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Category: News
Pride Month LGBTQ Studies Sale
Celebrate Pride Month with a good book—through the end of June, get 20% off ALL LGBTQ studies titles with the coupon code PRIDE18!
Newly Published: Gay Icons
New on our bookshelf today:
Gay Icons: The (Mostly) Female Entertainers Gay Men Love
Georges-Claude Guilbert
Who are the most significant gay icons and how did they develop? What influence do they have on gay individuals and communities?
This book focuses on the superstars, femmes fatales and divas of the gay celebrity pantheon—May West, Julie Andrews, Britney Spears, RuPaul, Cher, Divine, Sharon Needles and many others—and their contributions to gay culture and the complications of sexual and gender identity. The author explores their allure along with the mechanisms of iconicity.
Newly Published: Myth and Magic in Heavy Metal Music
New on our bookshelf today:
Myth and Magic in Heavy Metal Music
Robert McParland
Myth pervades heavy metal. With visual elements drawn from medieval and horror cinema, the genre’s themes of chaos, dissidence and alienation transmit an image of Promethean rebellion against the conventional. In dialogue with the modern world, heavy metal draws imaginatively on myth and folklore to construct an aesthetic and worldview embraced by a vast global audience. The author explores the music of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica and many others from a mythological and literary perspective.
Newly Published: A Game of Moments
New on our bookshelf today:
A Game of Moments: Baseball Greats Remember Highlights of Their Careers
Ron Gerrard
This collection of new interviews—conducted by the author—recounts some of the pivotal moments in the careers of professional baseball players and in American history.
Negro League players Leon Day, Buck O’Neil, Monte Irvin, Wilmer Fields and Joe Black speak about their experiences on the other side of the color line. Hank Aaron relates how the challenge of breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record was not only on the diamond. Bob Feller, Cecil Travis, Tommy Henrich and Jerry Coleman describe the effects of World War II on their careers. Bobby Thompson and Ralph Branca address the “Shot Heard Round the World” in the Giants vs. Dodgers playoff of 1951.
Military History Summer Sale
June has arrived, and with it McFarland’s military history sale. Whether you’re a military scholar, armchair historian, veteran, genealogist, or general reader interested in gripping nonfiction, now is the time to save. When you order direct from our website using the coupon code MILITARY25, print editions of all military history books are 25% off June 1 through June 15. Best of luck to all with your summer reading lists!
Newly Published: Idol Talk
New on our bookshelf today:
Idol Talk: Women Writers on the Teenage Infatuations That Changed Their Lives
Edited by Elizabeth Searle and Tamra Wilson
In the midst of acne, social anxiety and training bras are the teen idols that make adolescent life a little more bearable. Whether their cutouts are plastered on bedroom walls or hidden behind locker doors, there is no denying the impact of these stars on young women.
This collection of new essays explores with tenderness and humor the teen crushes of the past 50 years—from Elvis to John Lennon to Diana Ross—who have influenced the choices of women, romantically or otherwise, well into adulthood.
Newly Published: Shocking and Sensational
New on our bookshelf today:
Shocking and Sensational: The Stories Behind Famous True Crime and Scandal Books
Julian Upton
Already part of a genre known for generating controversy, some true crime and scandal books have wielded a particular power to unsettle readers, provoke authorities and renew interest in a case. The reactions to such literature have been as contentious as the books themselves, clouding the “truth” with myths and inaccuracies.
From high-profile publishing sensations such as Ten Rillington Place, Fatal Vision and Mommie Dearestto the wealth of writing on the JFK assassination, the death of Marilyn Monroe and the Black Dahlia murder, this book delves into that hard copy era when crime and scandal books had a cultural impact beyond the genre’s film and TV documentaries, fueling outcries that sometimes matched the notoriety of the cases they discussed and leaving legacies that still resonate today.
Newly Published: Teach Like a Gamer
New on our bookshelf today:
Teach Like a Gamer: Adapting the Instructional Design of Digital Role-Playing Games
Carly Finseth
Digital role-playing games such as Rift, Diablo III, and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning help players develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, digital literacy, and lifelong learning. The author examines both the benefits and the drawbacks of role-playing games and their application to real-world teaching techniques. Readers will learn how to incorporate games-based instruction into their own classes and workplace training, as well as approaches to redesigning curriculum and programs.
Newly Published: The 1990s Teen Horror Cycle
New on our bookshelf today:
The 1990s Teen Horror Cycle: Final Girls and a New Hollywood Formula
Alexandra West
Many critics and fans refer to the 1990s as the decade that horror forgot, with few notable entries in the genre. Yet horror went mainstream in the ’90s by speaking to the anxieties of American youth during one of the country’s most prosperous eras.
No longer were films made on low budgets and dependent on devotees for success. Horror found its way onto magazine covers, fashion ads and CD soundtrack covers. “Girl power” feminism and a growing distaste for consumerism defined an audience that both embraced and rejected the commercial appeal of these films.
This in-depth study examines the youth subculture and politics of the era, focusing on such films as Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Scream (1996), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Idle Hands(1999) and Cherry Falls (2000).
Newly Published: Modern Science Fiction
New on our bookshelf today:
Modern Science Fiction: A Critical Analysis: The Seminal 1951 Thesis with a New Introduction and Commentary
James Gunn
Edited by Michael R. Page
James Gunn—one of the founding figures of science fiction scholarship and teaching—wrote in 1951 what is likely the first master’s thesis on modern science fiction. Portions were in the short-lived pulp magazine Dynamic but it has otherwise remained unavailable.
Here in its first full publication, the thesis explores many of the classic Golden Age stories of the 1940s and the critical perspective that informed Gunn’s essential genre history Alternate Worlds and his anthology series The Road to Science Fiction.
The editor’s introduction and commentary show the historical significance of Gunn’s work and its relevance to today’s science fiction studies.
Newly Published: Once Upon a Time in a Dark and Scary Book
New on our bookshelf today:
Once Upon a Time in a Dark and Scary Book: The Messages of Horror Literature for Children
K. Shryock Hood
Contemporary American horror literature for children and young adults has two bold messages for readers: adults are untrustworthy, unreliable and often dangerous; and the monster always wins (as it must if there is to be a sequel).
Examining the young adult horror series and the religious horror series for children (Left Behind: The Kids) for the first time, and tracing the unstoppable monster to Seuss’s Cat in the Hat, this book sheds new light on the problematic message produced by the combination of marketing and books for contemporary American young readers.
Newly Published: The 96th Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Civil War
New on our bookshelf today:
The 96th Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Civil War
David A. Ward
The 96th Pennsylvania Volunteers infantry regiment was formed in 1861—its ranks filled by nearly 1,200 Irish and German immigrants from Schuylkill County responding to Lincoln’s call for troops. The men saw action for three years with the Army of the Potomac’s VI Corps, participating in engagements at Gaines’ Mill, Crampton’s Gap, Salem Church and Spotsylvania. Drawing on letters, diaries, memoirs and other accounts, this comprehensive history documents their combat service from the point of view of the rank-and-file soldier, along with their views on the war, slavery, emancipation and politics.
Newly Published: A Poisoned Life
New on our bookshelf today:
A Poisoned Life: Florence Chandler Maybrick, the First American Woman Sentenced to Death in England
Richard Jay Hutto
Florence Maybrick was the first American woman to be sentenced to death in England—for murdering her husband, a crime she almost certainly did not commit. Her 1889 trial was presided over by an openly misogynist judge who was later declared incompetent and died in an asylum. Hours before Maybrick was to be hanged, Queen Victoria reluctantly commuted her sentence to life in prison—in her opinion a woman who would commit adultery, as Maybrick had admitted, would also kill her husband.
Her children were taken from her; she never saw them again. Her mother worked for years to clear her name, enlisting the president of the United States and successive ambassadors, including Robert Todd Lincoln. Decades later, a gruesome diary was discovered that made Maybrick’s husband a prime Jack the Ripper suspect.
