history and criticism

"Presents fifty of the very first adventure stories, set out across seven sections, featuring Heroes and Heroines; Epic Battles; Magical Events and Miracles; Villains, Crime and Murder; Quests and Journeys; Animal stories; and Love Stories. Ranging from long and complex epics developed around historical figures including Charlemagne, King Arthur and Alexander the Great, to smaller, vibrant tales absorbing local characters on the periphery. Featuring both the stories and art behind Merlin, Christine de Pisan, Sir Gawain, Renard the Fox, Dante and Beatrice, the Odyssey, Saint Brendon and Tristan and Isolde, this book provides an intimate insight into the medieval mind. [The author} has used her profound knowledge of the British Library's illuminated manuscript collections to explore some of literature's . . . celebrated stories, together with the deep history of the books and chronicles in which they were first preserved. Presented alongside them in full color are some. . . examples of art to survive from the 8th to the 16th centuries: works of supreme beauty inspired by the stories"--OCLC.

Poets reminisce about the poems that made them fall in love with poetry.

Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) was a German film director and animator best known for The Adventures of Prince Achmed, which was released in 1926 and is the oldest surviving animated movie. With art inspired by Reiniger's cut-paper style and a text that uses a fairytale motif that mimics her movies, Out of the Shadows is a sweeping tribute to one of most important figures of animation, whose influence still resonates today.

In 1993, Michael Azerrad published Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, which stands as the definitive biography of Nirvana, the legendary band that upended the pop cultural landscape with Nevermind. Written with the band's complete cooperation, this book features interviews with singer-guitarist Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and drummer Dave Grohl. Azerrad has revisited and reconsidered his original text in this "amplified" version.

"Explores how music has contributed to the fight for social justice. Across eight areas of activism--the climate emergency, Indigenous rights, civil rights, disability rights, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality, the peace/anti-war movement, and human rights--[the author] introduces some of the artists, past and present, who have made a difference both on stage and off"--Provided by publisher.

"The History of Sketch Comedy will appeal to all kinds of comedy fans as well as fans of Keegan-Michael Key. With epic personal tangents and hilarious asides, their story takes you on an illuminating look at all facets of comedy from the stock characters of commedia del arte in the 16th century, to the rise of vaudeville and burlesque, the golden age of television comedy, the influence of the most well-known comedy schools, and ascension of comedy films and TV specials--all the way through to a look at the future of sketch on social media platforms. Part masterclass, part memoir, and hilariously embellished with priceless commentary, The History of Sketch Comedy illuminates the essential building blocks of sketch comedy while interweaving Key's experiences of personal discovery and influence of his comedy heroes. The text is complemented by original art by Elle Key and exclusive essays compiled from conversations with some of their famous comedy friends and performers who have influenced the development of comedy, such as Jordan Peele, Mel Brooks, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mike Myers, Chris Rock, John Oliver, Tracy Morgan, Carol Burnett, Jim Carrey, and more"--.

"Explores how English authors altered and transformed the English language and forms of writing. Describes prominent authors' works and how those works were influenced by, and in turn influenced, historical contexts and literary contexts"--Provided by publisher.

"Provides information and examples of the various authors, works, and literary movements that make up American literature"--Provided by publisher.

"More so than any politician or philosopher, it is William Shakespeare who can teach us about power. What it is, what it means, how it is gained, used, and lost. From the princes and kings of Henry IV to the scheming senators of Julius Caesar, politics fills his plays: brutal cunning, Machiavellian manipulation, fatal overreach, even the rare possibility of redemption. And it is these enduring narratives that can teach us how power plays out to this day. In The Hollow Crown, military scholar Eliot A. Cohen decodes Shakespeare's understanding of politics as theater, shedding light on how businesses, corporations, and governments work in the modern world. The White House, after all, is a court, with intrigues and rivalries just as Shakespeare described, as is an army, a department of state, or even a university. And, besides their settings, what most of all defines these various dramas are their characters, in all their ambition, cruelty, hope, and humanity. Cohen looks to the inspiring speeches of Henry V to better understand John F. Kennedy, to Richard III's darkness to plumb Adolf Hitler's psychology, and to Prospero from The Tempest for a window into George Washington's graceful abdication of power. Ultimately, through Cohen's incisive gaze, Shakespeare's work becomes a skeleton key into the lives of the leaders who, for good or ill, have made and remade our world"--.

For the first time ever, this thrilling literary detective story, doubling as a celebration of words, language, people and one of mankind's greatest achievements, unravels the mystery of the contributors from around the world who, for over seventy years, helped to codify the way we read, write and speak.