Book (scenes and monologues)

Hans Christian Andersen himself frames four classic tales, with the fabulous story of his own 'ugly duckling' life. Vanity, beauty and magic both real and imagined spring to life in each play. -- Publisher's description.

The Midwest has produced a robust literary heritage. Its authors have won half of the nation's Nobel Prizes for Literature plus a significant number of Pulitzer Prizes. This volume explores the rich racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region. It also contains entries on 35 pivotal Midwestern literary works, literary genres, literary, cultural, historical, and social movements, state and city literatures, literary journals and magazines, as well as entries on science fiction, film, comic strips, graphic novels, and environmental writing. Prepared by a team of scholars, this second volume of the Dictionary of Midwestern Literature is a comprehensive resource that demonstrates the Midwest's continuing cultural vitality and the stature and distinctiveness of its literature.

Stanley Kubrick had a great talent for creating memorable images--such as his famous jump cut from a bone tossed into the prehistoric sky to a spaceship orbiting the earth in 2001. Like the composer of a great symphony, Kubrick also had the ability to draw his memorable moments into a lyrical whole. Balancing harmony with discord, he kept viewers on edge by constantly shifting relationships among the dramatic elements in his movies. The results often confounded expectations and provoked controversy, right up through Eyes Wide Shut, the last film of his life. This book is an intensive, scene-by-scene analysis of Kubrick's most mature work--seven meticulously wrought films, from Dr. Strangelove to Eyes Wide Shut. In these films, Kubrick dramatized the complexity and mutability of the human struggle, in settings so diverse that some critics have failed to see the common threads. Rasmussen traces those threads and reveals the always shifting, always memorable, always passionately rendered pattern. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

"Eighth-grader Michael Ahrens has a lot on his mind: his grandfather has just been diagnosed with cancer. Michael spends time in science class trying to come up with a Science Fair project that might help. Michael's teacher, Mr. Conrad, suggests that he visit Harvey Scheetz, the self-proclaimed certifiable lunatic and ghost-hunter who owns and operates the Cosmic Connections Museum at the Off the Deep End Flea Market next door to Reliable Junk. Michael, his "almost girlfriend," Stefanie, and oddball best friend, Dwink, are entertained by Harvey's inventions, including a ghost-hunting glove and intergalactic telecommunications device. When Michael stumbles upon a "flying machine" made out of junk, he becomes very cynical. The machine is for Turk, a young friend of Harvey's, who has terminal cancer. Michael and his friends watch Harvey demonstrate the features of the machine and give Turk a thrilling trial run. Back at school, Michael blows up in front of Mr. Conrad, complaining that Harvey is giving the girl false hope as "no one can do anything about cancer." But later, all three young people are moved as Harvey lifts the fragile Turk into the flying machine, which vibrates with bells, whistles, lights and electronic sounds as it rocks about. The little girl "flies" as her new friends cheer her on. Months later, Michael goes to Harvey's lab only to find the inventor inert and depressed over the recent death of Turk. Michael tries to cheer Harvey up, showing him pictures he took of Turk and the flying machine, but nothing moves Harvey from his depression. Michael, on the other hand, has created, from junk, a science fair-winning touch pad remote control for his grandfather. Harvey is consumed by the memory of one child he couldn't save, while before him is Michael--whose view of science, the imagination, and healing has been changed forever by the magic of Harvey's Reliable Junk."--Publisher's website.