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Harry E. Rieseberg's autobiographical writings include stories like being attacked by a giant octopus while recovering sunken treasure, defending himself from an attack by a 15-foot shark with only a diving knife, and surviving a hurricane and a severely broken leg while at sea--all captivating tales for audiences in the 1940s and 1950s, and all invented by a very successful charlatan. This is a biography of Harry E. Rieseberg, a shameless self-promoter who passed himself off as the world's greatest treasure salvor but who never got wet. His entire public persona was based on stories he retold in dozens of books and thousands of articles in which he made claims of feats that were fantasy but sold as fact. Despite the often-obvious facts of his fabrication, his books influenced a generation of legitimate divers and underwater archaeologists like Sir Robert Marx and Robert Stenuit. Thoroughly researched, this book uses sources including his personal records and letters to his agents to provide deep insight into the nature of his life and the way he created a false persona for popular consumption.

Paper dolls might seem the height of simplicity--quaint but simple toys, nothing more. But through the centuries paper figures have reflected religious and political beliefs, notions of woman­hood, motherhood and family, the dictates of fashion, approaches to education, individual self-image and self-esteem, and ideas about death. This book examines paper dolls and their symbolism--from icons made by priests in ancient China to printable Kim Kardashians on the Internet--to show how these ephemeral objects have an enduring and sometimes surprising presence in history and culture.

Tying together the history and economic development of the state, this catalog of Florida paper money covers Colonial days through the Great Depression-765 notes in all. The book includes currency issued by governments such as the Territory of Florida and the state of Florida; scrip issued by cities and counties; and notes issued by banks, railroads, insurance companies, merchants and individuals. Entries provide information on the paper money's issuers and engravers as well as an estimate of rarity using the familiar Sheldon scale. Whenever possible, the author has identified portraits of real and mythological characters or allegorical representations on the notes.

With the American revolutionaries in discord following victory at Yorktown and the Paris Peace Treaty of 1783, the proposed federal Constitution of 1787 faced an uncertain future when it was sent to the states for ratification. Sensing an historic moment, three authors--Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay--circulated 85 essays among their fellow statesmen, arguing for a strong federal union. Next to the Constitution itself, The Federalist papers are the most referenced statement of the Founding Fathers'intentions in forming the U.S. government. This book takes a fresh look at the papers in the context of the times in which they were created.

Selected from the two most recent proceedings of the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture (2019 and 2021), this collection of essays explores subject matter centered both inside and beyond the ballpark. Fifteen contributors offer critical commentary on a range of topics, including controversial decisions on the field and in Hall of Fame elections; baseball's historical role as a rite of passage for boys; two worthy catchers who never received their due; the genesis and development of the minor leagues; and baseball's place in popular culture.

The J. Lloyd Eaton Conferences on Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature--long held at the University of California, Riverside--have been a major influence in the study of science fiction and fantasy for thirty years. The conferences have attracted leading scholars whose papers are published in Eaton volumes found in university libraries throughout the world. This collection brings together 22 of the best papers--most with new afterwords by the authors--presented in chronological order to show how science fiction and fantasy criticism has evolved since 1979.

Eugene O'Neill lived with the artist George Bellows in the early twentieth century; met Robert Henri, the leader of the future Ashcan School; and knew John Sloan, who etched O'Neill at the Lincoln Arcade studio on Upper Broadway. These visual artists made a profound impression on the future playwright, and when O'Neill began writing plays in 1913, he drew upon the images he had first seen on canvas or paper. This book presents the centrality of New York City on Eugene O'Neill's imagination--the notorious Tenderloin section, Greenwich Village, the Lower East Side, Fifth Avenue, and Gramercy Park--and it does so through the brushes, pens, plates, and stones of the Ashcan artists. The sixty images herein reveal the shared aesthetic sensibilities between all the respective artists and foreground the honest, unflinching, and simple beauty that O'Neill sought to portray in all of his dramatic works: from the early one-acts with the Provincetown Players, to the Broadway blockbusters in the 1920s, and culminating with the posthumously-produced plays he wrote in near seclusion to conclude his career.

