Download or read book The Modern Christmas in America written by William Waits and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 1994-10 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An historical survey of American Christmas that describes how the modern holiday emerged. It traces the evolution from years prior to 1880, when people presented one another simple, handmade presents, through the late 19th century when industrialization inundated the celebration with inexpensive "tawdry" trinkets, to today. Includes photographs of store and product advertising. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Download or read book Library of Congress Subject Headings written by Library of Congress and published by . This book was released on with total page 2024 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Library of Congress Subject Headings written by Library of Congress. Cataloging Policy and Support Office and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Christmas in America written by Penne L. Restad and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1996-12-05 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The manger or Macy's? Americans might well wonder which is the real shrine of Christmas, as they take part each year in a mix of churchgoing, shopping, and family togetherness. But the history of Christmas cannot be summed up so easily as the commercialization of a sacred day. As Penne Restad reveals in this marvelous new book, it has always been an ambiguous meld of sacred thoughts and worldly actions-- as well as a fascinating reflection of our changing society. In Christmas in America, Restad brilliantly captures the rise and transformation of our most universal national holiday. In colonial times, it was celebrated either as an utterly solemn or a wildly social event--if it was celebrated at all. Virginians hunted, danced, and feasted. City dwellers flooded the streets in raucous demonstrations. Puritan New Englanders denounced the whole affair. Restad shows that as times changed, Christmas changed--and grew in popularity. In the early 1800s, New York served as an epicenter of the newly emerging holiday, drawing on its roots as a Dutch colony (St. Nicholas was particularly popular in the Netherlands, even after the Reformation), and aided by such men as Washington Irving. In 1822, another New Yorker named Clement Clarke Moore penned a poem now known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," virtually inventing the modern Santa Claus. Well-to-do townspeople displayed a German novelty, the decorated fir tree, in their parlors; an enterprising printer discovered the money to be made from Christmas cards; and a hodgepodge of year-end celebrations began to coalesce around December 25 and the figure of Santa. The homecoming significance of the holiday increased with the Civil War, and by the end of the nineteenth century a full- fledged national holiday had materialized, forged out of borrowed and invented custom alike, and driven by a passion for gift-giving. In the twentieth century, Christmas seeped into every niche of our conscious and unconscious lives to become a festival of epic proportions. Indeed, Restad carries the story through to our own time, unwrapping the messages hidden inside countless movies, books, and television shows, revealing the inescapable presence--and ambiguous meaning--of Christmas in contemporary culture. Filled with colorful detail and shining insight, Christmas in America reveals not only much about the emergence of the holiday, but also what our celebrations tell us about ourselves. From drunken revelry along colonial curbstones to family rituals around the tree, from Thomas Nast drawing the semiofficial portrait of St. Nick to the making of the film Home Alone, Restad's sparkling account offers much to amuse and ponder.

Download or read book The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part XXX written by David Marcum and published by Andrews UK Limited. This book was released on 2022-02-09 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Featuring Contributions by: D.J. Tyrer, Andrew Bryant, Tim Gambrell, Geri Schear, Jayantika Ganguly, Paula Hammond, Susan Knight, Arthur Hall, Kevin Thornton, Arthur Hall, Michael Mallory, J.S. Rowlinson, Julie McKuras, Kevin Thornton, Naching T. Kassa, David Marcum, J. Lawrence Matthews, Jane Rubino, Shane Simmons, Chris Chan, Paul Hiscock, and forewords by Nancy Holder, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, and David Marcum “Somewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox and Co., at Charing Cross, there is a travel-worn and battered tin dispatch box with my name, John H. Watson, M.D., Late Indian Army, painted upon the lid. It is crammed with papers, nearly all of which are records of cases to illustrate the curious problems which Mr. Sherlock Holmes had at various times to examine . . . .” – Dr. John H. Watson So wrote Dr. Watson in “The Problem of Thor Bridge” – and ever since, Sherlockians have been bringing us new adventures from this legendary tin dispatch box. While Watson's original First Literary Agent only edited the pitifully few sixty stories that make up the original Canon, there have since been literally thousands of traditional adventures about the true Sherlock Holmes – and there will never be enough! In 2015, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories burst upon the scene, featuring adventures set within the correct time period, and written by many of today's leading Sherlockian authors from around the world. Those first three volumes were overwhelmingly received, and there were soon calls for additional collections. Since then, their popularity has only continued to grow. In Fall 2016, the series presented its first “themed” collection – Part V: Christmas Adventures – containing 30 new adventures that proved to be extremely and enduringly popular. With that in mind, we now revisit that season, with 57 more Christmas Adventures, ranging from a consequential case that occurred when Holmes was still a teenager, to another in the late 1920’s when Holmes – in retirement – was still at the top of his game. The fifty-seven stories in these three companion volumes are a thrilling mix of mysteries, whatever the season. Some are directly involved with Christmas, while others occur during and in around that season. These represent some of the finest new Holmesian storytelling to be found by the best pasticheurs, and once again they honor the man described by Watson as “the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known.” 57 new traditional Holmes adventures in three simultaneously published volumes The game is afoot! All royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir

Download or read book Christmas Past written by Thomas Ruys Smith and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2021-09-15 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the modern celebration of Christmas took shape across the nineteenth century, American writers gave it new meaning in the pages of countless books and magazines. Now, for the first time, this rich anthology brings together some of the most significant of those seasonal stories to retell a forgotten tale of Christmases past. From the authors who helped define a national literary culture, to the popular sentimentalists who negotiated Christmas’s position at the center of family life, to the realists who looked to reshape American letters in the wake of the Civil War, and beyond: all varieties of American writers turned to Christmas as an inevitable and potent subject during this deeply formative period in the history of American literature. In Christmas Past, Thomas Ruys Smith brings together a diverse range of voices to showcase the many ways in which Christmas was imagined across the nineteenth century, offering images that echo down to the present. The introduction that frames the anthology provides a new literary history of Christmas, contextualizing the selections and making clear the links both between them and to the wider trajectory of American literature.

Download or read book Bulletin of the Authors League of America written by and published by . This book was released on 1915 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Santa s Big Book of Christmas Tales 500 Novels Stories Poems Carols Legends written by Charles Dickens and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-15 with total page 8825 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Santa's Big Book of Christmas Tales: 500+ Novels, Stories, Poems, Carols & Legends encapsulates a magnificent tapestry of yuletide narratives, bringing together an array of literary styles ranging from poetry to prose, and short stories to novels. This compilation distinguishes itself by its diversity, traversing through the Victorian sentimentality of Dickens to the rugged American realism of Mark Twain, all the while encapsulating the essence of Christmas. It encompasses myriad themes such as hope, generosity, and the human condition, making this collection not just a celebration of Christmas but a reflection of humanity itself. The anthology serves as a pivotal literary context for understanding the evolution of Christmas narratives across different periods and cultures, showcasing notable works that have shaped the tradition of holiday storytelling. The selected authors in The Santa's Big Book of Christmas Tales are luminaries from various epochs, each bringing their unique cultural, historical, and literary backgrounds to the collection. Contributors like Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy offer insights into the social fabric of their respective times, while poets like William Wordsworth and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow capture the ethereal beauty of the winter season and its festivities. This anthology stands at the crossroads of various literary movements, from Romanticism with its emphasis on emotion and individualism to the detailed character studies of Realism. The sheer variety of authors enriches the collection, offering a panoramic view of Christmas through the ages, wrapped in the personal experiences and artistic visions of each writer. For readers seeking to immerse themselves in the Christmas spirit through a literary lens, The Santa's Big Book of Christmas Tales offers an unparalleled journey. This anthology is not just a collection of stories and poems; it is an invitation to explore the rich tapestry of Christmas traditions, emotions, and narratives. Through its pages, readers are offered a unique opportunity to engage with multiple perspectives on Christmas, understanding its universal appeal and the various ways it has been celebrated and interpreted. This book is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the cultural history of Christmas, the evolution of holiday literature, and the enduring power of storytelling in shaping our seasonal rituals and memories.

Download or read book The Facts on File Companion to the British Short Story written by Andrew Maunder and published by Infobase Publishing. This book was released on 2007 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive reference to short fiction from Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Commonwealth. With approximately 450 entries, this A-to-Z guide explores the literary contributions of such writers as Joseph Conrad, James Joyce, D H Lawrence, Rudyard Kipling, Oscar Wilde, Katherine Mansfield, Martin Amis, and others.

