Download or read book Somewhere in the Night written by Nicholas Christopher and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Film noir is more than a cinematic genre. It is an essential aspect of American culture. Along with the cowboy of the Wild West, the denizen of the film noir city is at the very center of our mythological iconography. Described as the style of an anxious victor, film noir began during the post-war period, a strange time of hope and optimism mixed with fear and even paranoia. The shadow of this rich and powerful cinematic style can now be seen in virtually every artistic medium. The spectacular success of recent neo-film noirs is only the tip of an iceberg. In the dead-on, nocturnal jazz of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, the chilled urban landscapes of Edward Hopper, and postwar literary fiction from Nelson Algren and William S. Burroughs to pulp masters like Horace McCoy, we find an unsettling recognition of the dark hollowness beneath the surface of the American Dream. Acclaimed novelist and poet Nicholas Christopher explores the cultural identity of film noir in a seamless, elegant, and enchanting work of literary prose. Examining virtually the entire catalogue of film noir, Christopher identifies the central motif as the urban labyrinth, a place infested with psychosis, anxiety, and existential dread in which the noir hero embarks on a dangerously illuminating quest. With acute sensitivity, he shows how technical devices such as lighting, voice over, and editing tempo are deployed to create the film noir world. Somewhere in the Night guides us through the architecture of this imaginary world, be it shot in New York or Los Angeles, relating its elements to the ancient cultural archetypes that prefigure it. Finally, Christopher builds an explanation of why film noir not only lives on but is currently enjoying a renaissance. Somewhere in the Night can be appreciated as a lucid introduction to a fundamental style of American culture, and also as a guide to film noir's heyday. Ultimately, though, as the work of a bold talent adeptly manipulating poetic cadence and metaphor, it is itself a superb aesthetic artifact.

Download or read book Hannah s Garden written by Midori Snyder and published by Puffin. This book was released on 2005-04 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Cassie's grandfather falls ill, she and her mother return to his farm, where Cassie discovers a wonderful, terrible secret about her family.

Download or read book Living in the Labyrinth written by Diana Friel McGowin and published by Delta. This book was released on 2011-08-24 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living In The Labyrinth is the story of how one woman found the strength and the courage to cope with a devastating disease that has afflicted five million Americans. Far from being an exercise in self-pity or a standard autobiography, this is an unflinching and ultimately uplifting look at a debilitating illness from the inside out. “Somewhere there is that ever-present reminder list of what I am supposed to do today. But I cannot find it. I attempt to do the laundry and find myself outside, in my backyard, holding soiled clothes. How did I get here? How do I get back?” Only forty-five when she first began to struggle with the memory lapses and disorientation that signal the onset of Alzheimer’s, Diana Friel McGowin has written a courageous, stirring insider’s story of the disease that is now the fourth leading killer of American adults. Diana’s personal journey through days of darkness and light, fear and hope gives us new insight into a devastating illness and the plight of its victims, complete with a list of early warning signs, medical background, and resources for further information. But Diana’s story goes far beyond a recounting of a terrifying disease. It portrays a marriage struggling to survive, a family hurt beyond words, and a woman whose humor and intelligence triumph over setbacks and loss to show us the best of what being human is. “A stunner of a book . . . it takes the reader on a terrifying but enlightening journey.”—San Antonio News Express “Touching and sometimes angry . . . a poignant insider’s view.”—The Cincinnati Enquirer

Download or read book Somewhere in the Deep written by Tanvi Berwah and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2024-01-09 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of Monsters Born and Made comes an action-packed South Asian inspired fantasy that will have your heart racing at every turn. Seventeen-year-old Krescent Dune is buried under the weight of her dead parents' debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by battling monstrous creatures in an underground fighting pit. After a fight goes terribly wrong, she's banned from the pits. Now hopeless, she is offered a deal: in exchange for the erasure of her debts, she must join and protect a hunting party for a rescue mission deep within the mining caves beneath the island. Krescent is determined to keep her head down and fulfill her role as the dutiful bodyguard, even though she is trapped underground with her childhood enemy and a company of people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were. As they come across creatures she believed only existed in legends, it becomes clear they are in far more danger than she could have imagined. But someone doesn't want her to make it out alive. And she'll have to figure out who before she's left alone...in the dark.

