"Over the past decade Molly McQuade has emerged -- both as a critic and an editor -- as one of the most quietly influential intelligences in American poetry. Her work is so accessible that we haven't readily used the most accurate and inevitable word to describe it -- visionary. McQuade has envisioned a more vital and democratic literary culture, and she has helped make it happen. This new collection, which so persuasively combines the familiar essay with the literary profile, shows how she has enlarged the public conversation about American poetry." -- Dana Gioia
"We watch what is moving fast from a platform that is also moving fast," writes Geoffrey O'Brien in the beginning of Stolen Glimpses, Captive Shadows. This collection—gathering the best of a decade's worth of writing on film by one of our most bracing and imaginative critics—ranges freely over the past, present, and future of the movies, from the primal visual poetry of the silent era to the dizzying permutations of the merging digital age. Here are 38 searching essays on contemporary blockbusters like Spider–Man and Minority Report; recent innovative triumphs like The Tree of Life and Beasts of the Southern Wild; and the intricacies of genre mythmaking from Chinese martial arts films to the horror classics of Val Lewton. O'Brien probes the visionary art of classic filmmakers—von Sternberg, Fod, Cocteau, Kurosawa, Godard—and the implications of such diverse recent work as Farenheit 9/11, The Passion of Christ, and The Sopranos. Each of these pieces is alert to the always–surprising intersections between screen life and real life, and the way that film from the beginning has shaped our sense of memory and history.
Marcus of Anglesmore is ordered by King Edward III to marry Genith, daughter of a rebel Welshman whose followers are still a threat. The king believes this marriage will give him an advantage, but plans go awry when Marcus becomes enchanted with Nesta, Genith's sister. Yet the course of their lives--and the destinies of their two nations--could be forever altered as they surrender to the most daring seduction of all. (August)
The Stolen Twin is a standalone psychological thriller in The Riverview Mysteries series by USA Today bestselling author Michele PW (Pariza Wacek). Ideal for fans who love twisty mystery and suspense novels with a touch of romance. On the surface, Kit Caldwell has it all. A senior in college with her future ahead of her, lots of friends, lots of parties…not to mention also having the eye of Tommy, the star quarterback of the football team. But underneath, Kit's life is a charade, built on a foundation of secrets and lies, including one so dark it threatens to tear her world apart: her twin sister, Cat, was kidnapped when they were both seven, never to be heard from again. That is, until one dark Halloween night. But is it really Cat? Or is it someone else, someone who is playing a sinister and deadly game? "What an AMAZING book. I was hooked from beginning to the end.” Sofia Danokaras Tsotrou. Goodreads reviewer "All in all an excellent story, and a really great read. There were quite a few twists and turns I didn't see coming!" Barbara Fields, Goodreads reviewer "I'm the type of person that typically reads for 30 minutes up to an hour before I go to sleep each night. I started doing the same with this book when I started reading it. But after I read about 25% I couldn't put it down. It's fast paced, page turning and I ended up spending most of a day reading it just to finish it, I had to know what was going to happen next. What I really enjoyed about this book was the fact that I was unable to predict how it was going to end or even where the author was going with the story line, I loved that. Everything was new and exciting. It was well written and I hope to read more from this author in the future." Tracy, Goodreads reviewer
By turns an impoverished laborer, a renegade adventurer, a war correspondent in Mexico, a declared socialist, and a writer of enormous popularity the world over, Jack London was the author of brilliant works that reflect his ideas about twentieth-century capitalist societies while dramatizing them through incidents of adventure, romance, and brutal violence. His prose, always brisk and vigorous, rises in The People of the Abyss to italicized horror over the human degradations he saw in the slums of East London. It also accommodates the dazzling oratory of the hero of The Iron Heel, an American revolutionary named Ernest Everhard, whose speeches have the accents of some of London’s own political essays, like the piece (reprinted in this volume) entitled “Revolution.” London’s prophetic political vision was recalled by Leon Trotsky, who observed that when The Iron Heel first appeared, in 1907, not one of the revolutionary Marxists had yet fully imagined “the ominous perspective of the alliance between finance capitalism and labor aristocracy.” Whether he is recollecting, in The Road, the exhilarating camaraderie of hobo gangs, or dramatizing, in Martin Eden, a life like his own, even to the foreshadowing of his own death at age forty, or confessing his struggles with alcoholism in the memoir John Barleycorn, London displays a genius for giving marginal life the aura of romance. Violence and brutality flash into life everywhere in his work, both as a condition of modern urban existence and as the inevitable reaction to it. Though he is outraged in The People of the Abyss by the condition of the poor in capitalist societies, London is even more appalled by their submission, and in the novel he wrote immediately afterward, The Call of the Wild (in the companion volume, Novels and Stories), he constructed an animal fable about the necessary reversion to savagery. The Iron Heel, with its panoramic scenes of urban warfare in Chicago, envisions the United States taken over by fascists who perpetuate their regime for three hundred years. It constitutes London’s warning to his fellow socialists that mere persuasion is insufficient to combat a system that ultimately relies on force. LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.