From 1827 to 1861, most Africans in America were either enslaved, propertyless or without citizenship. Yet during that period at least 28 African American newspapers were published. Perhaps the most frequent and controversial topic of debate in these papers was the issue of emigration vs. assimilation. Should blacks in America emigrate to Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada, or continue their quest for assimilation within the American culture? Editors of the black press influenced the self-view of countless African Americans.

James A. Nist lived an extraordinary life in his 24 years. Raised on a New Jersey farm, he graduated high school at 16 and earned both a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a private pilot's license. In 1942, he joined the Navy as an aviation cadet, earning his wings and an officer's commission in the Naval Reserve. He became proficient in three of the Navy's high-performance combat aircraft: the SBD Dauntless dive-bomber, the F6F Hellcat fighter and the F4U Corsair fighter. In 1945, he deployed to the Pacific aboard the carrier USS Bunker Hill and flew combat missions over Japan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Drawing on Nist's letters and personal papers and official Navy documents, historian Bryan J. Dickerson tells the story of his great uncle's life and service during World War II.

From the time of human beginnings, holy words, chants, liturgy and narratives have enabled individuals to communicate the mysteries of the universe. Bodies of liturgical composition had to survive oral transmission for centuries until calligraphers could inscribe them in pictograph, symbol, or coded cipher or write them in words on stone, mural, scroll, parchment, or paper. Through repetitions of sacred speech and writing, couples enter holy wedlock, infants receive consecration and blessing, youths advance to adulthood, rulers dedicate temporal powers to God, cities pledge themselves to peace, and the dead pass from an earthly existence to the afterlife. The most sacred and influential writings the world has recorded are covered A-Z in this compendium. The entries convey works from the cities of Mecca, Jerusalem, Rome, Delphi, and Salt Lake City; from caves in Qumran and mountains in Japan; from the Indus Valley and the American West; from classical China, Egypt and Greece; and from the Hebrew communities of Iberia and of the German states. Although all of the scriptures speak to a human need, there are many differences in style, purpose, and tone. The entries include holy law (The White Roots of Peace), funeral prescriptions (the Tibetan Book of the Dead), ceremonies (the Lakota Black Elk Speaks), literature (Homeric hymns), hero stories (the Japanese Kojiki), word puzzles (the koans of Zen), Christ lore (the Apocrypha and the New Testament), matrices (I Ching and Tantra), and numerology (the Jewish Kabbala). Writing styles include both the rapture of Rumi's Mathnawi and the spare aphorism of Confucius's Analects. The information given in the texts range from Muhammad's revelations in the Koran, to the everyday advice of Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science writings. A map locates the germ of sacred revelation and writing in sites all over the globe. A timeline of dateable events from the history of world scripture names events in chronological order, from the beginnings of the I Ching in 2800 B.C.E. to the publication of a child's version of the Popul Vuh in 1999 C.E.. The encyclopedia is comprehensively indexed with ample cross-referencing to assist researchers toward further study of print and electronic sources.

'In white memory, which has been the dominant memory, blacks are usually absent. They just do not figure in the American story, except as slaves, as reminders of guilt. And nobody likes to be reminded of guilt'--David K. Shipler, A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America. On September 14, 2001, Kent State University's Ashtabula Campus sponsored its colloquium on race based on David K. Shipler's A Country of Strangers by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Arab and Jew. This collection of 18 papers explores such topics as blacks and whites in the performing arts; racial profiling; racism in American baseball; race, work and wholeness; musical style as a symbol of black cultural identity; the early Newberry Library in Chicago; the use of the body by artists to reveal the mind; Southern white ministers at mid-century; building a diverse and respectful campus community; organizational changes creating a new climate for racial equality; the missing voice of the Spanish-speaking in the black-white dialogue; the concept of equality of educational opportunity for African Americans; and praises, criticism and comments for A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America.

Rochelle Hudson's career as an actress was planned from the start (born in 1916) by her ambitious stage mother. Given rigorous dance and musical training as a child, Hudson won her first film contract at the age of 14. A WAMPAS Baby Star in 1931, she co-starred with actors such as W.C. Fields, Henry Fonda, Claudette Colbert, Will Rogers and Fredric March in classic films like Imitation of Life (1934) and Les Miserables (1935). But within a few years, she was stuck in B movies and frustrated. Stepping away from Hollywood, Hudson worked as a realtor and a rancher, and even did wartime espionage work for the Navy. She continued acting occasionally, in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), the TV sitcom That's My Boy (1954-55), and the campy horror film Strait-Jacket (1964). A timeless beauty, she was married (and divorced) four times before her untimely death in 1972 at age 55. Drawing on personal papers, interviews with family and friends and genealogical research, this first account of Rochelle Hudson's life and work depicts a talented and outspoken woman who built a successful career on her own terms. The annotated filmography provides synopses, critical commentary and reviews for nearly 60 feature films.

