Best of
Pop-Culture

2013

Tune In


Mark Lewisohn - 2013
    Mark Lewisohn uses his unprecedented archival access and hundreds of new interviews to construct the full story of the lives and work of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Ten years in the making, Tune In takes the Beatles from before their childhoods through the final hour of 1962—when, with breakthrough success just days away, they stand on the cusp of a whole new kind of fame and celebrity. They’ve one hit record ("Love Me Do") behind them and the next ("Please Please Me") primed for release, their first album session is booked, and America is clear on the horizon.  This is the lesser-known Beatles story—the pre-Fab years of Liverpool and Hamburg—and in many respects the most absorbing and incredible period of them all. Here is the complete and true account of their family lives, childhoods, teenage years and their infatuation with American music, here is the riveting narrative of their unforgettable days and nights in the Cavern Club, their laughs, larks and adventures when they could move about freely, before fame closed in.  For those who’ve never read a Beatles book before, this is the place to discover the young men behind the icons. For those who think they know John, Paul, George, and Ringo, it’s time to press the Reset button and tune into the real story, the lasting word.

Catching Fire: Official Illustrated Movie Companion


Kate Egan - 2013
    From the screenwriting process to the casting decisions, from the fantastic new sets and gorgeous costumes to the actors' performances and the director's vision, this is the definitive companion to the second Hunger Games film.

The Wes Anderson Collection


Matt Zoller Seitz - 2013
    A true auteur, Anderson is known for the visual artistry, inimitable tone, and idiosyncratic characterizations that make each of his films—Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Moonrise Kingdom—instantly recognizable as “Andersonian.”The Wes Anderson Collection is the first in-depth overview of Anderson’s filmography, guiding readers through his life and career. Previously unpublished photos, artwork, and ephemera complement a book-length conversation between Anderson and award-winning critic Matt Zoller Seitz. The interview and images are woven together in a meticulously designed book that captures the spirit of his films: melancholy and playful, wise and childish—and thoroughly original.

Doctor Who - The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years


Marcus Hearn - 2013
    

These Are The Voyages: TOS Season One


Marc Cushman - 2013
    Justman gave Marc Cushman permission and encouragement to write the definitive history of "Star Trek®: The Original Series". They backed up their stamp of approval by providing Marc exclusive access to all the production documents generated by the series -- everything from the creation of the idea by Gene Roddenberry to the last day of production.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé


Bob Stanley - 2013
    It covers the birth of rock, soul, R&B, punk, hip hop, indie, house, techno, and more, and it will remind you why you fell in love with pop music in the first place.Bob Stanley—musician, music critic, and unabashed fan—recounts the progression from the Beach Boys to the Pet Shop Boys to the Beastie Boys; explores what connects doo wop to the sock hop; and reveals how technological changes have affected pop production. Working with a broad definition of “pop”—one that includes country and metal, disco and Dylan, skiffle and glam—Stanley teases out the connections and tensions that animate the pop charts and argues that the charts are vital social history.Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! is like the world’s best and most eclectic jukebox in book form. All the hits are here: the Monkees, Metallica, Patsy Cline, Patti Smith, new wave, New Order, “It’s the Same Old Song,” The Song Remains the Same, Aretha, Bowie, Madonna, Prince, Sgt. Pepper, A Tribe Called Quest, the Big Bopper, Fleetwood Mac, “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” Bikini Kill, the Kinks, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, and on and on and on. This book will have you reaching for your records (or CDs or MP3s) and discovering countless others.For anyone who has ever thrilled to the opening chord of the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” or fallen crazy in love for Beyoncé, Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! is a vital guide to the rich soundtrack of the second half of the twentieth century.

Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey


Emma Rowley - 2013
    Step inside the props cupboard or the hair and make-up truck and catch a glimpse of the secret backstage world. In-depth interviews and exclusive photos give insight into the actors' experiences on set as well as the celebrated creative team behind the award-winning drama. Straight from the director's chair, this is the inside track on all aspects of the making of the show.

Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion


Robert Gordon - 2013
    A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial harmony in 1960's segregated south Memphis. Their success is startling, and Stax soon defines an international sound. Then, after losses both business and personal, the siblings part, and the brother allies with a visionary African-American partner. Under integrated leadership, Stax explodes as a national player until, Icarus-like, they fall from great heights to a tragic demise. Everything is lost, and the sanctuary that flourished is ripped from the ground. A generation later, Stax is rebuilt brick by brick to once again bring music and opportunity to the people of Memphis.Set in the world of 1960s and '70s soul music, Respect Yourself is a story of epic heroes in a shady industry. It's about music and musicians -- Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett, the Staple Singers, and Booker T. and the M.G.'s, Stax's interracial house band. It's about a small independent company's struggle to survive in a business world of burgeoning conglomerates. And always at the center of the story is Memphis, Tennessee, an explosive city struggling through heated, divisive years.Told by one of our leading music chroniclers, Respect Yourself brings to life this treasured cultural institution and the city that created it.

All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release


Philippe Margotin - 2013
    1963) to "The Long and Winding Road" (U.S. 1970) - is dissected, discussed, and analyzed by two music historians in this lively, fully illustrated work.All the Songs delves deep into the history and origins of the Beatles and their music. This first-of-its-kind book draws upon decades of research, as music historians Margotin and Guesdon recount the circumstances that led to the composition of every song, the recording process, and the instruments used. Here, we learn that one of John Lennon's favorite guitars was a 1958 Rickenbacker 325 Capri, which he bought for £100 in 1960 in Hamburg, Germany. We also learn that "Love Me Do," recorded in Abbey Road Studios in September 1962, took 18 takes to get right, even though it was one of the first songs John and Paul ever wrote together. And the authors reveal that when the Beatles performed "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, John's microphone wasn't turned on, so viewers heard only Paul singing. The hundreds of photographs throughout the book include rare black-and-white publicity stills, images of Beatles instruments, and engaging shots of the musicians in-studio.All the Songs is the must-have book for the any true Beatles fan.

Psych's Guide to Crime Fighting for the Totally Unqualified


Shawn Spencer - 2013
    GET PSYCHED!You've seen him solve unsolvable crimes, stop unstoppable killers, and consume unconsumable breakfast cereals. Now Shawn Spencer (James Roday), the mastermind from TV's hit show Psych, shows you how to become a fake psychic-and a real detective-using his patented methods of crime-fighting awesomeness. Along the way, he'll help you deal with whiny sidekicks (that means you, Gus), interfering police officers (including but not limited to Chief Vick, Lassiter, Henry, Buzz MacNab, and, ah, Juliet), and flashes of genius (like Evel Knievel's white leather jumpsuit). You'll discover:How to set up a totally bitchin' office, where Wednesday = Ladies NightHow to convince your sidekick that he's really your partnerHow to pick up women at a crime sceneShawn's Stakeout Survival Guide, including sensible snacksGus's Scream-and-Run Method for confronting criminalsUnsolved mysteries like who stole Shawn's Sno-Caps in third gradeThe ideal sleuth car: Magnum, P.I.'s Ferrari or Knight Rider's K.I.T.T.?Who should play Shawn in the movie of his life: Christian Bale or Don Cheadle?New names for detectives, such as Rico Solvé and Sherlock Homeboy. . . and way more cool stuff.Packed with insane pop quizzes, unbelievable case studies, unflattering photos, and off-the-chart charts, this all-in-one guide will have you solving crimes and catching crooks like a pro-even if you don't have a clue.

Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait


Kendra Bean - 2013
    For more than thirty years, her name alone sold out theaters and cinemas the world over, and she inspired many of the greatest visionaries of her time: Laurence Olivier loved her; Winston Churchill praised her; Christian Dior dressed her.Through both an in-depth narrative and a stunning array of photos, Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait presents the personal story of one of the most celebrated women of the twentieth century, an engrossing tale of success, struggles, and triumphs. It chronicles Leigh’s journey from her birth in India to prominence in British film, winning the most-coveted role in Hollywood history, her celebrated love affair with Laurence Olivier, through to her untimely death at age fifty-three in 1967.Author Kendra Bean is the first Vivien Leigh biographer to delve into the Laurence Olivier Archives, where an invaluable collection of personal letters and documents ranging from interview transcripts to film contracts to medical records shed new insight on Leigh’s story. Illustrated by hundreds of rare and never-before-published images, including those by Leigh’s "official" photographer, Angus McBean, Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait is the first illustrated biography to closely examine the fascinating, troubled, and often misunderstood life of Vivien Leigh: the woman, the actress, the legend.

Complete Works of Robert E. Howard


Robert E. Howard - 2013
    Howard” Contains: • An aesthetic cover page. • A beginning click-able Table of Contents for all titles. • Inner click-able Tables of Contents for all individual books with multiple chapters. • Nicely organized chapters and text. Author’s works include: • SKULLS IN THE STARS • THE FOOTFALLS WITHIN • THE MOON OF SKULLS • THE HILLS OF THE DEAD • WINGS IN THE NIGHT • RATTLE OF BONES • RED SHADOWS • THE DAUGHTER OF ERLIK KHAN • HAWK OF THE HILLS • BLOOD OF THE GODS • SON OF THE WHITE WOLF • THE COUNTRY OF THE KNIFE • THE PHOENIX ON THE SWORD • THE SCARLET CITADEL • THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT • BLACK COLOSSUS • THE SLITHERING SHADOW • THE POOL OF THE BLACK ONE • GODS OF THE NORTH • ROGUES IN THE HOUSE • SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT • QUEEN OF THE BACK COAST • THE DEVIL IN IRON • THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE • A WITCH SHALL BE BORN • JEWELS OF GWAHLUR • BEYOND THE BLACK RIVER • SHADOWS IN ZAMBOULA • RED NAILS • THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON • THE HYBORIAN AGE • THE VALLEY OF THE WORM • THE GARDEN OF FEAR • APPARITION IN THE PRIZE RING • ALLEYS OF DARKNESS • ALLEYS OF PERIL • ALMURIC • WORMS OF THE EARTH • THE LOST RACE • EVIL DEEDS AT RED COUGAR • A GENT FROM BEAR CREEK (NOVELLA) • A GENT FROM BEAR CREEK (SHORT STORY) • CUPID FROM BEAR CREEK • GUNS OF THE MOUNTAINS • HIGH HORSE RAMPAGE • MOUNTAIN MAN • NO COWHERDERS WANTED • PILGRIMS TO THE PECOS • TEXAS JOHN ALDEN • WHILE SMOKE ROLLED • PISTOL POLITICS • SHARP’S GUN SERENADE • THE APACHE MOUNTAIN WAR • THE CONQUERIN’ HERO OF THE HUMBOLTS • THE FEUD BUSTER • THE HAUNTED MOUNTAIN • THE RIOT AT COUGAR PAW • THE ROAD TO BEAR CREEK • THE SCALP HUNTER • WAR ON BEAR CREEK • THE TOMB’S SECRET • CHAMP OF THE FORECASTLE • CIRCUS FISTS • THE CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT • THE HAUNTER OF THE RING • HAWKS OF OUTREMER • THE BLOOD OF BELSHAZZAR • THE BLACK STONE • THE FIRE OF ASSHURBANIPAL • THE THING ON THE ROOF • CUPID VS POLLUX • IN THE FOREST OF VILLEFÉRE • WOLFSHEAD • BLACK CANAAN • THE HOUSE OF ARABU • PEOPLE OF THE DARK • THE VOICE OF EL-LIL • SPEAR AND FANG • SEA CURSE • FIST AND FANG • GENERAL IRONFIST • GATES OF EMPIRE • LORD OF SAMARCAND • THE LION OF TIBERIAS • THE SOWERS OF THE THUNDER • THE CAIRN ON THE HEADLAND • THE DREAM SNAKE • THE FEARSOME TOUCH OF DEATH • THE HYENA • THE TREASURES OF TARTARY • THE SHADOW KINGDOM • THE MIRRORS OF TUZUN THUNE • KINGS OF THE NIGHT • NIGHT OF BATTLE • OLD GARFIELD’S HEART • T

