Category: Latest News from McFarland

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Newly Published: The Pricke of Conscience

New on our bookshelf:

The Pricke of Conscience: An Annotated Edition of the Southern Recension
Edited by Jean E. Jost

This dramatic early 14th century Middle English sermon rehearses humanity’s wretchedness and the world’s instability, before contemplating the journey from death to the anguish of purgatory and hell, or ultimately to the joys of heaven. Its 7,316 lines of rhyming couplets present sensational descriptions intended to shock the audience into religious zeal, alongside a biblical exegesis reinforcing the message of salvation and cautioning against its impediments.

Although the Main version of the Pricke of Conscience has thrice been edited from three manuscripts, no version from the Southern Recension group has appeared to date. This edited version of a shorter, tighter Southern manuscript fills the gap. In-line glosses, extensive notes and translated Latin quotations make this fascinating text accessible to modern readers.

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Newly Published: The Year the Packers Came Back

New on our bookshelf:

The Year the Packers Came Back: Green Bay’s 1972 Resurgence
Joe Zagorski

The 1972 Green Bay Packers were not expected to challenge for a playoff spot, or even to top their four victories from the season before. But the players were an eclectic group of over-achievers, 20 of whom were brand new to the team. Despite disheartening decisions by a questionable head coach, they gelled almost immediately and by season’s end became the only Packers team throughout the 1970s to earn a division title. This book details how they succeeded beyond all expectations and tells one of the great stories in pro football history.

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Newly Published: Formula for Failure in Vietnam

New on our bookshelf:

Formula for Failure in Vietnam: The Folly of Limited Warfare
William Hamilton

Drawing on a range of sources, including original interviews with the commanders ordered to fight a land war in Southeast Asia, former U.S. Army infantry officer recounts his experiences in Vietnam as a company commander and as a battalion- and division-level operations officer carrying out those orders. The crucial flaws of the Johnson Administration’s strategy of attrition are analyzed—the failure to seal off the theater of battle from Chinese and Soviet resupply, and allowing North Vietnamese forces to maintain sanctuaries in Laos, Cambodia and even North Vietnam.

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Newly Published: The Blackface Minstrel Show in Mass Media

The Blackface Minstrel Show in Mass Media: 20th Century Performances on Radio, Records, Film and Television
Tim Brooks

The minstrel show occupies a complex and controversial space in the history of American popular culture. Today considered a shameful relic of America’s racist past, it nonetheless offered many black performers of the 19th and early 20th centuries their only opportunity to succeed in a white-dominated entertainment world, where white performers in blackface had by the 1830s established minstrelsy as an enduringly popular national art form.

This book traces the often overlooked history of the “modern” minstrel show through the advent of 20th century mass media—when stars like Al Jolson, Bing Crosby and Mickey Rooney continued a long tradition of affecting black music, dance and theatrical styles for mainly white audiences—to its abrupt end in the 1950s. A companion two-CD reissue of recordings discussed in the book is available from Archeophone Records at www.archeophone.com.

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Newly Published: The Early Air War in the Pacific,

The Early Air War in the Pacific: Ten Months that Changed the Course of World War II
Ralph F. Wetterhahn

During the first 10 months of the war in the Pacific, Japan achieved air supremacy with its carrier and land-based forces. But after major setbacks at Midway and Guadalcanal, the empire’s expansion stalled, in part due to flaws in aircraft design, strategy and command.

This book offers a fresh analysis of the air war in the Pacific during the early phases of World War II. Details are included from two expeditions conducted by the author that reveal the location of an American pilot missing in the Philippines since 1942 and clear up a controversial account involving famed Japanese ace Saburo Sakai and U.S. Navy pilot James “Pug” Southerland.

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Books about the Holidays

Check out our latest catalog of books about the holidays—Jolly Elves with Hearty Beards—and get 20% off books about the holidays thru January 6 with coupon code MIDWINTER19!

Also, our catalog-wide Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale continues through December 2.  Use coupon code HOLIDAY19 to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

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Newly Published: Love in America

New on our bookshelf:

Love in America: A Cultural History of the Past Century
Lawrence R. Samuel

Widely considered the most complex of human emotions, romantic love both shapes and reflects core societal values, its expression offering a window into the cultural zeitgeist. In popular culture, romantic love has long been a mainstay of film, television and music. The gap between fictitious narratives of love and real-life ones is, however, usually wide—American’s expectations of romance and affection often transcend reality. Tracing the history of love in American culture, this book offers insight into both the national character and emotional nature.

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Newly Published: Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy: Volume 2. Essays on Television Representations, 2013–2019
Edited by Valerie Estelle Frankel

Television is entering a unique era, in which women and minorities no longer serve under white captains but take the lead—and all the other roles as well. In a brilliant new universe where the intersectional values of fourth wave feminism are becoming more widespread, fantasy and science fiction are leading the charge. Shows from Star Wars to Doctor Who are rewriting their traditional storylines to include more well-rounded and racially diverse female characters. Steven Universe, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Orphan Black and Sense8 highlight queer characters and experiences. Dystopias like Marvel’s Jessica Jones and The Handmaid’s Tale show the female perspective entirely, guiding viewers from trauma to self-determination. In fantasy and horror, Wynonna Earp, Game of Thrones, Supergirl, Vikings, American Horror Story, Black Mirror, and The Walking Dead reveal how much the story changes with a spectrum of women reclaiming the text from white, straight, young, cisgender men.

These new shows are intersectional, digital, global, critical, and political, with fan responses changing the content and cutting-edge platforms like Netflix and Hulu shaking up the format.

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Newly Published: Women and Bicycles in America, 1868-1900

Women and Bicycles in America, 1868-1900
By Kerry Segrave

In the last third of the 1800s, America was struck by a bicycle craze. This trend massively impacted the lives of women, allowing them greater mobility and changing perceptions of women as weak or in need of chaperons. This book traces the history and development of the American bicycle, observing its critical role in the fight for gender equality. The bicycle radically changed the face of fashion, health and even morality and propriety in America. This thorough history traces the sweeping social advances made by women in relation to the development of the bicycle.

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Newly Published: Peyton Randolph and Revolutionary Virginia

New on our bookshelf:

Peyton Randolph and Revolutionary Virginia
Robert M. Randolph

In 1763, King George III’s government adopted a secret policy to reduce the American colonies to “due subordinance” and exploit them. This brought on the American Revolution. In Virginia, there was virtually unanimous agreement that Britain’s actions violated Virginia’s constitutional rights. Yet Virginians were deeply divided as to a remedy. Peyton Randolph, Speaker of the House of Burgesses 1766–1775 (and chairman of the First and Second Continental Congresses), worked to unify the colony, keeping the conservatives from moving too slowly and the radicals from moving too swiftly. Virginia was thus the only major colony to enter the Revolution united. Randolph was a masterful politician who produced majorities for critical votes leading to revolution.

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Newly Published: The Trial of Emma Cunningham

New on our bookshelf:

The Trial of Emma Cunningham: Murder and Scandal in the Victorian Era
Brian Jenkins

The alleged 1857 murder of a wealthy Bond Street dentist by Emma Cunningham, a mature widow he was believed to be sexually involved with, served to distract many New Yorkers from the deepening national crisis over slavery in the United States. Public anxieties seemed well founded—domestic murders committed by women were believed to be increasing sharply, jeopardizing society’s patriarchal structure.

The penny press created public demand for a swift solution. The inadequacy of the city police, complicated by the state’s decision to install a new force, resulted in the rival forces battling it out on the streets. Elected coroners conducting inquests, and elected D.A.s prosecuting alleged culprits, fed a tendency to rush to judgment. New York juries, all men, were reluctant to send a middle class woman to the gallows. At trial, Cunningham proved a formidable and imaginative member of the so-called weaker sex and was acquitted. This reexamination places the story in its social and political context.