Newly Published: Gale Storm
New on our bookshelf today:
Gale Storm: A Biography and Career Record
David C. Tucker
On December 31, 1939, nationwide radio audiences listened as 17-year-old Josephine Owaissa Cottle, a Texas schoolgirl, won Gateway to Hollywood’s new talent competition. Her prize was a movie contract at RKO and a memorable stage name—“Gale Storm.” One of the United States’ most beloved entertainers, she appeared in 35 films, starred in two hit television series (one was My Little Margie) and earned a gold record for “I Hear You Knockin’.”
Drawing on interviews with family, friends and colleagues, this biography provides many unpublished details of her life and career. An annotated filmography encompasses Storm’s time at Monogram Pictures, her roles in westerns and her appearances in classics such as It Happened on 5th Avenue. Her TV career is covered, including complete production histories and episode guides.
Newly Published: The Chandler Automobile
New on our bookshelf today:
The Chandler Automobile: A History Including the Cleveland and Chandler-Cleveland Marques
James H. Lackey
Incorporated by veteran automakers in 1913, the Chandler Motor Car Company was initially successful in a fiercely competitive industry, manufacturing an array of quality automobiles at a range of prices. Yet by the late 1920s the company was floundering under mismanagement. Producing four lines of cars with numerous body styles, Chandler and its lower-priced companion marque, Cleveland, were unable to find markets for their numerous models and seemed in effect to be competing against themselves.
Drawing on numerous automotive histories and two large private collections of memorabilia, this exhaustive study of the Chandler Motor Car Company covers the automobiles in detail, including all body styles, and their changes during production. The author chronicles the growth, expansion and later troubles of Chandler and Cleveland, providing fresh insight into the formative years of the auto industry and the personalities who made it go.
Newly Published: The Whedonverse Catalog
New on our bookshelf today:
The Whedonverse Catalog: A Complete Guide to Works in All Media
Don Macnaughtan
Director, producer and screenwriter Joss Whedon is a creative force in film, television, comic books and a host of other media. This book provides an authoritative survey of all of Whedon’s work, ranging from his earliest scriptwriting on Roseanne, through his many movie and TV undertakings—Toy Story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly/Serenity, Dr. Horrible, The Cabin in the Woods, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.—to his forays into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The book covers both the original texts of the Whedonverse and the many secondary works focusing on Whedon’s projects, including about 2000 books, essays, articles, documentaries and dissertations.
New in Softcover: Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood
Now available in softcover:
Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood: Seventy-Five Profiles
Tom Lisanti
During the 1960s, many models, Playboy centerfolds, beauty queens, and Las Vegas showgirls went on to become “decorative actresses” appearing scantily clad on film and television. This well illustrated homage to 75 of these glamour girls reveals their unique stories through individual biographical profiles, photographs, lists of major credits and, frequently, in-depth personal interviews. Included are Carol Wayne, Edy Williams, Inga Neilsen, Thordis Brandt, Jo Collins, Phyllis Davis, Melodie Johnson, and many equally unforgettable faces of sixties Hollywood.
Newly Published: Celtic Cosmology and the Otherworld
New on our bookshelf today:
Celtic Cosmology and the Otherworld: Mythic Origins, Sovereignty and Liminality
Sharon Paice MacLeod
Despite censorship and revision by Christian redactors, the early medieval manuscripts of Ireland and Britain contain tantalizing clues to the cosmology, religion and mythology of native Celtic cultures. Focusing on the latest research and translations, the author provides fresh insight into the indigenous beliefs and practices of the Iron Age inhabitants of the British Isles. Chapters cover a broad range of topics, including creation and cosmogony, the deities of the Gaels, feminine power in early Irish sources, and priestesses and magical rites.
Newly Published: Mavericks of Italian Cinema
New on our bookshelf today:
Mavericks of Italian Cinema: Eight Unorthodox Filmmakers, 1940s–2000s
Roberto Curti
The history of Italian cinema includes, in addition to the renowned auteurs, a number of peculiar and lesser-known filmmakers. While their artistry was often plagued with production setbacks, their works—influenced by poetry, playwriting, advertising, literature, comics and a nonconformist, sometimes antagonistic attitude—were original and thought provoking.
Drawing from official papers and original scripts, this book includes previously unpublished information on the works and lives of post–World War II filmmakers Pier Carpi, Alberto Cavallone, Riccardo Ghione, Giulio Questi, Brunello Rondi, Paolo Spinola, Augusto Tretti and Nello Vegezzi.
Newly Published: Power Under Her Foot
New on our bookshelf today:
Power Under Her Foot: Women Enthusiasts of American Muscle Cars
Chris Lezotte
Since their introduction in 1964, American muscle cars have been closely associated with masculinity. In the 21st century, women have been a growing presence in the muscle car world, exhibiting classic cars at automotive events and rumbling to work in modern Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers.
Informed by the experiences of 88 female auto enthusiasts, this book highlights women’s admiration and passion for American muscle, and reveals how restoring, showing and driving classic and modern cars provides a means to challenge longstanding perceptions of women drivers and advance ideas of identity and gender equality.
Newly Published: The Moulton Bicycle
New on our bookshelf today:
The Moulton Bicycle: A History of the Innovative Compact Design
Bruce D. Epperson
In 1963, British inventor Alex Moulton (1920–2012) introduced an innovative compact bicycle. Architectural Review editor Reyner Banham predicted it would give rise to “a new class of cyclists,” young urbanites riding by choice, not necessity. Forced to sell his firm in 1967, Moulton returned in the 1980s with an even more radical model, the AM—his acclaim among technology and design historians is largely due to Banham’s writings.
The AM’s price tag (some models cost many thousands of dollars) has inspired tech-savvy cyclists to create “hot rod” compact bikes from Moulton-inspired “shopper” cycles of the 1970s—a trend also foreseen by Banham, who considered hot rod culture “folk art of the mechanical era.”
The author traces the intertwined lives of two unusually creative men who had an extraordinary impact on each others’ careers, despite having met only a few times.
Newly Published: Psience Fiction
New on our bookshelf today:
Psience Fiction: The Paranormal in Science Fiction Literature
Damien Broderick
Science fiction has often been considered the literature of futuristic technology: fantastic warfare among the stars or ruinous apocalypses on Earth. The last century, however, saw through John W. Campbell the introduction of “psience fiction,” which explores themes of mind powers—telepathy, precognition of the future, teleportation, etc.—and symbolic machines that react to such forces.
The author surveys this long-ignored literary shift through a series of influential novels and short stories published between the 1930s and the present. This discussion is framed by the sudden surge of interest in parapsychology and its absorption not only into the SF genre, but also into the real world through military experiments such as the Star Gate Program.
Weekly Deal: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
This week, get 20% off all books about chemical sensitivity with the coupon code MCS!
Central Sensitization and Sensitivity Syndromes: A Handbook for Coping
Chemical and Electrical Hypersensitivity: A Sufferer’s Memoir
Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Causes, Effects, Personal Experiences and Resources
Defining Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Autoimmune Diseases and Their Environmental Triggers
Living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Narratives of Coping
Environmentally Induced Illnesses: Ethics, Risk Assessment and Human Rights
Chemical Injury and the Courts: A Litigation Guide for Clients and Their Attorneys
Sauna Detoxification Therapy: A Guide for the Chemically Sensitive
Newly Published: The Last Days of the United States Asiatic Fleet
New on our bookshelf today:
The Last Days of the United States Asiatic Fleet: The Fates of the Ships and Those Aboard, December 8, 1941–February 5, 1942
Greg H. Williams
After the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7), American sailors of the Asiatic Fleet (where it was December 8) were abandoned by Washington and left to conduct a war on their own, isolated from the rest of the U.S. naval forces. Their fate in the Philippines and Dutch East Indies was often grim—many died aboard burning ships, were executed upon capture or spent years as prisoners of war.
Many books have been written about the ships of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, yet few look into the experiences of the common sailor. Drawing on official reports, past research, personal memoirs and the writings of war correspondents, the author tells the story of those who never came home in 1945.
