Our new Westerns catalog is available now, featuring books about Western films and literature, and the history of the American West!
Category: Pop Culture & Performing Arts
Cheryl M. Willis Visits Charlie Rose
Author Cheryl M. Willis visited New York to induct Ludie Jones into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame and to tour the Apollo Theater. Pictured here, Willis met with CBS’s Charlie Rose on set! Check out her new book Tappin’ at the Apollo: The African American Female Tap Dance Duo Salt and Pepper—and be sure to follow McFarland on Instagram.
Newly Published: Now with Kung Fu Grip!
New on our bookshelf today:
Now with Kung Fu Grip! How Bodybuilders, Soldiers and a Hairdresser Reinvented Martial Arts for America
Jared Miracle
Why do so many Americans practice martial arts? How did kung fu get its own movie genre? What makes mixed martial arts so popular? This book answers these questions for the first time with historical research.
At the turn of the 20th century, the United States enjoyed a time of prosperity but feared that men were becoming soft. At the same time, the Japanese government sponsored research to develop the best fighting techniques for its new empire. Before World War II, American men boxed and Japanese men practiced judo and karate. Postwar Americans began adopting Chinese, Brazilian, Filipino and other fighting styles, in the process establishing a masculine subculture based on physical and social power.
The rise of Asian martial arts in America is a fascinating untold story of modern history, from the origin of karate uniforms to the first martial arts themed birthday party. The cast of characters includes circus strongmen, professional cage fighters, an award winning comic book artist, the inventors of judo, aikido and Cornflakes, and Count Juan Raphael Dante, a Chicago hairdresser and used car salesman with the “Deadliest Hands in the World.” Readers will never look at taekwondo class the same way again.
Books about Outlander
The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander: The Scottish Fairies, Folklore, Ballads, Magic and Meanings That Inspired the Series
Valerie Estelle Frankel
Outlander is much more than a television romance about a World War II nurse and a Jacobite soldier in a fetching kilt. The series—and the massive serial novel on which it is based—has been categorized as a period drama, adventure saga, military history and fantasy epic. Inspired by the Irish legends of Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the prophecies of Brahan Seer, the storyline is filled with mythology and symbolism from around the world, from the Fair Folk and the Loch Ness monster to wendigos, ghosts, zombies and succubae.
Literary references abound, from the Bible to the classics, to Shakespeare and the English romantic poets. The series is also rich with its own symbolism: heather and white roses, the dragonfly in amber, Claire’s blue vase and wedding gown, her wedding rings and pearl necklace. This book untangles the myriad of myths, legends, symbols and literary references found in the series.
Adoring Outlander: Essays on Fandom, Genre and the Female Audience
Edited by Valerie Estelle Frankel
What is behind Outlander fever—the hit television drama’s popularity? Is it author Diana Gabaldon’s teasing posts on social media? Is it the real history reimagined? The highly emotional melodrama?
Or is it the take-charge heroine and the sweet hero in a kilt? One of the show’s biggest draws is its multigenre appeal. Gabaldon—whose Outlander novels form the basis of the series—has called it science fiction, fantasy, romance, historical fiction and military fiction, depending on her audience.
This collection of new essays explores the series as romance, a ghost story, an epic journey, a cozy mystery, a comedy of manners, a gothic thriller and a feminist answer to Game of Thrones, and considers the source of its broad appeal.
Outlander’s Sassenachs: Essays on Gender, Race, Orientation and the Other in the Novels and Television Series
Edited by Valerie Estelle Frankel
A time travel epic featuring history and romance, Outlander—unlike most adventure series—is aimed at women audiences. The kilted male characters, the female narrator, the fantastic period costumes are atypical of male-gendered television. Both the show and the novels on which it is based address issues most series shy away from, like breast feeding, abortion and birth control. Role reversals are common—the powerful Claire rescues her virginal husband Jamie from sexual abuse. When the villainous Black Jack Randall displays his genitals to the heroine Jenny, she laughs.
This collection of new essays examines Outlander as an exploration of what it meant and means to be a capable woman, in the 18th century and in the modern world. As Claire explores different models of strength in both periods, Jamie comes to understand the nuances of male honor, power and alternative sexuality through the contrasting figures of Black Jack and Lord John. As the heroes negotiate the complications of marriage and life, they make discoveries about gender that resonate with modern audiences.
Keep Watching the Skies!