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Newly Published: The Western Films of Robert Mitchum

New on our bookshelf:

The Western Films of Robert Mitchum: Hollywood’s Cowboy Rebel
Gene Freese

Robert Mitchum was—and still is—one of Hollywood’s defining stars of Western film. For more than 30 years, the actor played the weary and cynical cowboy, and his rough-and-tough presence on-screen was no different than his one off-screen. With a personality fit for western-noir, Robert Mitchum dominated the genre during the mid-20th century, and returned as the anti-hero again during the 1990s before his death. This book lays down the life of Mitchum and the films that established him as one of Hollywood’s strongest and smartest horsemen. Going through early classics like Pursued (1947) and Blood on the Moon (1948) to more recent cult favorites like Tombstone (1993) and Dead Man (1995), Freese shows how Mitchum’s nuanced portrayals of the iconic anti-hero of the West earned him his spot in the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

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Newly Published: Woodrow Wilson as Commander in Chief

New on our bookshelf:

Woodrow Wilson as Commander in Chief: The Presidency and the Great War
Michael P. Riccards and Cheryl A. Flagg

This first study on Woodrow Wilson as the commander in chief during the Great War analyzes his management style before the war, his diplomacy and his battle with the Senate. It considers the war as representing the collapse of Western traditional virtues and examines Wilson’s attempt to restore them. Emphasizing the American war effort on the domestic front, it also discusses Wilson’s rise to power, his education, career, and work as governor as necessary steps in his formation. The authors deal honestly and critically with the racism that characterized this brilliant but limited career.

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Newly Published: American Indian Image Makers of Hollywood

New on our bookshelf:

American Indian Image Makers of Hollywood
Frank Javier Garcia Berumen

Images from movies and film have had a powerful hand in how Native Americans are perceived. In many cases, they have been represented as violent, uncivilized, and an impediment to progress and civilization. This book analyzes the representation of Native Americans in cinematic images from the 1890s to the present day, deconstructing key films in each decade. This book also addresses efforts by the Native American to improve and have a part in their filmic representations, including mini-biographies of important indigenous filmmakers and performers.

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Newly Published: Seabee 71 in Chu Lai

New on our bookshelf:

Seabee 71 in Chu Lai: Memoir of a Navy Journalist with a Mobile Construction Battalion, 1967
David H. Lyman

Hoping to stay out of Vietnam, David Lyman joined the U.S. Naval Reserve to avoid the draft. By summer 1967 he was with a SeaBee unit on a beach in Chu Lai. A reporter in civilian life, Lyman was assigned to Military Construction Battalion 71 as a photojournalist. He documented the lives of the hard-working and hard-drinking SeaBees as they engineered roads, runways, heliports and base camps for the troops.

The author was shot at, almost blown up by a road mine, and spent nights in a mortar pit as rockets bombarded a nearby Marine runway. He rode on convoys through Viet Cong territory to photograph villages outside “The Wire.” The stories and photographs Lyman published as editor of the battalion’s newspaper, The Transit, form the basis of this memoir.

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Newly Published: Billie Holiday

New on our bookshelf:

Billie Holiday: Essays on the Artistry and Legacy
Edited by Michael V. Perez and Jessica McKee

Eleanora “Lady Day” Fagan, better known as Billie Holiday, played a primary role in the development of American jazz culture and in African American history. Devoted to the enduring jazz icon, covering many aspects of her career, image and legacy, these fresh essays range from musical and vocal analyses, to critical assessments of film depictions of the singer, to analysis of the social movements and protests addressed by her signature songs, including her impact on contemporary movements such as #BlackLivesMatter. More than a century after her birth, Billie Holiday’s abiding relevance and impact is a testament to the power of musical protest. This collection pays tribute to her creativity, bravery and lasting legacy.

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Newly Published: Rhode Island’s Civil War Dead

New on our bookshelf:

Rhode Island’s Civil War Dead: A Complete Roster
Robert Grandchamp

Rhode Island sent 23,236 men to fight in the Civil War. They served in eight infantry regiments, three heavy artillery regiments, three regiments and one battalion of cavalry, a company of hospital guards and 10 batteries of light artillery. Hundreds more served in the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Rhode Islanders participated in nearly every major battle of the war, firing the first volleys at Bull Run, and some of the last at Appomattox.

How many died in the Civil War is a question that has long eluded historians. Drawing on a 20-year study of regimental histories, pension files, letters, diaries, and visits to every cemetery in the state, award-winning Civil War historian Robert Grandchamp documents 2,217 Rhode Islanders who died as a direct result of military service. Each regiment is identified, followed by the name, rank and place of residence for each soldier, the details of their deaths and, where known, their final resting places.

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Newly Published: Deep Space Warfare

New on our bookshelf:

Deep Space Warfare: Military Strategy Beyond Orbit
John C. Wright

Since the Cold War, outer space has become of strategic importance for nations looking to seize the ultimate high ground. World powers establishing a presence there must consider, among other things, how they will conduct warfare in orbit. Leaders must dispense with “Buck Rogers” notions about operations in space and realize that policies there will have serious ramifications for geopolitics.

How should nations view space? How should they fight there? What would space warfare look like and how should strategists approach it? Offering critical observations regarding this unique theater of international relations, a military professional explores the strategic implications as human affairs move beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

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Newly Published: Sixty-One in ’61

New on our bookshelf:

Sixty-One in ’61: Roger Maris Home Runs Game by Game
Robert M. Gorman

Much has been written about Roger Maris and the historic summer of 1961 when he broke Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record yet little is known about the pitchers on the other side of the tale. One of the many knocks against Maris was that he faced inferior pitching in an American League watered down by expansion from eight to 10 teams. But was that really the case? Did Maris face has-beens and never-weres while Ruth confronted the cream of AL pitching? Who were these starters and relievers and how good were they?

Drawing on first-hand accounts, interviews and a range of contemporary sources, this study covers each of Maris’ 63 home runs that season, including the lost one and his game-winning World Series dinger. Biographies of each of his 48 victims cover the pitcher’s career, pitching style and the circumstances of the game. Maris faced some really fine pitching that summer despite what many contended then—and now.

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Newly Published: Women in the Struggle for Irish Independence

New on our bookshelf:

Women in the Struggle for Irish Independence
Joseph McKenna

Women have too often been written out of history. This is especially true in the fight for Irish independence. The women’s struggle was three-fold, beginning with the suffragettes’ fight to win the vote. Then came the push for fair pay and working conditions. Binding them together became part of the national struggle, first for home rule, then for the establishment of an Irish Republic.

The Easter Rising of 1916 brought them together as soldiers of the Republic. Through the terrible years that followed, they became the conscience of Republicanism. Following independence, they were betrayed by the men they had served alongside. DeValera and the Catholic Church restricted their roles in society—they were to be wives and mothers without a voice. It was not until Ireland’s entry into the European community and the self destruction of a corrupt Church that Irish women were acknowledged for what they had achieved.

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Newly Published: The Cossack Struggle Against Communism, 1917–1945

New on our bookshelf:

The Cossack Struggle Against Communism, 1917–1945
Brent Mueggenberg

The downfall of tsarism in 1917 left the peoples of Russia facing an uncertain future. Nowhere were those anxieties felt more than among the Cossacks. The steppe horsemen had famously guarded the empire’s frontiers, stampeded demonstrators in its cities, suppressed peasant revolts in the countryside and served as bodyguards to its rulers. Their way of life, intricately bound to the old order, seemed imperiled by the revolution and especially by the Bolshevik seizure of power.

Many Cossacks took up arms against the Soviet regime, providing the anticommunist cause with some of its best warriors—as well as its most notorious bandits. This book chronicles their decades-long campaign against the Bolsheviks, from the tumultuous days of the Russian Civil War through the doldrums of foreign exile and finally to their fateful collaboration with the Third Reich.

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American Philosophical Association 2020 Eastern Division

McFarland is exhibiting at the 2020 Eastern Division conference of the American Philosophical Association January 8-11 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  You are invited to meet with assistant editor Dré Person.  Schedule an appointment by emailing us in advance (dperson@mcfarlandpub.com) or stop by the McFarland booth in the exhibit room for a casual conversation with Dré.

Instructors are welcome to examine books for potential adoption, whether at the McFarland booth at APA or electronically, by submitting a request via our web form.

 

The Apocalypse, Ethics and Philosophy

 

Sustainability, Ethics and Philosophy

 

Pop Culture and Philosophy

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Newly Published: The Flamingos

New on our bookshelf:

The Flamingos: A Complete History of the Doo-Wop Legends
Todd R. Baptista

Formed by five young black men from Chicago, the Flamingos rose to prominence as one of the top vocal acts of the 1950s rock and roll explosion. They appeared in motion pictures and turned out a string of hit records that have remained popular for more than a half-century.

