history and criticism

Includes a brief biography of William Shakespeare, thematic and structural analysis of Macbeth, critical views, and more.

Presents the 1726 text of Swift's satire in which a shipwrecked Englishman encounters bizarre populations in unheard-of lands, including an enlightened race of horses that makes him see his fellow humans as vile creatures; and includes notes and fourteen works of criticism.

Leading children's literature bloggers take readers behind the scenes of many beloved children's books, revealing secret lives, scandalous turns, and humorous surprises.

"Respected anthologist Leonard S. Marcus turns his literary microscope to the world of comics, which has lately morphed and matured at a furious pace. Powerful influences from manga to the movies to underground comix have influenced the thirteen artists and writers interviewed in these pages to create their own word-and-picture narratives. Here are their ... stories: true tales from the crucible of creative struggles that led each to become a master of one of today's most vibrant art forms. The book also contains an original graphic short on the common theme of "the city" from each of the artists, a mini-comic set in a cityscape of their choosing--present-day, historical, or imaginary"--Amazon.com.

Examines rock-and-roll music in the context of American, and, to some extent, British history over the course of fifty years from around 1950 to the early twenty-first century and discusses how the music reflected and influenced social change.

Explores the influence Motown has had on America in respect to music and racial relationships and identity, looking at the social climate of the 1950s and 1960s and the rise of youth culture that set the stage for Berry Gordy and his business.

Explores the life of novelist Norma Fox Mazer and discusses how she involves her family in her work.