Newly Published: Eminent Domain and Economic Growth
New on our bookshelf today:
Eminent Domain and Economic Growth: Perspectives on Benefits, Harms and New Trends
Edited by Joaquin Jay Gonzalez III, Roger L. Kemp and Jonathan Rosenthal
Eminent domain is integral to a government’s legal ability to take private property for a public purpose. If used correctly, the owners are paid the fair market value for their property, few citizens are inconvenienced and everyone benefits. Bad-faith abuses of eminent domain typically make the front pages of news outlets, and receive news coverage from television stations, in cities throughout our nation. To educate citizens and prevent future abuse, this book exposes both the good and the bad aspects of government’s ability to use their power of eminent domain to acquire private property.
Newly Published: The 1967 American League Pennant Race
New on our bookshelf today:
The 1967 American League Pennant Race: Four Teams, Six Weeks, One Winner
Cameron Bright
In 1967, in the midst of a nail-biting six-week pennant race, the Red Sox, Tigers, Twins and White Sox stood deadlocked atop the American League. Never before or since have four teams tied for the lead in baseball’s final month. The stakes were high—there were no playoffs, the pennant winner went directly to the World Series.
Here, for the first time, all four teams are treated as equals. The author describes their contrasting skill sets, leadership and temperament. The stress of such stiff and sustained competition was constant, and there were overt psychological and physical intimidations playing a major role throughout the season. The standings were volatile and so were emotions. The players and managers varied: some wilted or broke, others responded heroically.
Newly Published: Good Versus Evil in the Films of Christopher Lee
New on our bookshelf today:
Good Versus Evil in the Films of Christopher Lee
Paul Leggett
Sir Christopher Lee (1922–2015) was one of the most beloved actors of the past sixty years. He appeared in more than 200 feature films—from Hammer Horror and James Bond thrillers to Star Warsand Lord of the Rings—and more than 100 made-for-televison movies. A versatile performer, he played a menacing figure in Dracula and The Wicker Man, a tragic one in The Curse of Frankenstein and The Mummy, and a spiritual hero in The Devil Rides Out. This study explores his legacy as a film actor and his diverse interpretations of the theme of good vs. evil.
Newly Published: Empire and Black Images in Popular Culture
New on our bookshelf today:
Empire and Black Images in Popular Culture
Joshua K. Wright
FOX’s musical drama Empire has been hailed as the savior of broadcast television, drawing 15 million viewers a week. A “hip-hopera” inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear and 1980s prime-time soap Dynasty, the series is at the forefront of a black popular culture Renaissance—yet has stirred controversy in the black community. Is Empire shifting paradigms or promoting pernicious stereotypes?
Examining the evolution and potency of black images in popular culture, the author explores Empire’s place in a diverse body of literature and media, data and discussions on respectability.
Newly Published: Terrorism Worldwide, 2017
New on our bookshelf today:
Terrorism Worldwide, 2017
Edward Mickolus
This fourth comprehensive study of international terrorist attacks covers 2017, during which the Islamic State suffered continued reversals yet retained its status as the most active, well-financed and well-armed terrorist group worldwide. Organized by region and country, the study covers domestic and international incidents around the world, outlining significant trends. The author offers several indicators of what to watch in the coming years. The single-year format allows readers access to the most up-to-date information on terrorism, while geographic focus more easily facilitates regional comparison.
Newly Published: The Composer on Screen
New on our bookshelf today:
The Composer on Screen: Essays on Classical Music Biopics
Edited by Paul Fryer
This collection of new essays explores the many ways in which composers have been depicted in film and what audiences have taken away from such depictions. Beginning with some of the earliest silent film examples—including some of the first feature-length “bio-pics” ever produced—these essays range from the 12th century abbess Hildegard of Bingen to the great classical and romantic eras of Verdi, Wagner, Berlioz and Strauss, up to the 20th century’s Elgar, Delius, Gershwin and Blitzstein.
Newly Published: Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2017
New on our bookshelf today:
Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2017
Harris M. Lentz III
The entertainment world lost many notable talents in 2017, including iconic character actor Harry Dean Stanton, comedians Jerry Lewis and Dick Gregory, country singer Glen Campbell, playwright Sam Shepard and actor-singer Jim Nabors.
Obituaries of actors, filmmakers, musicians, producers, dancers, composers, writers, animals and others associated with the performing arts who died in 2017 are included. Date, place and cause of death are provided for each, along with a career recap and a photograph. Filmographies are given for film and television performers. Books in this annual series are available dating to 1994—a subscription is available for future volumes.
Newly Published: The Wreck of the San Francisco
New on our bookshelf today:
The Wreck of the San Francisco: Disaster and Aftermath in the Great Hurricane of December 1853
John Stewart
On December 22, 1853, a new steamship left New York on its maiden voyage. The San Francisco—perhaps the finest ocean-going vessel of its time—had been chartered by the U.S. Government to transport the Third Artillery to the Pacific Coast.
Two days out, the ship ran into one of the great hurricanes of maritime history. Sails and stacks were blown away, the engine was wrecked and scores of people were washed overboard, as the men frantically worked the pumps to keep afloat. A few days later, cholera broke out.
After two weeks adrift, the survivors were rescued by three ships. The nightmare wasn’t over. Two of the vessels, damaged by the storm, were no position to take on passengers. Provisions ran out. Fighting thirst, starvation, disease and mutiny, they barely made it back to land. Then came the aftermath—accusations, denials, revelations of government ineptitude and negligence, and a cover-up.
Newly Published: In Bed with Strangers
New from our Exposit imprint:
In Bed with Strangers: Swinging My Way to Self-Discovery
Casey Donatello
The term “swinging” calls to mind a bygone era of 1970s sexual liberation—images of shag carpet, hot tubs and married couples swapping motel keys. The Internet age has made swinging widely accessible and discreet to a broad range of participants, married or single, and of any sexual orientation.
Some people pursue the excitement of spontaneous, noncommittal sex with strangers, while others seek a certain intimate connection they find unattainable by conventional dating or romantic relationships.
Casey Donatello’s frank memoir describes her transition from inexperienced 20-something through the ups and downs of her introduction to swinging as a couple with her boyfriend to her maturation as a single female swinger—known in the lifestyle as a “unicorn”—in her 30s. Her explicit account goes beyond the physical acts to explore the psychology and life lessons of self-discovery through sex.
New in Softcover: Love on the Racks
Now available in softcover:
Love on the Racks: A History of American Romance Comics
Michelle Nolan
For the better part of three decades romance comics were an American institution. Nearly 6,000 titles were published between 1947 and 1977, and for a time one in five comics sold in the U.S. was a romance comic.
This first full-length study examines the several types of romance comics, their creators and publishing history. The author explores significant periods in the development of the genre, including the origins of Archie Comics and other teen publications, the romance comic “boom and bust” of the 1950s, and their sudden disappearance when fantasy and superhero comics began to dominate in the late 1970s.
Newly Published: Claire Trevor
New on our bookshelf today:
Claire Trevor: The Life and Films of the Queen of Noir
Derek Sculthorpe
Claire Trevor (1910–2000) is best remembered as the alluring blonde femme fatale in such iconic noir films as Murder, My Sweet (1944) and Raw Deal (1948). Yet she was a versatile performer who brought rare emotional depth to her craft. She was effective in a range of diverse roles, from an outcast prostitute in John Ford’s classic Stagecoach (1939) to the ambitious tennis mother in Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951) to the embittered wife of a landowner in William Wellman’s overlooked gem My Man and I (1952). Nominated for four Oscars, she deservedly won Best Supporting Actesss for her portrayal of Gaye Dawn, a gangster’s broken-down moll in Key Largo (1948). The author covers her life and career in detail, recognizing her as one of the finest actresses of her generation.
Huge May Popular Culture Sale!
Summer blockbuster season seems to start earlier each year, but that’s all fine and dandy with the Marvel and Star Wars fans at McFarland! Beginning on Star Wars Day, McFarland is offering a sale for our books about film, television and related pop culture. When you order direct from our website using the coupon code PopCulture25, print editions of all pop culture books are 25% off on Star Wars Day, May 4 through Friday, May 11. May the fourth be with you!
Newly Published: Biology Run Amok!