Providing a wealth of never-before-told stories of the influential quintet and their experiences in a white-dominated industry, this book details the back-room record deals, life on the road, the creative process, meticulous recording sessions and live performances, based on interviews with original members and those who worked with them.

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Newly Published: Vikings and the Vikings

New on our bookshelf:

Vikings and the Vikings: Essays on Television’s History Channel Series
Edited by Paul Hardwick and Kate Lister

This essay collection is a wide-ranging exploration of Vikings, the television series that has successfully summoned the historical world of the Norse people for modern audiences to enjoy. From a range of critical viewpoints, these all fresh essays explore the ways in which past and present representations of the Vikings converge in the show’s richly textured dramatization of the rise and fall of Ragnar Loðbrók—and the exploits of his heirs—creating what many viewers label a “true” representation of the age. From the show’s sources in both saga literature and Victorian revival, to its engagement with contemporary concerns regarding gender, race and identity, via setting, sex, society and more, this first book-length study of the History Channel series appeals to fans of the show, Viking enthusiasts, and anyone with an interest in medievalist representation in the 21st century.

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Newly Published: Building the Brewers

New on our bookshelf:

Building the Brewers: Bud Selig and the Return of Major League Baseball to Milwaukee
Chris Zantow

When the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta after the 1965 season, many impassioned fans grew indifferent to baseball. Others—namely car dealer Bud Selig—decided to fight for the beloved sport. Selig formed an ownership group with the goal of winning a new franchise. They faced formidable opposition—American League President Joe Cronin, lawyer turned baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, and other AL team owners would not entertain the notion of another team for the city.

This first ever history of baseball’s return to Milwaukee covers the owners, teams and ballparks behind the rise and fall of their Braves, the five-year struggle to acquire a new team, the relocation of a major league club a week prior to the 1970 season and how the Brewers created an identity and built a fan base and a contending team.

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Newly Published: Home Is Where the Hurt Is

New on our bookshelf:

Home Is Where the Hurt Is: Media Depictions of Wives and Mothers
Sara Hosey

Despite years of propaganda attempting to convince us otherwise, popular media is beginning to catch on to the idea that the home is one of the most dangerous and difficult places for a woman to be. This book examines emergent trends in popular media, which increasingly takes on the realities of domestic violence, toxic home lives and the impossibility of “having it all.” While many narratives still fall back on outmoded and limiting narratives about gender—the pursuit of romance, children, and a life dedicated to the domestic—this book makes the case that some texts introduce complexity and a challenge to the status quo, pointing us toward a feminist future in which women’s voices and concerns are amplified and respected.

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Newly Published: Reading the Short Story

New on our bookshelf:

Reading the Short Story: A Student’s Guide to Selected British, Irish and American Works
Anna Wing-bo Tso and Scarlett Lee

Beginning with a brief history and evolution of the short story genre, alongside an overview of the key short story writers, and an explanatory chapter of literary criticism, this book aims to give readers insight into the works by canonical British, Irish, and American authors, including Edgar Allan Poe, James Joyce, Flannery O’Connor, and more. Applying close reading skills and critical literary approaches to twelve selected short stories in English, this work conducts comparative analyses to reveal the interrelationships between the texts, the authors, the readers, and the sociocultural contexts. Developed and tested in literature classes at university over several semesters, this book addresses key issues, topics and trends in the short story genre.

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Newly Published: The British Military Revolution of the 19th Century

New on our bookshelf:

The British Military Revolution of the 19th Century: “The Great Gun Question” and the Modernization of Ordnance and Administration
Daniel R. LeClair

From the Crimean War through the Second Boer War, the British Empire sought to solve the “Great Gun Question”—to harness improvements to ordnance, small arms, explosives and mechanization made possible by the Industrial Revolution. The British public played a surprising but overlooked role, offering myriad suggestions for improvements to the civilian-led War Office.

Meanwhile, politicians and army leaders argued over control of the country’s ground forces in a decades-long struggle that did not end until reforms of 1904 put the military under the Secretary of State for War. Following the debate in the press, voters put pressure on both Parliament and the War Office to modernize ordnance and military administration. The “Great Gun Question” was as much about weaponry as about who ultimately controlled military power.

Drawing on ordnance committee records and contemporary news reports, this book fills a gap in the history of British military technology and army modernization prior to World War I.

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Newly Published: Hot Tickets

New on our bookshelf:

Hot Tickets: Crimes, Championships and Big Time Sports at the University of Kansas
H. George Frederickson

In 2010, University of Kansas officials were shocked to learn that the FBI and IRS were on campus investigating Rodney Jones, former head of the Athletics Ticket Office, for stealing Jayhawks basketball tickets and selling them to brokers. Investigators found that for more than five years Jones and a small ring of university officials had conspired to loot the university of $2 million in tickets, reselling them for $3–5 million. In what was perhaps the biggest scandal in college sports history, all seven members of the “Kansas Ticket Gang” pleaded guilty to RICO Act indictments. Five went to prison—two were given probation for turning state’s evidence.

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Newly Published: Acts of Forgiveness

New on our bookshelf:

Acts of Forgiveness: Faith Journeys of a Gay Priest
Ted Karpf

In 1980s America, coming out as gay as a father and husband was a significant journey for anyone to make. Coming out as gay as a priest guaranteed immersion into controversy, contradiction, and challenge. This book tells of the Reverend Canon Ted Karpf’s navigation of new social and romantic journeys, all within the context of his priestly vocation in the Episcopal Church.

Covering from 1968 to 2018, Karpf recounts his vivid memories, life-changing dreams and resonant reflections on living a life of faith in a socially and politically tumultuous period. His narratives are crafted as poetic meditations on enduring values and meaning, which can remind any reader that we are neither abandoned nor alone, and that forgiveness is a fulfilling way of living in a world of contradictions.

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Newly Published: Alcohol in Space

New on our bookshelf:

Alcohol in Space: Past, Present and Future
Chris Carberry

The production and consumption of alcohol has played a significant role in human society since the dawn of civilization. Will this still hold true when humanity is exploring and settling the outer reaches of space? This first book on the topic examines the history of alcohol in space, as well as dozens of companies and projects that are exploring the possibilities of alcohol production in orbit. Covering the long history of alcohol in human society, how alcohol has been addressed in science fiction, and space agriculture technologies, this book investigates a broad sweep of questions that bear on the manufacture of alcohol in space, as well as human space settlement in general.

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Newly Published: The Durable Runner

New on our bookshelf:

The Durable Runner: A Guide to Injury-Free Running
Alison Heilig

Part sport and part exercise, running boosts health, longevity, and mental well-being. However, running is a demanding activity that can potentially tax the runner’s body and mind. Therefore, possessing durability for running—a fusion of toughness and flexibility—is desirable to enhance a runner’s physical and mental experience.

This book—the first of its kind to combine corrective exercise, self-myofascial release, and yoga—empowers runners with measures to avoid unnecessary pain, injury, and burnout. It is a comprehensive guide to creating a simple and efficient system of personalized supplemental training in which runners learn to identify and address areas of imbalance and overuse. These training methods increase strength, stability, mobility, and resiliency, and require as little as 15 minutes per day to implement. (For each technique, the author has produced a video, and these are included in the enhanced ebook edition.) Runners can decrease the risk of injury, improve running performance, and maintain joint health. The result: a more durable body and mind that will support your running—and your life—for years to come.

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Newly Published: Sisterhood, Science and Surveillance in Orphan Black

New on our bookshelf:

Sisterhood, Science and Surveillance in Orphan Black: Critical Essays
Edited by Janet Brennan Croft and Alyson R. Buckman

The BBC America series Orphan Black (2013–2017) won acclaim for its compelling writing, resonant themes and innovative special effects. And for the bravura acting of Tatiana Maslany, who plays an ever-growing number of clones drawn into an increasingly dangerous world of cutting-edge science, corporate espionage, military secrets and religious fanaticism.

Heir to pioneering shows centered on strong female characters, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse, Lost and Xena: Warrior Princess, Orphan Black models the current Golden Age of serial-form storytelling, with themes of identity, bodily autonomy, gender and sexuality playing against corporate greed and its co-opting of science.

