Battling On continues the evolving story of two lifelong friends as they move beyond the innocence of youth and face the realities of adulthood. In this second volume, Bob and Tom encounter a series of complex and often dangerous situations that test their courage, loyalty, and moral judgment. From wartime experiences to moments of isolation, unexpected encounters, and difficult personal choices, the stories reveal how their characters grow under pressure. Each novella adds new layers to their friendship while exploring themes of adventure, love, betrayal, secrecy, and survival. Set across changing circumstances and challenges, the narrative follows Bob and Tom as they navigate a world that is becoming harsher and more unpredictable. Their experiences shape them into stronger, more cynical individuals while their bond remains a constant force. Blending action, suspense, and emotional depth, Battling On offers readers a compelling continuation of a saga that explores friendship, resilience, and the trials that define a lifetime.

Dive into the thrilling world of The Bob & Tom Saga: Volume One - Coming of Age, a captivating collection of eight interconnected stories penned by Ken Blake during his youth from 1963 to 1980, now faithfully transcribed for modern readers. Follow best friends Bob and Tom, two spirited teenage boys at Greenton Boarding School, as they navigate the highs and lows of adolescence amid mischief, romance, and high-stakes adventures in mid-20th-century Britain. From forbidden flirtations with the headmaster's daughter in "The Forbidden Fruit" to thwarting phone-box vandals in "The Telephone Wreckers," staging a bold school revolt against strict rules in "The Great Greenton Revolt," and dodging scandals at inter-school dances in "Almost a School Scandal," the tales burst with youthful optimism and rebellion. As the saga deepens, the boys tackle diamond heists in "Diamonds & Crooks," underground perils during a foggy holiday in "The Danger Below," drug-fueled rivalries between rockers and mods in "Rockers and Purple Hearts," and desperate acts of revenge and escape in "Run Tom Run " Infused with idealism, romantic tension, and the harsh realities of growing up, these stories reflect the author's own turbulent emotions and escapism. Perfect for fans of classic coming-of-age tales like The Catcher in the Rye or The Outsiders, this volume captures the spirit of a bygone era while delivering timeless themes of friendship, love, and defiance. Bear in mind-these stories are products of their time, offering an authentic glimpse into 1960s-1970s youth culture.

Teaches the basic, yet all-important, data skills required by today’s media professionals The authors of Data Skills for Media Professionals have assembled a book that teaches key aspects of data analysis, interactive data visualization and online map-making through an introduction to Google Drive, Google Sheets, and Google My Maps, all free, highly intuitive, platform-agnostic tools available to any reader with a computer and a web connection. Delegating the math and design work to these apps leaves readers free to do the kinds of thinking that media professionals do most often: considering what questions to ask, how to ask them, and how to evaluate and communicate the answers. Although focused on Google apps, the book draws upon complementary aspects of the free QGIS geographic information system, the free XLMiner Analysis ToolPak Add-on for Google Sheets, and the ubiquitous Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application. Worked examples rely on frequently updated data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Election Commission, the National Bridge Inventory of structurally deficient bridges, and other federal sources, giving readers the option of immediately applying what they learn to current data they can localize to any area in the United States. The book offers chapters covering: basic data analysis; data visualization; making online maps; Microsoft Excel and pivot tables; matching records with Excel's VLOOKUP function; basic descriptive and inferential statistics; and other functions, tools and techniques. Serves as an excellent supplemental text for easily adding data skills instruction to courses in beginning or advanced writing and reportingFeatures computer screen captures that illustrate each step of each procedureOffers downloadable datasets from a companion web page to help students implement the techniques themselvesShows realistic examples that illustrate how to perform each technique and how to use it on the job Data Skills of Media Professionals is an excellent book for students taking skills courses in the more than 100 ACEJMC-accredited journalism and mass communication programs across the United States. It would also greatly benefit those enrolled in advanced or specialized reporting courses, including courses dedicated solely to teaching data skills.