A farm boy from the mountains of North Carolina, Rufus Edmisten could not have been prepared for the halls of power in Washington, D.C., during the Vietnam War era, as young men burned their draft car
Founded by Robert M. Savini in 1933, Astor Pictures Corporation distributed hundreds of films in its 32 years of operation. The company distributed over 150 first run features in addition to the numer
As head of Pierce-Arrow in its formative years, Colonel Charles Clifton played a significant role in the development of a venerated automobile manufacturer. Roundly respected in his time, Clifton was
Just 284 days after Operation Valkyrie—the failed July 20, 1944 plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler and seize control of the German government—both the Third Reich and Hitler came to a violent end. If S
? How are teenagers’ religious experiences shown in today’s young adult literature? How do authors use religious texts and beliefs to add depth to characters, settings and plots? How does YA fiction
Cervantes is regarded as the author of the first novel and the inventor of fiction. From its publication in 1605, Don Quixote—recently named the world’s best book by authors from 54 countries—has been
For almost three centuries, the “Pennsylvania Dutch”—descended from German immigrants—have practiced white magic, known in their dialect as Braucherei or Powwowing. The art of black magic is known as
Dismissed as camp by critics but revered by fans, the kaiju or "strange creature" film has become an iconic element of both Japanese and American pop culture. From homage to parody to advertising, ref
From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Joss Whedon’s work presents various representations of home spaces that give depth to his stories and storytelling. Through the spaceshi
Before stories of King Arthur and Robin Hood were adapted and readapted for film, television and theater, radio scriptwriters looking for material turned to Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur (1485) and
Focusing on crime fiction, film and television that artfully combine comedy and misdeed, this comprehensive study explores the reasons why writers and filmmakers inject humor into their work and ident
Stephen King, “America’s Favorite Boogeyman,” has sold over 350 million copies of his books, becoming in effect the face of horror fiction. His influence on popular culture has drawn both strong prais
? Capturing for posterity the vanishing world of uranium mining, this candid memoir recounts the author’s adventures and misadventures working underground in 1970s New Mexico, the “Uranium Capital o
Merchant John Banister (1707–1767) of Newport, Rhode Island, wore many hats: exporter, importer, wholesaler, retailer, trader on his own account, moneylender, extender of credit and insurer, owner and
Nineteenth-century Britain gave birth to the fantasy novel and the science fiction novel—two of today’s most popular genres. During the same period, the traditional Christian beliefs that had underpin
Koch describes how Prescott (1796-1859), because of poor health, was unable to follow his prominent Boston father into a lucrative law and business career, so became a man of letters and wrote some of
The B-29 Superfortress was for many years a cornerstone of American military aviation. Best known as a bomber, it also served in reconnaissance, as a tanker, and as a rescue plane. It was a crucial to
Baseball players, like teams, have their ups and downs. Pitchers inexplicably lose their command of the strike zone, batters think themselves into deep slumps, and injuries, addiction, and poor decisi
Operating outside the commercial boundaries of Hollywood cinema, alternative and independent filmmakers have much to offer the discriminating viewer. Yet they struggle for a place in the popular cultu
This work covers ninety years of animation from James Stuart Blackton’s 1906 short Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, in which astonished viewers saw a hand draw faces that moved and changed, to Anastasi
The plots of many films pivot on the moment when a dowdy girl with bad hair, ill-fitting outdated clothing, and thick glasses is changed into an almost unrecognizable glamour girl. Makeover scenes suc
This reference covers the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence (along with Secretary Charles Thomson, who did not ultimately sign with the others). Each entry contains a biography of a signer
“I cannot begin to count the number of times over the past 37 years that I have wished I had never heard of Vietnam, let alone fought in the Vietnam War. That experience has haunted my days. It has tr