In case you missed it: Keep Watching the Skies!, one of our all-time bestsellers, is now available in lower-priced softcover and ebook formats! (Hardcover aficionados don’t fret – this “21st Century Edition” is still available in the hardcover, jacketed, bookmarked format, too).
Library Journal noticed the new formats, writing “this detailed chronicle from a devoted sf buff is recommended for film studies students and dedicated aficionados of the genre,” and Booklist called it “the premier reference for this subject.”
Get the softcover here, or pick up the ebook from your favorite vendor!
April 2016 Newsletter
Our April 2016 newsletter is now available—if it’s not in your inbox, and you’d like to receive our newsletters in the future, please take a moment to subscribe!
Hurry to take advantage of our holiday sale!
Our big holiday sale is almost over—but there’s still time to order! Use the coupon code HOLIDAY2015 for 30% off any order of two or more books!
Take Advantage of our Holiday Sale!
Still shopping for holiday gift ideas? Check out our holiday catalog, and get 30% off your order of two or more books with the coupon code HOLIDAY2015!
Books about Star Wars
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New Superheroes Catalog Available Now!
Check out our brand-new superheroes catalog—and get 20–30% off your order today!
Use the coupon code SUPERHEROES2016 for 20% your order of one book.
Use the coupon code HOLIDAY2015 for 30% off your order of two or more books.
Weekly Deal: James Bond
As Spectre tops the box office for the second consecutive week, we’re reading about Ian Fleming’s superspy in film, literature and video games. Through November 22, 2015, get 20% off the following books with the coupon code BLOFELD! Or, pick two or more books and get 30% off with the coupon code HOLIDAY2015!
James Bond and Popular Culture: Essays on the Influence of the Fictional Superspy
The Signs of James Bond: Semiotic Explorations in the World of 007
The Legend Returns and Dies Harder Another Day: Essays on Film Series
Albert J. Luxford, the Gimmick Man: Memoir of a Special Effects Maestro
Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962–1973
Game On, Hollywood!: Essays on the Intersection of Video Games and Cinema
CONFERENCE: Gen Con Time!
It’s that time of year again! McFarland is in Indy for Gen Con: the original, longest-running, and best-attended gaming convention in the world! It’s no small thing to keep up with gamers from all 50 states and more than 40 countries, but we’ll do our best.
Peanuts Greatest Hits and Vince Guaraldi at the Piano
We’re excited to share that this Friday, Peanuts Greatest Hits will be released. This collection features twelve of the most memorable recordings from the beloved Peanuts television specials, all with the sophisticated yet accessible jazz stylings of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The album includes liner notes by Derrick Bang, Peanuts historian and author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano. Happy reading, listening and watching!
EXAM COPIES AVAILABLE: The Sociology of Sports
Instructors, to examine The Sociology of Sports: An Introduction, 2d ed. as a prospective textbook for your course, contact us using our exam copy request form.
“The authors are well-informed and reasonable, and they write clearly. If this text is not the best on the market, it is at least a contender for the number-one spot. Recommended”—Choice
In its second edition, this book takes a fresh approach to the study of sports, presenting key concepts such as socialization, economics, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, politics, the media and the role of sports in society. The authors offer a critical examination but highlight also the many positive aspects of sports. Each chapter concludes with a popular culture section, showing how films, television, video games, music and short stories have contributed to our understanding of sports’ significance to our lives.
Other features include up-to-date information—such as statistics on player and owner salaries—and a look at recent controversies in sports, such as performance-enhancing drugs, domestic violence, online gambling and the growing concern over concussions and post-career health problems. The value of sports for people with physical disabilities and special needs is discussed, as well as the development of sports studies programs and the continuing importance of “sportsmanship.” The final chapter explores how social media, as well as new forms of virtual reality and the prevalence of video gaming, are reshaping the concept of what constitutes a sport.
CONFERENCES: Comic-Con Gallery
The Mission of Comic-Con
Comic-Con International San Diego is a nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.
McFarland is getting ready to do its part at Comic-Con this week. Create awareness—check. Appreciate comics and related popular art forms—check. We’ll also copiously document all the spectacle that is this event: stay tuned.
Fan Studies and Comic-Con
With San Diego Comic-Con International commencing in just a few days, it is a timely moment to take another look at recent fan studies explorations by Ben Bolling and Matthew J. Smith (It Happens at Comic-Con), Bill Schelly (Founders of Comic Fandom), Kristin M. Barton and Jonathan Malcolm Lampley (Fan CULTure), and Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse (Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet).