New on our bookshelf today:
Biology Run Amok!: The Life Science Lessons of Science Fiction Cinema
Mark C. Glassy
Science fiction movie audiences may sometimes wonder how fictitious the science in a film really is. Yet for many—call them the “Jurassic Park generation”—film and popular media can present a seemingly plausible melding of science and fiction that forms a distorted understanding of scientific facts and concepts. Recognizing that film is both the dominant entertainment medium and an effective tool for teaching, this book—featuring articles originally published in the magazine Scary Monsters—separates biological reality from fantasy in dozens of science fiction films, including The Island of Lost Souls (1933), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), War of the Worlds (1953), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Scanners (1980), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1987) and Outbreak (1995).
Two Books Reviewed in May Issue of Choice
Bare-Knuckle Britons and Fighting Irish: Boxing, Race, Religion and Nationality in the 18th and 19th Centuries
Adam Chill
“Compelling…captures the mise-en-scène of the sport, from the pubs and gambling halls to the action in the ring…recommended.”
The Caribbean Story Finder: A Guide to 438 Tales from 24 Nations and Territories, Listing Subjects and Sources
Sharon Barcan Elswit
“Fills a gap…well-constructed…the bibliography is excellent…A valuable resource for folk life, world literature, children’s literature, and intercultural studies…recommended.”
Newly Published: Bell, Book and Camera
New on our bookshelf today:
Bell, Book and Camera: A Critical History of Witches in American Film and Television
Heather Greene
The witch as a cultural archetype has existed in some form since the beginning of recorded history. Her nature has changed through technological developments and sociocultural shifts—a transformation most evident in her depictions on screen.
This book traces the figure of the witch through American screen history with an analysis of the entertainment industry’s shifting boundaries concerning expressions of femininity. Focusing on films and television series from The Wizard of Oz to The Craft, the author looks at how the witch reflects alterations of gender roles, religion, the modern practice of witchcraft, and female agency.
Newly Published: The Page Fence Giants
New on our bookshelf today:
The Page Fence Giants: A History of Black Baseball’s Pioneering Champions
Mitch Lutzke
The Page Fence Giants, an all-star black baseball club sponsored by a woven-wire fence company in Adrian, Michigan, graced the diamond in the 1890s. Formed through a partnership between black and white boosters, the team’s respectable four-year run was an early integration success—before integration was phased out decades ahead of Jackie Robinson’s 1947 debut, and the growing Jim Crow sentiment blocked the Page Fence Giant’s best talent from the major leagues. This book tells the the story of a long-ignored team at the close of the 19th century, whose Hall of Famer second baseman Sol White was but one of their best players.
Newly Published: Lewis Hine
New on our bookshelf today:
Lewis Hine: Photographer and American Progressive
Timothy J. Duerden
Nearly 80 years after his death, Lewis Hine’s name is revered in the world of photography and practically synonymous with the labor reforms of the Progressive Era. His body of work—much of it a century old or more—remains vital as both aesthetic statement and social document.
Drawing on a range of sources, including information from surviving family members, this first full-length illustrated biography presents a detailed and personal portrait of the sociologist and photographer whose haunting images of children at work in cotton mills and coal mines sparked the movement to end child labor, culminating with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. There are 62 of his penetrating photographs included.
Newly Published: The Public Artscape of New Haven
New on our bookshelf today:
The Public Artscape of New Haven: Themes in the Creation of a City Image
Laura A. Macaluso
There are nearly 500 public works of art throughout New Haven, Connecticut—a city of 17 square miles with 130,000 residents. While other historic East Coast cities—Philadelphia, Providence, Boston—have been the subjects of book-length studies on the function and meaning of public art, New Haven (founded 1638) has been largely ignored. This comprehensive analysis provides an overview of the city’s public art policy, programs and preservation, and explores its two centuries of public art installations, monuments and memorials in a range of contexts.
Newly Published: A Successful Novel Must Be in Want of a Sequel
New on our bookshelf today:
A Successful Novel Must Be in Want of a Sequel: Second Takes on Classics from The Scarlet Letter to Rebecca
M. Carmen Gomez-Galisteo
What happened after Mr. Darcy married Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice? Where did Heathcliff go when he disappeared in Wuthering Heights? What social ostracism would Hester Prynne of The Scarlet Letter have faced in 20th century America?
Great novels often leave behind great questions—sequels seek to answer them. This critical analysis offers fresh insights into the sequels to seven literary classics, including Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, the Brontë sisters’ Jane Eyre, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
Newly Published: “Masquerading in Male Attire”
New on our bookshelf today:
“Masquerading in Male Attire”: Women Passing as Men in America, 1844–1920
Kerry Segrave
Historically, American women have dressed as men for a number of reasons—to enter the military, to travel freely, to commit a criminal act, to marry other women—but most often to secure employment. During the mid–1800s and early 1900s, most jobs were barred to women, and those that were available to both sexes paid women far less.
This book profiles both women who tried to pass as men and were caught—and even arrested—and those who successfully masqueraded for years. Whatever their motives, all took part in a common rebellion against an economic and social system that openly discriminated against them.
Newly Published: French in a Flash
New on our bookshelf today:
French in a Flash: Grammar and Vocabulary Fundamentals
Barbara Boyer
Combining concise grammar and vocabulary lessons written for non-linguists, this practical French study guide makes even the more difficult parts of the language easily understandable. Fundamentals are explained in simple terms with helpful tips, clear summaries, visual shortcuts and charts. A simplified pronunciation guide tailored to English speakers is provided, along with a chapter on spoken French for more advanced learners. Each lesson is combined with helpful review exercises and answer keys to evaluate progress and to fast-track language acquisition, for the classroom or for self-directed learning. Suitable for students of all levels, the content is designed to present the language structures of standard undergraduate French courses.
Newly Published: Glenn Killinger, All-American
New on our bookshelf today:
Glenn Killinger, All-American: Penn State’s World War I Era Sports Hero
Todd M. Mealy
This first biography of W. Glenn Killinger highlights his tenure as a nine-time varsity letterman at Penn State, where he emerged as one of the best football, basketball and baseball players in the U.S. Situating Killinger in his time and place, the author explores the ways in which home-front culture during World War I—focused on heroism, masculinity and sporting culture—created the demand for sports and sports icons and drove the ascent college athletics in the first quarter of the 20th century.
Newly Published: Koufax Throws a Curve
New on our bookshelf today:
Koufax Throws a Curve: The Los Angeles Dodgers at the End of an Era, 1964–1966
Brian M. Endsley
The conclusion of the Sandy Koufax Era was a roller coaster ride for the LA Dodgers. Overly dependent on the fragile left arm of their Hall of Fame left-hander, they played dismally in 1964—their worst season since World War II—after losing Koufax to an injury. The next year, his shutout performance on short rest won them the World Series. He single-handedly saved the Dodger’s 1966 regular season in the final game, only to fail ignominiously during the Series.
In the last two seasons of his career, Koufax averaged an impressive 27 complete games, 27 wins and 350 strikeouts. Sixteen days after winning his second consecutive Cy Young Award, he shocked Major League Baseball by announcing his retirement. Like a supernova that had lit up the sports for six years, he burned out and was gone by age 30.
Newly Published: Terror in the Desert
New on our bookshelf today:
Terror in the Desert: Dark Cinema of the American Southwest
Brad Sykes
Set in the American Southwest, “desert terror” films combine elements from horror, film noir and road movies to tell stories of isolation and violence. For more than half a century, these diverse and troubling films have eluded critical classification and analysis. Highlighting pioneering filmmakers and bizarre production stories, the author traces the genre’s origins and development, from cult exploitation (The Hills Have Eyes, The Hitcher) to crowd-pleasing franchises (Tremors, From Dusk Till Dawn) to quirky auteurist fare (Natural Born Killers, Lost Highway) to more recent releases (Bone Tomahawk, Nocturnal Animals). Rare stills, promotional materials and a filmography are included.
Newly Published: Writing and the Body in Motion
New on our bookshelf today:
Writing and the Body in Motion: Awakening Voice through Somatic Practice
Cheryl Pallant
Based upon the author’s lifetime practices as a dancer, poet and teacher, this innovative approach to developing body awareness focuses on achieving self-discovery and well-being through movement, mindfulness and writing. Written from a holistic (rather than dualistic) view of the mind-body problem, discussion and exercises draw on dance, psychology, neuroscience and meditation to guide personal exploration and creative expression.