Download or read book Eye of the Labyrinth written by Jennifer Fallon and published by Spectra. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the Age of Shadows ended, the people of Ranadon have lived under the merciless heat of two suns and the tyranny of Antonov, the Lion of Senet. Consumed by his lust for power and his unshakable belief in the capricious, almighty Goddess, Antonov’s rule is absolute. Only one man has the intelligence and will to break that hold…a man who could be King. Suddenly widowed, Morna Provin, Duchess of Elcast, has lost her only protector. With her son banished for an unspeakable crime, she faces a horrifying fate at the hands of the Lion of Senet as retribution for her relationship with the heretic Johan Thorn. But it is only part of a cunning scheme to lure her son, Dirk Provin, back into the fold so Antonov can consolidate his power once and for all. With his mother’s life at stake, Dirk Provin must emerge from hiding in the Baenlands and return to Elcast—setting in motion a rebellion that will expose long-buried secrets and ignite festering hatreds. For a ruler’s fears and a madman’s prophecy will start Dirk on a quest for truth that will spark a fierce battle between two very different men: one who believes only what his five senses tell him, the other obsessed by his faith in the divine. It is a clash that will bring to light a revelation that may shatter them all.

Download or read book Interactive Storytelling written by Lissa Holloway-Attaway and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-12-01 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This two-volume set LNCS 14383 and LNCS 14384 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, ICIDS 2023, held in Kobe, Japan, during November 11–15, 2023. The 30 full papers presented in this book together with 11 short papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 101 submissions. Additionally, the proceedings includes 22 Late Breaking Works. The papers focus on topics such as: theory, history and foundations; social and cultural contexts; tools and systems; interactive narrative design; virtual worlds, performance, games and play; applications and case studies; and late breaking works.

Download or read book Shadow of the Tomb Raider Path of the Apocalypse written by S. D. Perry and published by Titan Books (US, CA). This book was released on 2018-09-18 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The official tie-in novel to the Shadow of the Tomb Raider video game. In a brand-new adventure, Lara Croft must evade the agents of Trinity and discover an ancient secret. When a mysterious stranger offers to help Lara uncover a clue that could give her the upper hand, she embarks on an expedition to a system of caves in Colombia. However, once they learn of Lara's plans, Trinity will stop at nothing to reach the location first. Trinity believes they can turn the tables on Lara, but in the darkness of the underground caverns, there are terrors in the depths that neither Lara nor Trinity anticipated. Game is due to release on 9/14/18 across all major platforms

Download or read book Sensing Intelligence Motion written by Vladimir J. Lumelsky and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2005-11-28 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leap forward in the field of robotics Until now, most of the advances in robotics have taken place instructured environments. Scientists and engineers have designedhighly sophisticated robots, but most are still only able tooperate and move in predetermined, planned environments designedspecifically for the robots and typically at very high cost. Thisnew book takes robotics to the next level by setting forth thetheory and techniques needed to achieve robotic motion inunstructured environments. The ability to move and operate in anarbitrary, unplanned environment will lead to automating a widerange of new robotic tasks, such as patient care, toxic sitecleanup, and planetary exploration. The approach that opens the door for robots to handle unstructuredtasks is known as Sensing-Intelligence-Motion (SIM), which drawsfrom research in topology, computational complexity, controltheory, and sensing hardware. Using SIM as an underlyingfoundation, the author's carefully structured presentation isdesigned to: * Formulate the challenges of sensor-based motion planning and thenbuild a theoretical foundation for sensor-based motion planningstrategies * Investigate promising algorithmic strategies for mobile robotsand robot arm manipulators, in both cases addressing motionplanning for the whole robot body * Compare robot performance to human performance in sensor-basedmotion planning to gain better insight into the challenges of SIMand help build synergistic human-robot teams for tele-operationtasks. It is both exciting and encouraging to discover that robotperformance decisively exceeds human performance in certain tasksrequiring spatial reasoning, even when compared to trainedoperators * Review sensing hardware that is necessary to realize the SIMparadigm Some 200 illustrations, graphic sketches, and photos are includedto clarify key issues, develop and validate motion planningapproaches, and demonstrate full systems in operation. As the first book fully devoted to robot motion planning inunstructured environments, Sensing, Intelligence, Motion is amust-read for engineers, scientists, and researchers involved inrobotics. It will help them migrate robots from highly specializedapplications in factories to widespread use in society whereautonomous robot motion is needed.