Lincoln's significance in the history of slavery and emancipation, the Union's preservation and the formation of a new national vision is crucial to comprehending the antebellum and Civil War periods in American history. This is a one-of-a-kind hybrid reference work that combines chronology with almost 400 primary source papers to contextualize Lincoln's life within his historical era. These written materials serve as the foundation upon which historians can construct a picture of Lincoln's America. In addition to important chronology and documents, this work includes introductory essays that summarize the topics of each chapter, brief biographies of those referenced in the book, and a source bibliography. Historical records are the heart of this work. Documents illustrate different viewpoints, to provide a full grasp of the time and place, as well as Lincoln's significance during this era.

This is the first full biography from childhood of the eminent British Architect Sir Herbert Baker. Written with the full cooperation of his family and with access to his archive and private papers, it gives an account of his remarkable life as the leading architect to the British Empire. From London, through the commemoration of the empire's war dead in France, via South Africa and Australia to India, he celebrated the might of an empire that once ruled a quarter of the world. He was an intimate friend of many of most fascinating men of his age, including Cecil Rhodes, Lawrence of Arabia, John Buchan, Jan Smuts and, of course, his fellow architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. After a Victorian architectural apprenticeship in London and on to becoming the most prolific architect of his age in South Africa, he built the new imperial capital of New Delhi in India with Lutyens, before returning to London. These built or rebuilt such landmark buildings as the Bank of England, South Africa House, India House, Rhodes House, and the stands for Lords Cricket Ground, as well as numerous churches and private houses.

In the 1930s, Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn was a distinguished scholar and vocal pacifist. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he had a change of heart and volunteered to serve as a chaplain in the US Navy. The first rabbi ever deployed with the Marine Corps, he found himself in the bloody battle at Iwo Jima. At war's end at the dedication of the 5th Marine Division cemetery, he gave a renowned speech known as'the Gettysburg Address of World War II.'This biography is based on multiple sources, including Gittelsohn's personal papers, beginning with his family's emigration from Russia to the United States. From the growing antiwar movement after World War I, to the training of military chaplains and the anti-Semitism among their ranks, important events further contextualize Gittelsohn's life, including his illustrious postwar career and service on President Harry S. Truman's Committee on Civil Rights.

John Davidson came to the North Carolina back country circa 1751 as a young man, with his sister and widowed mother. Typical of Scots-Irish settlers, they arrived with little more than basic farming tools, determined to make it on their own terms. Davidson worked hard, prospered, married well and built a plantation on the Catawba River he called Rural Hill. The Davidson's were loyal British citizens who paid their taxes and participated in colonial government. When the Crown's overbearing authority interfered, independence became paramount and Davidson and his neighbors became soldiers in the Revolutionary War. After the war Davidson managed his plantation, created shad fisheries, helped develop the local iron industry with his sons-in-law and was an early planter of cotton. His sons and grandsons, along with their slave families, continuously increased and improved the acreage and became early practitioners of scientific farming. Drawing on public documents, family papers and slave records, this history describes how a fiercely independent family grew their lands and fortunes into a lasting legacy.

George Washington is the most popular subject on coins, medals, tokens, paper money and postage stamps in America. Attempts to eliminate one-dollar bills from circulation, replacing them with coins, have been unsuccessful. Americans'reluctance to part with their'Georges'are beyond rational considerations but tap into deep-felt emotions. To discard one-dollar bills means discarding the metaphorical Father of His Country. Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury, said that monetary tokens were'vehicles of useful impressions.'This numismatic history of George Washington traces the persistence of his image on American currency. These images are mostly from the late 18th-century. This book also offers a close look at the pictorial tradition in which these images are rooted.