It Happens at Comic-Con: Ethnographic Essays on a Pop Culture Phenomenon
This “engrossing” (Midwest Book Review) collection seeks to expand fan studies, exploring Comic-Con International more deeply than any publication before it. Ben Bolling is a Jacob K. Javits Fellow in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Matthew J. Smith is a professor of communication and director of cinema studies at Wittenberg University, where he teaches courses in media, including television criticism and graphic storytelling.
Founders of Comic Fandom: Profiles of 90 Publishers, Dealers, Collectors, Writers, Artists and Other Luminaries of the 1950s and 1960s
In the 1950s and ’60s, a grassroots movement arose to celebrate comic books and strips, which were becoming increasingly important to American popular culture. “Meticulously researched and thoroughly documented” (School Library Journal), profiled here are the people at the heart of the movement. Bill Schelly has been chronicling the history of popular culture since the 1960s, beginning with his magazine Sense of Wonder. He has written or edited several books, and is associate editor of the Eisner Award–winning magazine Alter Ego.
Fan CULTure: Essays on Participatory Fandom in the 21st Century
This “highly recommended” (Choice) collection explores how present-day fans interact with the films, television shows, books, and pop culture artifacts they love. Kristin M. Barton is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication at Dalton State College in Dalton, Georgia. Jonathan Malcolm Lampley is a prolific contributor to many popular-culture periodicals and publications.
Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet: New Essays
The essays in this “useful and thought-provoking” (SFRA Review) volume explore the world of fan fiction—its purposes, how it is created, how the fan experiences it. Karen Hellekson is a copy editor and independent scholar. She writes book reviews for Publishers Weekly and lives in Jay, Maine. Kristina Busse teaches in the Department of Philosophy at the University of South Alabama and has previously written about fan fiction and fan culture. She is the founding coeditor of Transformative Works and Cultures.
Ashe County: Where McFarland Resides
Authors, customers, friends, and fans: if you’ve ever wondered what McF’s mountain town is like, have a look at this neat response about our area from a recent vacationer. (A special nod, too, to our Boondocks friends who regularly support us in a number of ways.) We love where we live!
Tom Weaver’s Creature Chronicles Receives Rondo Award at Wonderfest
It’s Celebrate an Author Wednesday…and honestly, there’s just not enough time in the day (or the week, or month) to properly praise the prolific Tom Weaver. Among his most recent accolades is the Rondo Award, given at the Wonderfest Convention for his Creature Chronicles. Have a listen to David Schecter’s acceptance speech—good stuff! Congratulations, Tom!
Christopher Lee
At McFarland, we are mourning the loss of English actor Christopher Lee, who passed away on Sunday, June 7 at the age of 93. In a career spanning nearly 70 years, he appeared in over 200 films and rose to fame as Frankenstein’s monster and Count Dracula in a series of horror films for the Hammer studio. New generations of fans were introduced to Lee in the Lord of the Rings film series and Star Wars prequels.
CONFERENCE: Origins Game Fair 2015
McFarland is exhibiting at the annual conference of the Origins game Fair June 3rd-7th in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to our book display and sale, editors will be on hand to discuss manuscript ideas. Click here to browse McFarland’s books about popular culture.
The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander
Many a McFarlander will shift attention to the Outlander series finale tomorrow evening, and we hope you will, too (9 pm on STARZ). Dinna fash, Sassenachs—you’ll be especially prepared with this detailed tome in hand: Valerie Estelle Frankel’s The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander. Nous sommes prêts! More McF titles are coming down the pipeline on both the books and television series, so stay tuned!
CONFERENCE: ConCarolinas
It’s no secret that we at McFarland are fans of sf and fantasy (and horror, gaming, cosplay, and all the rest!). So we’re very excited to attend this year’s ConCarolinas in Concord, NC., May 29-31. Klingon Karaoke, anyone? See you there!
TBT! McFarland author Heather Urbanski
We’re looking back today…specifically, at the year 2007 when Heather Urbanski approached us with Plagues, Apocalypses and Bug-Eyed Monsters (“Impressive”—Film and History; “provocative”—Children’s Literature Association Quarterly; “insightful”—Science Fiction Studies); then at 2010 when Writing and the Digital Generation came down the pipeline (“Captured my heart and engaged my mind”—Science Fiction Studies), and then at 2013 when we received The Science Fiction Reboot. Is the prolific Heather done? Not even close. Stay tuned for more great stuff on historical memory both in pop culture and in Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian Fiction.
(Here she is in April of 2015, receiving a special faculty award at the National Popular Culture meeting in NOLA. Keep up the good work, Heather!)