This collection of new essays analyzes the diverse clone characters and the series, covering topics including motherhood, surveillance culture, mythology, eugenics, and special effects, as well as the science behind cloning.

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Newly Published: Narrative Design and Authorship in Bloodborne

New on our bookshelf:

Narrative Design and Authorship in Bloodborne: An Analysis of the Horror Videogame
Madelon Hoedt

In the vein of their cult-classic dark fantasy titles Demon’s Souls (2009) and the Dark Souls franchise (2011, 2014, 2016), game developers FromSoftware released the bleak Gothic horror Bloodborne in 2015. Players are cast in the role of hunters in a hostile land, probing the shadowy city of Yharnam in search of “paleblood.” The game achieved iconic status as both a horror and an action title for its rich lore and for the continuity of story elements through all aspects of game design.

This first full-length study examines Bloodborne’s themes of dangerous knowledge and fatal pride and its aesthetics in the context of other works on game studies, horror and the Gothic. The book’s three parts focus on lore and narrative, the game’s nightmarish world, and its mechanics.

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Newly Published: Ancient Roman Sports, A–Z

New on our bookshelf:

Ancient Roman Sports, A–Z: Athletes, Venues, Events and Terms
David Matz

Chariot races. Gladiatorial combat. Fishing. Hunting. Swimming. The ancient Romans enjoyed these sports—sometimes with fanatical enthusiasm. This reference book contains more than 100 entries covering sporting events and activities of the era, and the Romans who sponsored, competed in and attended them.

Charioteer Appuleius Diocles, in a career spanning 24 years, competed in 4,257 races, winning an astounding 1,462 of them. Alypius, the young friend of St. Augustine, was both drawn to and repulsed by gladiatorial battles and struggled to shake his mania for the spectacle of blood sport.

Brief abstracts of the entries are included for quick reference, along with an expansive glossary and biographical notes on the ancient authors cited.

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Newly Published: The Poetry Gymnasium

New on our bookshelf:

The Poetry Gymnasium: 110 Proven Exercises to Shape Your Best Verse, 2d ed
Tom C. Hunley

This expanded edition adds sixteen new exercises designed to inspire creativity and help poets hone their skills. Each exercise includes a clearly-stated learning objective, historical background matter on the particular subgenre being explored, and an example written by undergraduates at Western Kentucky University. The text also analyzes work by leading American poets including Billy Collins, Denise Duhamel and Dean Young. The book’s five chapters correspond with the five canons of classical rhetoric: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery.

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Newly Published: Dirk Bogarde

New on our bookshelf:

Dirk Bogarde: Matinee Idol, Art House Star
David Huckvale

English actor Dirk Bogarde dominated the films in which he starred. Exploring the tension between his matinee idol appeal and his own closeted sexuality, this book focuses on the wide variety of genres in which he worked, and the highly charged interaction between his life and his roles.

Beginning with an exposé of gay life in post-war Britain and his relationship with partner/manager, Anthony Forwood, each chapter explores Bogarde’s performances by genre—his juvenile delinquent movies, his military roles, his contribution to Basil Dearden’s overtly gay thriller Victim (1961), and his “outsider” roles in such films as The Servant (1963), The Fixer (1968) and Despair (1978). Bogarde’s “camp” cinema, espionage thrillers and various roles as artists are also examined, along with the misogyny of the Doctor films and his later television work.

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Newly Published: Asian Fruits and Berries

New on our bookshelf:

Asian Fruits and Berries: Growing Them, Eating Them, Appreciating Their Lore
Kathleen Low

From loquat to breadfruit to persimmon, Asian fruits and berries offer a dizzying selection of tastes, techniques and associated lore. This guide provides descriptions, histories, growing techniques and additional information about Asia’s resplendent selection of fruits and berries, with a full color photograph accompanying each entry. Their rich history and cultural lore is presented in this practical guide to identifying, eating and growing the berries and fruits of the Asian continent.

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Newly Published: Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy

New on our bookshelf:

Fourth Wave Feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy: Volume 1. Essays on Film Representations, 2012–2019
Edited by Valerie Estelle Frankel

Fourth wave feminism has entered the national conversation and established a highly visible presence in popular media, especially in cutting-edge science fiction and fantasy films and television series. Wonder Woman, the Wasp, and Captain Marvel headline superhero films while Black Panther celebrates nonwestern power. Disney princesses value sisterhood over conventional marriage.
This first of two companion volumes addresses cinema, exploring how, since 2012, such films as the Hunger Games trilogy, Mad Max: Fury Road, and recent Star Wars installments have showcased women of action. The true innovation is a product of the Internet age. Though the web has accelerated fan engagement to the point that progressivism and backlash happen simultaneously, new films increasingly emphasize diversity over toxic masculinity. They defy net trolls to provide stunning role models for viewers across the spectrum of age, gender, and nationality.

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Newly Published: The United States and the Rise of Tyrants

New on our bookshelf:

The United States and the Rise of Tyrants: Diplomatic Relations with Nationalist Dictatorships Between the World Wars
Lawrence E. Gelfand and John Day Tully

Nationalist dictatorships proliferated around the world during the interwar years of the 1920s and 1930s. Policymakers in Washington, D.C., reasoning that non-Communist regimes were not necessarily a threat to democracy or national interests, found it expedient to support them. People living under these governments associated the United States with their oppressors, with long-term negative consequences for U.S. policy.

American policymakers were primarily concerned with fostering stability in these countries. The dictatorships, eager to maintain political order and create economic growth, looked to American corporations and bankers, whose heavy investments cemented the need to support the regimes. Through an examination of consular records in nine countries, the author describes the logistics and consequences of these relationships.

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Newly Published: Arkansas, Forgotten Land of Plenty

New on our bookshelf:

Arkansas, Forgotten Land of Plenty: Settlement and Economic Development, 1540–1900
Ronald R. Switzer

In the first decades of the 1800s, white Americans entered the rugged lands of Arkansas, which they had little explored before. They established new towns and developed commercial enterprises alongside Native Americans indigenous to Arkansas and other tribes and nations that had relocated there from the East.

This history is also the story of Arkansas’s people, and is told through numerous biographies, highlighting early life in frontier Arkansas over a period of 200 years. It provides a categorical look at commerce and portrays the social diversity represented by both prominent and common Arkansans–all grappling for success against extraordinary circumstances.

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Newly Published: Women of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television

New on our bookshelf:

Women of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television: An Encyclopedia of 400 Characters and 200 Shows, 1950–2016
Karen A. Romanko

Samantha Stephens in Bewitched. Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek. Wonder Woman, Xena, Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many more. Television’s women of science fiction and fantasy are iconic and unforgettable yet there hasn’t been a reference book devoted to them until now.

Covering 400 female characters from 200 series since the 1950s, this encyclopedic work celebrates the essential contributions of women to science fiction and fantasy TV, with characters who run the gamut from superheroes, extraterrestrials and time travelers to witches, vampires and mere mortals who deal with the fantastic in their daily lives.

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Newly Published: The USS Swordfish

New on our bookshelf:

The USS Swordfish: The World War II Patrols of the First American Submarine to Sink a Japanese Ship
George J. Billy

Among the more than 260 American submarines that patrolled the Pacific during World War II, the USS Swordfish in 1941 was the first to sink a Japanese armed merchant ship, marking the beginning of the submarine’s colorful history. A series of seven commanders led Swordfish’s 13 war patrols. Each skipper had a distinct leadership style. Some were successful in sinking enemy ships; others returned to port empty-handed. Yet all patrols risked dangerously close encounters with the enemy and the unforgiving nature of the open sea.

Drawing on archival sources and interviews with veteran sailors, this first full-length history of the Swordfish provides detailed accounts of each patrol and covers the mysterious disappearance of the legendary submarine on its final mission.

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Toplight Books Sale

We’ve launched a new imprint! With a focus on the body, mind and spirit, Toplight Books offers well-researched works that cover the three core human dimensions in original and inspiring ways. Through November 1, get 20% off all Toplight titles with the coupon code TOPLIGHT20!