 During ancient times currency took varied forms, including beaver skins, bales of tobacco, and sea salt blocks. As art and technology advanced, monetary systems and currencies altered. Today, coins and currency provide an historical and archeological record of culture, religion, politics, and world leaders. This updated second edition offers numerous entries of historical commentary on the role of coins and currency in human events, politics, and the arts. It begins with the origin of coins in ancient Sumer, and follows advancements in metallurgy and minting machines to paper, plastic, and electronic moneys designed to ease trade and halt counterfeiting and other forms of theft. A timeline of monetary history is provided along with a glossary and bibliography. Numerous photographs of coins and bills provide an up-close look at beautiful and ingenious artifacts.

Daisy Bacon, the opinionated, autocratic and complex editor of Love Story Magazine from 1928 to 1947, chose the stories that would be read by hundreds of thousands of readers each week. The first weekly periodical devoted to romance fiction and the biggest-selling pulp fiction magazine in the early days of the Great Depression, Love Story sparked a wave of imitators that dominated newsstands for more than twenty years. Disparaged as a'love pulp,'the magazine actually championed the'modern girl,'bringing its heroines out of the shadows of Victorian poverty and into the 20th century. With Love Story's success, Bacon became a national spokesperson, declaring that the modern woman could have it all--in love, in marriage and in the business world. Yet Bacon herself struggled to achieve that ideal, especially in her own romantic life, built around a long-term affair with a married man. Drawing on exclusive access to her personal papers, this first-ever biography tells the story behind the woman who influenced millions of others to pursue independence in their careers and in their relationships.

The Italian Gothic horror genre underwent many changes in the 1980s, with masters such as Mario Bava and Riccardo Freda dying or retiring and young filmmakers such as Lamberto Bava (Macabro, Demons) and Michele Soavi (The Church) surfacing. Horror films proved commercially successful in the first half of the decade thanks to Dario Argento (both as director and producer) and Lucio Fulci, but the rise of made-for-TV products has resulted in the gradual disappearance of genre products from the big screen. This book examines all the Italian Gothic films of the 1980s. It includes previously unpublished trivia and production data taken from official archive papers, original scripts and interviews with filmmakers, actors and scriptwriters. The entries include a complete cast and crew list, plot summary, production history and analysis. Two appendices list direct-to-video releases and made-for-TV films.

Tommy Thompson arrived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1963, smitten by folk and traditional Appalachian music. In 1972, he teamed with Bill Hicks and Jim Watson to form the nontraditional string band the Red Clay Ramblers. Mike Craver joined in 1973, and Jack Herrick in 1976. Over time, musicians including Clay Buckner, Bland Simpson and Chris Frank joined Tommy, who played with the band until 1994. Drawing on interviews and correspondence, and the personal papers of Thompson, the author depicts a life that revolved around music and creativity. Appendices cover Thompson's banjos, his discography and notes on his collaborative lyric writing.

In recent years, artists, architects, activists and curators, as well as corporations and local governments have addressed the urban space. They challenge its use and destination, and dispute current notions of space, legality, trade and artistry. Emerging art practices challenge old ideas about where art belongs, what forms it can take and what political discourses it fosters. Selected from papers presented at the 2013 Artscapes conference in Canterbury, this collection of new essays explores the dynamic relationship between art and the city. Contributors discuss the everyday artistic use of public space around the world, from sculpture to graffiti to street photography.

Historian Johan Huizinga once described game playing as the motor of humanity's cultural development, predating art and literature. Since the late 20th century, Western society has undergone a'ludification,'as the influence of game-playing has grown ever more prevalent. At the same time, new theories of postmodernism have emphasized the importance of interactive, playful behavior. Core concepts of postmodernism are evident in pen-and-paper role-playing, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Exploring the interrelationships among narrative, gameplay, players and society, the author raises questions regarding authority, agency and responsibility, and discusses the social potential of RPGs in the 21st century.

The history of Italian cinema includes, in addition to the renowned auteurs, a number of peculiar and lesser-known filmmakers. While their artistry was often plagued with production setbacks, their works--influenced by poetry, playwriting, advertising, literature, comics and a nonconformist, sometimes antagonistic attitude--were original and thought provoking. Drawing from official papers and original scripts, this book includes much previously unpublished information on the works and lives of post-World War II filmmakers Pier Carpi, Alberto Cavallone, Riccardo Ghione, Giulio Questi, Brunello Rondi, Paolo Spinola, Augusto Tretti and Nello Vegezzi.