Guillermo del Toro
The first full trailer for Crimson Peak has officially dropped and we at McFarland, like most film geeks, are smitten with Guillermo. This R-rated gothic tale looks to be right up our dimly lit, fear-filled alley. Don’t get us wrong, Pacific Rim (2013), the last film he directed, had great visual effects (giant robots vs. giant monsters — we’re so there!) and giddy sense of fun, but we’re glad he’s firmly back in the horror and dark fantasy …genre.
Now’s the time to catch up on the Mexican director’s previous works (Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labryinth, etc.) with The Supernatural Cinema of Guillermo del Toro. This new collection of essays is edited by John W. Morehead and features a foreword by frequent del Toro collaborator Doug Jones. Now if they’ll just let Guillermo finally make his At the Mountains of Madness movie, all will be right with the world — at least the terrifying underworld portion of it.
Books edited by John W. Morehead:
The Supernatural Cinema of Guillermo del Toro: Critical Essays 2015
Joss Whedon and Religion: Essays on an Angry Atheist’s Explorations of the Sacred 2013 (co-edited with Anthony R. Mills and J. Ryan Parker)
The Characters of The Walking Dead coming 2016 (co-edited with Kim Paffenroth)
CONFERENCE: Medieval Studies
One of our favorite times of year is the chance to dwell among 3,000+ of the world’s most knowledgeable medievalists. This week McFarland is participating in the 50th annual International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo.
McFarland Does Star Wars
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas unleashed his science fiction epic, Star Wars, on an unsuspecting public. Technically it was thirty-eight years ago (May 25, 1977), but still, it seems like another universe. Two trilogies and billions of dollars later, the countdown is on for the next episode. A new trailer for The Force Awakens was recently released and we’re big enough to admit that we teared up as Han Solo told Chewbacca, “We’re home.”
Wipe away those tears and fire up the hyperdrive — the Millennium Falcon is back on the Kessel run! Check out our Star Wars-related titles, and, as always, may the force be with you.
The Monomyth in American Science Fiction Films by Donald E. Palumbo.
The Empire Triumphant: Race, Religion and Rebellion in the Star Wars Films by Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr.
Culture, Identities and Technology in the Star Wars Films: Essays on the Two Trilogies by Carl Silvio and Tony M. Vinci
Sword Fighting in the Star Wars Universe: Historical Origins, Style and Philosophy by Nick Jamilla
The Star Wars Heresies: Interpreting the Themes, Symbols and Philosophies of Episodes I, II and III by Paul F. McDonald
The Politics of Big Fantasy: The Ideologies of Star Wars, The Matrix and The Avengers by John McDowell
Vader, Voldemort and Other Villains: Essays on Evil in Popular Media by Jamey Heit
The Science Fiction Reboot: Canon, Innovation and Fandom in Refashioned Franchises by Heather Urbanski
The Legend Returns and Dies Harder Another Day: Essays on Film Series by Jennifer Forrest
The Galaxy Is Rated G: Essays on Children’s Science Fiction Film and Television by R.C. Neighbors and Sandy Rankin
Game On, Hollywood!: Essays on the Intersection of Video Games and Cinema by Gretchen Papazian and Joseph Michael Sommers
Harrison Ford: The Films by Brad Duke
The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948–2003 by Tom Johnson and Mark A. Miller
Daniel Coston’s North Carolina Musicians, Avett Brothers, and MerleFest
Okay, music fans….McF has mentioned MerleFest more than once in recent days—because it’s a BIG DEAL. The Avett Brothers, for example, will take over the Watson Stage at MerleFest on Saturday night at 9:30–just some of the performers covered in Daniel Coston’s North Carolina Musicians. If you’re in the NC mountains, go there. If you’re not, make plans to go there someday. In the interim, we’ll entice you with the festival line-up. Happy weekend, everyone!
Celebrating Matthew Kapell, Ace Pilkington, The Fantastic Made Visible, and Tattoos
Forget TBT. Today, in conjunction with the release of The Fantastic Made Visible, we hold Celebrate an Author Wednesday on Thursday, as that’s just the sort of thing upon which Matthew Kapell would insist. Our first conversations with Matthew began nearly a decade ago, and we’ve delightedly been part of his vision for taking over the world via critical explorations of popular culture ever since. For every book he publishes, Matthew gets a corresponding tattoo. He now bears four designs related to his McF publications, including his forthcoming essay collection on the ludic/narrative dichotomy in digital games. (For insight into the stories behind the ink, see his McF titles.)