Newly Published: “Don’t tell father I have been shot at”
New on our bookshelf today:
“Don’t tell father I have been shot at”: The Civil War Letters of Captain George N. Bliss, First Rhode Island Cavalry
George N. Bliss
Captain George N. Bliss of the First Rhode Island Cavalry survived some 27 actions during the Civil War. Midway through the war, he served nine months at a conscript training camp in Connecticut, where he sat on several courts-martial. In September 1864, in a skirmish at Waynesboro, Virginia, he single-handedly charged into the 4th Virginia “Black Horse” Cavalry. Badly injured and taken prisoner, he was consigned to the notorious Libby Prison in Richmond.
A colorful correspondent, Bliss detailed his experiences in letters to a close friend and sent dispatches to a Providence newspaper. His candid writings are rich with details of the war and his own opinions. The editors describe how, following the war, Bliss sought out the Confederates who almost killed him and formed friendships with them that lasted for decades.
Newly Published: The Women of Orphan Black
New on our bookshelf today:
The Women of Orphan Black: Faces of the Feminist Spectrum
Valerie Estelle Frankel
Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany plays a host of the show’s main characters, all clones of an illegal experiment. The mighty heroines save one another and destroy the patriarchy—with the aid of supportive yet bumbling males—while subverting gender expectations and celebrating the many facets of feminism.
Sarah, the punk feminist clashing with her radical feminist foster-mother; Alison, the quintessential post-feminist housewife; Cosima, a herald of second-wave lesbian feminism in Birkenstocks and dreads; Beth, a third-wave feminist bogged down by drug and relationship problems; and M.K. a fourth-wave feminist who tackles the hardships of disability through the Internet. This book explores these portrayals and how they relate to the science and ethics surrounding cloning through an emphasis on the women’s war against corporate power.
Newly Published: Exploring Our Dreams
New on our bookshelf today:
Exploring Our Dreams: The Science and the Potential for Self-Discovery
Paul R. Robbins
What do psychology and neuroscience tell us about our dreams? Dream researcher and practicing psychotherapist Paul R. Robbins presents the science in a non-technical Q&A format. Covering the history of dream interpretation—from ancient Assyrian dream books to the theories of Carl Jung—he describes his own successful approach to dream studies: exploring the real-life incidents brought to mind by dreams and probing their meaning to the individual in an objective way.
Newly Published: Blood on the Table
New on our bookshelf today:
Blood on the Table: Essays on Food in International Crime Fiction
Edited by Jean Anderson, Carolina Miranda and Barbara Pezzotti
Written from a multicultural and interdisciplinary perspective, this collection of new essays explores the semiotics of food in the 20th and 21st century crime fiction of authors such as Anthony Bourdain, Arthur Upfield, Sara Paretsky, Andrea Camilleri, Fred Vargas, Ruth Rendell, Stieg Larsson, Leonardo Padura, Georges Simenon, Paco Ignacio Talbo II, and Donna Leon. The collection covers a range of issues, such as the provision of intra-, per- or paratextual recipes, the aesthetics and ethics of food, eating rituals as indications of cultural belonging and regional, national and supranational, and eating disorders and other seemingly abnormal habits as signs of “otherness.” Also mentioned are the television productions of the Inspector Montalbano series (1999–ongoing), the Danish-Swedish Bron/Broen (2011[The Bridge]), and its remakes The Tunnel (2013, France/UK) and The Bridge (2013, USA).
Newly Published: Ultra-Large Aircraft, 1940–1970
New on our bookshelf today:
Ultra-Large Aircraft, 1940–1970: The Development of Guppy and Expanded Fuselage Transports
William Patrick Dean
In 1962, a unique transport aircraft was built from the parts of 27 Boeing B-377 airliners to provide NASA a means of transporting rocket boosters. With an interior the size of a gymnasium, “The Pregnant Guppy” was the first of six enormous cargo planes built by Aero Spacelines and two built by Union de Transport Aeriens. More than half a century later, the last Super Guppy is still in active service with NASA and the design concept has been applied to next-generation transports.
This comprehensive history of expanded fuselage aircraft begins in the 1940s with the military’s need for a long-range transport. The author examines the development of competing designs by Boeing, Convair and Douglas, and the many challenges and catastrophic failures. Behind-the-scenes maneuvers of financiers, corporate raiders, mobsters and other nefarious characters provide an inside look at aviation development from the drawing board to the scrap yard.
Newly Published: The 758th Tank Battalion in World War II
New on our bookshelf today:
The 758th Tank Battalion in World War II: The U.S. Army’s First All African American Tank Unit
Joe Wilson, Jr.
In 1941, the U.S. Army activated the 758th Tank Battalion, the first all-black armored unit. By December 1944 they were fighting the Axis in Northern Italy, from the Ligurian Sea through the Po Valley and into the Apennine Mountains, where they helped breach the Gothic Line—the Germans’ last major defensive line of the Italian Campaign.
After the war the 758th was deactivated but was reformed as the 64th Tank Battalion, keeping their distinguished insignia, a tusked elephant head over the motto “We Pierce.” They entered the Korean War still segregated but returned fully integrated (though discrimination continued internally). Through the years, they fought with almost every American tank—the Stuart, the Sherman, the Pershing, the Patton and today’s Abrams.
Victorious over two fascist (and racist) regimes, many black servicemen returned home to what they hoped would be a more tolerant nation. Most were bitterly disappointed—segregation was still the law of the land. For many, disappointment became a determination to fight discrimination with the same resolve that had defeated the Axis.
Newly Published: The Minds Behind the Games
New on our bookshelf today:
The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews with Cult and Classic Video Game Developers
Patrick Hickey, Jr.
Featuring interviews with the creators of 36 popular video games—including Deus Ex, Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, Wasteland and NBA Jam—this book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of some of the most influential and iconic (and sometimes forgotten) games of all time. Recounting endless hours of painstaking development, the challenges of working with mega publishers and the uncertainties of public reception, the interviewees reveal the creative processes that produced some of gaming’s classic titles.
Newly Published: Hollywood Heyday
New on our bookshelf today:
Hollywood Heyday: 75 Candid Interviews with Golden Age Legends
David Fantle and Tom Johnson
“What audacity!” exclaimed Robert Wagner when he heard about the authors’ adolescent exploits in nabbing interviews with celebrities of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
In 1978, David Fantle and Tom Johnson, St. Paul teenagers fresh out of high school, boarded a plane to meet with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. On a lark, they had written the two stars requesting interviews—to their amazement, both had agreed.
Over the years, more than 250 other stars also agreed—Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Debbie Reynolds, George Burns, Rod Steiger, Milton Berle, Frank Capra and Hoagy Carmichael, to name a few. Published for the first time and with exclusive photos, this selection of 75 interviews chronicles the authors’ 40-year quest for wisdom, insights and anecdotes from iconic artists who defined 20th century American popular culture.
Newly Published: “Get the hell off this ship!”
New on our bookshelf today:
“Get the hell off this ship!”: Memoir of a USS Liscome Bay Survivor in World War II
James Claude Beasley
James Claude Beasley was a typical American teenager in the 1940s—a child of the Great Depression with an abiding commitment to family and country. With the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the Navy at 18. His plainspoken, personal memoir recounts his three years of service (1942–1945), from his induction at Winston Salem, North Carolina, to the sinking of his ship, the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay, by a Japanese submarine, through the end of the conflict and his return to civilian life.
Newly Published: Uncovering Stranger Things
New on our bookshelf today:
Uncovering Stranger Things: Essays on Eighties Nostalgia, Cynicism and Innocence in the Series
Edited by Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr.
The Duffer Brothers’ award-winning Stranger Things exploded onto the pop culture scene in 2016. The Netflix original series revels in a nostalgic view of 1980s America while darkly portraying the cynical aspects of the period. This collection of 23 new essays explores how the show reduces, reuses and recycles ’80s pop culture—from the films of Spielberg, Carpenter and Hughes to punk and synthwave music to Dungeons & Dragons—and how it shapes our understanding of the decade through distorted memory. Contributors discuss gender and sexual orientation; the politics, psychology and educational policies of the day; and how the ultimate upper-class teen idol of the Reagan era became Stranger Things‘ middle-aged blue-collar heroine.