Christian Heurich (1842-1945) was not only Washington D.C.'s most successful brewer, he was the world's oldest, with 90 years'experience. He walked across central Europe learning his craft, survived a shipboard cholera epidemic, recovered from malaria and worked as a roustabout on a Caribbean banana boat--all by age 30. Heurich lived most of his life in Washington, becoming its largest private landowner and opening the city's largest brewery. He won a'beer war'against his rivals and his beers won medals at World's Fairs. He was trapped in Europe while on vacation at the start of both World Wars, once sleeping through an air raid, and was accused of being a German spy plotting to assassinate Woodrow Wilson. A notably odd episode: when they began to tear down his old brewery to build the Kennedy Center, the wrecking ball bounced off the walls. Drawing on family papers and photos, the author chronicles Heurich's life and the evolving beer industry before and after Prohibition.

Bringing together some of the best work from the 2016 Comparative Drama Conference in Baltimore, this collection of essays presents the latest research in comparative drama, performance and dramatic textual analysis. A variety of approaches and formats--including twelve research papers, five book reviews and one transcript--cover topics ranging from Ancient Greece to 21st century America. A highlight is the keynote conversation featuring the great American playwright Tony Kushner.

Charles Sweeny (1882-1963) was the heir to a fortune. Renouncing a life of comfort, he became a warrior for causes he believed in. Twice kicked out of West Point, he fought in revolts against three Latin American dictators. He was a decorated officer in the French Foreign Legion and in the U.S. Army during World War I, a brigadier general in the Polish-Soviet War and a military advisor in the Greco-Turkish War. He led a flying squadron in Morocco's Rif War, advised Loyalists in the Spanish Civil War and spied for French intelligence during World War II. Before America entered the war, he dodged FBI agents and U.S. neutrality laws to recruit American pilots to fight the Nazis and became a group captain in the R.A.F.'s Eagle Squadron. After Pearl Harbor, he worked with'Wild Bill'Donovan to devise guerrilla campaigns in North Africa and Eastern Europe. This richly detailed biography draws on Sweeny's personal papers, historical documents and photographs to chronicle the fascinating life of America's most celebrated soldier of fortune--a lifelong friend of Ernest Hemingway and a model for his fictional heroes.

Italian Gothic horror films of the 1970s were influenced by the violent giallo movies and adults-only comics of the era, resulting in a graphic approach to the genre. Stories often featured over-the-top violence and nudity and pushed the limits of what could be shown on the screen. The decade marked the return of specialist directors like Mario Bava, Riccardo Freda and Antonio Margheriti, and the emergence of new talents such as Pupi Avati (The House with the Laughing Windows) and Francesco Barilli (The Perfume of the Lady in Black). The author examines the Italian Gothic horror of the period, providing previously unpublished details and production data taken from official papers, original scripts and interviews with filmmakers, scriptwriters and actors. Entries include complete cast and crew lists, plot summaries, production history and analysis. An appendix covers Italian made-for-TV films and mini-series.

Sir John Franklin's Arctic expedition departed England in 1845 with two Royal Navy bomb vessels, 129 men and three years'worth of provisions. None were seen again until nearly a decade later, when their bleached bones, broken instruments, books, papers and personal effects began to be recovered on Canada's King William Island. These relics have since had a life of their own--photographed, analyzed, cataloged and displayed in glass cases in London. This book gives a definitive history of their preservation and exhibition from the Victorian era to the present, richly illustrated with period engravings and photographs, many never before published. Appendices provide the first comprehensive accounting of all expedition relics recovered prior to the 2014 discovery of Franklin's ship HMS Erebus.

William Watson Cheyne (1852-1932), a surgeon by training and a student of Joseph Lister, was a prominent British bacteriologist who published 60 papers and 13 monographs from 1879 to 1927. A proponent of the idea that bacteriology and medicine were interdependent disciplines, he investigated the causes and treatment of wound infections, tuberculosis, cholera, tetanus and gangrene. In 1897, he organized an historical outline of 19th century bacteriology in five landmark periods of discovery, each defined by the work of an influential figure. This study documents his contributions to the history of microbiology and describes his activities as a laboratory investigator, clinician, surgeon, translator, editor and educator.

