Best of
Books-About-Books

2004

Wild About Books


Judy Sierra - 2004
    She finds the perfect book for every animal--tall books for giraffes, tiny ones for crickets. "She even found waterproof books for the otter, who never went swimming without Harry Potter." In no time at all, Molly has them "forsaking their niches, their nests, and their nooks," going "wild, simply wild, about wonderful books." Judy Sierra's funny animal tale coupled with Marc Brown's lush, fanciful paintings will have the same effect on young Homo sapiens. Altogether, it's more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books


Aaron Lansky - 2004
    . . Inspiring . . . Important.” —Library Journal, starred review “A marvelous yarn, loaded with near-calamitous adventures and characters as memorable as Singer creations.” —The New York Post      “What began as a quixotic journey was also a picaresque romp, a detective story, a profound history lesson, and a poignant evocation of a bygone world.” —The Boston Globe “Every now and again a book with near-universal appeal comes along: Outwitting History is just such a book.” —The Sunday Oregonian As a twenty-three-year-old graduate student, Aaron Lansky set out to save the world’s abandoned Yiddish books before it was too late. Today, more than a million books later, he has accomplished what has been called “the greatest cultural rescue effort in Jewish history.” In Outwitting History, Lansky shares his adventures as well as the poignant and often laugh-out-loud stories he heard as he traveled the country collecting books. Introducing us to a dazzling array of writers, he shows us how an almost-lost culture is the bridge between the old world and the future—and how the written word can unite everyone who believes in the power of great literature.A Library Journal Best Book A Massachusetts Book Award Winner in Nonfiction An ALA Notable Book

The Book of Flying


Keith Miller - 2004
    When he discovers an ancient letter in his library telling of the mythical Morning Town where the flightless may gain their wings, he sets off on a quest. It's a magical journey and coming-of-age story in which he meets a robber queen, a lonely minotaur, a cannibal, an immortal beauty, and a dream seller. Each has a story, and a lesson, for Pico - about learning to love, to persevere, and, of course, to fly. A gorgeously poetic tale of fantasy for adults, The Book of Flying is a beautiful modern fable and daring new take on the quest narrative.

The Library: A World History


James W.P. Campbell - 2004
    As varied and inventive as the volumes they hold, such buildings can be much more than the dusty, dark wooden shelves found in mystery stories or the catacombs of stacks in the basements of academia. From the great dome of the Library of Congress, to the white façade of the Seinäjoki Library in Finland, to the ancient ruins of the library of Pergamum in modern Turkey, the architecture of a library is a symbol of its time as well as of its builders’ wealth, culture, and learning. Architectural historian James Campbell and photographer Will Pryce traveled the globe together, visiting and documenting over eighty libraries that exemplify the many different approaches to thinking about and designing libraries. The result of their travels, The Library: A World History is one of the first books to tell the story of library architecture around the world and through time in a single volume, from ancient Mesopotamia to modern China and from the beginnings of writing to the present day. As these beautiful and striking photos reveal, each age and culture has reinvented the library, molding it to reflect their priorities and preoccupations—and in turn mirroring the history of civilization itself. Campbell’s authoritative yet readable text recounts the history of these libraries, while Pryce’s stunning photographs vividly capture each building’s structure and atmosphere.  Together, Campbell and Pryce have produced a landmark book—the definitive photographic history of the library and one that will be essential for the home libraries of book lovers and architecture devotees alike.

Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism


Rose A. Zimbardo - 2004
    The essays span fifty years of critical reaction, from the first publication of The Fellowship of the Ring through the release of Peter Jackson's film trilogy, which inspired a new generation of readers to discover the classic work and prior generations to rediscover its power and beauty. Fans and scholars alike will appreciate these important, insightful, and timely pieces. Fourteen of the fifteen have been previously published but are gathered here for the first time. The final essay in the volume, "The Road Back to Middle-earth" by Tom Shippey, was commissioned especially for this collection. Shippey examines how Peter Jackson translated the text into film drama, shaping the story to fit the understanding of a modern audience without compromising its deep philosophical core.