From Rocket Boys to October Sky: How the Classic Memoir Rocket Boys Was Written and the Hit Movie October Sky Was Made


Homer Hickam - 2013
    Incidental to that are such questions as "What is Jake Gyllenhaal/Chis Cooper/Laura Dern, etc. really like?" and "What's it like to have a movie made about your life?" and "Why are the book and movie different?" and "Why are both book and movie still so popular after all these years?" The answers to those questions and a lot more are in Homer Hickam's new Kindle Single "From Rocket Boys to October Sky." If you think you know the story of the book and the movie, you don't! Hickam says "Writing Rocket Boys wasn't easy. In fact, I got a million dollars of psychotherapy I didn't even know I needed!" The making of October Sky wasn't easy, either. "From Rocket Boys to October Sky" gives lots of behind-the-scenes stories both on-set and off. Before the first frame of film was exposed, Hickam was involved with the writing of the screenplay and his comment when he saw the first draft -"I'm going to have to go up to West Virginia and apologize to everyone in the state!"-gives an idea of how that went. Be with Homer Hickam as he struggles with the complexities of how a major Hollywood motion picture is made, and how he disagreed with aspects of the film even while he admired the dedication and professionalism of the men and women making it. Readers will also be alongside the director, producers, actors, and crew as they create one of the most beloved movies ever. The book has lots of photos taken on the various sets, too!

Bun B's Rapper Coloring and Activity Book


Shea Serrano - 2013
    Described by the Washington Post as “what every hip-hop head wishes they had as a child,” this imaginative work started as a series of printable rap-related coloring and activity images. The 48-page, fully interactive book of coloring pages, unbelievably clever activities, and smart plays on rap culture brings these stars and their music right into your living room.<!--?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /-->Featured rappers include: Bun B Queen Latifah Drake Talib Kweli Ice-T Common Wiz Khalifa Ludacris LL COOL J Big Boi Childish Gambino Questlove B.o.B Mac Miller And many, many more! Praise for Bun B's Rap Coloring and Activity Book: “A star-studded cast of some of the biggest names in rap, all in one book.”  —Fast Company’s Co.Create blog “It’s 48 pages long, and that’s the exact same number of pages the Bible has, and that’s not an accident. That’s a little thing called God’s will.” —Vice.com “The book is funny, smart, and as kid-tested, mother-approved as some of these guys get.” —Vulture.com “Hilarious…razor sharp.” —XXL “If you've spent any kind of time on the Internet, chances are something Shea Serrano has written, drawn, or created has made you smile . . . The book’s a load of fun, and is sure to please rap nerds and crayon-wielding tykes alike.” —Village Voice   “There’s art, humor and education, fun for young and old.” —Paste magazine   “This is one of the few Tumblr-to-book projects that doesn’t make me want to punch my computer in disgust. If the phrase ‘see if you can build a Budden’ doesn’t make you chuckle, then you should stay away from hip-hop or jokes.” —Christopher R. Weingarten, SPIN   “Bun B’s Rap Coloring and Activity Book is gangsta!” —Mass Appeal.com   "48 pages of MC worship mixed with a generous measure of the kind of casual dissing of its star players that hip-hop excels at.” —Esquire   “When I’m listening to Drake, I sometimes feel blue. Now, thanks to Bun B’s Rap Coloring and Activity Book, I can make Drake blue, too. And for that, I am eternally grateful.” —Ryan Dombal, Pitchfork.com   “The hip-hop coloring book is the single most important thing to happen to color since Cam’s pink Range Rover. Everyone should want a Serrano in their baño.” —Nate Erickson, GQ   “Like the old saying goes, the crayon is mightier than the sword. Bun B and Shea have assembled a perfect collection of today’s brightest hip hop stars for fans of all ages to create, color and remix. The Rap Coloring and Activity Book is like your own personal mixtape that you can hang on your fridge and impress everyone with.” —Mike Ayers, Rolling Stone “Fans can now color inside the lines of hip-hop greats.” —LA Times’ Jacket Copy blog “It’s gotta be a first—for rap and for coloring.” —Houston Chronicle   “For rap aficionados young and old.” —GQ.com “You may want to buy two copies—one to color, and one to keep fresh and new.” —Buzzfeed “The perfect coloring book for any hip-hop nerd.” —Complex magazine “If you have not already purchased a copy, put down this magazine immediately and go buy Bun B’s Rap Coloring and Activity Book.” —Kindling Quarterly “A playful celebration of rap

Rush: The Illustrated History


Martin Popoff - 2013
    Notable for bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee’s high register, Neil Peart’s virtuosic drumming and inventive lyrics, and the guitar heroics of Alex Lifeson, the multiplatinum band melds a diverse range of influences and along the way has amassed a large, notably loyal following worldwide. Rush is bigger than ever before with the hit 2011 documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage and this year’s new album, Clockwork Angels, and tour. Now, for the first time, Rush is treated to the epic visual celebration they so richly deserve in a beautifully designed and profusely illustrated history following the band’s entire career. A chronological overview history written by noted music scribe and Rush authority Martin Popoff spans the band’s entire career from 1968 to today. A complete Rush discography chronicles all their albums, from the debut album to 2112, Moving Pictures, and Signals to Grace Under Pressure, Vapor Trails, and more. The authoritative text is complemented by album reviews written by well-known music journalists from around the globe, commentary from fellow musicians, a discography, and hundreds of photographs and pieces of memorabilia, including picture sleeves, gig posters, rare vinyl, handbills, ticket stubs, and much more.

Rocks Off: 50 Tracks That Tell the Story of the Rolling Stones


Bill Janovitz - 2013
    Each exposes a little more of their soul. Written by Stones fanatic, musician, and writer Bill Janovitz, this is a song-by-song chronicle that maps the landmarks of the band's career while expanding upon their recording and personal history through insightful and energetic prose. With its conversational tone - much like friends poring over old records on a Saturday afternoon - the book presents the musical leaps taken by the band and a discussion of how the lyrical content both reflected and influenced popular culture. The song choices - fifty in all - are chronological and subjective. Most of them are the classic hits, however, the book digs deeper into beloved album tracks and songs with unique stories behind them. Rocks Off is the ultimate listening guide and thinking man's companion that will spur readers to dust off those old albums and listen in with a newfound perspective on one of the most famous and acclaimed rock'n'roll bands of all time.

The Guild: The Official Companion


Felicia Day - 2013
    Created, written by and starring Felicia Day, it follows the story of a Guild of online gamers who finally meet in real life. Here at last is the official companion to the show that fans have been waiting for, featuring an Intro from Felicia, in-depth interviews and scores of photos.

Kennedy's Last Stand: Eisenhower, UFOs, MJ-12 & JFK's Assassination


Michael E. Salla - 2013
    And two, are there UFOs.” According to Hubbell, “Clinton was dead serious.” The key to unlocking the mystery of President Kennedy’s assassination and a possible UFO connection lie in events that occurred 18 years earlier in post-war Germany. In 1945 John F. Kennedy was a guest of Navy Secretary James Forrestal, where he personally witnessed technological secrets that have still not been disclosed to the world. These secrets stemmed from extraterrestrial technologies that Nazi Germany had acquired and were attempting to use in their weapons programs. In searching for answers to who killed President Kennedy we need to start with the death of his mentor, James Forrestal in 1949. Forrestal became the first Secretary of Defense in 1947, a position he held until March, 1949. Forrestal was a visionary who thought Americans had a right to know about the existence of extraterrestrial life and technologies. Forrestal was sacked by President Truman because he was revealing the truth to various officials, including Kennedy who was a Congressman at the time.Forrestal's ideals and vision inspired Kennedy, and laid the seed for what would happen 12 years later. After winning the 1960 Presidential election, Kennedy learned a shocking truth from President Eisenhower. The control group set up to run highly classified extraterrestrial technologies, the Majestic-12 Group, had become a rogue government agency. Eisenhower warned Kennedy that MJ-12 had to be reined in. It posed a direct threat to American liberties and democratic processes. Kennedy followed Eisenhower’s advice, and set out to realize James Forrestal’s vision. The same forces that orchestrated Forrestal's death, opposed Kennedy's efforts at every turn. When Kennedy was on the verge of succeeding, by forcing the CIA to share classified UFO information with other government agencies on November 12, 1963, he was assassinated ten days later. Kennedy’s Last Stand is the story of how an American President tried to realize his friend and mentor’s vision of a world where humanity openly knows about extraterrestrial life; and of the government officials responsible for denying that vision.

Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s


Tom Doyle - 2013
    Holed up at his farmhouse in Scotland, he sank into a deep depression. To outsiders, McCartney seemed like a man adrift—intimidated by his own fame, paralyzed by the choices that lay before him, cut loose from his musical moorings. But what appeared to be the sad finale of a glorious career was just the start of a remarkable second act.   The product of a long series of one-on-one interviews between McCartney and Scottish rock journalist Tom Doyle, Man on the Run chronicles Paul McCartney’s decadelong effort to escape the shadow of his past, outrace his critics, and defy the expectations of his fans. From the bitter and painful breakup of the Beatles to the sobering wake-up call of John Lennon’s murder, this is a deeply revealing look at a sometimes frightening, often exhilarating period in the life of the world’s most famous rock star.   Sensing that he had nowhere to go but up, Paul McCartney started over from scratch. With emotional—and musical—backing from Linda, he released eccentric solo albums and embarked on a nomadic hippie lifestyle. He formed a new band, Wings, which first took flight on a ramshackle tour of British university towns and eventually returned Paul to the summit of arena rock superstardom.   In Man on the Run, Doyle follows McCartney inside the recording sessions for Wings’ classic album Band on the Run—and provides context for some of the baffling misfires in his discography. Doyle tracks the dizzying highs and exasperating lows of a life lived in the public spotlight: the richly excessive world tours, the Japanese drug bust that nearly ended McCartney’s career, his bitter public feuds with his erstwhile Beatle bandmates, and the aftermath of an infamous drug-and-alcohol-fueled jam session where McCartney helped reconcile the estranged John Lennon and Yoko Ono.   For Paul McCartney, the 1970s were a wild ride with some dark turns. Set against the backdrop of a turbulent decade, Man on the Run casts the “sunny Beatle” in an entirely new light.Praise for Man on the Run   ““Tom Doyle’s detailed chronicle, which includes rare interviews with McCartney and former Wings members, portrays a band that was far more contentious than eager-to-please hits like 1976’s ‘Let ’Em In’ had us believe, fronted by a legend who wanted to be both boss and buddy. The book is larded with tales of Seventies rock-star excess, Paul and Linda’s love of weed, docked paychecks, and grousing musicians.”—Rolling Stone   “Well-researched but still breezy and engaging, the book offers a comprehensive tour of the shaggy, bleary-eyed decade when the hardest-working ex-Beatle reached the zenith of his creative and commercial success. . . . Man on the Run makes an excellent contribution to the burgeoning literature devoted to McCartney’s post-Beatles career.”—The Boston Globe   “In the 1970s, a depressed, heavy-drinking Paul McCartney walked away from The Beatles and reinvented himself as the leader of another hitmaking rock ’n’ roll band. A new book by longtime Q magazine contributing editor Tom Doyle about that turbulent period in the legendary rock star’s life, Man on the Run, catches him in mid-flight.”—Billboard

Fangasm: Supernatural Fangirls


Katherine Larsen - 2013
    Plunging headlong into the hidden realms of fandom, they scoured the Internet for pictures of stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki and secretly penned racy fan fiction. And then they hit the road—crisscrossing the country, racking up frequent flyer miles with alarming ease, standing in convention lines at 4 A.M.They had white-knuckled encounters with overly zealous security guards one year and smiling invitations to the Supernatural set the next. Actors stripping in their trailers, fangirls sneaking onto film sets; drunken confessions, squeals of joy, tears of despair; wallets emptied and responsibilities left behind; intrigue and ecstasy and crushing disappointment—it’s all here.And yet even as they reveled in their fandom, the authors were asking themselves whether it’s okay to be a fan, especially for grown women with careers and kids. “Crazystalkerchicks”—that’s what they heard from Supernatural crew members, security guards, airport immigration officials, even sometimes their fellow fans. But what Kathy and Lynn found was that most fans were very much like themselves: smart, capable women looking for something of their own that engages their brains and their libidos.Fangasm pulls back the curtain on the secret worlds of fans and famous alike, revealing Supernatural behind the scenes and discovering just how much the cast and crew know about what the fans are up to. Anyone who’s been tempted to throw off the constraints of respectability and indulge a secret passion—or hit the road with a best friend—will want to come along.

Great Showdowns: The Return


Scott C. - 2013
    A collection of an artist's strangely good-natured confrontations between his favorite movie characters.

Plants vs. Zombies: Brains and the Beanstalk


Annie Auerbach - 2013
    Zombies: Brains and the Beanstalk is a mash-up of the insanely addictive video game and a classic fairy tale.In Plants vs. Zombies, winner of more than 30 Best Game of the Year Awards, plants—including Sunflowers, Peashooters, Wall-nuts, and Cherry Bombs—defend humans against an array of brain-chomping zombies, such as the Pole-Vaulting Zombie and the Cone Zombie.Now in a thrilling picture book for kids, Jack—of Jack and the Beanstalk fame—enters the fantastical world of the game. He will battle the zombies with his magical beanstalk fighting by his side. The fun never dies in this action-filled adventure for kids with full-color illustrations.

Doctor Who: A History


Alan Kistler - 2013
    We begin with a look at the programming of the day and the original pitch documents for this family show before delving into the Daleks, which almost didn't make the cut. After three years, 1st Doctor William Hartnell left, prompting the BBC to recast their hit rather than ending it, giving us the first "regeneration" and making television history. We follow the succession of doctors—including 3rd Doctor Jon Pertwee, exiled to Earth with his Moriarty in The Master—and see how the program reflected the feminism of the 1970s while gaining mainstream popularity with 4th Doctor Tom Baker ... until declining support from the BBC led to cancelation. Yet millions worldwide continued to enjoy the Whoniverse in syndication, novels, audio dramas, comics and Doctor Who Magazine. A new age dawned in 2005 with 9th Doctor Christopher Eccleston and a serious special effects budget. 10th Doctor David Tennant helped rocket the series back to international popularity and a new era of spinoffs. With Matt Smith as 11th doctor, the show has become a success here in America, where it was long considered just a cult classic. Featuring discussions of the show's concepts and characters and interviews and insights from producers, writers, and actors from across the years; current and former editors and writers of Doctor Who Magazine; and the titular heroes themselves, here is a rich, behind-the-camera investigation into the dazzling multiverse of Doctor Who.

Terminator Vault: The Complete Story Behind the Making of The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day


Ian Nathan - 2013
    Nothing like it had ever been seen before—it fused time travel, thrilling action, artificial intelligence, and terror with provocative questions about the human race—and of course, it made Arnold Schwarzenegger an international superstar. The movie’s 1991 sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, has some of the greatest special effects in movie history and remains one of the most influential science fiction films of all time. The story of Sarah and John Connor’s fight against the advanced assassin cyborg, the T-1000, is an astonishing look at the battle between good and evil. Now, for the first time ever, here is the complete story of the Terminator world. Terminator Vault, written by acclaimed film expert Ian Nathan and with a foreword by “Governator” Schwarzenegger, takes a behind-the-scenes look at the making of both films, from the initial conception of Skynet (the AI system determined to destroy humanity) to the creation of the films’ special effects, many of which had never been previously attempted. Reproductions of original scripts and concept drawings provide completely new insights into the Terminator backstory, and there are over 170 color images of the development, production, and more. This is a must-have book for any Terminator fan, released in anticipation of the first film’s thirtieth anniversary.

8-Bit Christmas


Kevin Jakubowski - 2013
    No Jose Canseco rookie card, no GI Joe hovercraft, no Teddy friggin' Ruxpin--just Nintendo. But when a hyperactive Shih Tzu is accidentally crushed to death by a forty-two-inch television set and every parent in town blames Nintendo, it's up to Jake to take matters into his own hands. The result is a Christmas quest of Super Mario Bros. proportions, filled with flaming wreaths, speeding minivans, lost retainers, fake Santas, hot teachers, snotty sisters, "Super Bowl Shuffles" and one very naked Cabbage Patch Kid. Told from a nostalgic adult perspective, 8-Bit Christmas is a hilarious and heartfelt look back at the kid pop culture of the 1980s.

Inferno Revealed: From Dante to Dan Brown


Deborah Parker - 2013
    Much like the books on Leonardo that followed the release of the Da Vinci Code, this book will provide readers with more information about the ever-intriguing Dante. Specifically, Inferno Revealed explores how Dante made himself the protagonist of The Divine Comedy, something no other epic poet has done, a move for which the ramifications have not yet been fully explored. The mysteries and puzzles that arise from Dante’s choice to personalize the epic, along with his affinity for his local surroundings and how that affects his depiction of the places, Church, and politics in the poem are considered--along with what this reveals about Brown's own usage of the work.The authors will focus on and analyze how Dan Brown has repurposed Inferno in his newest book--noting what he gets right and what errors are made when he does not. Of course, Dan Brown is not the first author to base his work on Dante. The Comedy has elicited many adaptations from major canonical writers such as Milton and Keats to popular adaptations like David Fincher’s Se7en and Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice-- all of which will be discussed in detail within Inferno Revealed.

The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling


David Shoemaker - 2013
    Shoemaker’s sportswriting has since struck a nerve with generations of wrestling fans who—like him—grew up worshipping a sport often derided as “fake” in the wider culture. To them, these professional wrestling superstars are not just heroes but an emotional outlet and the lens through which they learned to see the world. Starting in the early 1900s and exploring the path of pro wrestling in America through the present day, The Squared Circle is the first book to acknowledge both the sport’s broader significance and wrestling fans’ keen intellect and sense of irony. Divided into eras, each section offers a snapshot of the wrestling world, profiles some of the period’s preeminent wrestlers, and the sport’s influence on our broader culture. Through the brawling, bombast, and bloodletting, Shoemaker argues that pro wrestling can teach us about the nature of performance, audience, and, yes, art. Full of unknown history, humor, and self-deprecating reminiscence—but also offering a compelling look at the sport’s rightful place in pop culture—The Squared Circle is the book that legions of wrestling fans have been waiting for. In it, Shoemaker teaches us to look past the spandex and body slams to see an art form that can explain the world.

Star Wars Heresies: Interpreting the Themes, Symbols and Philosophies of Episodes I, II and III


Paul F. McDonald - 2013
    This book offers a new way of seeing George Lucas' space opera--particularly the prequel trilogy, a series never given a fair chance because of constant comparisons to the iconic originals. In the classic style of Joseph Campbell, the trilogy is viewed through the lens of myth and metaphor, revealing a body of work not only worthy of scholarly study but perhaps destined to find therein its home. A wide variety of philosophical and mythological themes are presented and expounded upon, drawing from a rich source of scholars, thinkers, writers, and poets from East and West alike. Heretical or not, the Star Wars prequels are a surprisingly rich source of insight into the saga--as well as the human drama--as a whole.

Soul Train: The Music, Dance, and Style of a Generation


Ahmir Questlove Thompson - 2013
    Questlove reveals the remarkable story of the captivating program, and his text is paired with more than 350 photographs of the show's most memorable episodes and the larger-than-life characters who defined it: the great host Don Cornelius, the extraordinary musicians, and the people who lived the phenomenon from dance floor. Gladys Knight contributed a foreword to this incredible volume. Nick Cannon contributed the preface.

The Beatles: The BBC Archives: 1962-1970


Kevin Howlett - 2013
    This book reveals how the relationship between the UK’s foremost broadcasting organization and the world’s most celebrated pop group developed between 1962 and 1970.This in-depth account of The Beatles’ BBC appearances features transcripts of broadcast interviews plus photographs of the group and fascinating documents from the archives. From the unprecedented excitement of Beatlemania to the mature reflection of the last interviews before the group’s split, it was all seen and heard on the BBC. Experience the history of The Beatles the way it really happened.

Minecraft: Battle at Creeper Fields - A Minecraft Novel


Mari Cinco - 2013
    What should be an easy task is a perilous one as in between the two kingdoms is the Creeper Fields, a long stretch of flat land with no place to dig under, hide in or gather resources. Leon and his men must rely on what they have to build forts by nightfall, manage a short food supply and beware of traitors in their own team. Will they make it to Emerald City in time to send the important message? Read and find out!On sale for a limited time! Grab this best-selling Minecraft novel today!

Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old-Fashioned Experience


Ron Faiola - 2013
    Also recorded in this book are the regional specialties served at these clubs, ranging from popovers and fried pickles in the northern part of the state to Shrimp de Jonghe in the south. One Northwoods supper club even features fry bread, a traditional Native American dish uncommon to most any restaurant.The "supper club experience" is a tradition embodied by many long-standing restaurants scattered throughout the small towns of Wisconsin. It is based around a bygone idea that going out to dinner is an experience that lasts an entire evening. The clubs emphasizing food made from scratch, slow-paced dining, and family-run businesses. Combine this with stately dark-panel decor, complimentary relish trays, and the best brandy Old Fashioned sweet you'll ever have, and you have barely scratched the surface of the Wisconsin supper club's appeal.Author Ron Faiola is the critically acclaimed director and producer of the documentary by the same name. Supper clubs are hugely popular with Wisconsin locals and regularly frequented by all Midwestern foodies "in the know." With Wisconsin Supper Clubs as a guide, these establishments are primed to be choice summer road trip destinations for anyone looking for low-cost vacations this summer. After the successful debut of Faiola's documentary, this book is sure to be a hit throughout the region and beyond.

Cinema Sewer Volume 4: The Adults Only Guide to History's Sickest and Sexiest Movies!


Robin Bougie - 2013
    Issues 21 to 23 of Robin Bougie's celebrated independent magazine are revisited in this fourth wild FAB Press volume, along with an additional 80 pages of never-before-seen interviews, rants, comics, hard-to-find classic movie advertising, and graphic illustrations by Bougie and his talented friends from both the comic book and animation industries. Regardless of whether readers are just discovering the world of classic porn, horror, and exploitation movies, or if they're long time fans, they'll find plenty to get excited about, as they gleefully slosh around in the filth of the Cinema Sewer!

Diana Vreeland Memos: The Vogue Years


Diana Vreeland - 2013
    When Diana Vreeland became editor in chief of Vogue in 1963, she initiated a transformation, shaping the magazine into the dominant U.S. fashion publication. Vreeland’s Vogue was as entertaining and innovative as it was serious about fashion, art, travel, beauty, and culture. Vreeland rarely held meetings and communicated with her staff and photographers through memos dictated from her office or Park Avenue apartment. This extraordinary compilation of more than 250 pieces of Vreeland’s personal correspondence—most published here for the first time—includes letters to Cecil Beaton, Horst P. Horst, Norman Parkinson, Veruschka, and Cristobal Balenciaga and memos that show the direction of some of Vogue’s most legendary stories. These display Vreeland’s irreverence and her characteristically over-the-top pronouncements and reveal her sharpness about the Vogue woman and what the magazine should be. Photographs from the magazine illustrate the memos, showing her imagination, prescience, and exactitude. Each chapter is introduced by commentary from Vogue editors who worked with her, giving readers a truly inside look at how Diana Vreeland directed the course of the magazine and fashion world.

85 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards


Robert Osborne - 2013
    Following an introductory chapter on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the birth of the Oscars, the book presents the story of each year's awards, beginning with the very first, for the years 1927–28. Author Robert Osborne surveys the movies in competition, recounts the speculation on various winners, and describes events during the awards ceremony. He also provides a complete listing of the all the nominees and winners in every category.Each year is illustrated with evocative stills from winning films and candid shots from the awards ceremony. Altogether, the book features more than 750 rare photographs, including original movie posters for every best picture. Drawing on Osborne's profound knowledge of film, the Academy's exceptional archives, and the personal reminiscences of stars from Katharine Hepburn to Clint Eastwood, 85 Years of the Oscar is unrivaled in illustration, accuracy, and completeness.

Wiped! Doctor Who's Missing Episodes


Richard Molesworth - 2013
    Yet by 1975, the Corporation had wiped the master tapes of every single one of these episodes. Of the 124 Doctor Who episodes starring Jon Pertwee shown between 1970 and 1974, the BBC destroyed over half of the original transmission tapes within two years of their original broadcast.In the years that followed, the BBC, along with dedicated fans of the series, began the arduous task of trying to track down copies of as many missing Doctor Who episodes as possible. The search covered BBC sales vaults, foreign television stations, overseas archives, and numerous networks of private film collectors, until the tally of missing programmes was reduced to just 108 episodes.For the first time, this book looks in detail at how the episodes came to be missing in the first place, and examines how material subsequently came to be returned to the BBC. Along the way, those people involved in the recovery of lost slices of Doctor Who's past tell their stories in candid detail, many for the very first time.No more rumours, no more misinformation, no more fan gossip. The truth about Doctor Who's missing episodes can now be told in full!

The Essential Cake Boss: Recipes & Techniques You Absolutely Have to Know to Bake Like the Boss


Buddy Valastro - 2013
    Here are extensive explanations and step-by-step photos that show how you can bake—and decorate—just like the Boss!Everyone who works at Carlo’s Bake Shop gets an on-the-job education on how to bake like a pro. Now you can get that training in The Essential Cake Boss, a collection of Buddy’s recipes and techniques that are the building blocks of his show-stopping desserts. You’ll learn to work with baking and decorating equipment, bake perfectly moist cupcakes and cakes, and work magical effects with frosting and fondant. With Buddy’s inspiring enthusiasm and stories from the bake shop told in his inimitable voice, The Essential Cake Boss provides you with the tools for making his most popular, signature creations. A unique chart lets you mix and match cake flavors, frosting, and liqueur syrup to create your own personal trademark cakes. Plenty of gorgeous, step-by-step instructional photos let you follow Buddy as he shows how to create his artistic flourishes and decorations. An incomparable dessert education, The Essential Cake Boss will become a beloved reference for aspiring and skilled bakers alike.Bursting with delicious, tried-and-true recipes, how-to boxes and sidebars, and numerous tricks of the trade, The Essential Cake Boss is a rare treat—a fun, accessible guide to baking, all in a gloriously designed, fully illustrated package worthy of the Cake Boss’s unique artistic vision.

The TV Showrunner's Roadmap: 21 Navigational Tips for Screenwriters to Create and Sustain a Hit TV Series


Neil Landau - 2013
    The TV Showrunner's Roadmap provides you with the tools for creating, writing, and managing your own hit show. Combining his 20+ years as a working screenwriter and UCLA professor, Neil Landau expertly guides you through 21 essential insights to the creation of a successful show, and takes you behind the scenes with exclusive and enlightening interviews with showrunners from some of TV's most lauded series, including: Breaking BadHomelandScandalModern FamilyThe Walking DeadOnce Upon a TimeLostHouse, M.D.Friday Night LightsThe Good WifeFrom conception to final rewrite, The TV Showrunner's Roadmap is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to create a series that won't run out of steam after the first few episodes. This groundbreaking guide features a companion website with additional interviews and bonus materials. www.focalpress.com/cw/landauSo grab your laptop, dig out that stalled spec script, and buckle up. Welcome to the fast lane.

Ziggyology: A Brief History Of Ziggy Stardust


Simon Goddard - 2013
    G. Wells to Holst, Kabuki to Kubrick, and Elvis to Iggy The most ambitious and important book on Ziggy Stardust ever written, this study documents the epic drama of the Starman's short but eventful time on Planet Earth, and why Bowie eventually had to kill him. It was the greatest invention in the history of pop music—the rock god who came from the stars—which struck a young David Bowie like a lightning bolt from the heavens. When Ziggy the glam alien messiah fell to Earth, he transformed Bowie from a prodigy to a superstar who changed the face of music forever. But who was Ziggy Stardust? And where did he really come from? Beautifully packaged, this will be a must-have artifact for Bowie fans.

Reclaiming Parkland: Tom Hanks, Vincent Bugliosi, and the JFK Assassina


James DiEugenio - 2013
    It exposes the questionable origins of Reclaiming History in a dubious mock trial for cable television, in which Bugliosi played the role of an attorney prosecuting Lee Harvey Oswald for murder, and how this formed the basis for the epic tome. Author James DiEugenio details the myriad problems with Bugliosi’s book, and explores the cooperation of the mainstream press in concealing these many faults during the publicity campaign for the book and how this lack of scrutiny led Hanks and Goetzman to purchase the film rights. DiEugenio then shows how the film eventually adapted from that book, entitled Parkland, does not even resemble Reclaiming History, though the script for that film displays the same imbalance that Reclaiming History does.Reclaiming Parkland also includes extended looks at the little-known aspects of the lives and careers of Bugliosi, Hanks, and Goetzman—including Bugliosi’s three attempts at political office and a review of the Tate-LaBianca murders in the light of today’s knowledge of that case. DiEugenio also looks at the connections between Washington and Hollywood, as well as the CIA influence in the film colony today. Reclaiming Parkland is a truly unique book that delves into the Kennedy assassination, the New Hollywood, and the political influence on how films are made today.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Paris Is Burning: A Queer Film Classic


Lucas Hilderbrand - 2013
    This book contextualizes the film within the longer history of drag balls, the practices of documentary, the fervor of the culture wars, and issues of gender, sexuality, race, and class.Lucas Hilderbrand is associate professor of film and media studies and queer studies at the University of California, Irvine.

Alternative Movie Posters: Film Art from the Underground


Matthew Chojnacki - 2013
    Thankfully, an underground network of graphic designers and artists has reinvigorated the art of the movie poster, crafting stunning pieces for classic and cult films. Here is the first comprehensive look at the movement, presenting this eclectic and dynamic medium through more than 200 eye-popping posters from over 100 cutting-edge artists, coupled with fascinating commentary and behind-the-scenes information. These new, underground posters have quickly become the most coveted by ardent moviegoers; they are typically produced in very limited runs, sell out within minutes, and command upwards of several hundred dollars each. With a smart, fresh visual perspective, alternative movie posters celebrate classics like Star Wars, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining as well as cult favorites: The Big Lebowski, Blade Runner, and Pink Flamingos.

Fashion House: Chic and Stylish Illustrated Interiors. by Megan Hess


Megan Hess - 2013
    Full description

Mods: The New Religion


Paul 'Smiler' Anderson - 2013
    Young kids soon found a passion for sharp clothes, music and dancing, but for some it was pills, thrills and violence. The original Mod generation tell it exactly how it was, in their very own words. First hand accounts of the times from the people who were actually on the scene. Top faces, scooterboys, DJs, promoters and musicians build up a vivid, exciting snapshot of what it was really like to be with the in-crowd. Packed with rare pictures, ephemera, art and graphics of the era. Featuring interviews with Eddie Floyd, Martha Reeves, Ian McLagan, Chris Farlowe and many more.

Area: 1983-1987


Eric Goode - 2013
    Despite its short-lived history (it closed in 1987), Area was the place where A-listers from disparate worlds went to see and be seen.Area was the brainchild of four guys from California, among them author Eric Goode, whose vision was to create an art project on a monumental scale: Every six weeks, they gutted the enormous space at 157 Hudson and transformed it with a different art theme. Their wildly creative invitations to the opening night of each new installation became the hottest tickets in town, coveted by writers and photographers who together chronicled the club’s legendary scene. Drawing from an incredibly rich archive of material, Eric and Jennifer Goode tell the behind-the-scenes story of the club and its people, creating an illustrated memoir of an exciting time and place in the annals of New York nightlife.