The Durable Runner: A Guide to Injury-Free Running

Communication Alternatives in Autism: Perspectives on Typing and Spelling Approaches for the Nonspeaking

Migrating for Medical Marijuana: Pioneers in a New Frontier of Treatment

Mountain Miles: A Memoir of Section Hiking the Southern Appalachian Trail

A Killer Appetite: Overcoming My Eating Disorder and the Thinking That Fed It

A Year in the Life of a “Dead” Woman: Living with Terminal Cancer

Acts of Forgiveness: Faith Journeys of a Gay Priest

Mountain Climber: A Memoir

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Newly Published: The First Star Trek Movie

New on our bookshelf:

The First Star Trek Movie: Bringing the Franchise to the Big Screen, 1969–1980
Sherilyn Connelly

The story of Star Trek’s resurrection between the 1969 cancellation of the original series and the 1979 release of Robert Wise’s Star Trek—The Motion Picture, has become legend and like so many other legends, it tends to get printed instead of the facts. Drawing on hundreds of contemporary news articles and primary sources not seen in decades, this book tells the true story of the first successful Star Trek revival.

After several attempts to relaunch the franchise, ST—TMP was released on a wave of prestige promotion, hype, and public frenzy unheard of for a film based on a television show. Controversy surrounded its troubled production and $44M budget, earning it a reputation at the time as the most expensive movie ever made. After a black-tie premiere in Washington, D.C., its opening in 856 North American theaters broke multiple box-office records—a harbinger of the modern blockbuster era. Despite immediate financial success, the film was panned by both critics and the public, leaving this enterprise nowhere to boldly go but down.

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Newly Published: No Vote for Women

New on our bookshelf:

No Vote for Women: The Denial of Suffrage in Reconstruction America
Bernadette Cahill

From 1865, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton led campaigns for equal rights for all but were ultimately defeated by a Congress and reformers intent on applying suffrage established with constitutional amendments and legislation to men only. Ignoring all women, black and white, advocates argued that enfranchising black men would solve race problems, masking the effect on women. This book weaves Anthony’s and Stanton’s campaigns together with national and congressional events, in the process uncovering relationships among these events and revealing the devastating impact on the women and their campaign for civil rights for all citizens.

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Newly Published: What Happened to the Hippies?

New on our bookshelf:

What Happened to the Hippies?: Voices and Perspectives
Stewart L. Rogers

Peaceniks. Stoners. Tree huggers. Freaks. For many, the hippies of the 1960s and early 1970s were immoral, drug-crazed kids too spoiled to work and too selfish to embrace the American way of life. But who were these longhaired dissenters bent on peace, love and equality? What did they believe? What did they want? Are their values still relevant today?

Bringing together the personal accounts and perspectives of 54 “old hippies,” this book illustrates how their lives and outlooks have changed over the past five decades. Their collective narrative invites readers to reach their own conclusions about the often misunderstood movement of ordinary young people who faced an era of escalating war, civil turmoil and political assassinations with faith in humanity and a belief in the power of ideas.

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Newly Published: The Wild Bunch

New on our bookshelf:

The Wild Bunch: The American Classic That Changed Westerns Forever
Bill Mesce, Jr.

One of the most controversial films of its time, The Wild Bunch is the epitome of the no-holds-barred filmmaking of the 1960s and 1970s. Since its 1969 release, it has come to be recognized not only as an iconic Western, but as one of the most important films in the American cinematic canon.

Over the years a parade of filmmakers have tried to imitate its gut-punch effects but none have equaled it. The Wild Bunch revived the floundering career of volatile, self-destructive director Sam Peckinpah—it also hung on him the label “Bloody Sam.” This book tells the complete story of the film’s production, reception and legacy.

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National Women’s Studies Association 2019

McFarland is exhibiting at the annual conference of the National Women’s Studies Association November 14-16 in San Francisco.  You are invited to meet with editor Layla Milholen.  Schedule an appointment by emailing us in advance (lmilholen@mcfarlandpub.com) or stop by the McFarland booth in the exhibit room for a casual conversation with Layla.

Instructors are welcome to examine books for potential adoption, whether at the McFarland booth at NWSA or electronically, by submitting a request via our web form.

Literature & Pop Culture

Comics & Heroism

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Newly Published: John Reed

New on our bookshelf:

John Reed: Radical Journalist, 1887–1920
Kenneth Z. Chutchian

John Reed was one of America’s most dynamic journalists during the World War I decade. An unabashed advocate for the working class and an outspoken critic of capitalism, Reed was a star reporter before his relentless crusade turned him into a target of the U.S. government. Reed set the standard for descriptive writing at labor strikes in New Jersey and Colorado, in Mexico while riding with Pancho Villa, in Germany’s trenches, and in Russia. America had no shortage of rebels, socialists, anarchists and revolutionaries at that time—but with his outsized personality and command of language and audiences, Reed may have been the most dangerous rebel of them all.

Neither adversaries nor allies expected Reed to go the distance (or to Russia) with his convictions. He seemed to enjoy life and merriment too much to sacrifice everything for a second American revolution. But they all underestimated the anger that fueled him, the memory of a father who sacrificed his reputation to fight white-collar crime. This career biography details Reed’s extraordinary decade before his death at age 32—a chaotic period of constant movement and remarkable accomplishment—while placing him in context among those who shaped him and touching upon the people with whom he worked.

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Newly Published: The Composition of Video Games

New on our bookshelf:

The Composition of Video Games: Narrative, Aesthetics, Rhetoric and Play
Johansen Quijano

Video games are a complex, compelling medium in which established art forms intersect with technology to create an interactive text. Visual arts, architectural design, music, narrative and rules of play all find a place within, and are constrained by, computer systems whose purpose is to create an immersive player experience.

In the relatively short life of video game studies, many authors have approached the question of how games function, some focusing on technical aspects of game design, others on rules of play. Taking a holistic view, this study explores how ludology, narratology, visual rhetoric, musical theory and player psychology work (or don’t work) together to create a cohesive experience and to provide a unified framework for understanding video games.

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Newly Published: Arctic Mirage

New on our bookshelf:

Arctic Mirage: The 1913–1920 Expedition in Search of Crocker Land
Winton U. Solberg

In 1913, an expedition was sent to the Arctic, funded by the American Museum of Natural History, the American Geographical Society and the University of Illinois. Its purpose was twofold: to discover whether an archipelago called Crocker Land—reportedly spotted by an earlier explorer in 1906—actually existed; and to engage in scientific research in the Arctic.

When explorers discovered that Crocker Land did not exist, they instead pursued their research, made a number of important discoveries and documented the region’s indigenous inhabitants and natural habitat. Their return to America was delayed by the difficulty of engaging a relief ship, and by the danger of German submarines in Arctic waters during the World War I.

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Newly Published: Baseball in Europe

New on our bookshelf:

Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History, 2d ed.
Josh Chetwynd

With the success of The Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, baseball in Europe has begun to receive more attention. But few realize just how far back the sport’s history stretches on the continent. Baseball has been played in Europe since the 1870s, and in several countries the players and devoted followers have included royalty, Hall of Famers from the U.S. major leagues, and captains of industry.

Featuring approximately 80 new interviews and 70 new photos and images, this second edition builds extensively on the previous edition’s country-by-country histories of more than 40 European nations. Also included are two new appendices on European players signed by MLB organizations and European countries’ performance in worldwide rankings.

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Newly Published: Chinese Gong Fu

New on our bookshelf:

Chinese Gong Fu: Toward a Body-Centered Understanding
R.F. Gonzalez

Gong fu, the indigenous martial art of China, was exported into American popular culture through numerous “kung fu” movies in the 20th century. Perhaps the most renowned of the martial arts in the U.S., gong fu remains often misunderstood, perhaps because of its esoteric practices that include aspects of Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism and other syncretic elements.

Using the science of embodiment—the study of the interaction between body, mind, cognition, behavior and environment—this book explores the relationships among practitioner, praxis, spirituality, philosophy and the body in gong fu. Drawing on familiar routines, films, artifacts and art, the author connects the reader to ancient Chinese culture, philosophy, myth, shamanism and ritual.

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Newly Published: The Rise and Fall of American Science Fiction, from the 1920s to the 1960s

New on our bookshelf:

The Rise and Fall of American Science Fiction, from the 1920s to the 1960s
Gary Westfahl

By examining important aspects of science fiction in the twentieth century, this book explains how the genre evolved to its current state. Close critical attention is given to topics including the art that has accompanied science fiction, the subgenres of space opera and hard science fiction, the rise of SF anthologies, and the burgeoning impact of the marketplace on authors.