Newly Published: Women in STEM on Television
New on our bookshelf today:
Women in STEM on Television: Critical Essays
Edited by Ashley Lynn Carlson
Women remain woefully underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Negative stereotypes about women in these fields are pervasive, rooted in the debunked claim that women have less aptitude than men in science and math. While some TV series present portrayals that challenge this stereotype, others reinforce troubling biases—sometimes even as writers and producers attempt to champion women in STEM.
This collection of new essays examines numerous popular series, from children’s programs to primetime shows, and discusses the ways in which these narratives inform cultural ideas about women in STEM.
Newly Published: Perilous Escapades
New on our bookshelf today:
Perilous Escapades: Dimensions of Popular Adventure Fiction
Gary Hoppenstand
Adventure fiction is one of the easiest narrative forms to recognize but one of the hardest to define because of its overlap with many other genres. This collection of essays attempts to characterize adventure fiction through the exploration of key elements—such as larger-than-life characters and imperialistic ideas—in the genre’s 19th- and 20th-century British and American works like The Scarlet Pimpernel by Orczy and Captain Blood by Sabatini. The author explores the cultural and literary impact of such works, presenting forgotten classics in a new light.
Weekly Deal: Cannabis Studies
This week, get 20% off books about cannabis studies with the coupon code CBD!
My Most-Wanted Marijuana Mom: Growing Up in a Smuggling Family
Newly Published: Girls on Fire
New on our bookshelf today:
Girls on Fire: Transformative Heroines in Young Adult Dystopian Literature
Sarah Hentges
Under the threat of climate change, corruption, inequality and injustice, Americans may feel they are living in a dystopian novel come to life. Like many American narratives, dystopian stories often focus on males as the agents of social change.
With a focus on the intersections of race, gender, class, sexuality and power, the author analyzes the themes, issues and characters in young adult (YA) dystopian fiction featuring female protagonists—the Girls on Fire who inspire progressive transformation for the future.
Newly Published: Death of an Altar Boy
New on our bookshelf today:
Death of an Altar Boy: The Unsolved Murder of Danny Croteau and the Culture of Abuse in the Catholic Church
E.J. Fleming
The tragic death of 13-year-old Danny Croteau in 1972 faded from headlines and memories for 20 years until the Boston abuse scandal—a string of assaults taking place within the Catholic Church—exploded in the early 2000s. Despite numerous indications, including 40 claims of sexual misconduct with minors, pointing to him as Croteau’s killer, Reverend Richard R. Lavigne remains “innocent.”
Drawing on more than 10,000 pages of police and court findings and interviews with Danny’s friends and family, fellow abuse victims, and church officials, the author uncovers the truth—church complicity in the cover up and masking of priests involvement in a ring of abusive clergy—behind Croteau’s death and those who had a hand in it.
Newly Published: The State of American Hot Rodding
New on our bookshelf today:
The State of American Hot Rodding: Interviews on the Craft and the Road Ahead
David Lawrence Miller
As the automotive world looks towards a future of electric vehicles, driverless technology and anonymous styling, what can be learned from the individuals who resist these trends and cling to their love of street rods and muscle cars? The hot rodding world still exists, but will it continue to hold a place in tomorrow’s automotive culture?
Gearhead and geographer David Miller has crisscrossed America in his custom built 1958 Chevy Apache pickup, interviewing hot rodders about what drives their passions, values and way of life. Their collected stories present a detailed portrait of modern hot rodding—a distinctly American subculture that survives by bucking the trends and attitudes that increasingly shape the transportation landscape.
Newly Published: British Chess Literature to 1914
New on our bookshelf today:
British Chess Literature to 1914: A Handbook for Historians
Tim Harding
A huge amount was published about chess in the United Kingdom before the First World War. The growing popularity of chess in Victorian Britain was reflected in an increasingly competitive market of books and periodicals aimed at players from beginner to expert. The author combines new information about the early history of the game with advice for researchers into chess history and traces the further development of chess literature well into the 20th century.
Topics include today’s leading chess libraries and the use of digitized chess texts and research on the Web. Special attention is given to the columns that appeared in newspapers (national and provincial) and magazines from 1813 onwards. These articles, usually weekly, provide a wealth of information on early chess, much of which is not to be found elsewhere. The lengthy first appendix, an A to Z of almost 600 chess columns, constitutes a detailed research aid. Other appendices include corrections and supplements to standard works of reference on chess.
Newly Published: Tiger Stadium
New on our bookshelf today:
Tiger Stadium: Essays and Memories of Detroit’s Historic Ballpark, 1912–2009
Edited by Michael Betzold, John Davids, Bill Dow, John Pastier and Frank Rashid
Built in 1911, Detroit’s Tiger Stadium provided unmatched access for generations of baseball fans. Based on a classic grandstand design, its development through the 20th century reflected the booming industrial city around it. Emphasizing utility over adornment and offering more fans affordable seats near the field, it was in every sense a working class ballpark that made the game the central focus.
Drawing on the perspectives of historians, architects, fans and players, the author describes how Tiger Stadium grew, adapted and thrived, and how it was demolished in 2008—a casualty of racism and corporate welfare. Chronological diagrams illustrate the evolution of the playing field.
Newly Published: Chasing Charlie
New on our bookshelf today:
Chasing Charlie: A Force Recon Marine in Vietnam
Richard Fleming
Richard Fleming served as a scout with the elite U.S. Marine 1st Force Reconnaissance Company during the bloodiest years of the Vietnam War. Dropped deep into enemy territory, Recon relied on stealth and surprise to complete their mission—providing intelligence on enemy positions, conducting limited raids and capturing prisoners. Fleming’s absorbing memoir recounts his transformation from idealistic recruit to cynical veteran as the war claimed the lives of his friends and the missions became ever more dangerous.
Newly Published: Melungeon Portraits
New on our bookshelf today:
Melungeon Portraits: Exploring Kinship and Identity
Tamara L. Stachowicz
At a time when concepts of racial and ethnic identity increasingly define how we see ourselves and others, the ancestry of Melungeons—a Central Appalachian multi-racial group believed to be of Native American, African and European origins—remains controversial.
Who is Melungeon, how do we know and what does that mean? In a series of interviews with individuals who claim Melungeon heritage, the author finds common threads that point to shared history, appearance and values, and explores how we decide who we are and what kind of proof we need to do so.
Newly Published: The Incomparable Hildegarde
New on our bookshelf today:
The Incomparable Hildegarde: The Sexuality, Style and Image of an Entertainment Icon
Monica Storme Gallamore
The Incomparable Hildegarde (1906–2005) lived a life of glamour and excitement. She began her career as a pianist in Milwaukee’s silent movie theaters, which led to the Vaudeville stage. By the 1930s, she was singing in the cabarets of Paris and London, rubbing elbows with royalty, White Russians, and Josephine Baker. Returning to the U.S., she became the darling of the New York City supper club scene. Her name and style became synonymous with high-class entertainment at venues like the Persian Room at the Plaza Hotel. She started fashion trends, had her own signature Revlon nail and lip color, and was the first to have hits with many standards of the World War II era.
This first biography of Hildegarde Sill covers her 70–year career, emphasizing her importance in 20th-century American popular culture. The author analyzes her intimate relationship with her manager of two decades, Anna Sosenko.
Newly Published: Eminent Charlotteans
New on our bookshelf today:
Eminent Charlotteans: Twelve Historical Profiles from North Carolina’s Queen City
Scott Syfert
Inspired by the 2010 “Spirit of Mecklenburg”—a bronze statue of Captain James Jack, “the South’s Paul Revere,” in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina—this history details the lives of 12 Charlotteans who made important contributions to the Queen City, from the early Colonial period to the 20th century. Subjects include Catawba Indian chief King Haigler, Founding Father Thomas Polk, freed slave Ishmael Titus, African American celebrity barber Thad Tate and North Carolina’s first woman physician, Annie Alexander.