Download or read book restless is the wind written by Kimberly Cates and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 1989 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Boy in the Labyrinth written by Oliver de la Paz and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-30 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a long sequence of prose poems, questionnaires, and standardized tests, The Boy in the Labyrinth interrogates the language of autism and the language barriers between parents, their children, and the fractured medium of science and school. Structured as a Greek play, the book opens with a parents' earnest quest for answers, understanding, and doubt. Each section of the Three Act is highlighted by "Autism Spectrum Questionnaires" which are in dialogue with and in opposition to what the parent perceives to be their relationship with their child. Interspersed throughout each section are sequences of standardized test questions akin to those one would find in grade school, except these questions unravel into deeper mysteries. The depth of the book is told in a series of episodic prose poems that parallel the parable of Theseus and the Minotaur. In these short clips of montage the unnamed "boy" explores his world and the world of perception, all the while hearing the rumblings of the Minotaur somewhere in the heart of an immense Labyrinth. Through the medium of this allusion, de la Paz meditates on failures, foundering, and the possibility of finding one's way.

Download or read book The Public written by and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 1264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Questioning Play written by Henning Eichberg and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07-01 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is play? Why do we play? What can play teach us about our life as social beings? In this critical investigation into the significance of play, Henning Eichberg argues that through play we can ask questions about the world, others and ourselves. Playing a game and asking a question are two forms of human practice that are fundamentally connected. This book presents a practice-based philosophical approach to understanding play that begins with empirical study, drawing on historical, sociological and anthropological investigations of play in the real world, from contemporary Danish soccer to war games and folk dances. Its ten chapters explore topics such as: play as a practice of search playing, learning and progress the light and dark sides of play playing games, sport and display folk sports, popular games, and social identity play under the conditions of alienation. From these explorations emerge a phenomenological approach to understanding play and its value in interrogating ourselves and our social worlds. This book offers a challenging contribution to the interdisciplinary field of the philosophy of play. It will be fascinating reading for any student or researcher interested in social and cultural anthropology, phenomenology, and critical sociology as well as the ethics and philosophy of sport, leisure studies, and the sociology of sport. .

Download or read book The Public written by Louis Freeland Post and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 1278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Labyrinth written by Alex Archer and published by Gold Eagle. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A book dealer lies imprisoned in a Boston mansion, an IV tube dripping a lethal narcotic cocktail into his veins. In thirty-six hours, he'll be dead. His final request is to receive a visit from one woman.... It wasn't the most hospitable invitation she'd ever received. Archaeologist Annja Creed is being rushed to Massachussetts, abducted by a famous environmental terrorist—a zealot willing to kill anyone who gets in his or the planet's way. He has taken the book dealer hostage in order to steal a rare and very valuable treatise called the Tome of Prossos. Annja is the key to retrieving the ancient manuscript hidden somewhere deep within the mansion. But the book is well-protected. In order to find it, she must survive the rigors of an elaborate maze. She has only twelve hours to decipher the labyrinth's sinister secret...a secret that could ensure she never emerges.