Included are in-depth studies of key texts that contributed to science fiction’s growth, including Philip Francis Nowlan’s first Buck Rogers story, the first published stories of A. E. van Vogt, and the early juveniles of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein.

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Newly Published: The Gunslingers of ’69

New on our bookshelf:

The Gunslingers of ’69: Western Movies’ Greatest Year
Brian Hannan

In 1969—the counter-cultural moment when Easy Rider triggered a “youthquake” in audience interests—Westerns proved more dominant than ever at the box office and at the Oscars.

It was a year of masterpieces—The Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Once Upon a Time in the West and True Grit. Robert Redford achieved star status. Old-timers like John Wayne, Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum appeared in two Westerns apiece. Raquel Welch took on the mantle of Queen of the West. Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin tried their hand at a musical (Paint Your Wagon). New directors like George Roy Hill reinvigorated the genre while veteran Sam Peckinpah at last found popular approval. Themes included women’s rights, social anxieties about violence and changing attitudes of and towards African-Americans and Native Americans.

All of the 40-plus Westerns released in the U.S. in 1969 are covered in depth, offering a new perspective on the genre.

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Newly Published: Alien in the Mirror

New on our bookshelf:

Alien in the Mirror: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Glazer and Under the Skin
Maureen Foster

Directed by Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Birth) and starring Scarlett Johansson, the 2013 film Under the Skin contains elements of science fiction and fantasy, horror, mystery, and thriller. Arguably the most compelling of Johansson’s career, the movie follows a unique tale of one woman’s journey to self-discovery. This is the first book to be written about the quiet masterpiece, revisiting the film scene-by-scene through all its cinematic elements. Extensive interviews detail the challenges the filmmakers faced—from hidden filming on the streets of Glasgow to defying a blizzard in the Scottish Highlands. Readers are invited to explore connections between the movie and its science fiction cousins and discover the reasons why Under the Skin deserves to find a wider audience.

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Newly Published: Under the Influence of Classic Country

New on our bookshelf:

Under the Influence of Classic Country: Profiles of 36 Performers of the 1940s to Today
Sheree Homer

The music today known as “classic country” originated in the South in the 1920s. Influenced by blues and folk music, instrumentation was typically guitar, fiddle, bass, steel guitar, and later drums, with lyrics and arrangements rooted in tradition.

This book covers some of the genre’s legendary artists, from its heyday in the 1940s to its decline in the early 1970s. Revivalists keeping the traditions alive in the 21st century are also explored.
Drawing on original interviews with artists and their associates, biographical profiles chronicle their lives on the road and in the studio, as well as the stories behind popular songs. Thirty-six performers are profiled, including Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Loretta Lynn, Bill Anderson, Faron Young, Mickey Gilley, Freddie Hart, Jerry Reed, Charley Pride, David Frizzell, The Cactus Blossoms, The Secret Sisters, and Pokey LaFarge.

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Newly Published: Mark Twain at the Gallows

New on our bookshelf:

Mark Twain at the Gallows: Crime and Justice in His Western Writing, 1861–1873
Jarrod D. Roark

This book is a literary exploration of Mark Twain’s writings on crime in the American West and its intersection with morality, gender and justice. Writing from his office at the Enterprise newspaper in the Nevada Territory, Twain employed a distinct style of crime writing—one that sensationalized facts and included Twain’s personal philosophies and observations. Covering Twain’s journalism, fictional works and his own personal letters, this book contextualizes the writer’s coverage of crime through his anxieties about westward expansion and the promise of a utopian West. Twain’s observations on the West often reflected common perceptions of the day, positioning him as a “voice of the people” on issues like crime, punishment and gender.

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Newly Published: Dogs in Health Care

New on our bookshelf:

Dogs in Health Care: Pioneering Animal-Human Partnerships
Jill Lenk Schilp

Dogs have a storied history in health care, and the human-animal relationship has been used in the field for decades. Certain dogs have improved and advanced the field of health care in myriad ways. This book presents the stories of these pioneer dogs, from the mercy dogs of World War I, to the medicine-toting sled dogs Togo and Balto, to today’s therapy dogs. More than the dogs themselves, this book is about the human-animal relationship, and moments in history where that relationship propelled health care forward.

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Newly Published: A Year in the Life of a “Dead” Woman

New on our bookshelf:

A Year in the Life of a “Dead” Woman: Living with Terminal Cancer
Lynnette Porter

“Perhaps I should have realized that cancer runs in my family. After all, three grandparents and my father and brother perished from this disease. Yet, when I received my colorectal cancer diagnosis, I was surprised. I never expected to be primarily identified as a cancer patient. Following a typical combination of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and more chemo, I was presumably cancer-free when my post-treatment scans looked clean. Nonetheless, within a year I received a terminal diagnosis; cancer had metastasized in my lungs. Thus began my year as a dead woman—a time of chaotic emotions, new priorities, and rapid-fire plans and changes. Expecting the unexpected became a theme in my life, but the things that turned out to be most shocking are social, familial, and even my expectations about what is realistic for a dead woman to be or do.”

Preconceptions about a terminal cancer diagnosis frequently are based on popular culture depictions of cancer and dying, which can be misleading as a guide for knowing what to expect when you’re expecting to die. This memoir provides one woman’s often-irreverent, pop culture-illustrated guide to life that deconstructs some common preconceptions about living with a terminal diagnosis.

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Six New Titles Recommended in October Issue of Choice

Black Baseball, 1858–1900: A Comprehensive Record of the Teams, Players, Managers, Owners and Umpires
“Brunson delivers an extraordinarily well researched guide…the level of detail and commitment to this research is impressive…ideal for accessing primary sources or teaching material…highly recommended.”

Fat Talk: A Feminist Perspective
“An engaging exploration…this book is an important read for women…recommended.”

The Polo Grounds: Essays and Memories of New York City’s Historic Ballpark, 1880–1963
“The essays flow smoothly from one topic to the next, making this an easy read from cover to cover. This book should be a welcome addition to most sports history or stadium architecture collections…recommended.”

Phinally!: The Phillies, the Royals and the 1980 Baseball Season That Almost Wasn’t
“The book is well researched and entertaining, and Daniel provides a behind-the-scenes story that transforms a straightforward historical account into an extremely detailed yet quick-moving read for die-hard baseball fans…recommended.”

Babe Ruth and the Creation of the Celebrity Athlete
“Heavily researched and detailed study…an important contribution to understanding Ruth’s prominent place in American cultural and marketing history…recommended.”

The Electric Car in America, 1890–1922: A Social History
“Segrave brings together a great deal of information about many short-lived electric car models, for which documentation is scant; this text therefore represents a substantial amount of archival research…recommended.”

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Newly Published: Early U.S. Navy Carrier Raids, February–April 1942

New on our bookshelf:

Early U.S. Navy Carrier Raids, February–April 1942: Five Operations That Tested a New Dimension of American Air Power
David Lee Russell

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, America’s fast carrier task forces, with their aircraft squadrons and powerful support warships, went on the offensive. Under orders from Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, the newly appointed Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, took the fight to the Japanese, using island raids to slow their advance in the Pacific.

Beginning in February 1942, a series of task force raids led by the carriers USS Enterprise, USS Yorktown, USS Lexington and USS Hornet were launched, beginning in the Marshall Islands and Gilbert Islands. An attempted raid on Rabaul was followed by successful attacks on Wake Island and Marcus Island. The Lae-Salamaua Raid countered Japanese invasions on New Guinea. The most dramatic was the unorthodox Tokyo (Doolittle) Raid, where 16 carrier-launched B-25 medium bombers demonstrated that the Japanese mainland was open to U.S. air attacks.

The raids had a limited effect on halting the Japanese advance but kept the enemy away from Hawaii, the U.S. West coast and the Panama Canal, and kept open lines of communications to Australia.

