history and criticism

William Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night for Epiphany, the twelfth day after Christmas. The comedy features ingenious plot twists, colorful characters, and slapstick humor. Reading Shakespeare Today: Twelfth Night examines each scene of the play, Shakespeare's use of language, modern stagings, and the history behind Twelfth Night to present a comprehensive picture of this classic.

Looks at the origins of zombie folklore and at the depiction of zombies in motion pictures, including "Night of the Living Dead, " "Resident Evil, " "Zombieland, " and "World War Z.".

Looks at the depiction of Godzilla in motion pictures, including "Gojira" and "Invasion of Astro-Monster.".

An analysis of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z anime and manga series. Discusses the legendary rivalry and colliding worldviews of the last two full blooded Saiya-jins, Goku and Vegeta. Also explains the origins of the catchphrase "It's Over 9,000!" and the enduring popularity and inherent values of Dragon Ball Z.

Provides an introduction to the origins and the evolution of comics.

Examines the literature of Spain and Latin America throughout history, profiling influential writers, works, trends, styles, and developments that have shaped the literary history of both regions.

Explores the use of voice, form, and setting in the works of twelve women authors who used their writings to construct a testament of their own identity, including Mary McCarthy, Anais Nin, and Virginia Woolf.

A collection of critical essays on Stendhal's novel "The Red and the Black" arranged in chronological order of publication.