The Penland Book of Handmade Books: Master Classes in Bookmaking Techniques


Jane LaFerla - 2004
    Now it’s available to everyone, in a technical and inspirational guide that showcases 10 contemporary book artists who have taught at the institution. Four hundred illuminating photographs highlight the crafters as each one demonstrates all the details of his or her particular expertise. Marvel at the beauty of Dolph Smith’s sculptural books, the exquisite structure of Jim Croft’s carved wood covers and metal closures, the intricacies of Barbara Mauriello’s handmade boxes and slipcases, and the secrets of Carol Barton’s playful pop-ups. Reflective essays by all the artists add to the creative excitement visible on every page and in every spectacular project.

Bound to Please: An Extraordinary One-Volume Literary Education


Michael Dirda - 2004
    Opening with an impassioned critique of modern reading habits, he then presents many of the great, and idiosyncratic, writers he loves most. In this showcase of one hundred of the world's most astonishing books, Dirda covers a remarkable range of literature, including popular genres such as the detective novel and ghost story, while never neglecting the deeper satisfactions of sometimes overlooked classics. Short-listed for the Los Angeles Times Book Award for criticism, Bound to Please is a glorious celebration of just how much fun reading can be.

The Anybodies


N.E. Bode - 2004
    Just who are the Anybodies? You'll have to read to find out! Narrated by the hilariously intrusive N. E. Bode, The Anybodies is a magical adventure for readers of all ages.

Miniatures and Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen


Peter J. Leithart - 2004
    In both their moral content and their focused, highly detailed, "miniaturist" execution, they reveal Austen's mastery of the art of fiction and her concern for Christian virtues exercised within communities. She entertains, edifies, and challenges men and women readers alike. From theological and literary angles, Leithart analyzes character and theme while summarizing each of Austen's major works: Pride & Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Sense & Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion. Including helpful review and thought questions for each section, this book is an excellent introduction to Austen for students and for all who desire a richer appreciation of her enduring genius.

Flannery O'Connor and the Christ-Haunted South


Ralph C. Wood - 2004
    Fifty years after her death, O'Connor's fiction still retains its original power and pertinence. For those who know nothing of O'Connor and her work, this study by Ralph C. Wood offers one of the finest introductions available. For those looking to deepen their appreciation of this literary icon, it breaks important new ground.Unique to Wood's approach is his concern to show how O'Connor's stories, novels, and essays impinge on America's cultural and ecclesial condition. He uses O'Connor's work as a window onto its own regional and religious ethos. Indeed, he argues here that O'Connor's fiction has lasting, even universal, significance precisely because it is rooted in the confessional witness of her Roman Catholicism and in the Christ-haunted character of the American South.According to Wood, it is this O'Connor -- the believer and the Southerner -- who helps us at once to confront the hardest cultural questions and to propose the profoundest religious answers to them. His book is thus far more than a critical analysis of O'Connor's writing; in fact, it is principally devoted to cultural and theological criticism by way of O'Connor's searing insights into our time and place. These are some of the engaging moral and religious questions that Wood explores: the role of religious fundamentalism in American culture and in relation to both Protestant liberalism and Roman Catholicism; the practice of racial slavery and its continuing legacy in the literature and religion of the South; the debate over Southern identity, especially whether it is a culture rooted in ancient or modern values; the place of preaching and the sacraments in secular society and dying Christendom; and the lure of nihilism in contemporary American culture.Splendidly illuminating both O'Connor herself and the American mind, Wood's Flannery O'Connor and the Christ-Haunted South will inform and fascinate a wide range of readers, from lovers of literature to those seriously engaged with religious history, cultural analysis, or the American South.

100 Best Books for Children


Anita Silvey - 2004
    The books we hear or read when we are children stay with us all our lives. If we miss them when we are young, we’ll miss them forever: no Hungry Caterpillar, no Winn-Dixie, no Roll of Thunder. As adults we remember a few familiar favorites, but no one but an expert like Anita Silvey, with her thirty-five years at the heart of children’s book publishing, could put together an authoritative list like this one. Parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and bookstore clerks will feel completely comfortable recommending these books for any child, from infancy to almost-teens. Silvey includes, in addition to the 100 best, extensive lists of books to meet special needs and interests as well as classics, selected by age, to round out this extraordinarily useful work. In addition to giving an age range and the plot of each book, Silvey relates the fascinating, often hilarious story behind the story, something only an insider in the field of children’s publishing could tell. 100 Best Books for Children is as much fun to read as it is helpful.