For more than twenty years, Ace Pilkington—coeditor of The Fantastic Made Visible—has served as the literary seminar director for the Utah Shakespeare Festival. In December, 2014, Ace won an Enchanted Conversation flash fiction contest with a story about Saint Nicholas, Krampus, and Grandfather Frost. In addition to his forthcoming McF book on science fiction and futurism, he’s also writing a novel that includes Ivan the Fool, Russian folklore, and Napoleon Bonaparte.
(Busy men, both.)
Drop us a line for a 20% discount on The Fantastic Made Visible, good now through Sunday, April 26th. Just use the coupon code FANTASTIC.
Ann Anderson’s High School Prom (and TBT: McFarlandite Proms of the Past)!
Love is the air…or maybe that’s just the smell of teen spirit, adolescent angst, and the hustle and bustle of dress alterations surrounding PROM SEASON. Wondering what the fuss is all about? Look no further than Ann Anderson’s High School Prom: Marketing, Morals and the American Teen. “Focusing on social and economic trends, this volume examines the evolution of the prom, the development of the billion-dollar prom industry, and the event’s place in popular culture, including its portrayal in film, television, and literature.”
Instructors, history researchers, and pop culture enthusiasts—drop us a line for more information.
And, McF fans, for further entertainment, we offer you a dose of Thursday throwback: McFarlandite prom pictures from days of yore. Enjoy!
A Library Journal Starred Review: Neil Gaiman in the 21st Century
Neil Gaiman in the 21st Century: Essays on the Novels, Children’s Stories, Online Writings, Comics and Other Works by Tara Prescott
“An intriguing anthology of essays…fascinating…academics and readers who enjoy Gaiman’s books will appreciate the care put into this impressive collection”—Library Journal
McFarland authors and friends wrap up the National Popular Culture meeting for 2015!
See you next time in Seattle!
OFF TO THE PRINTER: Symbolism and Sources of Outlander
As if the return of the Outlander television series for its second half of its first season (April 4, 9:00 p.m. EST) wasn’t enough excitement for kilt aficionados, we’ve just sent Valerie Frankel’s The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander: The Scottish Fairies, Folklore, Ballads, Magic and Meanings That Inspired the Series off to the printer! In addition to its literary, historical and mythological references, Gabaldon’s writing is also rich with its own symbolism: heather and white roses, the dragonfly in amber, Claire’s blue vase and wedding gown, her wedding rings and pearl necklace. This book untangles the myriad of myths, legends, symbols and literary references found in the series.
The book is expected later this April…pre-orders now being accepted.
Ireland and Irish-interest books
Naomh sásta lá patrick ar!
We hope you’ve got your green on! To help celebrate the day, we’re offering a 20% discount on all our Ireland and Irish-interest offerings now through Sunday, March 22nd.
Terry Pratchett
Author of the Week: John Stewart
It’s Celebrate an Author Wednesday and our hats are off to John Stewart, winner of numerous reference book awards, and a McFarland author for more than three decades. (Really!)
His latest work is Jefferson Davis’s Flight from Richmond, a thorough study of the events surrounding April 2, 1865, when Richmond, the Confederate capital, was evacuated and burned, when the government fled, when slavery was finished in North America, and when Union forces entered the city and the outcome of the Civil War was effectively sealed. The book closely examines all relevant source material, much of it newly discovered by Stewart himself.
For more info or to order this title (or his many others), click through to the pages in McFarland’s online catalog.
African States and Rulers, 3d ed.
Kyra Hicks – Black Threads: An African American Quilting Sourcebook
It’s Celebrate an Author Wednesday and we’d like to call your attention to Kyra Hicks’ Black Threads: An African American Quilting Sourcebook.
One million African Americans spend approximately $118 million annually on quilting. Some believe that recent studies of oral histories telling of the role quilting played in the Underground Railroad have inspired African Americans to take up their fabric and needles, but whatever the reason, quilters like Faith Ringgold, Clementine Hunter, Winnie McQueen, and many others are keeping the African American traditions of quilting alive. Hicks’ work is the first comprehensive guide to African American quilt history and contemporary practices.
What the review media says about Hicks’ Black Threads: “Extraordinary…an impressive annotated bibliography…recommended”—Choice; “unique and invaluable”—Midwest Book Review; “most comprehensive and fascinating…a wealth of valuable information”—Quilt Connection; “comprehensive…an amazing reference book”—The Professional Quilter.