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Newly Published: The Tyranny of Tradition in Piano Teaching

New on our bookshelf:

The Tyranny of Tradition in Piano Teaching: A Critical History from Clementi to the Present
Walter Ponce

The strict traditions of piano teaching have remained entrenched for generations. The dominant influence of Muzio Clementi (1752–1832), the first composer-pedagogue of the instrument, brought about an explosion of autocratic instruction and bizarre teaching systems, exemplified in the mind-numbing drills of Hanon’s “The Virtuoso Pianist.” These practices—considered absurd or abusive by many—persist today at all levels of piano education. This book critically examines two centuries of teaching methods and encourages instructors to do away with traditions that disconnect mental and creative skills.

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Newly Published: A Killer Appetite

New on our bookshelf:

A Killer Appetite: Overcoming My Eating Disorder and the Thinking That Fed It
Holly Pennebaker

In the middle of a paralyzing panic attack, 34-year-old Holly Pennebaker made the call that would ultimately save her life. She realized that her eating disorder had consumed her life for the previous 15 years and made the decision to get help and enter a rigorous treatment program. Holly documented the program in real time, writing about it in an authentic, raw form.

This account chronicles the author’s experience with disordered eating, anxiety and other mental illness from the onset of her major panic attack through the weeks following her completion of the treatment program. By candidly recounting her own journey, Holly explores struggle, hope and self-acceptance.

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Newly Published: Colonels in Blue—Missouri and the Western States and Territories

New on our bookshelf:

Colonels in Blue—Missouri and the Western States and Territories: A Civil War Biographical Dictionary
Roger D. Hunt

This biographical dictionary catalogs the Union army colonels who commanded regiments from Missouri and the western States and Territories during the Civil War. The seventh volume in a series documenting Union army colonels, this book details the lives of officers who did not advance beyond that rank. Included for each colonel are brief biographical excerpts and any available photographs, many of them published for the first time.

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American Folklore Society 2019

McFarland is exhibiting at the annual conference of the American Folklore Society October 16-19 in Baltimore, Maryland.  You are invited to meet with senior acquisitions editor Gary Mitchem.  Schedule an appointment by emailing us in advance (gmitchem@mcfarlandpub.com) or stop by the McFarland booth in the exhibit room for a casual conversation with Gary.

Instructors are welcome to examine books for potential adoption, whether at the McFarland booth at AFS or electronically, by submitting a request via our web form.

 

Folklore

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Newly Published: The African Dwelling

New on our bookshelf:

The African Dwelling: From Traditional to Western Style Homes
Epée Ellong with Diane Chehab

Housing has changed in Sub-Saharan Africa since the Europeans arrived. Africans no longer live in traditional homes. This historical transition from “hut to house,” from traditional to Western style, reflects slavery, colonialism and other social influences.

This book focuses on Cameroon, known as “Africa in Miniature” because of its geographical and cultural representation of the continent at large. Architectural styles, materials and construction techniques are discussed within a larger context, examining how lifestyle changes and architectural trends influence each other. This work is a rich examination of the challenges and opportunities for a new generation of African architects to integrate the lessons of the past and create a future more responsive to the region’s needs.

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Newly Published: American Gadfly

New on our bookshelf:

American Gadfly: The Intellectual Odyssey of Paul Fussell
Ronald R. Gray

The American cultural historian, literary and social critic and college professor Paul Fussell (1924–2012) is primarily noted for his famous work The Great War and Modern Memory, but he also wrote and edited 21 books on a wide variety of topics, ranging from 18th century British literature to works on World War II and sardonic critiques of American society and culture. This book offers a thorough introduction to his writings and thought, and argues for Fussell’s importance and relevancy. Covering Fussell’s traumatic experience in World War II and the important influence it had on his life and outlook, this intellectual biography puts in context Fussell’s perspectives on ethics, the human experience, war, and literature as an evaluative and critical endeavor.

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Newly Published: Joanne Woodward

New on our bookshelf:

Joanne Woodward: Her Life and Career
Peter Shelley

In her 60-year career, Joanne Woodward has been a film, television and stage actress, television producer and director, stage director, and film director. She won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance in The Three Faces of Eve and was nominated for Rachel, Rachel, Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams and Mr. & Mrs. Bridge. She also won the Best Actress Emmy Award for See How She Runs and Do You Remember Love. This book is the first to be solely devoted to Woodward’s life and career, which were often overshadowed by the successes of her late husband, Paul Newman.

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Newly Published: Migrating for Medical Marijuana

New on our bookshelf:

Migrating for Medical Marijuana: Pioneers in a New Frontier of Treatment
Tracy Ferrell

In the last six years, Colorado has seen a population boom reminiscent of the state’s first few years of settlement. But rather than staking mining claims or establishing homesteads, these new pioneers are on the frontier of an emerging science: marijuana as treatment for various debilitating conditions. This book contains personal accounts from doctors, researchers, and patients–self-proclaimed “refugees” seeking treatment unavailable elsewhere–who are at the forefront of medical marijuana practice. Their stories provide unique insights into a social, political and medical revolution.

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Newly Published: Furry Tales

New on our bookshelf:

Furry Tales: A Review of Essential Anthropomorphic Fiction
Fred Patten

Tales featuring anthropomorphic animals have been around as long as there have been storytellers to spin them, from Aesop’s Fables to Reynard the Fox to Alice in Wonderland. The genre really took off following the explosion of furry fandom in the 21st century, with talking animals featuring in everything from science fiction to fantasy to LGBTQ coming-out stories.

In his lifetime, Fred Patten (1940–2018)—one of the founders of furry fandom and a scholar of anthropomorphic animal literature—authored hundreds of book reviews that comprise a comprehensive critical survey of the genre. This selected compilation provides an overview from 1784 through the 2010s, covering such popular novels as Watership Down and Redwall, along with forgotten gems like The Stray Lamb and Where the Blue Begins, and science fiction works like Sundiver and Decision at Doona.

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Newly Published: Queen of the Pulps

New on our bookshelf:

Queen of the Pulps: The Reign of Daisy Bacon and Love Story Magazine
Laurie Powers

Daisy Bacon, the opinionated, autocratic and complex editor of Love Story Magazine from 1928 to 1947, chose the stories that would be read by hundreds of thousands of readers each week. The first weekly periodical devoted to romance fiction and the biggest-selling pulp fiction magazine in the early days of the Great Depression, Love Story sparked a wave of imitators that dominated newsstands for more than twenty years.

Disparaged as a “love pulp,” the magazine actually championed the “modern girl,” bringing its heroines out of the shadows of Victorian poverty and into the 20th century. With Love Story’s success, Bacon became a national spokesperson, declaring that the modern woman could have it all—in love, in marriage and in the business world.

Yet Bacon herself struggled to achieve that ideal, especially in her own romantic life, built around a long-term affair with a married man. Drawing on exclusive access to her personal papers, this first-ever biography tells the story behind the woman who influenced millions of others to pursue independence in their careers and in their relationships.

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Newly Published: Encyclopedia of Weird Detectives

New on our bookshelf:

Encyclopedia of Weird Detectives: Supernatural and Paranormal Elements in Novels, Pulps, Comics, Film, Television, Games and Other Media
Paul Green

The detective genre has explored supernatural and paranormal themes throughout its colorful history. Stories of detectives investigating spiritualists, ghostly apparitions, the occult and psychics have spanned pulp fiction magazines, comic books, novels, film, television, animation and video games.
This encyclopedia covers the history of the genre in its multiple forms and informs and adds to the knowledge of either the new or informed reader. Its A-Z format provides ready reference by title. Detective fans browsing for new discoveries will enjoy the entertaining style.

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Newly Published: The Complete Misfits Discography

New on our bookshelf:

The Complete Misfits Discography: Authorized Releases and Bootlegs, Including Recordings by Danzig, Samhain and The Undead
Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter

A pioneering “horror-punk” band, the Misfits are legends in their own time. This discography tells the story of the band in all of its incarnations through all of their recorded output—both official and unauthorized releases. Discographies are provided for both present and former members’ solo projects and bands, along with a wealth of rare record sleeves, photos and vintage posters documenting the evolution of the band and the brand.

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Newly Published: Base Ball 11

New on our bookshelf:

Base Ball 11: New Research on the Early Game
Edited by Don Jensen

Offering the best in original research and analysis, Base Ball is an annually published book series that promotes the study of baseball’s early history, from its protoball roots to 1920, and its rise to prominence within American popular culture.