A Fine Brush on Ivory: An Appreciation of Jane Austen


Richard Jenkyns - 2004
    In A Fine Brush on Ivory, Richard Jenkyns takes us on an amiable tour of Austen's fictional world, opening a window on some of the great works of world literature. Focusing largely on Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma, but with many diverting side trips to Austen's other novels, Jenkyns shines a loving light on the exquisite craftsmanship and profound moral imagination that informs her writing. Readers will find, for instance, a wonderful discussion of characterization in Austen. Jenkyns's insight into figures such as Mr. Bennett or Mrs. Norris is brilliant--particularly his portrait of the amusing, clever, always ironic Mr. Bennett, whose humor (Jenkyns shows) arises out of a deeply unhappy and disappointing marriage. The author pays due homage to Austen's unmatched skill with complex plotting--the beauty with which the primary plot and the various subplots are woven together--highlighting the infinite care she took to make each plot detail as natural and as plausible as possible. Perhaps most important, Jenkyns illuminates the heart of Austen's moral imagination: she is constantly aware, throughout her works, of the nearness of evil to the comfortable social surface. She knows that the socially acceptable sins may be truly cruel and vicious, knows that society can be red in tooth and claw, and yet she allows the pleasures of comedy and celebration to subordinate them. Insightful and highly entertaining, A Fine Brush on Ivory captures the spirit and originality of Jane Austen's work. It will be a cherished keepsake or gift for her many fans.

Holy Tango of Literature


Francis Heaney - 2004
    This devilishly witty book has a twist: Each writer's name is rearranged as a title, creating the subject for a parody rendered in the author's style.

Unshelved


Bill Barnes - 2004
    Some of the stories are made up, some of them are based on real life, and some are absolutely true stories sent to us from our readers. And the stranger the story, the more likely it is to be true.

Booked Twice: Booked to Die and The Bookman's Wake


John Dunning - 2004
     Includes "The Book Collector," advice and special tips from John Dunning on collecting rare books. BOOKED TO DIE Denver cop Cliff Janeway probably knows as much about books as he does about homicide. His living room resembles an adjunct to the public library. He's aware that some Stephen King first editions can bring more money than most Mark Twain firsts, and a copy of Raymond Chandler's Lady in the Lake is worth more than $1,000. And he realizes that, contrary to popular belief, "older" doesn't necessarily mean "more valuable." He also knows that valuable volumes can be hidden in plain view among otherwise ordinary book collections. It's not easy to find such books, but some people seem to have an extraordinary talent for honing in on the treasures. Such a man is bookscout Bobby Westfall. Bobby once earned $900 in a single weekend and has generally spotted enough valuable books to keep himself and his beloved cats fed and housed. Now Bobby is dead, murdered at the witching hour on Friday the thirteenth, his body dumped under a ladder in a dark alley. It's not a good end for a superstitious man. Janeway is sure he knows who did it. But can he catch him? And, in the process, will Janeway's own life change forever? THE BOOKMAN'S WAKE The story starts and ends, aptly, with a very special book: a 1969 edition of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven, published by the tiny, prestigious Grayson Press of North Bend, Washington. The Grayson bibliography mentions no such edition. If, indeed, it exists, it could be worth a fortune to the right collector. It's the kind of book somebody might kill for. In fact, somebody probably already has. Ex-Denver cop Janeway is happily at work selling rare and used books when former police colleague Clydell Slater arrives with an offer. Slater runs a detective agency and he wants Janeway to go to Seattle to pick up a young female fugitive and deliver her to Taos, New Mexico. The woman is wanted for burglary and assault. More to the point, as far as Janeway's concerned, she may also have in her possession a stolen copy of the 1969 Grayson Press Raven, taken when she ransacked a Taos home. The rare-book angle gets to Janeway every time. He could turn down thousands of dollars in fees, but he can't say no to The Raven. Janeway signs on to the case because of a book, but he stays because of a vulnerable young woman. He will discover not only her painful story but the poignant tale of a once-great small press, where paper and ink became beautiful books in the hands of a master craftsman.