Black Threads is available in hardcover with a color insert for $35! To order, or for more information about the book, go to the book’s page in the McFarland online catalog.
Library Journal Review: JRR Tolkien, Robert E Howard and the Birth of Modern Fantasy
About Deke Parson’s J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard and the Birth of Modern Fantasy , Library Journal says: “Parsons discusses the influence of the 1930s on three writers … J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), Robert Howard (Conan the Barbarian), and Jerry Siegel (cocreator, Superman) … elegant and thought provoking … recommended for readers interested in the fantasy genre, as well as those who wish to learn more about literary criticism and pop culture.”
For more about the book, or to order your copy, see the book in the McFarland online catalog.
AWARDS: Choice Outstanding Academic Title
Choice, the premier source for reviews for academic books, announced their 2014 Outstanding Academic Titles earlier this month. Congratulations to authors S.L. Kotar and J.E. Gessle (Cholera: A Worldwide History) and John A. Lent (Southeast Asian Cartoon Art: History, Trends and Problems) for their outstanding academic titles!
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones Presentation at the Company Theater near Boston! Award-winning author Valerie Estelle Frankel discusses Game of Thrones, inspiration for her five books including Women in Game of Thrones. Learn how George RR Martin’s prophecies and the classic heroine’s journey foretell the ending. Daenerys’s surprising path becomes clear as she “wakes the dragon” and harnesses a surprising magic. Is Jon Snow destined to be her lover, her nemesis, her sacrifice, or all three? And what of Tyrion? Or Arya? What does Varys really want? Discover the deeper meaning of black dragons, golden roses, seasons, heraldic colors, and all the symbols of ice and fire. Share your secret longings and fears for the upcoming season, as we prepare for the oncoming storm. Saturday, February 28, 2015 – 8:00 pm. The event is on sale–tickets are down to $10 for a short time. http://companytheatre.com/game-of-thrones-a-look-beyond-the-wall/
Weekly Deal: Elvis
Elvis would’ve turned 80 last week – some might say he did turn 80 on his own private island, or that he spent his birthday drinking coffee at an Arby’s in Terre Haute – and we’re celebrating the King in style. Through January 18, 2015, get 20% off the following books when you enter the coupon code TCB!
Elvis Cinema and Popular Culture
Big Mama Thornton: The Life and Music
The Man Who Made the Jailhouse Rock: Alex Romero, Hollywood Choreographer
Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Cinema: Interviews with 20 Actresses from Biker, Beach, and Elvis Movies
Drive-in Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties
Fall Girl: My Life as a Western Stunt Double
Trippin’ with Terry Southern: What I Think I Remember
Catch That Rockabilly Fever: Personal Stories of Life on the Road and in the Studio
WEEKLY DEAL: Tolkien Studies
McFarland & Company, at your service! (Thank you, Bilbo, for teaching us proper etiquette.) While we’d like to offer you all ale, seed-cake, mince pies, buttered scones, apple tarts and cheese, we do have some fine scholarship about Tolkien to share (links listed below). And in lieu of burgling a dragon’s hoard for you, we’re extending a 20% discount with the coupon code HOARD. This “weekly” deal is good through New Year’s. (New deal coming January 2, 2015.)
Tolkien and the Study of His Sources: Critical Essays
J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard and the Birth of Modern Fantasy
The Evolution of Tolkien’s Mythology: A Study of the History of Middle-earth
The Hobbit and Tolkien’s Mythology: Essays on Revisions and Influences
Tolkien and the Modernists: Literary Responses to the Dark New Days of the 20th Century
Picturing Tolkien: Essays on Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy
The Body in Tolkien’s Legendarium: Essays on Middle-earth Corporeality
Tolkien and Shakespeare: Essays on Shared Themes and Language
Tolkien in the New Century: Essays in Honor of Tom Shippey
Middle-earth Minstrel: Essays on Music in Tolkien
Weekly Deal: Christmas
The office tree is decorated, and we’re sharing the Christmas spirit with this week’s deal – through December 14, 2014, get 20% off the following books when you enter the coupon code WENCESLAS!
The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3d ed.
CALL FOR REVIEWERS: Tales of Superhuman Powers
Are you a book review editor, reviewer, or folklorist interested in receiving a media copy of Tales of Superhuman Powers: 55 Traditional Stories from Around the World? McFarland has a supply of review copies available upon request. Contact us via our review copy request form, filling out the form completely, to receive your copy.