Download or read book Interior written by and published by . This book was released on 1918 with total page 1328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Labyrinth written by Tony Christie and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2018-06-08 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Step into the Labyrinth Sacred Practices for Health, Wisdom, and True Purpose The labyrinth is an enigma, a seemingly ordinary symbol that has the power to open the gateway to profound self-discovery. Within its coils and turns, secret wisdom is revealed that has the potential to help humanity on its journey toward spiritual advancement. In this book, spiritual teacher Tony Christie shares new information and powerful techniques for exploring the labyrinth as a source of wonder, wisdom, healing, and enlightenment. Discover how to work with labyrinths to quiet your mind and gain insights and answers for the questions that matter most to you. Use the labyrinth as a safe container for letting go of your troubles and finding that peaceful place within yourself. Learn about the fascinating connections between the labyrinth and tarot, alchemy, crop circles, and the cosmos. With the right guidance and intention, every step you take in a labyrinth can bring you greater understanding of your life's purpose on your own sacred journey. Praise: "Tony combines a deep wisdom of labyrinths and his personal experience to offer an opportunity to the reader to explore the labyrinth of their own sacred being. I love the mix of practical and theory. A truly enjoyable read."—Abby Wynne, author of How to Be Well and AZ Spiritual Colouring Affirmations "This book is a confident statement of the limitless possibilities of the labyrinth on all levels of existence, material and immaterial."—Robert Ferré, master labyrinth builder and author of The Labyrinth Revival "This book by Tony Christie covers the entire spectrum of time—back to the Big Bang and into the Future. If you are to read only one book on labyrinths, this is the one to read."—Sig Longren, author of Labyrinths: Ancient Myths and Modern Uses "This is an important book for anyone interested in working with labyrinths or who wishes to try to gain some understanding of the immense power of them."—Yvonne Ryves, author of Shaman Pathways—Web of Life, shamanic healer, Reiki master, and past life therapist "Well researched and written with a steady hand and heart, Labyrinth offers Tony Christie's unique understanding of this amazing tool."—Lauren Artress, author of Walking a Sacred Path "Readers interested in esoteric spiritual traditions will find much to enjoy in Christie's tutorial on the spiritual powers of labyrinths."—Publishers Weekly

Download or read book The City of Dreaming Books written by Walter Moers and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2008-09-02 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this whimsical fantasy adventure, a novelist’s search for an author takes him to a magical city, a villainous literary scholar, and perilous catacombs. Optimus Yarnspinner’s search for an author’s identity takes him to Bookholm―the so-called City of Dreaming Books. On entering its streets, our hero feels as if he has opened the door of a gigantic second-hand bookshop. His nostrils are assailed by clouds of book dust, the stimulating scent of ancient leather, and the tang of printer’s ink. Soon, though, Yarnspinner falls into the clutches of the city’s evil genius, Pfistomel Smyke, who treacherously maroons him in the labyrinthine catacombs underneath the city, where reading books can be genuinely dangerous . . . In The City of Dreaming Books, Walter Moers transports us to a magical world where reading is a remarkable adventure. Only those intrepid souls who are prepared to join Yarnspinner on his perilous journey should read this book. We wish the rest of you a long, safe, unutterably dull, and boring life! Praise for The City of Dreaming Books “German author and cartoonist Moers returns to the mythical lost continent of Zamonia in his uproarious third fantasy adventure to be translated into English, a delightfully imaginative mélange of Shel Silverstein zaniness and oddball anthropomorphism à la Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. . . . A wonderfully whimsical story that will appeal to readers of all ages.” —Publishers Weekly “A salmagundi of whimsy, imagination and book lore—remarkable fun.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer “Moers puts Tolkien through some sort of Willy Wonka sweetening process and comes up with characters such as Optimus Yarnspinner, who, names being fate and all, just has to be a storyteller.” —Kirkus Reviews