Added on 10/17/06

For music fans who found American Idol heavy on the syrupy ballads, Rock Star: INXS added volume to a similar premise--even if the goal was to become the new lead singer of INXS. (At the very least, there are more tattoos.) That said, this DVD... See more

For music fans who found American Idol heavy on the syrupy ballads, Rock Star: INXS added volume to a similar premise--even if the goal was to become the new lead singer of INXS. (At the very least, there are more tattoos.) That said, this DVD doesn't include episodes from the program, but rather performances, each preceded by an explanation from the performer as to the reason they chose that particular song. Although the show featured 15 contestants, this disc concentrates on the six finalists: Jordis, Suzie, Marty, Ty, Mig, and J.D. The other nine can be glimpsed in "Behind the Scenes," in which they get made up, warm-up backstage, etc. The music section begin with J.D.'s quasi-metallic "California Dreamin'" (the Mamas and the Papas) and ends with Suzie's ambitious "Bohemian Rhapsody" (for the most part, she pulls off the operatic Queen opus). Ironically, the strongest performances are two of the least bombastic: Marty's solo acoustic "Mr. Brightside" (the Killers) and Jordis's "The... See less

Added on 10/17/06

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Added on 10/17/06

The renowned master of mythology is at his warm, accessible, and brilliant best in this illustrated collection of thirteen lectures covering mythological development around the world.

The renowned master of mythology is at his warm, accessible, and brilliant best in this illustrated collection of thirteen lectures covering mythological development around the world. See less

Added on 10/17/06

Not since Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment has there been such an illuminating contribution to the world of children's fairy tales. The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales celebrates the best-loved stories of childhood through the vision of... See more

Not since Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment has there been such an illuminating contribution to the world of children's fairy tales. The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales celebrates the best-loved stories of childhood through the vision of Maria Tatar, a leading expert in the field of folklore and children's literature. Challenging the notion that fairy tales can be read for their morals and used to make model citizens of little children, Tatar guides readers through the stories, exploring their historical origins, their cultural complexities, and their psychological effects. By providing children with powerful models for navigating reality, Tatar shows, these tales help children survive in a world ruled by adults. Tatar presents twenty-six classic stories—including "Beauty and the Beast," "Little Red Hiding Hood," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "The Little Mermaid." She has personally retranslated the stories that did not appear originally in English and has also assembled over... See less

Added on 10/17/06

"A knowledge of classical mythology is  indispensable in understanding and appreciating much of  the great literature, sculpture, and painting of  both the ancients and the moderns. Unless we know  the marvelous stories of the deities and heroes... See more

"A knowledge of classical mythology is  indispensable in understanding and appreciating much of  the great literature, sculpture, and painting of  both the ancients and the moderns. Unless we know  the marvelous stories of the deities and heroes of  the ancients, their great literature and art as  much later work down to the present day will remain  unintelligible. Through the centuries from  Chaucer, Spencer, Shakespeare, and Milton on, not only  the major writers but also hundreds of lesser  writers have retold the old tales or used them as a  point of departure for new interpretations in terms  of contemporary problems and psychology."--From  author's Introduction See less

Added on 10/17/06

Wendy Shanker is a fat, healthy, beautiful girl who has simply had enough. Enough of family, friends, co-workers, women's magazines, even strangers on the street, all trying (and failing) to make her thin. She finally decided, "If I can't take it... See more

Wendy Shanker is a fat, healthy, beautiful girl who has simply had enough. Enough of family, friends, co-workers, women's magazines, even strangers on the street, all trying (and failing) to make her thin. She finally decided, "If I can't take it off, I'm going to take it on."With a mandate to change the world-and the energy to do it-Wendy shows how media madness, corporate greed, and even the most well-intentioned loved ones prey on our shrink-to-fit minds, if not our shrink-to-fit bodies. She invites people of all sizes, shapes, and dissatisfactions to trade self-loathing for self-tolerance, celebrity worship for reality reverence, and a carb-free life for a guilt-free Krispy Kreme.Wendy explores dieting debacles, full-figured fashions, and feminist philosophy while guiding you through exercise clubs, doctor's offices, shopping malls, and even the bedroom. She believes that you can be fit and fat, even as the weight loss industry conspires to make you think otherwise. The Fat Girl's... See less

Added on 10/17/06

A hilarious and sometimes poignant look at the absurdities of weight-loss culture from an appealing and original new voice. From the creator of the immensely popular websites Pound and Candyboots, this is the memoir of Wendy McClure's... See more

A hilarious and sometimes poignant look at the absurdities of weight-loss culture from an appealing and original new voice. From the creator of the immensely popular websites Pound and Candyboots, this is the memoir of Wendy McClure's odyssey-on-line and off-through the Valley of The Shadow of Her Really Big Ass. It's about the universe she created for herself when she couldn't see herself as a kicky Weight Loss Success Story, only she put it all on a website and became sort of an inspiration anyway. I'm Not The New Me is about coming to terms with a family heritage of fat and drastic surgeries, and about self-esteem issues that are nobody's business but your own. It's wondering what's left of yourself after you lose weight-and just who the hell you are if you gain it back. It's about the absurdities of online identities and fat girl clichés, and the sheer terror of appearing live and in person in your very own life. See less

Added on 10/17/06

A companion volume to the critically acclaimed Nursery Tales Around the World, this collection is the perfect step up from nursery stories. Fifteen wonderful read-aloud tales from many different cultures are grouped together by familiar tale types:... See more