Csenge Virág Zalka, a Hungarian storyteller, has collected 55 foltktales from around the world about supernatural abilities like superhuman strength, invulnerability, flying, heightened senses, speed, invisibility, healing, agility, precognition, telepathy, fire manipulation, teleportation, water powers, and shifting. These tales represent powers that people have dreamed of, conjured up and strived for through the ages. Many of the powers are present in popular culture, making the superheroes who wield them the direct descendants of characters such as the princess who could see through walls or the invulnerable Isfandiyar. Zalka excluded stories about magic or about gods with divine powers, and focused on less well-known stories. She included information on similar heroes, the ability in the story, sources of the powers, the origin of the story, teachings in it, the recommended age group, sources, variants, and comments.
#folklore #superheoes #comics #popculture
BOOK AWARD: Mythopoeic Society's Award for Inklings Studies
Congratulations to author Jason Fisher whose Tolkien and the Study of His Sources was awarded the Mythopoeic Society’s Mythopoeic Scholarship Award for Inklings Studies for 2014. Terrific work!
Throw Back Thursday!
We’re pretty certain she’s more Firefly than Forbidden Planet, but executive vice-president Rhonda Herman sure looks like she intends to “keep watching the skies!” On her desk are more than 3000 pages of science fiction movies that from 1950 through 1962 terrified and fascinated a generation with robots and invading aliens of every kind. #tbt
Keep Watching the Skies!
American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties, The 21st Century Edition
by Bill Warren
McFarland Celebrates 35 Years
On April 1st, 1979, founder Robert McFarland Franklin departed Plainfield, New Jersey, heading south in a Volkswagen bug towing a U-Haul. With wife Cheryl behind the wheel, Robert began company operations on a yellow pad in his lap.
Thirty-five years ago, libraries provided almost the sole market (but a robust one!) for the heavily-researched books that McFarland made its specialty. Over the decades, the company won ever-growing numbers of devoted readers who appreciated the care McFarland and its authors lavished on our books. Our authors, a throng of thousands now, teach us something new every day.
We’re having an open house Friday, June 20, from noon until 5:00. Join us for tours, conversation, punch, finger food, art and books.
Call Your Mummy on Mother's Day?
Ken Jeremiah, author of Living Buddhas: The Self-Mummified Monks of Yamagata, Japan and Christian Mummification: An Interpretative History of the Preservation of Saints, Martyrs and Others, was featured in a recent article by iO9 about how to mummify yourself. As one might imagine, the monks of Yamagata did not decide to mummify themselves on the spur of the moment. According to Jeremiah, there was “a 3,000-day training process for turning an ordinary ascetic’s body into a mummy’s. The key element of the process is dietary; Japanese ascetics would commonly abstain from cereals, removing wheat, rice, foxtail millet, pros so millet, and soybeans. Instead, they would eat things like nuts, berries, pine needles, tree bark, and resin (which is why the diet of the sokushinbutsu was called mokujikyo, or tree-eating.” Go here for io9’s entire article about self-mummification.
And good for the month of May, there is a 20% discount on mummy books with the coupon code MUMMY. Mummy Books from McFarland:
Living Buddhas: The Self-Mummified Monks of Yamagata, Japan
Christian Mummification: An Interpretative History of the Preservation of Saints, Martyrs and Others
Mummies in Nineteenth Century America: Ancient Egyptians as Artifacts
The Mummy Unwrapped: Scenes Left on Universal’s Cutting Room Floor
The Mummy in Fact, Fiction and Film
Modern Mummies: The Preservation of the Human Body in the Twentieth Century
The Egyptian Pyramids: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference
Ancient Egypt in the Popular Imagination: Building a Fantasy in Film, Literature, Music and Art
Boris Karloff: A Critical Account of His Screen, Stage, Radio, Television and Recording Work
CONFERENCE: International Congress on Medieval Studies
Kalamazoo, Michigan, is the home of Bell’s Brewery and the International Congress on Medieval Studies. If you are in K’zoo, stop by the McFarland book stand and remind senior acquisitions editor Gary Mitchem that we’re counting on him to return with some Hopslam and a rune-hallowed seax!
TEXTBOOK: An Introduction to World Cinema, 2d ed
In print since 2000 and now in its second edition, this textbook provides two things: the history of film as an art form and an analysis of its impact on society and politics. Chapters are arranged chronologically, covering the major developments in film, like the advent of talkies or the French New Wave. Each era is examined in the context of several exemplary films commonly viewed in film studies courses. Thus students can watch Birth of a Nation and Intolerance while studying the innovations made by D.W. Griffith from 1910 to 1919. The scope is global, embracing the cinematic traditions of Asia, Latin America and Africa, as well as the ever important American and European output. Thoughtful articles from film scholars are included.