Crazy 4 Cult: Cult Movie Art 2


Gallery 1988 - 2013
    Be prepared to see your favourite cult movies as you've never seem them before!This second volume of Cult Movie Art collects the best of the last two years of the show, with pieces inspired by Escape From New York, Shaun of the Dead, Ghostbusters, The Princess Bride, The Big Lebowski and many moreGallery 1988's annual cult movie-inspired Crazy 4 Cult art show has become a phenomenon. 2012's show moved from LA for the first time, with a triumphant opening in New York

The Best American Magazine Writing 2013


American Society of Magazine Editors - 2013
    This year's selections include Pamela Colloff ( "Texas Monthly") on the agonizing, decades-long struggle by a convicted murderer to prove his innocence; Dexter Filkins ( "The New Yorker") on the emotional effort by an Iraq War veteran to make amends for the role he played in the deaths of innocent Iraqis; Chris Jones ( "Esquire") on Robert A. Caro's epic, ongoing investigation into the life and work of Lyndon Johnson; Charles C. Mann ( "Orion") on the odds of human beings' survival as a species; and Roger Angell ( "The New Yorker") on aging, dying, and loss. The former infantryman Brian Mockenhaupt (Byliner) describes modern combat in Afghanistan and its ability both to forge and challenge friendships; Ta-Nehisi Coates ( "The Atlantic") reflects on the complex racial terrain traversed by Barack Obama; Frank Rich ( "New York") assesses Mitt Romney's ambiguous candidacy; and Dahlia Lithwick ( "Slate") looks at the current and future implications of an eventful year in Supreme Court history. The volume also includes an interview on the art of screenwriting with Terry Southern from "The Paris Revie"w and an award-winning short story by Stephen King published in " Harper's" magazine.

Molotov Hearts: A Punk Romance


Chris Eng - 2013
    But even if she manages to get into the scene (or get the boy), will that be enough to fix her problems and change her from the girl the world thinks she is to the girl she wants to be? And will she figure out how to throw a punch if she needs to? Molotov Hearts features punk houses, punk parties, basement shows, make-out sessions, fist fights and dumpster diving. It's funny, sad, romantic and a novel for anyone who wants to read a story in the tradition of "girl-meets-boy, girl-joins-punk-band, girl-kicks-ass."

Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude!: Over 230 Scrumptious, Quick & Easy Recipes for Garfield's Favorite Foods...Lasagna, Pizza and Much More!


Gooseberry Patch - 2013
    it's a match made in food heaven! The first new Garfield cookbook in ten years, Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! is packed with over 230 yummy recipes near and dear to Garfield's tummy. Gooseberry Patch fans will love this fun new twist on the quick & easy recipes they've come to expect. Garfield collectors will love the strips and quips by Jim Davis, while the simple recipes will entice even inexperienced cooks. Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! delivers heaps of homestyle flavor and Garfield's humor adds tons of fun to each page. Readers will love Cheesy Scramblin' Pizza for breakfast. Happy Burgers, Baked Chili Fries and Jim's Spicy Deviled Eggs (from Davis himself!) are on the lunch menu. Spicy Honey Chicken Wings and Crispy Bacon Bread Sticks are perfect for snacking and sharing. At dinner, they'll love Bow-Tie Lasagna, Creamy Salmon Manicotti, and Meatball Pizza Pockets just as much as Garfield does. Even a bachelor like Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, can make Incredibly Easy Pot Roast and Spicy Roasted Potatoes with these simple-to-follow recipes. Of course, it isn't dinner without dessert, so treat yourself to Caramel Apple Pie. Chapters include: Breakfast Is Served...Time to Get Up!; First Lunch, Then a Catnap; Snack Attack!; Lotsa Lasagna, Pasta & Pizza; It's Dinner Time...Now!; and Dinner is Over, What's for Dessert? There are plenty of Garfield gags and illustrations, plus easy cooking tips and simple substitutions... the kind of advice Gooseberry Patch fans have come to love.

New Queer Cinema: The Director's Cut


B. Ruby Rich - 2013
    Ruby Rich designated a brand new genre, the New Queer Cinema (NQC), in her groundbreaking article in the Village Voice in 1992. This movement in film and video was intensely political and aesthetically innovative, made possible by the debut of the camcorder, and driven initially by outrage over the unchecked spread of AIDS. The genre has grown to include an entire generation of queer artists, filmmakers, and activists. As a critic, curator, journalist, and scholar, Rich has been inextricably linked to the New Queer Cinema from its inception. This volume presents her new thoughts on the topic, as well as bringing together the best of her writing on the NQC. She follows this cinematic movement from its origins in the mid-1980s all the way to the present in essays and articles directed at a range of audiences, from readers of academic journals to popular glossies and weekly newspapers. She presents her insights into such NQC pioneers as Derek Jarman and Isaac Julien and investigates such celebrated films as Go Fish, Brokeback Mountain, Itty Bitty Titty Committee, and Milk. In addition to exploring less-known films and international cinemas (including Latin American and French films and videos), she documents the more recent incarnations of the NQC on screen, on the web, and in art galleries.

The Mad World Of William M. Gaines


Frank Jacobs - 2013
    

Sahir Ludhianvi - The peoples poet


Akshay Manwani - 2013
    So great was his stature as an Urdu poet that he never had to mould his poetry to suit the demands of film songwriting; instead, producers and composers adapted their requirements to his poetry. His songs in films like Pyaasa, Naya Daur and Phir Subah Hogi have attained the status of classics. This exhaustive biography traces the poet’s rich life, from his troubled childhood and his equally troubled love relationships, to his rise as one of the pre-eminent personalities of the Progressive Writers Movement and his journey as lyricist through the golden era of Hindi film music, the 1950s and 1960s.

Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You: A Journal


Dian G. Smith - 2013
    This journal contains a year's worth of fear-facing prompts and mottoes of encouragement. It provides space to jot down daily examples of your own courage--the small steps that culminate in one bold year. Jotting down one thing a day, especially on fortifying subjects like gratitude and happiness, is an enormously popular journaling practice (one that is recommended by nearly every best-selling self-help author). Bravery is another key ingredient of self-actualization, so why not make a daily habit of thinking courageously? This journal is perfect for recent graduates, milestone birthdays, or as a year-end holiday gift to kick off "New Year, New You" projects.

Weasels Ripped My Flesh!: Two-Fisted Stories From Men's Adventure Magazines of the 1950s, '60s & '70s


Robert DeisWalter Kaylin - 2013
    War stories, exotic adventure yarns, "true, first-hand" accounts of white-knuckle clashes between man and beast, and spicy tales of sadistic frauleins and tropical white queens hungry for companionship ... topped off with salacious exposés of then-shocking subjects like free love, the Beat Generation, homosexuality, LSD and the secret horniness hidden in calypso lyrics.Josh Alan Friedman (BLACK CRACKER) and Wyatt Doyle (STOP REQUESTED) join collector and historian Robert Deis of MensPulpMags.com for a guided safari through a jaw-dropping collection of classic men's adventure magazine stories in the first anthology from the genre ever published.Packed with pulp fiction created by writers who later went on to greater fame, sensational illustrations by masters of men's pulp art and wacky ads taken from the magazines' back pages, WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH! is your passport to a gonzo world where every dame was a femme fatale or a scantily-clad damsel in distress and manly men fought small mammals bare-handed.

Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino's Masterpiece


Jason Bailey - 2013
    The New York Times called it a "triumphant, cleverly disorienting journey," and thirty-one-year-old Quentin Tarantino, with just three feature films to his name, became a sensation: the next great American director. Nearly twenty years later, those who proclaimed Pulp Fiction an instant classic have been proven irrefutably right. In Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino's Masterpiece, film expert Jason Bailey explores why Pulp Fiction is such a brilliant and influential film. He discusses how the movie was revolutionary in its use of dialogue ("You can get a steak here, daddy-o," "Correct-amundo"), time structure, and cinematography--and how it completely transformed the industry and artistry of independent cinema. He examines Tarantino's influences, illuminates the film's pop culture references, and describes its phenomenal legacy. Unforgettable characters like Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), Vincent Vega (John Travolta), Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), and Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) are scrutinized from all-new angles, and memorable scenes--Christopher Walken's gold watch monologue, Vince's explanation of French cuisine--are analyzed and celebrated. Much like the contents of Marcellus Wallace's briefcase, Pulp Fiction is mysterious and spectacular. Illustrated throughout with original art inspired by the film, with sidebars and special features on everything from casting close calls to deleted scenes, this is the most comprehensive, in-depth book on Pulp Fiction ever published.

Apoplexia, Toxic Shock, and Toilet Bowl: Some Notes On Why I Write


Kate Zambreno - 2013
    A woman is a bomb”: An essay on writing, madness, rage, and being female, from a relentlessly provocative and brilliant thinker.

Breaking Bad: Alchemy


SonyPictures - 2013
    Filled with insider behind-the-scenes secrets, stories spanning every season, including a complete series multi-touch timeline, exclusive interviews with creator Vince Gilligan and an interactive death timeline of those who met their demise, this one-of-a-kind book offers fans and newcomers a brand new way to experience the evolution of the show from the pilot and will update all the way through to the final episode.

Reasonable Pleasures: The Strange Coherences of Catholicism


James V. Schall - 2013
    We are beings who laugh and run, sing and dance, but we too seldom reflect on why we do these things. Above all, we are beings who think and who want to know whether our lives make sense. In this thought-provoking study of the relationship between our reason and our experience of pleasure, popular professor and author Fr. James Schall shows how reason, religion and pleasure are not in conflict with one another. Religion has to do with how man relates to God. Catholicism is not so much a religion as a revelation. It records and recalls how God relates to man.The popular mood of our time is that neither religion nor revelation has much to do with real life. Yet when we look at things as having meaning and order, they fit together in surprising ways. This coherence should bring us joy, and teach us how reason, religion and pleasure can work together for our benefit. Schall shows us in this book why we have many reasons to think that our lives make sense, that our pleasures can be reasonable, and our reason itself is a pleasure.

1001 Guitars to Dream of Playing Before You Die


Terry Burrows - 2013
    This latest volume in the hugely popular 1001 series surveys the world’s most popular musical instrument. Popular culture has enjoyed an intense love affair with the guitar in both its acoustic and electric forms. Although quite ancient, the guitar only achieved recognition as a serious instrument in the late nineteenth century. Since then, it has become the world’s most consequential instrument, and contemporary music is unimaginable without it. Never before have so many guitars been profiled within a single illustrated volume, from the earliest Spanish baroque models to the latest Gibson Robot series with computer-controlled self-tuning capabilities and onboard sound-processing features. From the classic and obscure to the simple and high-tech, the most notable guitars from Fender, Ibanez, Epiphone, Les Paul, Martin, and numerous other brands are featured in this one-of-a-kind book. Illustrated with striking color photographs, the book reveals what makes each model special, which well-known musicians use it, and the hit songs in which it can be heard. Details about technical and design specifications are included, and lively texts highlight some of the greatest guitar performances of all time.