Newly Published: Jessica Jones, Scarred Superhero
New on our bookshelf today:
Jessica Jones, Scarred Superhero: Essays on Gender, Trauma and Addiction in the Netflix Series
Edited by Tim Rayborn and Abigail Keyes
Jessica Jones barged onto our screens in November 2015, courtesy of Marvel and Netflix, presenting a hard-drinking protagonist who wrestles with her own inner (and outer) demons. Gaining enhanced abilities as a teenager, she eschews the “super costume” and is far more concerned with the problems of daily life. But when Jessica falls under the control of a villain, her life changes forever.
Based on the comic book Alias, the show won a large following and critical acclaim for its unflinching look at subjects like abuse, trauma, PTSD, rape culture, alcoholism, drug addiction, victims’ plight and family conflicts.
This collection of new essays offers insight into the show’s complex themes and story lines.
Newly Published: Repeating and Multi-Fire Weapons
New on our bookshelf today:
Repeating and Multi-Fire Weapons: A History from the Zhuge Crossbow Through the AK-47
Gerald Prenderghast
From the very earliest days of organized warfare, combatants have wanted to develop weapons with more firepower. This has inevitably led to a wide variety of repeating weapons, capable of a degree of sustained fire without reloading.
Based largely upon new research, this book explores the history of repeating and multi-fire weapons, beginning with the Chinese repeating crossbow in the 4th century BCE, and ending with the world’s most common firearm, the Kalashnikov AK-47. The author describes the potency of the machine gun in World War I, the development of the semiautomatic pistol and the role of the submachine gun in improving the effectiveness of the infantryman.
Newly Published: Roosevelt’s Revolt
New on our bookshelf today:
Roosevelt’s Revolt: The 1912 Republican Convention and the Launch of the Bull Moose Party
John C. Skipper
The presidential election of 1912 was the only one whose candidates included an incumbent president, a former president and a future president. Theodore Roosevelt, in the Oval Office from 1901 to 1909, chose not to run again. When his former Secretary of War, William Howard Taft, took controversial actions as his successor, Roosevelt challenged him for the 1912 Republican nomination. Taft emerged as the nominee and Roosevelt ran as a third-party candidate on the Progressive (Bull Moose) ticket, causing a split in the GOP that allowed Democrat Woodrow Wilson to win the presidency.
The author examines the election in detail and traces the effects of Roosevelt’s actions on the Republican Party for decades. Appendices detail Republican primary results and all of the parties’ platforms and provide a summary of presidential assassinations and attempts.
Opening Day Baseball Sale
We have all caught spring fever here at McFarland, and we’re certain that’s the case with many of our readers, as well! We’re offering a surprise sale coinciding with Opening Day. When you order direct from our website with the coupon code OpeningDay40, print editions of all baseball
books are 40% off beginning Opening Day, March 29 through Easter Monday April 2.
New Health & Wellness Catalog Available Now
Browse our new catalog of books about health and wellness—and get 20% off with the coupon code HEALTHWELL! This coupon code is valid through May 1, 2018.
Weekly Deal: Spring Training
This week, get 20% off books about spring training in Major League Baseball with the coupon code SPRING!
Idols of the Spring: Baseball Interviews About Preseason Training
The Great Red Sox Spring Training Tour of 1911: Sixty-Three Games, Coast to Coast
We Rise to Resist Receives Starred Review in Booklist
We Rise to Resist: Voices from a New Era in Women’s Political Action
Edited by Paula vW. Dáil and Betty L. Wells
“For every person who railed in private or public protest against assaults on our nation’s cherished institutions, Dail’s anthology provides essential validation, affirming that dissent eventually works and that one’s outrage need not be in vain.”—Booklist (starred review)
J.L. Wilkinson and the Kansas City Monarchs Wins 2018 SABR Baseball Research Award
William A. Young’s J.L. Wilkinson and the Kansas City Monarchs has been named a 2018 SABR Baseball Research Award winner. The judges praised the book for providing “new insights into the relationship between the Negro Leagues and Judge Landis and the leagues’ role in Jackie Robinson’s ascension,” as well as for its focus on “the central role played by Wilkinson in maintaining the institution of Negro League baseball.” Read the announcement here.
Weekly Deal: Celtic Studies
This week, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 20% off all Celtic studies books! Enter the coupon code CELTIC at checkout!
Celtic Astrology from the Druids to the Middle Ages
The Druids and King Arthur: A New View of Early Britain
Celtic Cosmology and the Other World: Mythic Origins, Sovereignty and Liminality
Weekly Deal: The Academy Awards
This week, get 20% off all books about the Academy Awards when you use the coupon code OSCAR!
Oscar’s Favorite Actors: The Winningest Stars (and More Who Should Be)
Foreign Language Films and the Oscar: The Nominees and Winners, 1948–2017
Hollywood Musicals Nominated for Best Picture
Behind the Scenes with Hollywood Producers: Interviews with 14 Top Film Creators
Encyclopedia of Motion Picture Sound
Western Film Highlights: The Best of the West, 1914–2001
Feature Films, 1940–1949: A United States Filmography
Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television
Art Directors in Cinema: A Worldwide Biographical Dictionary
Best Songs of the Movies: Academy Award Nominees and Winners, 1934–1958
The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 through 1932
The Fox Film Corporation, 1915–1935: A History and Filmography
Two Books Reviewed in March Issue of Choice
Library World Records, 3d ed.
Godfrey Oswald
“Simply fun to browse…a tremendous resource for researchers and authors wishing to incorporate library facts and statistics into their work…recommended.”—Choice
The Morals of Monster Stories: Essays on Children’s Picture Book Messages
Edited by Leslie Ormandy
“A valuable resource for future analysis…recommended.”—Choice
Newly Published: Assembling the Marvel Cinematic Universe
New on our bookshelf today:
Assembling the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Essays on the Social, Cultural and Geopolitical Domains
Edited by Julian C. Chambliss, William L. Svitavsky and Daniel Fandino
The Marvel Cinematic Universe—comprised of films, broadcast television and streaming series and digital shorts—has generated considerable fan engagement with its emphasis on socially relevant characters and plots. Beyond considerable box office achievements, the success of Marvel’s movie studios has opened up dialogue on social, economic and political concerns that challenge established values and beliefs. This collection of new essays examines those controversial themes and the ways they represent, construct and distort American culture.
Three New Titles Reviewed in February Issue of Choice
Egyptomania Goes to the Movies: From Archaeology to Popular Craze to Hollywood Fantasy
Matthew Coniam
“Informative and fun…provides much interesting detail…recommended.”
Player and Avatar: The Affective Potential of Videogames
David Owen
“An engaging book…approachable, topical, and well sourced…recommended”
P.D. James: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction
Laurel A. Young
“Recommended”
H.P. Lovecraft: Selected Works Reviewed in Booklist
H.P. Lovecraft: Selected Works, Critical Perspectives and Interviews on His Influence
H.P. Lovecraft Edited by Leverett Butts
“This collection is highly recommended both for those looking to engage with Lovecraft’s work in the classroom and for readers new to Lovecraft and looking for a broad sampling of his work.”—Booklist
Newly Published: The Mistaken History of the Korean War
New on our bookshelf today:
The Mistaken History of the Korean War: What We Got Wrong Then and Now
Paul M. Edwards
Much of the history of the Korean War has been misinterpreted or obscured. Intense propaganda and limited press coverage during the war, coupled with vague objectives and an incomplete victory, resulted in a popular narrative of partial truth and factual omission. Battlefield stories—essentially true but often missing significant data—added an element of myth. Drawing on a range of sources, the author, a Korean War veteran, reexamines the war’s causes, costs and outcomes.