The flexible structure of An Introduction to World Cinema allows a variety of options for classroom use or personal study. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.
Celebrate 2014 with the best possible gift: books!
Our holiday sale ends today, Dec. 31st, so don’t delay! Best wishes to all from your McFarland friends…happy reading! Enjoy 20% off your order through today. On the McFarland website, use coupon code HOLIDAY in the cart as you are checking out. Or, call toll-free 800-253-2187 (Mon-Fri 8:00am to 4:30pm Eastern Time). http://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/2013/11/holiday-sale/
REVIEW: Encyclopedia of Fairies
Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology is “meticulously researched” and “most helpful” according to the American Library Association in the most recent issue of Booklist. From the A-senee-ki-waku of northeastern North America to the Zips of Central America and Mexico, this encyclopedia includes more than 2,500 individual beings and species of fairy and nature spirits from a wide range of mythologies and religions from all over the globe. Entries include variations of the fairy name, as well as sources for that particular entry. There is a lengthy introduction to the subject, an extensive bibliography and a complete index.
REVIEW: Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology
Move over, Elf on the Shelf, we’re thinking about fairies! A recent Library Journal review of our Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology says: “More than 2,000 individual fairies and species of fairy from around the world and across time, as well as helpful entries on the phenomenon as observed in various geographic areas. Well done. For writers, mythologists, and fairy tale lovers and scholars in high school, public, and academic libraries.” Check it out for all kinds of history, mischief, and magic!
North Carolina Musicians
We can all use a little more music in our lives and we lucky North Carolinians are surrounded by quite a bit of it. Read on for more information about Daniel Coston’s recently published: North Carolina Musicians.
Video Watchdog #175
Video Watchdog #175 is now out in both print and digital formats. Digital versions of the current issue are always free!
Author and Sociologist Robert Bartholomew on Mass Hysteria in Schools
The Atlantic Monthly magazine ran a major article about recent outbreaks of mass hysteria in two United States schools apparently spread by Facebook. McFarland author and sociologist Robert Bartholomew, who lends his expertise to the article, “is is not surprised by the outbreak in the slightest.” Go here for the full article.
Books authored and coauthored by Robert Bartholomew:
Mass Hysteria in Schools: A Worldwide History Since 1566
The Martians Have Landed! A History of Media-Driven Panics and Hoaxes
The Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon: 30 Years Old Today
Over on GeekDad, contributor John Booth writes about how Dungeons & Dragons came to Saturday morning cartoon land 30 years ago. The cartoon was beloved by gamers and non-gamers alike. Regarding the D&D game the cartoon was adapted from, Booth says:
“I loved it. I was 12 years old, and, although I had a Fiend Folio and several AD&D modules, I never really learned to play the game for real. My friend Mike and I rolled up characters — often cheating terribly: You’ve never seen so many 18s — and took turns guiding each other through adventures in a manner that would be an insult to the term “DMing.” But we had fun, and our imaginations were sparked by the books and settings.”
Read more at GeekDad.
For McFarland books about gaming and gaming culture, browse here.
AWARD WINNER: Vince Guaraldi at the Piano
Derrick Bang, author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano, will be hanging up an at home thanks to the Association for Recorded Sound Collections. His richly detailed book earned the award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research in Jazz. He explores the jazzman further on his blog, http://impressionsofvince.blogspot.com/.
CONFERENCE: Gen Con Indy 2013
Calling all gamers! We’re getting excited to travel up to Indy this week for GenCon! http://www.gencon.com/
Weekly Deal: Vikings
This week, July 22-26, get 20% off the following books about Vikings when you enter the coupon code SAGA:
James Arness Paperback Has Been Announced
The late James Arness penned one of McFarland’s all-time bestsellers. The autobiography of the World War II vet and television icon, originally published in its library edition on September 11, 2001, is coming to paperback soon.
There are many personal revelations of interacting with some of the Gunsmoke family ensemble, such as Miss Kitty, Doc and Festus. His own work as a producer is covered. Throughout are rare, previously unpublished photographs from the author’s personal collection. Appendices include comments by show biz colleagues and fellow Gunsmoke alumni, and a sampling of letters received from his legions of fans. Actor and fellow Gunsmoke performer Burt Reynolds has written a foreword to the book.