Bringing together some of the best work from the 2015 Comparative Drama Conference in Baltimore, this book covers subjects from ancient Greece to 21st century America with a variety of approaches and formats, including two transcripts, 10 research papers and six book reviews. This year's highlight is the keynote conversation featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. This volume is the twelfth in a series dedicated to presenting the latest research in the fields of comparative drama, performance and dramatic textual analysis.

Dowsing has been a known practice for at least 500 years, with some evidence suggesting it may have been used for millennia. Historically, dowsers used a forked, Y-shaped stick, following the movement toward the presence of water, minerals, or other objects located beneath the ground. Today, the most common tool used is a wire bent into the shape of an'L,'leading to the term L-rod dowsing. Only a few of dowsing's many forms appear to have a clear physical basis, such that some physical phenomenon in the environment causes a physiological response in the body. Despite the many studies performed in the past, none have resulted in a comprehensive, testable explanation for how dowsing works. This book reviews and critiques some of the common explanations for L-rod field dowsing, describes an investigation into various aspects of L-rod dowsing, and proposes a mechanism which explains the physical observations. Building on the prior scientific studies, it presents a theory based on well-known scientific principles for the physical component of dowsing.

This dramatic early 14th century Middle English sermon rehearses humanity's wretchedness and the world's instability, before contemplating the journey from death to the anguish of purgatory and hell, or ultimately to the joys of heaven. Its 7,316 lines of rhyming couplets present sensational descriptions intended to shock the audience into religious zeal, alongside a biblical exegesis reinforcing the message of salvation and cautioning against its impediments. Although the Main version of the Pricke of Conscience has thrice been edited from three manuscripts, no version from the Southern Recension group has appeared to date. This edited version of a shorter, tighter Southern manuscript fills the gap. In-line glosses, extensive notes and translated Latin quotations make this fascinating text accessible to modern readers.

A missing two-cent cotter pin, smaller than a paperclip, can bring down a four-engine airliner and kill hundreds of people. In 1961, only 17 days and 17 miles apart, Trans World Airlines Flight 529 and Northwest Airlines Flight 706 suffered fatal disasters in Illinois. The Lockheed Constellation operated by TWA crashed because of a missing cotter pin, and the Northwest Airlines Lockheed Electra crashed because someone forgot to install a few inches of safety wire. Government officials charged with investigating these crashes reveal why the airlines and their employees took no responsibility for such fatal ineptness. This book tells the story of the ill-fated airliners, how the airlines avoided responsibility, and how the passengers are remembered by next-of-kin after more than 50 years. Readers may discover similarities between the 1961 disasters and the 2019 crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX jetliners that killed 346 people.

Since public audiences were first introduced to the medium of film in 1895, the Catholic Church has sought to impose its will on the distribution and exhibition of movies. These activities include the fortnightly publication of the Segnalazioni Cinematografiche, which passed Catholic moral judgment on every film released. In this pamphlet and in other settings, no set of filmmakers has invited the ire of the Vatican as much as those working in the genres of horror and exploitation. At times, filmmakers have responded in kind, attacking the Catholic church directly and indirectly, presenting clergy as outright antagonists and shining a light on the Vatican's crimes past and present, including its collusion with fascism. Translating the judgments of the Segnalazioni Cinematografiche into English for the first time and juxtaposing them with film content and social and historical context, this book presents in full the cultural conflict between the Vatican and horror movies.

This new, in-depth life of Henry McCarty, alias Billy Bonney, alias Billy the Kid, offers fresh perspectives, not only on the Lincoln County War and his boyhood in Silver City, New Mexico, but also on his Irish mother's origins and immigration to Indiana, his public-school education in Indianapolis, the McCarty family's moves to Wichita, Kansas, and Santa Fe, and his two-year outlaw adventures in Arizona. For the first time, the whole person emerges. This biography brings together a huge amount of material, much of it made available to researchers only in recent years. The result is an original, authoritative, and provocative portrait of Billy the Kid as both outlaw and frontier fighter against the infamously corrupt Santa Fe Ring.