Newly Published: Harry Potter and Convergence Culture
New on our bookshelf today:
Harry Potter and Convergence Culture: Essays on Fandom and the Expanding Potterverse
Edited by Amanda Firestone and Leisa A. Clark
Since the 1997 publication of the first Harry Potter novel, the “Potterverse” has seen the addition of eight feature films (with a ninth in production), the creation of the interactive Pottermore© website, the release of myriad video games, the construction of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, several companion books (such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), critical essays and analyses, and the 2016 debut of the original stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
This collection of new essays interprets the Wizarding World beyond the books and films through the lens of convergence culture. Contributors explore how online communities tackle Sorting and games like the Quidditch Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, and analyze how Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are changing fandom and the canon alike.
New in Softcover: The Creature Chronicles
Now available in softcover:
The Creature Chronicles: Exploring the Black Lagoon Trilogy
Tom Weaver, David Schecter and Steve Kronenberg
He was the final addition to Universal’s “royal family” of movie monsters: the Creature from the Black Lagoon. With his scaly armor, razor claws and a face only a mother octopus could love, this Amazon denizen was perhaps the most fearsome beast in the history of Hollywood’s Studio of Horrors. But he also possessed a sympathetic quality which elevated him fathoms above the many aquatic monsters who swam in his wake.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Gill Man and his mid–1950s film career (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature, The Creature Walks Among Us) is collected in this book, packed to the gills with hour-by-hour production histories, cast bios, analyses, explorations of the music, script-to-screen comparisons, in-depth interviews and an ocean of fin-tastic photos.
New Spring 2018 Catalog Available Now
Our Spring 2018 New Books catalog is now available—click to see what our authors have in store for the new year!
Weekly Deal: Philadelphia
This week, celebrate the Eagles’ first Super Bowl win with 20% off all books about Philadelphia—use coupon code PHILLY at checkout!
Connie Mack’s First Dynasty: The Philadelphia Athletics, 1910–1914
Philadelphia Quakers and the Antislavery Movement
Ed Bolden and Black Baseball in Philadelphia
A’s Bad as It Gets: Connie Mack’s Pathetic Athletics of 1916
Lefty Grove and the 1931 Philadelphia Athletics
Timothy Matlack, Scribe of the Declaration of Independence
Walter Penn Shipley: Philadelphia’s Friend of Chess
Occasional Glory: The History of the Philadelphia Phillies, 2d ed.
Steve Carlton and the 1972 Phillies
The Fairmount Park Motor Races, 1908–1911
Yuengling: A History of America’s Oldest Brewery
Mack, McGraw and the 1913 Baseball Season
The Fall of the 1977 Phillies: How a Baseball Team’s Collapse Sank a City’s Spirit
Base Ball in Philadelphia: A History of the Early Game, 1831–1900
Connie Mack’s ’29 Triumph: The Rise and Fall of the Philadelphia Athletics Dynasty
The 1964 Phillies: The Story of Baseball’s Most Memorable Collapse
Jimmie Foxx: The Life and Times of a Baseball Hall of Famer, 1907–1967
Charles Brockden Brown and the Literary Magazine: Cultural Journalism in the Early American Republic
The Integration of Baseball in Philadelphia
The Summer of ’64: A Pennant Lost
Mike Schmidt: Philadelphia’s Hall of Fame Third Baseman
The Athletics of Philadelphia: Connie Mack’s White Elephants, 1901–1954
Newly Published: Goon
New on our bookshelf today:
Goon: Memoir of a Minor League Hockey Enforcer, 2d ed.
Doug Smith with Adam Frattasio
Directionless yet driven by a fervent desire to make something of himself, Doug “The Thug” Smith took his only marketable job skill—amateur boxing—and followed an unlikely career path to become a hockey enforcer, a.k.a. “goon.” Entrusted with aggressively protecting his teammates from tough guys on the opposing team, he punched, elbowed and cross-checked his way up the ranks of minor league hockey to win a championship ring and the respect of his community. His entertaining underdog story is the subject of the cult-classic motion picture Goon (2011) and its sequel Goon: Last of the Enforcers (2017).
Gen Con 2017
Gen Con may be sold out, but McFarland is just getting started—visit our booth in the exhibit hall, where the best scholarship on gaming and pop culture is on sale now!
New Vietnam War Memoirs Catalog Available
Browse our new catalog, featuring the best true accounts of combat in the Vietnam War, and get 20% off your purchase with the coupon code VIETNAM17! This sale is valid through November 15, 2017.
San Diego Comic Con 2017
We’re back in San Diego for another Comic Con—stop by our booth in the exhibit hall for the best in pop culture scholarship!
Weekly Deal: Beer
This week, through May 28, 2017, get 20% off all books about beer when you use the coupon code HOPS!
Yuengling: A History of America’s Oldest Brewery
Bootleggers and Beer Barons of the Prohibition Era
The Nation’s Capital Brewmaster: Christian Heurich and His Brewery, 1842–1956
Beer 101 North: Craft Breweries and Brewpubs of the Washington and Oregon Coasts
Beer in Maryland: A History of Breweries Since Colonial Times
Alcohol and Opium in the Old West: Use, Abuse and Influence
Alcohol in the Movies, 1898–1962: A Critical History
’80s Action Movies on the Cheap Reviewed in Booklist
’80s Action Movies on the Cheap: 284 Low Budget, High Impact Pictures
Daniel R. Budnik
“A treat for cult movie fans.”—Booklist
Newly Published: A Life in Code
New on our bookshelf today:
A Life in Code: Pioneer Cryptanalyst Elizebeth Smith Friedman
G. Stuart Smith
Protesters called it an act of war when the U.S. Coast Guard sank a Canadian-flagged vessel in the Gulf of Mexico in 1929. It took a cool-headed codebreaker solving a “trunk-full” of smugglers’ encrypted messages to get Uncle Sam out of the mess: Elizebeth Smith Friedman’s groundbreaking work helped prove the boat was owned by American gangsters.
This book traces the career of a legendary U.S. law enforcement agent, from her work for the Allies during World War I through Prohibition, when she faced danger from mobsters while testifying in high profile trials. Friedman founded the cryptanalysis unit that provided evidence against American rum runners and Chinese drug smugglers. During World War II, her decryptions brought a Japanese spy to justice and her Coast Guard unit solved the Enigma ciphers of German spies. Friedman’s “all source intelligence” model is still used by law enforcement and counterterrorism agencies against 21st century threats.
Weekly Deal: Arthur, King of the Britons
This week, through May 14, 2017, get 20% off all books about King Arthur when you use the coupon code ARTHURIANA!
Warriors and Wilderness in Medieval Britain: From Arthur and Beowulf to Sir Gawain and Robin Hood
Religion in Britain from the Megaliths to Arthur: An Archaeological and Mythological Exploration
The Chivalric Romance and the Essence of Fiction
Chivalric Stories as Children’s Literature: Edwardian Retellings in Words and Pictures
The British Heroic Age: A History, 367–664
The Glory of Arthur: The Legendary King in Epic Poems of Layamon, Spenser and Blake
Hengest, Gwrtheyrn and the Chronology of Post-Roman Britain
King Arthur’s European Realm: New Evidence from Monmouth’s Primary Sources
The Holy Grail on Film: Essays on the Cinematic Quest
Evidence of Arthur: Fixing the Legendary King in Factual Place and Time
Arthurian Animation: A Study of Cartoon Camelots on Film and Television
Glastonbury and the Grail: Did Joseph of Arimathea Bring the Sacred Relic to Britain?
The Druids and King Arthur: A New View of Early Britain
Chrétien de Troyes and the Dawn of Arthurian Romance
Medieval Arthurian Epic and Romance: Eight New Translations
Cinema Arthuriana: Twenty Essays, rev. ed.
Arthurian Figures of History and Legend: A Biographical Dictionary
Arthurian Legends on Film and Television
Movie Medievalism: The Imaginary Middle Ages
The Historic King Arthur: Authenticating the Celtic Hero of Post-Roman Britain
Sir Gawain and the Classical Tradition: Essays on the Ancient Antecedents
The Grail Procession: The Legend, the Artifacts, and the Possible Sources of the Story
King Arthur in Popular Culture
The King Arthur Myth in Modern American Literature
The Holy Grail: The Legend, the History, the Evidence
Weekly Deal: Cannabis Studies
This week, though May 7, 2017, get 20% off all cannabis studies titles when you enter the coupon code CANNABIS!
