List of books by T. K. Finchley
I have published fourteen books and am planning to publish more. On this page, you can find descriptions of my books as well as information on how to buy them in various countries.
Contents
1) The Science And Maths Joke Book
4) 1000+ One-Liners And Short Jokes
5) 600 Anagrams: Anagram puzzles on various topics
6) STEP Mathematics: All exams from 1986 to 2018
9) 500 Twisted Tricky Tongue Twisters
11) The Nonsense Limericks And Illustrations Of Edward Lear
12) The Parrot Illustrations Of Edward Lear
13) The Nonsense Works Of Edward Lear
14) The First Million Digits Of Pi: With a discussion on the history and properties of pi
How to buy my books
My books can be previewed and purchased on Amazon in many countries. Click on the country below to preview or purchase my books in that country:
UK USA Canada Ireland Australia Germany France Italy Spain Netherlands Sweden Japan
1) The Science And Maths Joke Book (Buy this book)
The Science And Maths Joke Book: A collection of over 1000 jokes, Arcanite Press, 2021
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 200
Page dimensions: 6 inches (width) x 9 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-00-4
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of over 1000 jokes in science and mathematics. Jokes are presented in a comprehensive range of disciplines, specifically: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, dietetics, engineering, geology, mathematics, medicine, meteorology, palaeontology, physics, and statistics.
Many different types of joke are included. There are one-liners, “light bulb” jokes, “cross the road” jokes, knock-knock jokes, limericks, question and answer jokes, bar jokes, story jokes, “fly in my soup” jokes, mock proofs, and “doctor, doctor” jokes.
A strong background in science or mathematics is not needed to appreciate the humour in this collection. The book is suitable for anyone with an interest in science or mathematics.
2) The Knock-Knock Joke Book (Buy this book)
The Knock-Knock Joke Book: A collection of over 400 jokes, Arcanite Press, 2021
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 105
Page dimensions: 5.5 inches (width) x 8.5 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-02-8
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of over 400 knock-knock jokes. The collection consists of both old classics and jokes of more recent origin. The jokes are organised into chapters with the following themes: boys’ names, girls’ names, animals, food, objects, places, science and mathematics, and miscellaneous topics. The jokes are suitable for people of all ages.
3) The Maths Joke Book (Buy this book)
The Maths Joke Book: A collection of over 250 jokes, Arcanite Press, 2021
(NOTE: A collection of maths jokes can be found on my website here; a larger collection of maths jokes is included in my book The Maths Joke Book.)
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 97
Page dimensions: 5.5 inches (width) x 8.5 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-03-5
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of over 250 maths jokes. The collection includes one-liners, “light bulb” jokes, “cross the road” jokes, question and answer jokes, knock-knock jokes, limericks, bar jokes, and story jokes. There is also a “quick and easy test”, which is a single long joke that claims to identify the reader’s favourite film from a list. Finally, there are mock proofs; these involve “proving” nonsensical statements by using mathematical methods with subtle errors. The jokes are suitable for people of all ages.
4) 1000+ One-Liners And Short Jokes (Buy this book)
1000+ One-Liners And Short Jokes, Arcanite Press, 2022
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 137
Page dimensions: 6 inches (width) x 9 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-05-9
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of over 1000
5) 600 Anagrams: Anagram puzzles on various topics (Buy this book)
600 Anagrams: Anagram puzzles on various topics, Arcanite Press, 2022
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 84
Page dimensions: 6 inches (width) x 9 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-06-6
Back cover description:
An anagram is a word or phrase that is formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase. The original word or phrase that is rearranged to form an anagram is referred to as the subject of the anagram.
Anagrams represent a popular type of word puzzle. The challenge is to recover the subject from an anagram. This book contains 600 anagram puzzles, arranged into 60 topics with 10 anagrams per topic. For each anagram, the topic reveals what sort of thing its subject is.
The 60 topics cover a broad range of themes. A small selection of the topics is as follows: birds, capital cities, cheeses, dog breeds, great scientists, items of clothing, musical instruments, occupations, Shakespeare plays, US presidents, and vegetables.
Solutions to all of the puzzles may be found at the end of the book.
6) STEP Mathematics: All exams from 1986 to 2018 (Buy this book)
STEP Mathematics: All exams from 1986 to 2018, Arcanite Press, 2023
(NOTE: Free STEP Mathematics resources can be found on my website here.)
Type of book: Hardcover or Paperback
Number of pages: 549
Page dimensions (Hardcover): 8.25 inches (width) x 11 inches (height)
Page dimensions (Paperback): 8.5 inches (width) x 11 inches (height)
ISBN (Hardcover): 978-1-914326-07-3
ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-914326-08-0
Back cover description:
STEP Mathematics is a type of examination used by colleges at the University of Cambridge as part of a conditional offer to read its mathematics undergraduate degree; STEP itself is an acronym for Sixth Term Examination Paper. Specimen papers, for the guidance of examiners and candidates, were issued in 1986. The first STEP Mathematics exams took place in summer 1987 and have continued every summer since then.