From top hats to top secrets, this book is a celebration of illusion technology and mechanisms of trickery through a genre-crossing selection of films. Heroes, villains, spies, con-men, and madmen, magicians all, have utilized complex constructs and trickery in thrilling cinematic adventures from the earliest days of cinema to the present. Current blockbusters such as Spider-Man: Far from Home and the Mission: Impossible series feature amazing acts of deception, often appearing far-fetched, that are in fact surprisingly close to today's technology. Along with the James Bond saga, classics such as The Wizard of Oz, Nightmare Alley, and The Sting are joined by a host of other movies superficially seeming to be very different, yet proving there is more than meets the eye.

During World War II, the United States earned the nickname'the arsenal of democracy'due to its sheer productive output, which included over 3,000,000 trucks and jeeps, 86,000 tanks, 6,750 naval platforms, 300,000 aircraft of all types. It was also the arsenal of democracy in a second sense, as a large portion of that hardware was supplied to countries fighting fascism. When Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the Lend-Lease Act, Allied countries of the antifascist coalition were supplied with aid, hardware, and food. Beyond material aid, the United States also hosted and trained over 20,000 foreign pilots and aircrew between 1941 and 1945. This book presents the history of one such training program, where 532 Dutch pilots, crew and other personnel were trained on United States soil over 21 months. With the Japanese army intent on invading the Netherlands East Indies, it was critical that the Dutch army strengthen their air power. When resistance fell on the NEI island of Java and Australia became the new front line, Dutch authorities were forced to relocate their training program to Jackson, Mississippi, where they christened the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School. From there, they trained on bases in over a dozen states, representing a high point for the Dutch air force during a grueling time. After their training, the RNMFS participated in the liberation of NEI from Japanese occupation. This history presents, in full context, the training of Dutch air personnel on U.S. soil under the Lend-Lease Act, their easy rapport with their American hosts, and their efforts to establish the Netherlands as an integral part of the Allied cause.

In 1962, William Faulkner left his homestead in Oxford, Mississippi, to travel to the nearby Byhalia sanatorium for alcoholism rehabilitation. Mere hours later, the usual recovery he sought turned tragic. This book traces the sequence of events leading to his initial hospitalization, exploring facets of his emotional instability, mental health, and various addictions. It reveals how Faulkner's fervent passions shaped both his life and his art; brilliance and madness emerged in equal measure as the author's substance abuse shaped his reality. Beneath the scholarly facade depicted in photographs was a troubled man entangled in a complex marriage, seeking solace through serial sexual and romantic affairs, perilous pastimes, and the pervasive culture of alcohol abuse. The ultimate truth surrounding Faulkner's final decline gradually emerges as this book examines previously undisclosed medical details such as patient records, administered medications, and financial statements. Interviews with close associates at the Leonard Wright Sanatorium, the sight of his unexpected death, provide further insights. The text reveals a culture ill-prepared to address mental health crises and identifies the habitual forces that hastened the demise of one of America's most celebrated authors.

Of the 13 million visitors who annually flock to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, fewer than one in a thousand are fortunate enough to spend a night at the LeConte Lodge. Continuing over 100 years of service, Eastern America's highest lodge still operates with a waiting list, thriving so far off the grid that laundry is transported by llamas and food is ferried in by helicopter. Visitors must brave one of six trails to the Lodge's entrance, the shortest of which is five miles. Despite its remote location in Tennessee, LeConte Lodge remains a prominent tourist destination as it celebrates its centennial. Written by two journalists who have been making the trek for decades, this book reveals a history that predates the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The book features stories that contextualize the Lodge's development, from the log bunkhouse that marked the property in the 1920s to the flourishing Lodge there today. It also explores the history of Mount Le Conte, the namesake peak that houses the Lodge.

Throughout history, groups of people disillusioned with society have tried to create utopian communities organized on new principles. Typically, they hold some or all of their property in common. Often, they are motivated by religious convictions, or by some type of socialist ideology. While many of these communities collapsed, some in a matter of months, a few of them continued for decades and even generations. This book analyzes what makes a utopian group successful and what can be learned from their example. Among the most successful of these utopian experiments were those inspired by the teachings of American economist Henry George. George's vision of expanded individual freedom coupled with economic justice gives us a map towards a better world.