This Excellent Collection brings together Jack London's longer, major books and a fine selection of shorter pieces and Fiction Books. These Books created and collected in Jack London's Most important Works illuminate the life and work of one of the most individual writers of the XX century - a man who elevated political writing to an art. John Griffith London (born John Griffith Chaney; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916) was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. He was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction. His most famous works include "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang", both set in the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of Parlay", and "The Heathen". London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of unionization, workers' rights, socialism, and eugenics. He wrote several works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction exposé "The People of the Abyss", "War of the Classes", and "Before Adam". This Collection included: 1. A Daughter of the Snows 2. The Call of the Wild 3. The Sea-Wolf 4. The Game 5. White Fang 6. The Iron Heel 7. Martin Eden 8. Burning Daylight 9. Adventure 10. The Scarlet Plague 11. A Son of the Sun 12. The Valley of the Moon 13. The Mutiny of the Elsinore 14. The Jacket (The Star-Rover) 15. The Little Lady of the Big House 16. Jerry of the Islands 17. Michael, Brother of Jerry 18. Before Adam 19. The Son of the Wolf 20. Children of the Frost 21. Tales of the Fish Patrol 22. Lost Face 23. South Sea Tales 24. The House of Pride and Other Tales of Hawaii 25. Smoke Bellew 26. The Turtles of Tasman 27. On the Makaloa Mat 28. The Road 29. John Barleycorn 30. When God Laughs and Other Stories 31. Dutch Courage and Other Stories 32. The Human Drift and Other Stories 33. The God of His Fathers: Tales of the Klondyke 34. Love of Life and Other Stories 35. The Red One 36. The Night-Born 37. War of the Classes 38. The Faith of Men 39. The Strength of the Strong 40. Moon-Face and Other Stories 41. A Thousand Deaths 42. Up The Slide 43. The Sundog Trail 44. The Acorn-Planter 45. Theft 46. The People of the Abyss 47. Revolution and Other Essays 48. The Cruise of the Snark
Like cowboys turning in the saddle to look at where they came from, Searching for the Castle documents the backtrail of author Barbara Leigh Ohrstrom's adoption. It begins with her urgency as an eighteen-year-old woman initiating her search for her birth parents. Her recollection includes court petitions, letters, Division of Social Service documents, and other original documents usually buried behind the lock and key of the law. In this memoir, she narrates the unearthing of her history and that of her family. Some of her discoveries are filled with pain, while others are joyful, including locating sisters, another brother, and eventually nieces and a nephew. A story of how one woman comes to terms with her identity, Searching for the Castle tells of real people doing the best they can to live and love in the often heartbreaking circumstances of life. As Ohrstrom shares her journey to find her birth parents, she reveals her emotions throughout the process, discovering that her identity is self-created, but also that her being is governed, in part, by her ancestors and family lines. Searching for the Castle communicates the message that love creates families and that the family to which Ohrstrom belonged in foster care gave her a mother, father, and family filled with love and decency.
This collection is trying to uncover who was this incredible charismatic author, what hides behind the adventurous life anecdotes he wrote about, what were his convictions, dreams and what were his darkest hours. Content: "The Road" is London's account of London's experiences as a hobo in the 1890s, during the worst economic depression the United States had experienced up to that time. "The Cruise of the Snark" chronicles London's sailing adventure in 1907 across the south Pacific in his ketch the Snark. Accompanying London on this voyage was his wife Charmian London and a small crew. "John Barleycorn" is an autobiographical account of Jack London dealing with his enjoyment of drinking and struggles with alcoholism. "The People of the Abyss" describes London's experiences about life in the East End of London in 1902. He wrote this first-hand account after living in the East End for several months, sometimes staying in workhouses or sleeping on the streets. "Martin Eden" is a novel about a young proletarian autodidact, former sailor, struggling to become a writer. Eden is a semi-autobiographical character, based on London himself. "The Mutiny of the Elsinore" - After death of the captain, the crew of a ship split between the two senior surviving mates. The novel is based on London's voyage around Cape Horn on the Dirigo. Short Stories: Tales of the Fish Patrol - As a 16 year old man, Jack London became a member of the California Fish Patrol. These are the stories drawn from his experiences in catching fish poachers. The Human Drift is a collection of short sketches, stories and essays, mostly concerning sailing and London's love for sea. Essays: Through The Rapids on the Way to the Klondike From Dawson to the Sea Our Adventures in Tampico… Jack London was an American novelist, journalist, railroad hobo, gold prospector, sailor, poet, socialist, an oyster pirate, war correspondent and a rancher.
The Complete Novels of Jack London 22 Adventure Classics in One Volume (Illustrated) is a comprehensive collection of works by the acclaimed author Jack London. Known for his adventurous tales set in the wild landscapes of the Yukon and the Pacific, London's writing style is characterized by vivid descriptions, intense action, and a deep exploration of human nature. This anthology includes classics such as 'The Call of the Wild', 'White Fang', and 'The Sea-Wolf', offering readers a glimpse into the world of rugged frontiersmen, brave dogs, and the harsh realities of survival. Jack London drew inspiration from his own experiences as a sailor, prospector, and socialist activist. His firsthand knowledge of the challenges of living on the edge of civilization infuses his writing with authenticity and a unique perspective on the human condition. London's works continue to captivate readers with their thrilling adventures and thought-provoking themes of survival, struggle, and the enduring spirit of mankind. I highly recommend The Complete Novels of Jack London to anyone interested in adventure literature, nature writing, or classic American fiction. This collection showcases the talent and versatility of Jack London, making it a must-read for fans of gripping storytelling and timeless themes.