Download or read book The Cute and the Cool written by Gary Cross and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2004-04-01 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The twentieth century was, by any reckoning, the age of the child in America. Today, we pay homage at the altar of childhood, heaping endless goods on the young, reveling in memories of a more innocent time, and finding solace in the softly backlit memories of our earliest years. We are, the proclamation goes, just big kids at heart. And, accordingly, we delight in prolonging and inflating the childhood experiences of our offspring. In images of the naughty but nice Buster Brown and the coquettish but sweet Shirley Temple, Americans at mid-century offered up a fantastic world of treats, toys, and stories, creating a new image of the child as "cute." Holidays such as Christmas and Halloween became blockbuster affairs, vehicles to fuel the bedazzled and wondrous innocence of the adorable child. All this, Gary Cross illustrates, reflected the preoccupations of a more gentle and affluent culture, but it also served to liberate adults from their rational and often tedious worlds of work and responsibility. But trouble soon entered paradise. The "cute" turned into "cool" as children, following their parental example, embraced the gift of fantasy and unrestrained desire to rebel against the saccharine excesses of wondrous innocence in deliberate pursuit of the anti-cute. Movies, comic books, and video games beckoned to children with the allures of an often violent, sexualized, and increasingly harsh worldview. Unwitting and resistant accomplices to this commercial transformation of childhood, adults sought-over and over again, in repeated and predictable cycles-to rein in these threats in a largely futile jeremiad to preserve the old order. Thus, the cute child-deliberately manufactured and cultivated--has ironically fostered a profoundly troubled ambivalence toward youth and child rearing today. Expertly weaving his way through the cultural artifacts, commercial currents, and parenting anxieties of the previous century, Gary Cross offers a vibrant and entirely fresh portrait of the forces that have defined American childhood.

Download or read book African American Literature written by Hans Ostrom and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2019-11-15 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This essential volume provides an overview of and introduction to African American writers and literary periods from their beginnings through the 21st century. This compact encyclopedia, aimed at students, selects the most important authors, literary movements, and key topics for them to know. Entries cover the most influential and highly regarded African American writers, including novelists, playwrights, poets, and nonfiction writers. The book covers key periods of African American literature—such as the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, and the Civil Rights Era—and touches on the influence of the vernacular, including blues and hip hop. The volume provides historical context for critical viewpoints including feminism, social class, and racial politics. Entries are organized A to Z and provide biographies that focus on the contributions of key literary figures as well as overviews, background information, and definitions for key subjects.

Download or read book Big Book of Christmas Tales written by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-11 with total page 3777 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 'Big Book of Christmas Tales' is a captivating anthology that traverses the vivacious literary landscape of Christmas narratives. Encompassing a wide range of literary styles, from the whimsical to the solemn, this collection presents an unparalleled amalgamation of stories that both illuminate and celebrate the myriad facets of the holiday season. Its significance is bolstered by the inclusion of seminal works from a pantheon of authors renowned for their contributions to literature, narratively weaving through the themes of hope, generosity, redemption, and the human condition. The diversity of tales, from Dickenss evocative portrayals of Victorian Christmases to Andersens timeless fairy tales, showcases the universal and enduring appeal of Christmas storytelling. The contributing authors and editors of this anthology bring together a veritable tapestry of cultural, historical, and literary backgrounds, united by the theme of Christmas. Their collective works resonate with various movements and epochs in literature, from Victorian sentimentalism to the poignant realism of Dostoevsky, reflecting the profound ways in which Christmas has been celebrated, challenged, and depicted throughout literary history. The anthology stands as a testament to the rich interplay of cultural narratives and individual creativity, offering a holistic exploration of Christmas through the lenses of some of the greatest writers in history. 'Readers seeking a comprehensive exploration of the Christmas spirit through literature need look no further than the Big Book of Christmas Tales. This anthology not only offers a unique opportunity to engage with the holiday season through a multitude of perspectives, styles, and themes but also serves as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in capturing the essence of human experiences connected to Christmas. It invites readers to delve into a literary feast, promising both enlightenment and entertainment, and fostering a deeper appreciation for the ways in which Christmas has been immortalized in literature.