The Reading Nation in the Romantic Period


William St. Clair - 2004
    William St. Clair offers a very different picture of the past from those presented by traditional approaches through quantified information he provides on book prices, print runs, intellectual property, and readerships gathered from over fifty publishing and printing archives.

American Writers at Home


J.D. McClatchy - 2004
    A collection of photographic and literary portraits of the homes of some of America's top writers includes coverage of such figures as Ernest Hemingway, Frederick Douglass, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, and Robert Frost; in a volume complemented by discussions of how their living environments reflected their creative processes and inner lives.

The Literary Pocket Companion


Emma Jones - 2004
    Within these pages are hundreds of facts, figures, stories, and trivia about reading and writing, from the earliest printed books to today’s bestsellers. You will find out whether you are a sponge, a sandglass, a strain-bag, or a mogul diamond; why Lewis Carroll was once accused of being Jack the Ripper; the working title of Lady Chatterley’s Lover; and which bestselling classic was rejected 22 times, once with the note: "garbage passing itself off as literature." It’s the only book about books that you’ll ever need.

From A to Zine


Julie Bartel - 2004
    All it takes are Zines, according to the author, young adult librarian Julie Bartel. Zines and alternative press materials provide a unique bridge to appeal to disenfranchised youth, alienated by current collections. For librarians unfamiliar with the territory, or anxious to broaden their collection, veteran zinester Bartel establishes the context, history and philosophy of zines, then ushers readers through an easy, do-it-yourself guide to creating a zine collection, including both print and electronic zines. discussions of intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights. Teen and young adult librarians, high school media specialists, academic librarians, reference, and adult services librarians will uncover answers to questions about this new and growing literary genre: What is a zine and how does a library zine collection work? What are the pros and cons of having a zine collection in the library? When promoting zines, what appeals to patrons and non-library users alike? What is the best way to catalog and display? Where can libraries get zines and how much do they cost? collection, as well as a comprehensive directory of zine resources in this one-stop, one-of-a-kind guide.

Booknotes: On American Character


Brian Lamb - 2004
    And Booknotes, the flagship of its book programming, has become the premier place to see serious, thoughtful nonfiction get its television due. Over the past fifteen years, Brian Lamb, the CEO of C-SPAN and host of Booknotes, has interviewed 765 authors on the program, and these deep and wide-ranging interviews have been the basis for three bestselling Booknotes books. Now, in a new collection, Booknotes: On American Character, Lamb has selected seventy original pieces that reveal something about America: the nation's people, history, and character. Here are biographies of artists, businessmen, politicians, and inventors; stories of events famous, infamous, and less well-known in the nation's history; a look at how politics works in America and how the nation responds to conflict. Our leading historians, journalists, and public figures draw from a diverse set of sources to examine what kind of nation and people we are. The result is a valuable addition to the Booknotes legacy and a welcome read for any fan of the program.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Movie Poster Book


Randi Reisfeld - 2004
    Acclaimed British actor Michael Gambon steps into Dumbledore's robes, and Gary Oldman makes a properly sinister Sirius Black.***New! Quotes from the beloved novel on each poster. ***

On Writing for Children and Other People


Julius Lester - 2004
    It has been a vocation in the original sense of the word, that is a religious calling, one I was helpless to deny. For me writing has never been about self-expression. Writing has been about tending the spirit and making real the soul." So says Julius Lester in the introduction to this extraordinary book that combines memoir and social criticism. In strikingly honest, thought-provoking prose, he discusses the aspects of his life that have influenced his writing, including his relationships, political views, and religious beliefs; offers revealing anecdotes of the editorial process; and expresses the absolute importance of story. He also shares photographs he has taken through the years- photos that offer their own moving commentary on his text. This bold, insightful book could only have been written by Julius Lester, a revered author known for his strong voice and clear eye. He won a Newbery Honor for his groundbreaking To Be a Slave, has been a National Book Award finalist and the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Honor and Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, among many other honors, and is a professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Books of King Henry VIII and his Wives


James P. Carley - 2004
    From surviving catalogues, which tell us what books he had, it is clear he was deeply involved in theological debate and monastic history, especially when moving to the break with Rome. At the same time, he was a Humanist scholar ahead of his time in all the liberal arts, especially music and poetry. Equally, most of his wives were also avid readers who collected a variety of books.In this important new work, leading scholar James P. Carley describes Henry VIII's books and their significance for a deeper understanding of this seemingly familiar monarch and his wives. The extensive illustrations allow us to examine the binding and content of the collection, as well as providing some examples of marginalia in Henry's own hand.

Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language


Julian Bamford - 2004
    The creative and fun speaking, listening, role-play, reading, writing, and vocabulary activities, all linking reading to the rest of the curriculum, are suitable for students of all ages and levels. Teachers will find this handbook a valuable resource not just for reading courses, but for all types of language courses.

Reading Bug


Paul Jennings - 2004
    Parental involvement is key to a child learning to read, to use language - and to their whole early years education. In an easy-to-read, jargon-busting book, Paul Jennings gives simple strategies to show how parents can use books to enrich their children's lives - it's not just about learning to read, it's about learning to love reading. He cuts through the jargon and controversy to show how every parent can infect their child with the reading bug.

Going Graphic: Comics at Work in the Multilingual Classroom


Stephen Cary - 2004
    Their unique mix of abundant, comprehension-building visuals and authentic text readily engages learners, contextualizes language, and offers a window into the culture. Yet despite their obvious advantages, comics remain unfairly branded as inappropriate classroom reading material, misunderstood and woefully underutilized. No more.In Going Graphic teachers will find a comprehensive guide to embracing comics and effectively using them in any multilingual classroom. Building on the latest brain-based research, second language acquisition theory, and progressive literacy principles, Stephen Cary offers twenty-five proven activities for comics-based instruction in all classrooms, especially TESL/TEFL settings, and for all grade and English-proficiency levels.These activities help nonnative and native learners alike meet a broad range of content and English-language development standards.In fact, Cary has given you literally everything you need to start successfully integrating comics into your classroom tomorrow, including:an FAQ that dispels the myths about comics, tells you why they work, and answers your questions about using them field sketches from real classrooms that show you firsthand how to make comics an integral part of your multilingual teaching authentic examples of student work from a variety of grade levels and settings that reveal just how much students can do when given the opportunity to both learn from comics and create their own dozens of commercial samples to give you a sense of the remarkable breadth and depth of contemporary cartoons, comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels copious resource lists, including material reviews, publications, comics in other languages, and categorized websites for locating and reading thousands of comics online. Thanks to Stephen Cary you'll have an exciting new way to improve the abilities of your second language students. Squeeze into your tights, adjust your cape, and prepare for some high-flying learning while Going Graphic.

The Logogryph: A Bibliography of Imaginary Books


Thomas Wharton - 2004
    Over the centuries its leaves have known nothing but change. They have been removed, replaced, altered, lost. The nameless book has been bound, taken apart, and reassembled with the pieces of other dismembered volumes, until one could ask whether there is anything left of the original. Or if there ever was an original." So begins Thomas Wharton's book about books. What follows is a sequence of variations on the experience of reading and on the book a physical and imaginative object. One tale traces the origins of a fictional card game. Another tells of a duel between two margin scribblers. Roving across the globe and from parable to mystery, Wharton positions his reader between the covers of a book that is not. How are we to read the pieces that follow? As extraneous to the nameless book, as parts of it in its original form or perhaps as evidence that it has relocated to other existing volumes? The Logogryph takes its cues from magic realism and the techniques of cinematography. The result is a mind-bending caper through the process of reading, the relationships we establish with fictitious worlds and the possibility of worlds yet unread. Wharton indulges his reader with tales of fantastical cities where the only occupation is reading and of the plight of a protagonist suddenly dislodged from his own novel. And what becomes of the reader who reads all of this? This book is a Smyth-sewn paperback with a jacket and full sleeve. The text was typeset by Andrew Steeves in Caslon types and printed on Rolland Zephyr Laid paper. The jacket was printed letterpress. The inside features illustrations by Wesley Bates.

Read to Lead


Ron Smith - 2004
    The task of the educated mind is simply put: read to lead."CiceroRoman Statesman, Orator, Writer106-43 B.C.