Angry Birds: Hatching a Universe


Danny Graydon - 2013
    From animation to publishing and even an upcoming feature film, the Angry Birds experience is becoming even more diverse and dynamic. For the first time, Angry Birds: Hatching a Universe takes you inside the creative process that has driven this boundless expansion and showcases the remarkable art being the Angry Birds phenomenon. Featuring interviews with the key players at Rovio - the Finnish company behind the game - Angry Birds: Hatching a Universe tells the make-or-break story of its initial success and the continued innovation that has led to unforgettable collaborations with institutions such as NASA, and the creation of ground-breaking games like Angry Birds Space. Filled with never-before-seen sketches, concept art, and other visual treasures, along with in-depth insights into the creation of each aspect of the Angry Birds universe, this book is a revelatory look at the genesis of a true multimedia sensation.

Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live


Jeff Giles - 2013
    But the tales that went untold -- the experiences of the writers, producers, cast and crew behind the scenes -- are just as fascinating as any kidnapping, baby switch, or courtroom confession. Today, network soaps are struggling for survival against cheaper-to-produce talk shows and reality series, but their cultural impact resonates more strongly than ever -- and a tribute to the work that goes into producing them is long overdue. To that end, "Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live" focuses on some of the most unique aspects of working on a five-day-a-week television series -- from the actors, who had to deal with the daytime stigma and the psychology of living so intimately with their characters for extended periods of time, to the crew, who produced scripts and episodes at a blistering pace while working with a dwindling pool of network resources. Featuring interviews with more than 50 "One Life to Live" veterans, including Erika Slezak, Robin Strasser, Robert S. Woods, Hilary B. Smith, Ilene Kristen, Kassie DePaiva, Michael Storm, Judith Light, and Nathan Fillion -- plus many more -- "Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live" offers readers a one-of-a-kind perspective on one of television's longest-running shows.

The Kennedy Years: A Memoir


Jacques Lowe - 2013
    Kennedy and replete with many never-before-seen photographs, this posthumous memoir draws on previously unpublished oral histories, gallery talks, and speeches by Jacques Lowe, JFK’s official photographer. Jacques Lowe was the official photographer of John F. Kennedy’s pivotal 1960 campaign for the presidency as well as his personal photographer following his election, with unprecedented access to the President’s family and inner circle. Fifty years after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, it is finally possible to publish Lowe’s own, never-before-revealed account of his experiences during the Camelot years, supplemented with previously unseen material from his private files, the Kennedy Archives, and a range of other sources. In both words and pictures, Lowe captures the charisma of Kennedy relaxing at home with Jackie and daughter Caroline, engaging with the public on the campaign trail, at work in the White House, and as a leader on the world stage. These photographs are an astonishing record of an era when political image-making was far less calculated than it is today. Lowe’s 40,000 negatives of the Kennedy years were stored in the vaults of the World Trade Center. After 9/11—which came just months after Lowe’s death—it was learned that this priceless collection had been reduced to ashes, leaving Lowe’s original contact sheets as the only record of a most remarkable era.

Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story


Thad Komorowski - 2013
    Through vigorous draftsmanship, charismatic voices, irreverent sight gags, crass humor, and stellar character acting, animation's most talented and disturbed artists created an entity for the Nickelodeon cable network that pulled the art form out of a 25-year rut. The world has never been quite the same since - and we're eternally grateful!Now you too can join the rollercoaster ride that is the fascinating, insane real-life story of art, money, and ego that gave birth to Ren Hoek and Stimpson J. Cat. History Eraser Buttons need not apply. No stone has been unturned, no magic nose goblins unpicked, in this extensively detailed history of the show that defined a generation and changed an entire medium.It's everything you wanted to know about Ren & Stimpy - but were afraid to ask!

North America: The Rich Diversity of a World in One Continent


Huw Cordey - 2013
    With 150,000 miles of coastline, North America also has the longest and most abundant shores of any continent on Earth.In the stunning eight-part series from Discovery Channel, renowned nature producer Huw Cordey travels from the Arctic to the Tropics, revealing the wonders of the most dynamic continent on Earth—from the stunning glow of the Aura Borealis in Alaska to the thousands of tornadoes that batter the Great Plains each year to the 55-ton crystals in Mexico’s Crystal Cave.North America, the companion book to the television series, follows the producers as they tell the story of this rich and eclectic land through more than 250 gorgeous full-color photographs and engaging essays. Chock-full of interesting facts about the various ecology and wildlife of the many regions of the continent— Prairies, Coasts, Mountains, Freshwater, Deserts, and Forests— North America exposes the continent as you’ve never seen it before.

Master Builder: The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft & Other Building Games


Triumph Books - 2013
    Popular with both girls and boys, this "virtual play set" of building blocks lets players create essentially anything they can imagine. With Master Builder, the unofficial comprehensive guide for this virtual world, beginners, experts, and general enthusiasts of Minecraft will learn how to get more out of their valuable playtime—how to build better structures and cooler worlds and how to cooperate more efficiently in multiplayer mode. This full-color book shares strategy from Minecraft's top players, examines the creation of many of today's most impressive worlds, and provides a glimpse at what's to come in this ever-expanding universe. It also includes a bonus section on other building games, including Lego Universe. This book is not authorized, sponsored, endorsed or licensed by Mojang AB. The trademark Minecraft is owned by Mojang AB; and other company names and/or trademarks mentioned in this book are the property of their respective companies and are used for identification purposes only.

Time Out of Mind: The Lives of Bob Dylan


Ian Bell - 2013
    The 1975 album Blood on the Tracks seemed to prove, finally, that an uncertain age had found its poet. Then Dylan faltered. His instincts, formerly unerring, deserted him. in the 1980s, what had once appeared unthinkable came to pass: the “voice of a generation” began to sound irrelevant, a tale told to grandchildren.Yet in the autumn of 1997, something remarkable happened. Having failed to release a single new song in seven long years, Dylan put out the equivalent of two albums in a single package. In the concluding volume of his ground- breaking study, Ian Bell explores the unparalleled second act in a quintessentially american career. It is a tale of redemption, of an act of creative will against the odds, and of a writer who refused to fade away.Time Out of Mind is the story of the latest, perhaps the last, of the many Bob Dylans.

Magic Words: The Extraordinary Life of Alan Moore


Lance Parkin - 2013
    Belongs on the bookshelf of any halfway decent criminal profiler." ALAN MOOREFor over three decades comics fans and creators have regarded Alan Moore as a titan of the form. With works such as V for Vendetta, Watchmen and From Hell, he has repeatedly staked out new territory, attracting literary plaudits and a mainstream audience far removed from his underground origins. His place in popular culture is now such that major Hollywood players vie to adapt his books for cinema. Yet Moore's journey from the hippie Arts Labs of the 1970s to the bestseller lists was far from preordained. A principled eccentric, who has lived his whole life in one English town, he has been embroiled in fierce feuds with some of the entertainment industry's biggest corporations. And just when he could have made millions ploughing a golden rut he turned instead to performance art, writing erotica, and the occult. Now, as Alan Moore hits sixty, it's time to go in search of this extraordinary gentleman, and follow the peculiar path taken by a writer quite unlike any other.

Gregory Crewdson


Gregory Crewdson - 2013
    Renowned for his melancholic, dramatic, and painterly images of small-town America, Gregory Crewdson has evolved over a nearly thirty-year career into one of the world’s most acclaimed and recognizable photographers. With a meticulous approach that has been likened to that of a film director, Crewdson typically works with a large crew and extremely technical sets to achieve a remarkably atmospheric and textured perspective. His fanatical attention to light and location creates a vision of life at once familiar and haunting; his artistic vision seems in line with those of Edward Hopper and David Lynch. Published together for the first time are images from each of his many series of work, from the little-seen black-and-white images of Fireflies to more recent masterpieces such as Beneath the Roses and Sanctuary. With a narrative of short stories written specially to accompany each series by Jonathan Lethem, an introductory overview by Nancy Spector, and an essay by Melissa Harris on his unique process, this is the definitive monograph on the work of a true contemporary master of photography.

Weegee: Murder Is My Business


Brian Wallis - 2013
    For a decade between 1935 and 1946, Weegee made a name for himself snapping crime scenes, victims, and perpetrators. Armed with a Speed Graphic camera and a police-band radio, Weegee often beat the cops to the story, determined to sell his pictures to the sensation-hungry tabloids. His stark black-and-white photos were often lurid and unsettling. Yet, as this beautifully produced volume shows, they were also brimming with humanity. Designed as a series of "dossiers," this book follows Weegee's transformation from a freelancer to a photo-detective. It explores his relationship with the tabloid press and gangster culture and reveals his intimate knowledge of New York's darkest corners. It provides readers with a rich historical experience--a New York City "noir" shot through the lens of one of its most iconoclastic figures.

Jane and Serge. A Family Album


Andrew Birkin - 2013
    They would spend the next 12 years together, a passionate union that produced the controversial duet "Je t’aime... moi non plus" (whose explicit lyrics and orgasmic moans caused so much fuss that the Vatican declared it offensive) and, in 1971, the legendary album Melody Nelson as well as a daughter, Charlotte, who has become a successful actress in her own right. From the earliest days of Jane and Serge's romance until their split in 1980, Jane’s brother Andrew Birkin was a frequent presence in their lives; an avid photographer, he snapped thousands of candid family photos during those years. Birkin’s pictures—very few of which have ever been published—offer a rare view of daily life for the couple, bringing us back to a place and time we have long idolized. Though more than 30 years have passed since the two parted ways, and over two decades since Serge parted from this world, the passion for Jane and Serge has endured. This treasure trove is sure to fan the flames of its undying embers.Designed by M/M (Paris), the photo album comes in a clear plastic cover with the following goodies tucked inside: Text booklet featuring an introduction by Jane Birkin and Andrew Birkin’s memoir of Jane and Serge, illustrated by Birkin family childhood photos Softcover contact sheet booklet Fold-out poster 5 photo prints Sticker sheet Embroidered patch

Johnny Depp: A Retrospective


Steven Daly - 2013
    One of the most gifted actors of his generation, his charismatic screen presence has brought to life such characters as the tragi-comic Edward Scissorhands, the compassionate but tormented Gilbert Grape, the edgy FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone (under cover as Donnie Brasco), the murderous Sweeney Todd, and, of course, the swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow—to name a few. Impeccably designed and lavishly illustrated with more than 200 stills and behind-the-scenes images from the movies themselves, Johnny Depp: A Retrospective is the definitive celebration of this uncompromising actor’s intriguing and deeply personal moviemaking story. This timely retrospective, published to celebrate Johnny Depp’s 50th birthday, charts his career from his first role in Wes Craven’s classic horror A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) through his legendary incarnation as Captain Jack Sparrow in all four Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and the many roles he has brought to life with director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands and the Mad Hatter among them), to his most recent role as Tonto in The Lone Ranger (2013). Movie by movie, journalist and author Steven Daly draws upon first-hand interviews, as well as his own in-depth knowledge of Depp’s movies, to appraise the actor’s remarkably varied career.

Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss: Recipes for Get-Togethers Throughout the Year


Buddy Valastro - 2013
    Cake Boss Buddy Valastro and his tight-knit, fun-loving family get together around food every day, so it’s no surprise they go all out on special occasions with dishes that are traditions in their own right, such as Pepperoni Pizza Puffs at the kids’ birthday bashes, Valastro Family Stuffing on Thanksgiving, and Marinated Seafood Salad every Christmas. From holidays to summer barbeques to bake-a-paloozas designed to brighten those nasty, bad-weather days when kids and grown-ups alike are cooped up inside, Buddy’s celebrations are always punctuated by a special cake, cupcake, or dessert that captures the essence of the occasion with an unforgettable visual and—of course—an incredible taste. Some desserts are seasonal and simple to make but are beautiful nonetheless, such as Italian Wheat Pie, Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie with its delightful autumnal border of pie-crust leaves, a Valentine’s Day Heart Cake frosted with chocolate mousse and decorated with chocolate shavings, and a Volcano Mousse Cake—individual desserts coated in melted chocolate—for Mother’s Day. Then there are the truly spectacular cakes with special effects like the grill-shaped cake for a Memorial Day—or any—cookout, complete with its own hot dogs and burgers (cleverly fashioned from fondant, grill marks and all); an Easter Basket Cake with its basket-weave sides and topping of actual jelly beans and chocolate candy; and the Christmas Gift Cake—a magnificent, gold fondant–“wrapped” gift. And underneath every creative decoration lies an absolutely delicious, tried-and-true basic recipe, the foundation to a great dessert, created by Buddy himself. Buddy also teaches you ways to customize decorations for the sports fans in your family with special cookies and cakes for birthdays and tailgate parties, and there are lots of desserts that kids will have fun making with you. Clear, step-by-step instructions, decorating tips, and gorgeous photography guide you through recipes perfect for all generations and every occasion—as if Buddy were by your side teaching you himself. These menus celebrate a delicious year in the life of the Valastro family, starting with New Year’s Day and running right through New Year’s Eve. Now you can mark the moments in your life with unforgettable desserts as well as Buddy’s family’s traditional dishes, which are sure to inspire good times for yours. Whether you’re cooking for six or sixty, Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss will make your next family gathering an event to remember.

Jack Cole's Deadly Horror (The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics!, #4)


Jack Cole - 2013
    But he didn't just stretch people's imaginations, he also frightened them out of their wits! Cole's comics in this genre were some of the most grisly, horrifying, gut-wrenching art and stories in the history of comics! In Jack Cole's Deadly Horror you'll read comic stories from the 1950s with titles like "Orgy of Death," "Hangman's Horror," "The Corpse That Wouldn't Die," "The Killer From Saturn," "Goddess of Murder," "Monster of the Mist," "Dance of Death," "The Man Who Died Twice," "The Strangling Hands," "Death Prowls The Streets," "Killer From Beyond," "A Pact With The Devil," and many more spine-tingling tales. I ntroduced by Eisner Award winner and comics historian Craig Yoe with rare art and background material, this large format, full-color book is part of the acclaimed Chilling Archives of Horror Comics, which includes Dick Briefer's Frankenstein, Bob Powell's Terror, and Zombies! WARNING: Anti-comics crusader Dr. Fredric Wertham singled out Jack Cole art as especially harmful to impressionable minds! Jack Cole's Deadly Horror is not recommended for the faint of heart!

Coupon Crazy: The Science, the Savings, and the Stories Behind America's Extreme Obsession


Mary Potter Kenyon - 2013
    By delving into the history of couponing, refunding, the science of shopping, and the dark underbelly of a coupon world the average American doesn’t even know existed, author Mary Potter Kenyon manages to both fascinate and educate the reader. Readers will meet today’s “Coupon Queens” (and Kings) and learn about an era when trash really was cash. Not just an observer of this ethnographic research, Mary lived it for over 30 years.

The Book of Black: Black Holes, Black Death, Black Forest Cake and Other Dark Sides of Life


Clifford A. Pickover - 2013
    Bestselling author Clifford A. Pickover takes us on an unusual and historic journey through curious, amusing, and important topics related to "black." Beware: this wondrous panoply of subjects, stunning images, and entertaining and informative text can shift from sexy to cosmic with just the turn of a page!With entries short enough to read in just a few minutes — but pithy enough for endless pondering — The Book of Black features 100 captivating black-and-white and full-color images. The book roams far and wide through politics, popular culture, science, sociology, history, sports, religion, and superstition. A reference section offers suggestions for further explorations of Black Pudding, Black Velvet Paintings, Blackbeard, "Black Magic Woman," and other dark matters."This book is a delight from start to finish. Entertaining and accessible, but equally rigorous and scholarly, this is a volume to please everyone. It can be read cover-to-cover or picked up and read at random. The illustrations are impressive and there's one for every topic. Thoroughly enjoyable but also thoroughly informative." — newbooks magazine

Fangirl Therapy


Kathleen Salisbury - 2013
    Is she a product of her enviorenment or her genetic makeup? Have millions of years of evolution made her vulnerable to the angsty glances exchanged by her ship, or is seeing subtext a sixth sense, like x-ray vision?This book is a guide on how to plug the unicorn facets of your personality into the kind of life story that you admire in fiction. Shipping. Factfiction. Hairporn. All of these elements of the fangirl life can help you transfrom into the fanwoman that you were meant to be. You can get creative with your creys, with the help of some Fangirl Therapy.

Anthem: Social Movements and the Sound of Solidarity in the African Diaspora


Shana L Redmond - 2013
    "An extraordinary, innovative, and generative book." - George Lipsitz, author of How Racism Takes Place

Dark Discoveries - Issue #24


James R. Beach - 2013
    Nolan "The Group" & TV Dark Shadows Kathryn Leigh Scott Interview, Dark Shadows Overview, Movie Review And More Frank De Felitta, Jeffrey Reddick, Jonathan Maberry, David Morrell, Gene O'Neill, Eric Red Table of Contents Wayne Miller COVER ART F i c t i o n They - by David Morrell Coyote Gambit - by Gene O'Neil Do Not Disturb - by Eric Red The Partnership - by William F. Nolan Masks - by Brian Sammons I n t e r v i e w s Katherine Leigh Scott Interview - James R. Beach David Morrell Interview - Joel Kirkpatrick Gene O'Neill Interview - Joel Kirkpatrick Jeffrey Reddick Interview - Cyrus Wraith Walker Eric Red interview - Aaron French Bob Morrish column (Frank De Felitta Interview) F e a t u r e s Dark Shadows article (overview) - Stephen Mark Rainey ABC Movie of the Week article - Mark Seiber and James R. Beach The Group and Television article - Trever Nordgren Darkroom article - Trever Nordgren Column - by Dr. Michael Collings Double X Chromosome: Why I hate Women in Horror - Yvonne Navarro YA and YA reviews - by Amy Shane Things that Bite - Jonathan Maberry and David F. Kramer NONFICTION WHC/HWA wrapup/winners Ray Harryhausen Tribute - Aaron French Hellnotes Reviews Book reviews

Shopping in Jail: Ideas, Essays and Stories for an Increasingly Real Twenty-First Century


Douglas Coupland - 2013
    Nine short non-fiction pieces with a forward by Shumon Basar.

Kokeshi: From Tohoku with Love


Manami Okazaki - 2013
    Kokeshi are the traditional dolls that are made of wood and are characterized by their lack of arms or legs. They are produced in the Tohoku region of Japan and were originally a children's toy, although it is more often used as a form of decoration nowadays and displayed in the home. Abroad, they are considered to be an icon of Japan, and reflect Japanese aesthetic sensibilities with their simple, elegant and minimalist designs. Kokeshi have the appeal of imperfection and hand made exclusivity as no two dolls are the same, each kokeshi embodies the qualities of wood, something that is often referred to as "warmth." In fact, for collectors, more than the freshly made kokeshi, many covet the atmosphere of the vintage kokeshi-- rather than degrading, as with plastic or artificial materials, the wood picks up a dewy, subdued colour and the delicately painted features fade gracefully with time. This book is the only English language book that looks at this culture in depth and is the only book with English language interviews with the masters of the craft. The author, Manami Okazaki, visits all 6 prefectures of Tohoku to profile 20 artisans in the remote hot spring villages where they are made. Included are the work and interviews with the masters to the up and coming artists, and highlights many aesthetic theories and sensibilities that are prevalent in contemporary design, even today. The book also looks at Japanese hotspring culture, and Tohoku culture to paint a holistic picture of kokeshi culture. This book will delight fans of wooden crafts, Japanese culture and travellers to Japan. The book gives an insight into the psychology of the craftsman, the process of production, the motifs and the various types, which will inform the collector. This book will also suit travelers to Japan who wish to explore the Northern region of Japan, and their charming hot spring villages. Included are hundreds of photographs. This book is intended for charity and all proceeds will go to schooling in Tohoku post March 11 tsunami.

Everything Is Connected: Reimagining the World One Postcard at a Time


Keri Smith - 2013
    From the creator of Wreck This Journal, comes an imaginative new project: fifty postcards that send you on a quest to reanimate everyday life.Leave notes in public for strangers, dream up a tiny imaginary world, summon magic powers, draw a portrait of yourself as a hero, create your own treasure map, or access a secret portal whenever you wish.Don’t you just love getting something unexpected in the mail?

Inside MAD


John Ficarra - 2013
    But as it turns out, some readers actually went on to be...successful! For the first time ever, MAD asked some of these successful readers to share what reading (and appearing in) MAD meant to them. What they have to say may surprise you! Featuring essays with nouns, verbs, and punctuation by: Roseanne Barr Ken Burns Dane Cook Paul Feig Whoopi Goldberg Harry Hamlin Tony Hawk Ice-T Penn Jillette George Lopez David Lynch Todd McFarlane Jeff Probst John Slattery John Stamos Pendleton Ward Matthew Weiner But wait-there's more! (Regrettably.) MAD asked some of the aforementioned "complete failures in life" (MAD's editors, writers and artists to share their all-time favorite MAD articles. What they have to say will definitely disappoint you! Featuring the moronic mumblings of: Sergio Aragones Tom Bunk Tim Carvell Paul Coker Jack Davis Dick DeBartolo Desmond Devlin Mort Drucker Mark Fredrickson Drew Friedman Frank Jacobs Al Jaffee Peter Kuper Tom Richmond And many more! Plus, inside: a never-before-reprinted Alfred E. Neuman pop art poster! And, an all new fold-out poster: a specially commissioned look at the legendary MAD offices by Sergio Aragones!

Punk


Stephen Colegrave - 2013
    25 years on, it remembers the mad, frenzied and often incoherent world of 1975-79. Variously described as middle class, working class, political, social, sexual, artistic, superficial, perverted, puerile and heroic, punk has always inspired controversy. Contains adult content.

