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Literary/Classics

Great Lives Series: Edgar Allan Poe

Fri, 02/19/2010 - 14:21 | Virginia Johnson
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"We are not impotent- we pallid stones.
Not all our power is gone- not all our fame-
Not all the magic of our high renown-
Not all the wonder that encircles us-
Not all the mysteries that in us lie-
Not all the memories that hang upon
And cling around about us as a garment,
Clothing us in a robe of more than glory."
---From "The Coliseum" by Edgar Allan Poe

A History of Classic Science Fiction: A.E. Van Vogt and E.E. "Doc" Smith

Fri, 02/12/2010 - 16:45 | John Gaines
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Cover to Triplanetary

The period of time from the late 1930s to the end of the 1950s is commonly known as the "Golden Age" of science fiction.  The Golden Age was noted for the volume of science fiction produced due to the large number of science fiction-oriented pulp magazines and the depth of the creative talent involved.  Many of the writers working in this period established concepts that would have a tremendous cultural impact on their readers.

Heroes in the Library

Tue, 12/15/2009 - 17:39 | Christine Carlson
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It’s one of life’s ironies that you don’t realize how much someone’s impacted your life until they’re gone. More specifically, you realize that you never told that person how much they meant. It isn’t until they pass that you think, “Oh! I wish I had said something!” You think about how that person shaped who you are, in major or even subtle ways, and sometimes realize that you wouldn’t be you if it weren’t for that person’s influence, guidance, or mere presence in your life.

Jane Austen Over and Over and Over

Thu, 12/10/2009 - 14:55 | Meg Raymond
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What is is about Jane Austen?  If you have read her books over and over and over, maybe you are ready to try something a little different.  Her stories have been re-told and re-imagined in prequels and sequels and in various time periods and settings.  Her characters even make literary appearances as zombies and vampires.  Browse our new booklist, Jane Austen Over and Over and Over.

A History of Detective Fiction: Literary Origins

Thu, 11/12/2009 - 13:49 | John Gaines
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Actor Clive Brook as Sherlock Holmes

Detective and crime-related stories are one of the most popular genres of fiction. In literary form, detective novels are so numerous that publishing companies devote entire labels to the genre and release hundreds of entries per year. Detective/crime-related narratives have become a major part of television programming, with networks basing their entire primetime schedule around crime-related series.

A History of Classic Monsters: Frankenstein’s Creature

Wed, 10/21/2009 - 11:43
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Frankenstein's Creature as portrayed by Boris Karloff in the 1931 film
Frankenstein’s Creature has many differences from other popular monsters associated with Halloween.  Rather than being based off an ancient legend, religious concept, or historical figure, his origin is solely literary in nature, being confined to one book.  Despite this, public perception of the Creature has changed greatly since the publication of the original novel, leading to wildly divergent styles and plotlines in its various film adaptations.

A History of Classic Monsters: Mummies

Fri, 10/16/2009 - 09:34 | John Gaines
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Lon Chaney in The Mummy's Curse

There are many monsters associated with Halloween. Besides Dracula and his kind, mummies are among the most fascinating of these. The mummies appearing in horror films and literature have many differences, but some things remain constant: they are cursed to remain alive forever. They also have a doomed romantic attraction to at least one mortal woman and a burning hatred of all other mortals that has endured for centuries.

A History of Classic Monsters: Dracula

Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:48 | John Gaines
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Scene from Nosferatu

Many people find one of the most enjoyable aspects of Halloween to be the myriad creatures associated with it. Legendary villains like Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein, and zombies of all stripes emerge on or about October 31st in the forms of costumes, films, and books.  America’s tendency to associate such creatures with Halloween is so embedded in our culture that we frequently forget that most of these creatures--or at least the versions of them we best remember--are relatively recent creations that are often less than two centuries old.

Frank McCourt: The Man Himself

Mon, 08/24/2009 - 15:14 | Virginia Johnson
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When Frank McCourt passed last month, he left behind memoirs filled with anguish, love, and dark merriment.  Personal experiences are what this Irish-American author took and shaped into works of sorrowful beauty.

Islands of Sorcerers and Unlikely Pilgrims

Fri, 08/07/2009 - 13:16 | Virginia Johnson
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A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

No one really liked Duny. The boy was wild, proud, and full of temper-- well-suited to the company of the goats he herded. Then came the day when he overheard his aunt chanting a spell to call her goat down from the roof of her house. He remembered the rhyme and later spoke it to his own herd:

"Noth hierth malk man hiolk han merth han!"