The Shelf Elf


Jackie Mims Hopkins - 2004
    Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 8/30/2004 Pages: Reading Level: Age 8 and Up

Slightly Foxed 1: Kindred Spirits


Gail Pirkis - 2004
    

Slightly Foxed 3: Sharks, Otters and Fast Cars


Gail Pirkis - 2004
    

More Making Books By Hand: Exploring Miniature Books, Alternative Structures, and Found Objects


Peter Thomas - 2004
    More experienced bookmakers and paper enthusiasts will also note that it offers a wealth of practical tips and techniques in one handy resource.All the basic bookmaking techniques include lots of specialized tips. Simple book structures, miniature books, and a wide variety of projects that highlight themes such as travel, music, even wearable books -- a book necklace and earrings -- provide creative variations on traditional ideas.The authors share innovative, unique, and previously unpublished binding structures that incorporate scrolls, flaps, folders, and more. In addition, some book projects are made from unusual materials or found objects, such as a book out of a ukulele, a real accordion book, a book diorama in a cigar box, and other experimental creations.

The Struggle for the Files: The Western Allies and the Return of German Archives After the Second World War


Astrid M. Eckert - 2004
    These records were subsequently used in war crimes trials and published under Allied auspices to document the German road to war. In 1949, the West Germans asked for their return, considering the request one of the benchmarks of their new state sovereignty. This book traces the tangled history of the captured German records and the extended negotiations for their return into German custody. Based on meticulous research in British, American, and German archives, The Struggle for the Files highlights an overlooked aspect of early West German diplomacy and international relations. All participants were aware that the files constituted historical material essential to write German history and at stake was nothing less than the power to interpret the recent German past.

Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters


Chambers - 2004
    More than 6,500 entries provide a guide to the wealth of characters created by writers in English — from the Wife of Bath to Bertie Wooster, from Tom Sawyer to Harry Potter. New features include concise biographies of the authors, entertaining essays on such topics as “The Detective in Fiction” and “The Characters of Charles Dickens,” and an appendix of literary awards.

The Concise Oxford Chronology of English Literature


Michael Cox - 2004
    What were people reading about as Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? How did the events around the industrial revolution influence the literary output of British writers and thinkers? What are we reading now and how does it differ from what was being read 500 years ago?The Concise Oxford Chronology of English Literature presents a comprehensive year-by-year digest of significant and representative works of literature published in English by British authors since 1474.

Dancing On Knives


Jenny Pausacker - 2004
    When her father fell for "The Slut", her mother coped brilliantly, topping a perfect marriage with the perfect divorce. But now Mrs Parfitt has whisked Rochelle off to Melbourne, where neither of them knows anybody. Isolated and miserable, Rochelle starts to skip school and ends up secretly taking a job at the World Tree, an inner city bookshop that specialises in fairytales.When Gwen, the owner of the shop, encourages Rochelle to read the books she's selling, she finds herself using the fairytale collections as a guide to the adult world around her.For a while the World Tree feels like a refuge and then Rochelle's new life begins to fall apart. It's getting harder to keep her job secret, especially after 'The Slut' turns up at the bookshop. Rochelle must also come to terms with the fact that her mother is severely depressed.But the old tales and her new friends help Rochelle to face her problems - and, in the process, she discovers she has learnt how to tell her own stories.

The Evolution of the Weird Tale


S.T. Joshi - 2004
    T. Joshi is one of the premier critics of supernatural fiction. His pioneering research on H. P. Lovecraft, Lord Dunsany, Ambrose Bierce, and other writers has set a standard of scholarship that few have equaled. In The Evolution of the Weird Tale--an informal follow-up to his earlier studies, The Weird Tale (1990) and The Modern Weird Tale (2001)--Joshi assesses a wide array of American and British supernatural writers of the past century or more, meticulously scrutinizing their weird work and gauging their place in the canon of horror fiction.Such American writers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries as W. C. Morrow, F. Marion Crawford, Robert W. Chambers, and Edward Lucas White come under scrutiny, as well as their British counterparts E. F. Benson, Rudyard Kipling, and L. P. Hartley. Joshi includes substantial essays on Lovecraft and his disciples Robert Bloch, Fritz Leiber, and Frank Belknap Long.In a provocative section on contemporary writers, Joshi dissects the vampire novels of Les Daniels, the short stories of "Twilight Zone" creator Rod Serling, David J. Schow and the school of splatterpunk, and the novels and tales of Poppy Z. Brite. All in all, Joshi has provided some of the most in-depth analyses of both classic and modern weird writers ever written.