The Lone Ranger: Behind the Mask


Michael Singer - 2013
    Nevertheless, the hardy crew, led by director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer - both veterans of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies - persevered to deliver a hugely ambitious and breathlessly entertaining blockbuster that defies all expectations. The Lone Ranger: Behind the Mask tells the gripping story of this fraught yet fulfilling journey and the people who made it happen, from stars Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp, to the costumes designers, makeup artists, production designers, and other key crew members. Taking in the dust-blown sets in Albuquerque, the epic vistas of Monument Valley, and the sound stages of Los Angeles, this is the complete story of a truly epic production augmented by stunning photography and concept art, along with candid snapshots from the crew. Also featuring afterwords by Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, an introduction by Gore Verbinski, and a special photo foreword from Jerry Bruckheimer, The Lone Ranger: Behind the Mask is the ultimate companion to the most exciting film of 2013.

Voyage in Noise: Warren Ellis and the Demise of Western Civilization


Kevin Thurman - 2013
    In this book, Kevin Thurman and Julian Darius examine Ellis’s body of work, exploring (among other topics) how his early work for Marvel Comics prefigures the concerns of his later work, how his super-heroes respond to comics history, his use of religion, his use of violence, his fascination with lizards (and what they reveal about the human condition), and how his characters often use anger as a stimulus for revolutionary social action, in defiance of the West’s 21st-century malaise. Topical interviews with Ellis complement several essays, expanding the reader’s understanding of the themes in Ellis’s work.

Monkee Magic: a Book about a TV Show about a Band


Melanie Mitchell - 2013
    Join a nostalgic viewer as she rediscovers the magical series of her childhood, exploring the episodes with a warm heart, a critical eye and a sentimental sensibility. From teeny bopper bubblegum to psychedelic experimentation, from matching blue eight-button shirts to eye-popping paisley, from playful romps to sophisticated performance videos, watch the sideburns grow and the love beads multiply as the revolutionary, rebellious little rock ‘n’ roll TV show cheerfully pokes the corporate network television machine and paves the way for boy bands, MTV and American Idol. Monkee Magic: a Book about a TV Show about a Band provides insightful commentary about all 58 episodes of the original Monkees television series, as well as the feature film Head and the group’s two stand-alone TV specials. With a wry sense of humor and just a little bit of affectionate snark, the author notes comedy highlights, running gags, nitpicks, obscure cultural references and inside jokes. It’s a fresh view, a provocative analysis and a whimsical journey for dedicated Monkees fans and nostalgic boomers alike.

Objects in This Mirror


Brian Dillon - 2013
    

Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry: The Social Construction of Female Popular Music Stars


Kristin Lieb - 2013
    Stars -- and the industry power brokers who make their fortunes -- have learned to prioritize sexual attractiveness over talent as they fight a crowded field for movie deals, magazine covers, and fashion lines, let alone record deals. This focus on the female pop star s body as her core asset has resigned many women to being "short term brands," positioned to earn as much money as possible before burning out or aging ungracefully. This book, which includes interview data from music industry insiders, explores the sociological forces that drive women into these tired representations, and the ramifications on the greater social world.This book is for Sociology of Media and Sociology of Popular Culture courses.

Did I Do That?: The Best (and Worst) of the '90s - Toys, Games, Shows, and Other Stuff


Amber Humphrey - 2013
    Celebrating the most sought-after, wacky, ubiquitous, and downright bizarre bits of ’90s pop culture, this chock-full-of-fun, tongue-in-cheek survey looks back at everything kids begged their parents for and comments on what made all that stuff so irresistible. Each of the top 40 pop-culture phenomena of the era—from toys and games to television and film to books and music—gets its own short chapter discussing its rise and fall, spinoffs, favorite moments, and more, along with running commentary on what was hot at the moment and what was suddenly “so five minutes ago.”For anyone who quoted Urkel, saved up her (or his!) allowance for a Spice Girls doll, or traded pogs with friends in study hall, Did I Do That? brings back favorite ’90s toys, fads, and memories from childhood in a fully illustrated, shamelessly nostalgic collection.

Brit Lit


D. Gilson - 2013
    Whitman says of Britney Spears, a claim D. Gilson has taken up in this chapbook of poetry from Sibling Rivalry Press. Brit Lit is the story of a man whose fall into adoration of the pop songstress parallels a nation's coming of age in a modern world. These poems are like Britney herself: America at her finest and most flexible, serving to buffer new definitions of spirituality, how wars affect us, and the complexities of sexuality.

TV Horror: Investigating the Dark Side of the Small Screen


Lorna Jowett - 2013
    This complete, utterly accessible, sometimes scary new book is the definitive work on TV horror. It shows how this most adaptable of genres has continued to be a part of the broadcast landscape, unsettling audiences and pushing the boundaries of acceptability. The authors demonstrate how TV Horror continues to provoke and terrify audiences by bringing the monstrous and the supernatural into the home, whether through adaptations of Stephen King and classic horror novels, or by reworking the gothic and surrealism in Twin Peaks and Carnivale. They uncover horror in mainstream television from procedural dramas to children's television and, through close analysis of landmark TV auteurs including Rod Serling, Nigel Kneale, Dan Curtis and Stephen Moffat, together with case studies of such shows as Dark Shadows, Dexter, Pushing Daisies, Torchwood, and Supernatural, they explore its evolution on television. This book is a must-have for those studying TV Genre as well as for anyone with a taste for the gruesome and the macabre.

Infinite Crab Meats


Byron Crawford - 2013
    An all you can eat buffet of probing, insightful hip-hop journalism, with thoughts on Rick Ross, Kreayshawn, Das Racist, Odd Future, El-P, Killer Mike, Chief Keef, Rap Genius and music publications Pitchfork, SPIN and XXL.

Jazz Age Fashion: Dressed to Kill


Virginia Bates - 2013
    To coincide with the release of the film The Great Gatsby, we are pleased to offer Jazz Age Fashion at a new lower price. This stunning volume highlights the best of the collection, scaling the heights of Jazz Age fashion with chapters on sequined dresses, cocktail wear, bridge coats, opera coats, evening jackets, and house coats. With sumptuous still-life photographs of rare and precious beaded dresses, feathered capes, and silky kimonos, highlighting the craftsmanship and ornamentation of each piece, this is a must-have book for collectors, connoisseurs, and those who believe in evening style.

Rethinking Prestige Branding: Secrets of the Ueber-Brands


Wolfgang Schaefer - 2013
    The book offers a behind-the-scenes look into not just the practical marketing of brands, but how consumers respond to them psychologically and emotionally.With insights from interviews with 50 premium brand experts and over 100 case studies, this book will fascinate the marketing professional just as much as those who are simply curious about how premium brands tick.

The Munchkin Book: The Official Companion


James Lowder - 2013
    Along the way, it has sold millions of copies, been translated around the world, and spawned more than two-dozen sequels and supplements.More fun than a Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment and more useful than a Chicken on Your Head, The Munchkin Book is a lighthearted and suitably snarky celebration of all things near and dear to the munchkin heart, featuring contributions from the game’s designer, Steve Jackson (president of Steve Jackson Games), and its signature artist, John Kovalic (creator of web comic Dork Tower), as well as notable mavens of geek culture.The Munchkin Book also includes exclusive game rules to supplement reader gameplay.Steve Jackson Games, based in Austin, Texas, has been publishing games, game books, and magazines since 1980. Its best-selling game is Munchkin, with well over 2 million copies of the games and supplements in print worldwide. Other top sellers are GURPS (the Generic Universal RolePlaying System), Zombie Dice, and Illuminati. Past hits have included Car Wars and Toon. Steve’s very first game, Ogre, recently drew almost a million dollars’ worth of Kickstarter support for a super-deluxe edition to be released in 2013.

Richard Corman: Madonna NYC 83


Richard Corman - 2013
    Coming in the wake of punk and new wave, this economically fragile period gave rise to a vital, edgy restlessness in the city, spawning adventurous personal styles and music that merged rap, funk, punk and pop. Madonna represented this sensibility like no-one else. As this book makes amply clear, from the start she was determined to define a look for herself, and to carve out a space in the public imagination. After her countless subsequent incarnations over the past three decades, it is extraordinary to revisit these early years. Richard Corman met Madonna by chance in 1983 and created a bountiful collection of images that constitute a multifaceted portrait of the young Madonna and a New York that remains timelessly inspiring and significant. "Madonna NYC 83" is not only an homage to Madonna and the early 80s, but also a collage of exuberance, humor, fashion, sexiness and performance. The book is designed by Yolande Cuomo Design.As a portrait photographer, Richard Corman has worked with subjects ranging from Nobel Peace Prize recipients (Nelson Mandela, James Dewey Watson) to actors (Robert De Niro, Paul Newman, Al Pacino), athletes (Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Muhammad Ali) and musicians of our time (Sting, Wynton Marsalis). A native New Yorker, Corman studied at Hunter College, later spending two years apprenticing with Richard Avedon in the early 1980s.

Peace, Love, and Pepper Spray


Amber Lyon - 2013
    

The Wah Nails Book of Downtown Girls: Even More Nail Art, Street Style, and Ways to Live Your Life


Sharmadean Reid - 2013
    Back by popular demand, Sharmadean Reid, founder of London’s hip WAH Nails salon, introduces readers to even more nail art. Featuring "Five under five minutes"—quick nail designs that make any outfit pop—and a selection of 3-D nail projects, Sharmadean shares the best of the best from the streets of London and New York. Sharmadean also teaches you how to master liquid eyeliner, transform your hairstyle, update your look on the cheap, and more. For any girl wanting to look a million bucks on a budget, this is the perfect style bible from one of London’s best-known movers and shakers.

Light Bulb Baking: A History of the Easy-Bake Oven


Todd Coopee - 2013
    The book explores the innovation, history, economics, commerce, advertising, and marketing behind the toy's 50 year history.

Film Noir FAQ


David J. Hogan - 2013
    Film Noir FAQ celebrates and reappraises some 200 noir thrillers representing 20 years of Hollywood's Golden Age. Noir pulls us close to brutal cops and scheming dames, desperate heist men and hardboiled private eyes, and the unlucky innocent citizens that get in their way. These are exciting movies with tough guys in trench coats and hot tomatoes in form-fitting gowns. The moon is a streetlamp and the narrow streets are prowled by squad cars and long black limousines. Lives are often small but people's plans are big sometimes too big. Robbery, murder, gambling; the gun and the fist; the grift and the con game; the hard kiss and the brutal brush-off. Film Noir FAQ brings lively attention to story, mood, themes, and technical detail, plus behind-the-scenes stories of the production of individual films. Featuring numerous stills and posters many never before published in book form highlighting key moments of great noir movies. Film Noir FAQ serves up insights into many of the most popular and revered names in Hollywood history, including noir's greatest stars, supporting players, directors, writers, and cinematographers. Pour a Scotch, light up a smoke, and lean back with your private guide to film noir.