STEP Mathematics is not just used by the University of Cambridge; it has been used, and continues to be used, by the University of Warwick as part of conditional offers to read its mathematics undergraduate degree, and the mathematics departments of many universities besides Cambridge and Warwick have, for some years, recommended that their applicants practise on STEP Mathematics past papers prior to arriving at university, even if they do not sit any STEP Mathematics papers officially.
Including the specimen papers from 1986, there were three STEP Mathematics papers every year from 1986 to 2019, referred to as Papers I, II, and III, or as Papers 1, 2, and 3. Paper I was subsequently discontinued; the last Paper I was in 2019. Papers II and III have continued to be produced every year since 2019.
This book contains all of the STEP Mathematics papers from 1986 to 2018 inclusive. The cut-off point has been chosen as 2018 for two reasons: firstly, the STEP Mathematics syllabuses were quite consistent from 1986 to 2018, but underwent modifications in 2019; secondly, candidates were allowed to use a formula booklet up to and including 2018, but not thereafter.
In brief, this book contains:
- an informative Introduction;
- 99 past papers;
- 832 pure mathematics problems;
- 321 mechanics problems;
- 248 probability and statistics problems;
- 1401 mathematics problems;
- the 2010 syllabuses;
- a formula booklet from 2011.
This book is potentially useful to many people. It has the following five purposes:
- to help STEP Mathematics candidates prepare for their exam(s) by practising on past papers;
- to help students prepare for university mathematics courses;
- to help educators find inspiration for creating new mathematics problems;
- to serve as a repository of mathematical results;
- to serve as a collection of mathematics problems for anyone.
7) The Book Of Limericks (Buy this book)
The Book Of Limericks: A collection of over 400 poems, Arcanite Press, 2023
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 111
Page dimensions: 5.5 inches (width) x 8.5 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-09-7
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of over 400 limericks. The book begins with an informative Introduction that discusses the structure of the limerick form of poetry and outlines the historical origins of limericks. The collection is then presented in chapters with the following themes: animals, the church, education, food and drink, mathematics, money, music and the arts, names, phonetic fun, places, poetry, science, and miscellaneous topics. The limericks are suitable for people of all ages.
8) The Animal Joke Book (Buy this book)
The Animal Joke Book: A collection of over 300 jokes, Arcanite Press, 2023
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 97
Page dimensions: 5.5 inches (width) x 8.5 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-10-3
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of over 300 animal jokes. The collection includes one-liners, “light bulb” jokes, “cross the road” jokes, question and answer jokes, knock-knock jokes, limericks, bar jokes, and story jokes. The jokes are suitable for people of all ages.
9) 500 Twisted Tricky Tongue Twisters (Buy this book)
500 Twisted Tricky Tongue Twisters, Arcanite Press, 2024
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 101
Page dimensions: 5.5 inches (width) x 8.5 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-13-4
Back cover description:
This book contains a collection of 500 tongue twisters. The book begins with an informative Introduction that discusses the properties of tongue twisters and outlines their historical origins. The Introduction also describes single-player and multi-player versions of a word game that can be played with the tongue twisters in this book. The collection is then presented in chapters as follows:
- Chapter 1 contains 100 tongue twisters, where each has fewer than 5 words;
- Chapter 2 contains 200 tongue twisters, where each has between 5 and 10 words inclusive;
- Chapter 3 contains 100 tongue twisters, where each has between 11 and 20 words inclusive;
- Chapter 4 contains 75 tongue twisters, where each has between 21 and 50 words inclusive;
- Chapter 5 contains 25 tongue twisters, where each has more than 50 words.
The tongue twisters can be used in various ways – for example: to practise pronunciation; to test people’s pronunciation; to
The tongue twisters are suitable for people of all ages.
10) 1056 Sudoku Puzzles (Buy this book)
1056 Sudoku Puzzles: From easy to expert, with solutions, Arcanite Press, 2024
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 140
Page dimensions: 8.5 inches (width) x 11 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-16-5
Back cover description:
Sudoku is a type of number-placement puzzle. It is internationally popular.
This large book contains 1056 Sudoku puzzles, each set on a 9 x 9 grid.
Features:
- An informative Introduction with instructions and tips on how to solve the puzzles
- A range of difficulties – there are 264 easy puzzles, 264 medium puzzles, 264 hard puzzles, and 264 expert puzzles
- Large page dimensions – 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches tall
- 12 puzzles per page
- Full solutions in the back of the book
This book will help exercise your mental faculties. Alternatively, it would make a great gift for a loved one.
11) The Nonsense Limericks And Illustrations Of Edward Lear (Buy this book)
The Nonsense Limericks And Illustrations Of Edward Lear: The complete collection, Arcanite Press, 2025
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 133
Page dimensions: 6 inches (width) x 9 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-15-8
Back cover description:
Edward Lear, an English author and artist who lived from 1812 to 1888, helped to popularise the limerick form of poetry. This book contains all of the limericks that he published, as well as the illustrations that he created to accompany his limericks. In total, there are 216 limericks in this book, each of which is presented with a corresponding illustration. The limericks and illustrations are suitable for people of all ages.