This volume, number 11, includes a dozen articles on topics ranging from the uses and abuses of mascots and batboys, attempts to revive the major league American Association, and the meaning of early club names to the founding of the National League, the finances of the Union Association, and the early years of future Giants magnate John T. Brush. The volume also includes thoughtful reviews of recently published books on women’s baseball, the 1887 Detroit Wolverines, and the American League pennant race in 1908.

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Newly Published: Buffy to Batgirl

New on our bookshelf:

Buffy to Batgirl: Essays on Female Power, Evolving Femininity and Gender Roles in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Edited by Julie M. Still and Zara T. Wilkinson

Science fiction and fantasy are often thought of as stereotypically male genres, yet both have a long and celebrated history of female creators, characters, and fans. In particular, the science fiction and fantasy heroine is a recognized figure made popular in media such as Alien, The Terminator, and Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. Though imperfect, she is strong and definitely does not need to be saved by a man. This figure has had an undeniable influence on The Hunger Games, Divergent, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and many other, more recent female-led book and movie franchises.

Despite their popularity, these fictional women have received inconsistent scholarly interest. This collection of new essays is intended to help fill a gap in the serious discussion of women and gender in science fiction and fantasy. The contributors are scholars, teachers, practicing writers, and other professionals in fields related to the genre. Critically examining the depiction of women and gender in science fiction and fantasy on both page and screen, they focus on characters who are as varied as they are interesting, and who range from vampire slayers to time travelers, witches, and spacefarers.

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Newly Published: Encyclopedia of Television Pilots

New on our bookshelf:

Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937–2019, 2d ed.
Vincent Terrace

On November 27, 1937, NBC presented TV’s first pilot film, Sherlock Holmes (then called an “experiment”). Thousands of pilot films (both unaired and televised) have been produced since. This updated and restyled book contains 2,470 alphabetically arranged pilot films broadcast from 1937 to 2019. Entries contain the concept, cast and character information, credits (producer, writer, director), dates, genre and network or cable affiliation. In addition to a complete performer’s index, two appendices have been included: one detailing the pilot films that led to a series and a second that lists the programs that were spun off from one series into another. (Information on unaired pilot films can be found in the companion volume, Encyclopedia of Unaired Television Pilots, 1945–2018.) Both volumes are the most complete and detailed sources for such information, a great deal of which is based on viewing the actual programs.

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Newly Published: The Faithful Librarian

New on our bookshelf:

The Faithful Librarian: Essays on Christianity in the Profession
Edited by Garrett B. Trott

What do Christianity and librarianship have in common? Netherlands Prime Minister and theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920) was among the first in the modern era to attempt to rejoin the dichotomy of sacred vs. secular study when he said, “no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest.” Over the years a number of publications have followed Kuyper’s lead yet little has been written on the subject since Greg A. Smith’s notable Christian Librarianship (2002). Building on Smith’s work, this volume seeks to bridge the sacred/secular divide with an exploration of how Christianity and the gospel are manifested through the profession of librarianship.

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Newly Published: PT Boat Odyssey

New on our bookshelf:

PT Boat Odyssey: In the Pacific War with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 16, 1943–1945
Robert P. Gelzheiser

During the Pacific War between the United States and Imperial Japanese navies, the author’s father, Francis Gelzheiser, deployed with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 16A, from New Orleans to Panama to Seattle and to Attu Island in the Aleutians. After their return voyage, the PT boats journeyed to New Guinea, then battled Japanese kamikazes for the Philippine Island of Mindoro.

Like many World War II veterans, Gelzheiser only shared his recollections of combat later in life. The author chronicles his father’s experience, details the roles PT boats played in the war and examines why, despite America’s overwhelming wartime manufacturing capacity, the Japanese believed they could still win the war.

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Migrating for Medical Marijuana Reviewed in Booklist

Migrating for Medical Marijuana: Pioneers in a New Frontier of Treatment, a forthcoming title in our new imprint, Toplight Books, is reviewed in the October issue of Booklist!

“Even ardent just-say-no proponents may reconsider their feelings toward medical marijuana after reading…makes a compelling argument for changing federal laws…helpful appendices…this is an informative, thought provoking, and worthy read.”—Booklist

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CONFERENCES: Upcoming MLA and PCA events

McFarland is exhibiting at a number of regional and national conferences in the coming months, and conferees are encouraged to take the opportunity to peruse our books and meet an editor.  Schedule an appointment by emailing us in advance (Layla Milholen, Gary Mitchem, or Dré Person), or stop by the McFarland booth in the exhibit room for a casual conversation with an editor.

Popular Culture Association in the South Sept 26-28, Wilmington, NC, Layla Milholen
Association for the Study of African American Life and History Oct 3-5, Charleston, SC, Dré Person
Midwest Popular Culture Association Oct 10-13 Cincinnati, OH, Layla Milholen
American Folklore Society Oct 16-19, Baltimore, MD, Gary Mitchem
South Central Modern Language Association Oct 24-26, Little Rock, AR, Gary Mitchem
Mid-Atlantic Popular Culture Association Nov 7-9, 2019, Pittsburgh, PA, Gary Mitchem
Film and History Nov 13-17, Madison, WI, Dré Person
National Women’s Studies Association Nov 14-17, San Francisco, CA, Layla Milholen
South Atlantic Modern Language Association Nov 15–17, Atlanta, GA, Gary Mitchem
American Philosophical Association Jan 8-11, Philadelphia, PA, Dré Person
Modern Language Association Jan 9-12, Seattle, WA, Gary Mitchem

Cinema & Media Studies

Comics & Graphic Narratives

Literature

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Newly Published: Memory in World Cinema

New on our bookshelf:

Memory in World Cinema: Critical Essays
Edited by Nancy J. Membrez

Film itself is an artifact of memory. A blend of all the other fine arts, film portrays and preserves human memory, someone’s memory, faulty or not, dramatically or comically, in a documentary, feature film or short. Hollywood may dominate 80 percent of cinema production but it is not the only voice. World cinema is about those other voices.

Drawn initially from presentations from a series of film conferences held at the University of Texas at San Antonio, this collection of essays covers multiple geographical, linguistic, and cultural areas worldwide, emphasizing the historical and cultural interpretation of films. Appendices list films focusing on memory and invite readers to explore the films and issues raised.

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Association for the Study of African American Life and History 2019

McFarland is exhibiting at the annual conference of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History October 3-5 in Charleston, South Carolina.  You are invited to meet with editor Dré Person.  Schedule an appointment by emailing us in advance (dperson@mcfarlandpub.com) or stop by the McFarland booth in the exhibit room for a casual conversation with Dré.

Instructors are welcome to examine books for potential adoption, whether at the McFarland booth at ASALH or electronically, by submitting a request via our web form.

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Newly Published: Mary Nolan, Ziegfeld Girl and Silent Movie Star

New on our bookshelf:

Mary Nolan, Ziegfeld Girl and Silent Movie Star: A Biography Including Her 1941 Memoir
Louise Carley Lewisson and Mary Nolan

Mary Nolan (1905–1948), also known as Imogene “Bubbles” Wilson, was the subject of two infamous court cases—one with Frank Tinney and the other with Eddie Mannix—in the 1920s. Like many Ziegfeld Follies girls, she had the beginnings of a promising career, but by the 1930s it had been destroyed by adultery, drugs and physical abuse.

This biography follows Nolan’s life from the backwoods of Kentucky to her death in 1948. Included is a series of newspaper articles published in 1941 that were to be expanded into her memoir, which she was unable to complete before her death.

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Newly Published: Communication Alternatives in Autism

New on our bookshelf:

Communication Alternatives in Autism: Perspectives on Typing and Spelling Approaches for the Nonspeaking
Edited by Edlyn Vallejo Peña

Ten autistic self-advocates share their experiences with alternative forms of communication such as rapid prompting method (RPM) and facilitated communication (FC), both highly controversial. Their narratives document the complexities that autistic individuals navigate–in both educational and community settings–when choosing to use approaches that utilize letter boards and keyboards. While the controversies remain–RPM requires further scientific study, and FC is subject to criticism about confirmation bias–these individuals share powerful stories in the context of aiming for disability rights. The book concludes with a chapter about best practices for educators, particularly for schools and colleges that have students who use these communication methods.