The Bible is moving, inspirational and endlessly fascinating - but is it true? Starting with Genesis and the implicit background to the birth of Christ, Robin Lane Fox sets out to discover how far biblical descriptions of people, places and events are confirmed or contradicted by external written and archaeological evidence. He turns a sharp historian's eye on when and where the individual books were composed, whether the texts as originally written exist, how the canon was assembled, and why the Gospels give varying accounts even of the trial and condemnation of Jesus.
Chronicles the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ, based on the texts of the Gnostic gospels and other early Christian writings that were not included in the authorized version of the New Testament.
The Dead Kennedys roared to life in the late 1970s: their left-wing political stance, shock tactics, and messages of rebellion against corruption stirred everybody up, including Tipper Gore and her pack of conservative music-banning buddies. This book focuses on the band from its conception through its breakup in the mid-1980s, and includes reproductions of flyers, promo shots, snippets of interviews, lyrics, and rare photos. Lead singer Jello Biafra's candidacy in the 1979 San Francisco mayoral race is also entertainingly detailed.
The author recreates the world from the second to the fourth century A.D., when the gods of Olympus lost their dominion, and Christianity, with the conversion of Constantine, triumphed in the Mediterranean world.
Hailed as one of the most in-depth portraits of a band ever presented, "Get Back" traces, minute-by-minute, every move that the Beatles made during the fateful month of January 1969.
For the first time in English comes a remarkable literary discovery. In 1928, Turkish author Ali Riza Seyfioglu pirated Bram Stoker's Dracula, rewriting it with new material, patriotic overtones, and Islam. A rare example of a "bootleg" novel, it's also the first adaptation to plainly identify Dracula as the historical warlord Vlad the Impaler. When a modern Istanbul is threatened by the invasion of an ancient vampire, three veterans of the Turkish War of Independence are thrust into a conflict with their nation's hereditary enemy. Seyfioglu boldly reworks Stoker's classic tale, retelling it from the unique perspective of a people once routed by the real-life Dracula. Dracula in Istanbul: The Unauthorized Version of the Gothic Classic also includes a foreword by Anno Dracula author Kim Newman, an introduction by Turkish translation scholar Sehnaz Tahir Gurcaglar, an afterword on the 1953 movie adaptation by film scholar Iain Robert Smith, and several rare photos from the film. From movie and vampire buffs to literary scholars, there's enough here to delight all the children of the night.
This is the first book to combine an authoritative history of the Star Trek franchise—including all six television series and eleven feature films—with anecdotes about the show from those who helped shape it from the outside in: the fans. Star Trek expert Robert Greenberger covers everything from show creator Gene Roddenberry’s initial plans for a series combining science-fiction and Western elements, the premiere of the original series in 1966, its cancellation, the franchise’s return in an animated series, and its subsequent history on television and film, up to expectations for the 2013 J.J. Abrams film. Along the way, Greenberger analyzes Star Trek’s unique cultural impact and tremendous cult following, including the famous (and first ever) save-the-show mail campaign. But this isn't a sugarcoated history; this book chronicles the missteps as well as the achievements of Roddenberry and others behind the franchise. Approximately two dozen sidebars provide personal experiences of dedicated Trekkies who influenced or became a part of the franchise. Star Trek fandom is unparalleled in the effects it has had on the franchise itself. The book is illustrated with a large collection of photographs of memorabilia, many of which have never been seen before in print.
A celebration of Superman's life and history?in time for his 75th birthday How has the Big Blue Boy Scout stayed so popular for so long? How has he changed with the times, and what essential aspects of him have remained constant? This fascinating biography examines Superman as a cultural phenomenon through 75 years of action-packed adventures, from his early years as a social activist in circus tights to his growth into the internationally renowned demigod he is today. Chronicles the ever-evolving Man of Steel and his world?not just the men and women behind the comics, movies and shows, but his continually shifting origin story, burgeoning powers, and the colorful cast of trusted friends and deadly villains that surround him Places every iteration of the Man of Steel into the character's greater, decades-long story: From Bud Collyer to Henry Cavill, World War II propagandist to peanut butter pitchman, Super Pup to Super Friends, comic strip to Broadway musical, Lori Lemaris to Lois & Clark?it's all here Affectionate, in-depth analyses of the hero's most beloved adventures, in and out of the comics?his most iconic Golden Age tales, goofiest Silver Age exploits, and the contemporary film, television, and comics stories that keep him alive today Written by NPR book critic, blogger, and resident comic book expert, Glen Weldon