Popular Series Fiction for K� 6 Readers: A Reading and Selection Guide


Rebecca L. Thomas - 2004
    Series are not always easy to manage. Many do not have a series title and the component volumes can be hard to identify. This updated and expanded edition gives librarians and their patrons a handy guide to the best and most popular series, making it easier to satisfy young readers' desire to read all the books in a given series and then to find similar series to enjoy.For each of the 1,200 series included, the authors provide an annotation that describes the series' appeal and key characteristics. Also included are the publisher, grade level, genre, and a numbered list of the titles in the series with publication dates. This reading guide and selection tool is an invaluable resource for anyone working with preschool and elementary school children.

Books and Bombs in Buenos Aires: Borges, Gerchunoff, and Argentine Jewish Writing


Edna Aizenberg - 2004
    Although over 80 people were killed and the bomb leveled a city block in downtown Buenos Aires, the perpetrators were never found. Taking the bombing as her starting point, Edna Aizenberg crafts an unusual and powerful study of two canonical Argentine writers, Jorge Luis Borges and Alberto Gerchunoff. Examining in particular the literary and cultural reverberations in other authors of Gerchunoff’s 1910 story collection, The Jewish Gauchos and Borges’ Judaically inspired work, Aizenberg delves into the primary issues of Argentine and Latin American Jewish cultural production: Holocaust writing, resistance to dictatorship, pluralism and identity, and the position of the writer-scholar as a direct and vital participant in the transformation of culture and society. Situating Latin American Jewish literature within the multiple contexts of the Holocaust, postmodernism, and postcolonialism, Aizenberg argues that a literature celebrating pastiche, hybridity, and carnivalization is more democratic than literature that does not. She makes a brave case for the power of the pen in a contemporary world dominated by the power of the sword.

A Historical Guide to F. Scott Fitzgerald


Kirk Curnutt - 2004
    Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) is now recognized as one of the most important writers of the twentieth century. Whether for his classic novels (The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night), his frequently anthologized short stories (Babylon Revisited, Bernice Bobs Her Hair), or his searing essays of personal examination (The Crack-Up), Fitzgerald is rightly celebrated as a master stylist who plumbs the depths of love, loss, and longing. Unfortunately, much of the interest in Fitzgerald has focused on biographical concerns, including his meteoric rise to fame, his tempestuous marriage to quintessential flapper Zelda Sayre, his rivalry with Ernest Hemingway, and his tragic descent into alcoholism and depression. The resulting, somewhat distorted, image of Fitzgerald has been that of a self-destructive literary playboy. Even scholarly treatments of the author have tended to depict him as a mere spokesman for the Lost Generation, a symbol of the excesses of his era, without properly appreciating the range of his writing or his intellect. This volume of historically minded, newly commissioned essays looks beyond the Jazz Age fa�ade to topics that reveal how Fitzgerald's work both illumines and challenges conceptions of his milieu. Studies of the literary marketplace of the 1920s, the influence of public intellectuals such as Walter Lippmann and H. L. Mencken, film and its treatment of the New Woman, and the aftereffects of World War I all document the depth and breadth of Fitzgerald's thinking.

Premodern Places: Calais to Surinam, Chaucer to Aphra Behn


David John Wallace - 2004
     A highly original work, which recovers the places that figure powerfully in premodern imagining. Recreates places that appear in the works of Langland, Chaucer, Dante, Petrarch, Spenser, Shakespeare, Aphra Behn, and many others. Begins with Calais - peopled by the English from 1347 to 1558 and ends with Surinam - traded for Manhattan by the English in 1667. Other particular locations discussed include Flanders, Somerset, Genoa, and the Fortunate Islands (Canary Islands). Includes fascinating anecdotes, such as the story of an English merchant learning love songs in Calais. Provides insights into major historical narratives, such as race and slavery in Renaissance Europe. Crosses the traditional divide between the medieval and Renaissance periods.