Download or read book The Greatest Christmas Tales Poems written by Selma Lagerlöf and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-28 with total page 2609 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greatest Christmas Tales & Poems is a treasure trove that captures the spirit of Christmas through an unparalleled amalgamation of literary mastery. This anthology knits together a remarkable array of stylesfrom the poetical enchantments of William Wordsworth and Alfred Lord Tennyson to the narrative depths explored by Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy, traversing the landscapes of folklore with the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. Emerging from within these pages is a panoramic view of the festive season, observed through myriad prisms of culture, emotion, and era, making it a seminal collection that highlights the universal appeal and diverse interpretations of Christmas. The contributing authors, an illustrious roster of literary giants spanning the 19th to early 20th centuries, bring to this anthology their unique backgrounds, thereby enriching it with a wide cultural and historical span. This collective work not only reflects the Victorian fascination with Christmas as a cornerstone of family and societal celebrationas seen in works by Dickens and Trollopebut also delves into the deeper psychological and ethical questions of the human condition, encapsulated in the tales by Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Such diversity offers a comprehensive view of the eras literary movements, from Romanticism to Realism, and their relationship with Christmas traditions, spirituality, and moral contemplations. For the reader seeking to immerse themselves in the festive season, The Greatest Christmas Tales & Poems provides a unique lens through which the holiday is both celebrated and scrutinized. It invites an exploration into the rich tapestry of Christmas as seen by celebrated authors, whose works traverse the boundaries of time and culture to speak of universal themes of joy, hope, and reflection. This anthology stands as an educational journey and a testament to the power of literature to encapsulate the essence of human experiences and traditions, making it an indispensable addition to any collection.

Download or read book Directory of World Cinema American Hollywood 2 written by Lincoln Geraghty and published by Intellect Books. This book was released on 2015-02-01 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hollywood continues to reign supreme; from award-winning dramas to multimillion-dollar, special-effects-laden blockbusters, Tinseltown produces the films that audiences around the world go to the cinema to see. While the film industry has dramatically changed over the years – stars have come and gone, studios have risen and fallen, new technologies have emerged to challenge directors and entice audiences – Hollywood remains the centre of global media entertainment. The second volume of Directory of World Cinema: American Hollywood builds on its predecessor by exploring how the industry has evolved and expanded throughout its history. With new essays that discuss the importance of genre, adaptation, locations and technology in the production of film, this collection explores how Hollywood has looked to create, innovate, borrow and adapt new methods of filmmaking to capture the audience’s imaginations. Touching on classic films such as North by Northwest and Dirty Harry alongside CGI blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings and The Dark Knight as well as comedies such as When Harry Met Sally and Jerry Maguire, this landmark book charts the changing tastes of cinema-goers and the diverse range of offerings from Hollywood. User-friendly and concise, yet dense and wide-ranging, Directory of World Cinema: American Hollywood 2 demonstrates that Hollywood, despite its challenges from independent filmmakers and foreign directors, remains the undisputed king of moviemaking in the twenty-first century.

Download or read book The Big Book of Christmas Tales written by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-20 with total page 8825 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Big Book of Christmas Tales is an unparalleled collection that brings together the works of several of the most prominent authors in literary history to explore the multifaceted themes of Christmas. By weaving together a tapestry of diverse literary styles from the whimsical to the solemn, the anthology encapsulates the spirit of the holiday season through a broad spectrum of perspectives. The collection stands out for its inclusion of timeless classics alongside lesser-known gems, providing a rich literary context that illuminates the universal appeal of Christmas. The varied narratives, woven with themes of hope, generosity, and reflection, highlight the cultural and emotional significance of the holiday across different times and places, underscoring the anthologys importance as a literary compendium. The backgrounds of the contributing authors are as diverse as their stories, with figures such as Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy standing alongside Emily Dickinson and Beatrix Potter. This assembly of authors, each influential in their own right, comes from a broad spectrum of historical, cultural, and literary movements, offering readers a panoramic view of Christmas through the ages. The contributions of these authors, who have each left an indelible mark on the literary landscape, collectively enrich the anthology's overarching theme by showcasing the holiday's universal resonance across various cultural and societal backgrounds. This collection is a treasure trove for readers eager to explore the depths of Christmas through an expansive lens. It beckons to those who are not just looking for holiday tales but are in pursuit of a deeper understanding of the myriad ways in which this time of year reflects and influences the human condition. The Big Book of Christmas Tales is more than a seasonal anthology; it is an educational journey and a celebration of literary diversity that promises to spark reflection, joy, and a renewed appreciation for the enduring power and complexity of the Christmas spirit. Readers are encouraged to delve into this collection, not only for its aesthetic and sentimental value but also for the unique opportunity it presents to engage with the rich tapestry of Christmas narratives from some of the most revered authors in literature.

Download or read book Library of Congress Subject Headings written by Library of Congress and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 1460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Last Gift written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2023-10-04 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930) was one of the most popular American writers at the turn of the twentieth century, and her annual Christmas stories appeared in magazines and periodicals across the globe. Since then, the extraordinary stories that once delighted her legions of fans every festive season have gone largely out of print and unread. Now, for the first time, The Last Gift presents a collection of Freeman’s best Christmas writing, introducing these funny, poignant, provocative, and surprisingly timely holiday tales to a new generation of readers.