12) The Parrot Illustrations Of Edward Lear (Buy this book)
The Parrot Illustrations Of Edward Lear: Introduced and annotated by T. K. Finchley, Arcanite Press, 2025
(NOTE: Parrot illustrations by Edward Lear can be found on my website here.)
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 127
Page dimensions: 6 inches (width) x 9 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-17-2
Back cover description:
Edward Lear, an English author and artist who lived from 1812 to 1888, published his first and only book on parrots in 1832, at the age of 19. This was called Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots. It contained 42 colour illustrations of parrots. When first published, these illustrations were accompanied by the common names and scientific names of the birds depicted, but they were not accompanied by annotations. The naming, classification, and distribution of many parrot species has changed markedly since 1832. This new book contains the 42 colour illustrations in Lear’s parrot book in the same order as originally published, together with modern annotations, based on the latest available scientific data.
The parrot illustrations of Edward Lear are very beautiful and lifelike. By combining these beautiful illustrations with scientifically modern annotations, this book provides a simple introduction to parrots.
13) The Nonsense Works Of Edward Lear (Buy this book)
The Nonsense Works Of Edward Lear: Compiled and introduced by T. K. Finchley, Arcanite Press, 2026
Type of book: Paperback
Number of pages: 304
Page dimensions: 6 inches (width) x 9 inches (height)
ISBN: 978-1-914326-18-9
Back cover description:
Edward Lear, an English author and artist who lived from 1812 to 1888, helped to popularise nonsense literature by publishing four nonsense books. This new volume contains the four nonsense books of Edward Lear, including his original illustrations. The material contained herein is suitable for people of all ages.
14) The First Million Digits Of Pi: With a discussion on the history and properties of pi (Buy this book)
The First Million Digits Of Pi: With a discussion on the history and properties of pi, Arcanite Press, 2026
Type of book: Hardcover or Paperback
Number of pages: 344
Page dimensions (Hardcover): 8.25 inches (width) x 11 inches (height)
Page dimensions (Paperback): 8.5 inches (width) x 11 inches (height)
ISBN (Hardcover): 978-1-914326-20-2
ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-914326-19-6
Back cover description:
Pi is a number, usually referred to by the Greek letter π (pronounced “pi”). It is a mathematical constant, ubiquitous in maths and science. Its best known property is that it is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.
The number π has numerous intriguing properties. In particular, it has a decimal expansion that goes on forever without ever settling down to a repeating sequence. This decimal expansion begins as follows:
π = 3.14159,26535,89793,23846,26433…
The current record for computing π is 314 trillion decimal digits long, and was set in November 2025.
This book is about π. It contains two parts:
- Part I contains a discussion on π, which includes exploration of the following topics: definitions of π; the history of π; the mathematical properties of π; and the role of π in maths, science, and popular culture.
- Part II contains a
million-digit representation of π – specifically, π is stated as a decimal number that is truncated after one million decimal places. Part II also contains comments on: where to find representations of π online; some computational tools for generating π; and how to use the digits in themillion-digit representation of π.
This book is aimed at people who possess the kind of mathematical knowledge that is typically learnt by students from age 16 years to age 18 years, or more advanced mathematical knowledge. The book has two purposes. The first purpose is to help the reader to learn about π, including its history and properties, using the detailed discussion on π in Part I. The second purpose is to enable the reader to use the decimal digits of π in Part II. The digits could be used in various ways, which we summarise as follows:
- The reader could look for patterns or hidden messages in the digits. Although the digits never settle down to a repeating sequence, this does not mean that they do not exhibit some other pattern.
- Starting from the beginning of the number, the reader could try to memorise as many of the digits as possible, with a view to impressing themself or other people. The reader could even try to set a new record for reciting the digits of π – the current record stands at 70,000 digits.
- The reader could use the digits to create examples of Pilish; Pilish is any form of language that represent π in such a way that the length of each word corresponds to a particular digit of π. An example is the question “May I have a large container of coffee?”, for which the number of letters in the words are 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, the sequence of digits at the start of the decimal expansion of π.
- Computer experiments indicate that the digits of π exhibit “randomess”, so they could serve as a sort of pseudo-random number generator. Thus, if the reader wished to pick a random set of n consecutive digits for some reasonably small positive integer n, they could turn to a random page in the
million-digit representation of π in this book, point to a random digit, and read off the n consecutive digits that begin where they are pointing. - The digits could be used in the context of a reference book, because the digits have been laid out in such a way as to make this possible. Regarding the layout of π in this book, the pages are numbered, the lines are numbered, and there are 80 digits per line. This makes it easy to find particular decimal places, such as the 10,000th decimal place, or to identify the decimal place of a digit given its page number, line number, and position within its line.