Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked
Forget everything you ever thought you knew about fairy tales, and "Little Red Riding Hood." In this book, Catherine Orenstein explores the history of the fairy tale, from the French court, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Anderson, the brothers Grimm, Bruno Bettelheim, Italo Calvino, Gwen Strauss, and Anne Sexton. Discovery of Atlantis
In "Discovery of Atlantis," Robert Sarmast discusses the origins of the Atlantis legend, starting with the first written records by Plato more than 2,000 years ago. He takes a look at Plato's famous works, "Timaeus" and "Critia," explaining how these two works were influenced by even older manuscripts, which have since been lost. Tolkien in the Land of Heroes
Heroes come to us in our greatest myths and legends. They are persons of extraordinary strength and courage, often sacrificing their lives and freedom to save the land and people. Anne Petty explores the history of heroism in Tolkien's Middle-earth with her new book, "Tolkien in the Land of Heroes." The Real Trial of Oscar Wilde
"The Real Trial of Oscar Wilde" offers a look at some of the most dramatic moments in Oscar Wilde's life, but the records for those trials have remained unpublished since 1895, deemed "unfit for publication." Now, HarperCollins introduces the first published transcripts of Wilde's trial, complete with an introduction and commentary by Merlin Holland, Wilde's grandson. Brave New World
In a futuristic society based on pleasure without moral repercussions, Aldous Huxley places a few oddball characters to stir up the plot. With eugenics at its core, this novel harkens back to Shakespeare's "The Tempest," where Miranda says, "O brave new world, that hath such people in it." Arthur Miller: His Life and Works
In his newest biography, award-winning Martin Gottfried explores the life and works of Arthur Miller, a controversial figure in American theater. With more than 400 books, articles and theses written about just one of Miller's plays, Gottfried discusses why Miller's plays have been as popular as they've been hotly debated. Autobiography of Mark Twain
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) has been likened to Walt Whitman as one of the most quintessentially American writers this country has produced. While this book does not contain Mark Twain's complete autobiography, the stories do leave us with more of a flavor for the man and the legend. Death Be Not Proud
In "Death Be Not Proud," John Gunther explores the process of death: discovery, fighting, living on, and then dying. The process becomes just a little bit easier, as humor, human kindness and courage all are woven in. More than just about dying, this memoir becomes a study of living. Pirate Hunter
Pirates appear in some of our greatest adventure literature, with Robert Louis Stevenson and others helping us to imagine the pirate life... In this new book, Richard Zacks explores the pirate life and adventures from the viewpoint of Captain Kidd, a man who has been called a pirate for several centuries. Robin Hood: A Mythic Biography
The legend of Robin Hood has captured our imaginations for more than 500 years. He's that trickster-like character, a roving outlaw and nobleman who robs from the rich, gives to the poor, and is one of the most romanticized figures in English literature. Jane Austen's The History of England
At the age of 16, Jane Austen wrote a parody of Oliver Goldsmith's "History of England. "She entitled her work The History of England, but added "By a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant Historian... There will be very few Dates in this History.)" She never did like "perfection," preferring rather to employ her wit to provide some representative version of society. Am I a Snob?
In "Am I a Snob?," Sean Latham explores not only the origins of the term, but what it has come to mean for writers. In his discussion of Thackeray, Wilde, Woolf, Joyce, and Sayers, he shows how these writers exploited the term to further their own reputations, but then experienced an unpleasant side effect: "the seductive allure of the snob." Popularity did not come without a cost. Jane Austen in Hollywood
In recent years, Jane Austen's works have been converted to music and book adaptations, along with television, film, and stage productions. In this volume of essays, Linda Troot and Sayre Greenfield explore the Austen phenomenon in its various evolutions. American Sea Writing: A Literary Anthology
The sea has been more than just a scenic backdrop in Classic Literature. It has played the part of a character since the time of the Odyssey, and the waves are part of what our myths and legends are made of. As the waves take on almost human characteristics of vengeance and retribution, we seem to dream of them. In many ways, they seem to shape our world and consciousness. Dos Passos: Travel Books and Other Writings
As one of the latest additions to the American writers series, Library of America has published "Travel Books and Other Writings: 1916-1941," by John Dos Passos. Christopher Marlowe: A Literary Life
Have you ever wondered why so much controversy still surrounds the life, works and death of Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)? His legend has become all the more mysterious in the centuries since he lost his life in a barroom brawl... The Muse Strikes Back
In this book, Katherine McAlpine and Gail White bring together works that respond to the Muse archetype. As the editors explain: "In studying the male poetic canon... we find few women with identities, minds and agendas of their own, few flesh-and-blood heroines like Chaucer's Wife of Bath." Three Chinese Poets
In this slim volume, Vikram Seth offers translations for three eighth-century Chinese poets: Wang Wei, Li Bai (or Li Po), and Du Fu (or Tu Fu). Seth's aim in creating these translations is to be consistent to the form and language of the Chinese poets, not focusing as much on the poetic flow of the lines. Unearthing Atlantis
What happened to Atlantis, that lost civilization that vanished without a trace? Atlantis has captured our imaginations; and poets, writers, philosophers, and dreamers continue delve into the secrets of that lost continent. Hemingway vs. Fitzgerald
Who was Ernest Hemingway? F. Scott Fitzgerald? We hardly need to ask. They are several of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and will be remembered for their very different contributions to literature. But, these two men were also friends. | 