Complex and closely watched, the U.S. airline industry has long been a stronghold of union labor. Airline unions function as democracies that organize strikes, raise concern about important safety issues, and back mergers that would not move forward without their support. They use their power to improve workers'lives and to enhance safety, which can be threatened by corporate over-commitment to ensuring profits. This book draws from the experience of Miami Herald's former airlines reporter, Ted Reed, who offers an insider's view of the unions'victories, losses, and larger-than-life leaders. From the beginning of his career in the late 1980s, it was evident that covering the airline industry also meant covering the labor unions that represented nearly every group of employees. His 30 years of experience have spanned multiple major strikes and other union events, and the stories he shares are critical to understanding the role of labor organization in the airline industry.

Bookended by two all-time greats in Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson, the much-maligned 1980s were significant in heavyweight boxing. Holmes dominated the first half of the decade, but the'Easton Assassin'struggled to escape the shadow of Muhammad Ali. Holmes did establish a legacy of greatness despite stumbling in his attempt to surpass Rocky Marciano's unbeaten record of 49-0. The second half of the decade saw the meteoric rise of Mike Tyson, who cleaned out and unified a fractured heavyweight division through the HBO unification tournament. The'80s was also the decade of fighters collectively known as the'lost generation'of heavyweights. That included the likes of Greg Page, Tony Tubbs, Tim Witherspoon, and Michael Dokes, who, for various reasons, couldn't sustain a period at the top of the game. However, they still deserve to be remembered for more than their failings. This book presents a thorough history of a stunning decade in heavyweight boxing, covering all 46 world title fights in detail.

World War II ended in 1945, but its effects were still being felt long after the surrender of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Shortages in food, energy, and industrial production continued to plague much of the world, especially Europe, where strained economies teetered on the verge of collapse. As millions of war-weary people across the globe struggled to build a better future, the decisions made in 1947 proved crucial in ending the wartime milieu and ushering in a new and more stable age. This book explores a wide variety of topics ranging from U.S. politics and international relations to big band jazz music, race relations in sports, and television technology, to tell the story of a world in transition. While focusing on the experiences of less well-known individuals who are often excluded from histories of the period, the author combines information from interviews with archival and secondary sources to explain why 1947 was a pivotal year in the emergence of the contemporary world.

As the United States wrestles with the rising tide of hate crimes, Asian Americans have been disproportionately victimized. From the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to contemporary attempts to restrict Asian land ownership, Asian Americans continue to be regarded as different, aliens in their own country. Why are they still regarded as outsiders, despite their scientific, cultural and other contributions to U.S. society? This book exposes the origin and current perceptions of myths and stereotypes about Asian Americans, with a look at prospects for their recognition and acceptance by the dominant white society.

With a unique definition of the classic situation comedy television genre as developed out of its history on radio, this critical study highlights the best American sitcoms from the 1950s, TV's first decade as a household medium. Everything from I Love Lucy to Dobie Gillis is covered with a rigorous evaluation that seeks to find this formative era's finest episodic samples that most prove the sitcom's inherent artistry.

Japan is often perceived as a land of custom, convention, and conservatism. While much of Japan's population does uphold tradition, the nation also has a history of confronting conformity when it comes to gender representation in the arts. Revealed in the pages of the famous Tosa Nikki, through the characters of the Kantai Collection media mix, and in many more expressions of art and media, the diverse stories of gender fluidity have permeated Japanese culture for centuries. In this volume of critical essays, scholars from around the world bring international perspectives on subjects ranging from 10th century poetry to 21st century photography. They examine various facets of Japanese culture, including prose, theater, music, cinema, anime, computer games, and contemporary drag performance. These essays explore the impact of flexible approaches to gender representation in the arts, highlighting the role that artists play in shaping attitudes towards gender in Japanese society.

Altered states of consciousness (ASCs)--including dreams, hypnosis, spirit possession and brainwashing--have long captivated contemporary culture. In the 20th century, Hollywood integrated ASCs into an array of films, reflecting society's fascination with the subject. After early cinematic portrayals laid the groundwork, the depiction of ASCs on the silver screen surged with the advent of special effects in the 1960s and are abundant in the present day. This book traces the rise and proliferation of ASCs within American cinema, focusing on major studio releases from the 1940s onward. By examining various aspects of altered consciousness, from weaponized hypnosis to spiritual encounters, the text sheds light on the cultural reception of these films, recent research on ASCs and discrepancies between scientific knowledge and cinematic representation.