A companion volume to the critically acclaimed Nursery Tales Around the World, this collection is the perfect step up from nursery stories. Fifteen wonderful read-aloud tales from many different cultures are grouped together by familiar tale types: stories like "The Bremen Town Musicians," "The Frog Prince," "Hansel and Gretel," "Rumplestiltskin," and "The Three Pigs." Folklorist Judy Sierra's inspired retellings are once again paired with Stefano Vitale's richly detailed illustrations. The stunning art evokes the visual traditions of the tales" varied countries of origin, which include Japan, Scotland, Argentina, and Sri Lanka. This is a must for folklore collectors and a perfect addition to any child's bookshelf. Source notes, bibliography. See less

Added on 10/17/06

They are known as the Little People, the Beautiful Maidens, the Godmothers, the Blessed, the Ageless Ones...for it is dangerous to say the name "faeries" without good reason. Ruling over earth, air, fire, and water, they protect forests, animals,... See more

They are known as the Little People, the Beautiful Maidens, the Godmothers, the Blessed, the Ageless Ones...for it is dangerous to say the name "faeries" without good reason. Ruling over earth, air, fire, and water, they protect forests, animals, and children, and in their hands lie the dreamy souls of all creatures.The faeries rose from the mist long, long ago, in the time of the Golden Age -- well before the creation of gods and men. In their magical fancy they created the singing grasses and the reflection of springs, the music of legends and the far side of the mirror. From the Valkyries of Valhalla to the Babouchka of Russia, Banshees, Dryads, Bogey Beasts, Sirens, and their ilk populate the imaginations and the forests of every culture.In this comprehensive celebration of the world of faery, renowned French elficologist Pierre Dubois describes the extraordinary richness of the faery kingdom, presenting dozens and dozens of lushly illustrated entries on the most powerful and... See less

Added on 10/17/06

A fascinating compendium of folklore, superstitions, and mythology surrounding the 'little people', including discussions of fairy tradition as it appears in great works of English literature.

A fascinating compendium of folklore, superstitions, and mythology surrounding the 'little people', including discussions of fairy tradition as it appears in great works of English literature. See less

Added on 10/17/06

We have always conjured up creatures never seen in nature, from flying horses and two-headed birds to fire-breathing dragons and enormous killer skunks, as well as fantastic distortions of our own image, from giants to nubile maidens. In these pages... See more

We have always conjured up creatures never seen in nature, from flying horses and two-headed birds to fire-breathing dragons and enormous killer skunks, as well as fantastic distortions of our own image, from giants to nubile maidens. In these pages you will meet extraordinary beings from Hindu and Navajo religions, Scandinavian tales, Russian folklore, Lithuanian stories, Irish oral history, American tall tales, and Aztec myth. Just some of the monstrous entourage: • Baku, a benevolent Japanese monster with the body of a horse, the head of a lion, and the legs of a tiger, who helps people by devouring their nightmares. • Kurma, the giant tortoise of Hindu myth, whose upper shell forms the heavens and lower part the earth. • Missipissy, the feared fish serpent of North America's Great Lakes region. This illustrated encyclopedia not only identifies and describes individual beasts in their cultural context but also groups them together across cultures and discusses common mythological... See less

Added on 10/17/06

This step-by-step introduction to teaching thinking skills will be useful to teachers, librarians, and staff development personnel. Each thinking skill is presented in a one-page reproducible format (easily adapted to a transparency or PowerPoint... See more

This step-by-step introduction to teaching thinking skills will be useful to teachers, librarians, and staff development personnel. Each thinking skill is presented in a one-page reproducible format (easily adapted to a transparency or PowerPoint slide), followed by several self-contained activities teaching that skill using fairy tales and fantasy books as the basis. Over 30 skills are included, ranging from deductive reasoning to inferential and perceptual thinking. An ideal resource for gifted education teachers, this is the first book in this format to provide such a breadth of coverage. See less

Added on 10/17/06

In this thrilling conclusion to The Dreamers, the Vlagh prepares for one final, merciless attackone that will pit her forces against the might of both the Elder Gods and the Younger Gods. But all the painstaking preparations of these noble allies... See more

In this thrilling conclusion to The Dreamers, the Vlagh prepares for one final, merciless attackone that will pit her forces against the might of both the Elder Gods and the Younger Gods. But all the painstaking preparations of these noble allies might come to naught if they continue to ignore a growing threat within their ranks. For Aracia, sister of the goddess Zelana (The Elder Gods), is nearing the end of her cycle, and has begun to lose her mind. Her insanity, if it is not recognized, will place the entire land of Dhrall in turmoil, making the dreaded coming of the Vlagh look like a childs game by comparison. See less

Added on 10/17/06

A collection of riveting stories about preternatural revenge, numerous in Yankee lore, with each New England state providing its favorites. Some are well known, at least regionally. Others are nearly forgotten. All are cursed.

A collection of riveting stories about preternatural revenge, numerous in Yankee lore, with each New England state providing its favorites. Some are well known, at least regionally. Others are nearly forgotten. All are cursed. See less

Added on 10/17/06

Like an ordinary geographical dictionary, The Dictionary of Imaginary Places contains alphabetically organized entries for more than a thousand locales. In this case, however, the locales in question are far from ordinary--they range from the... See more

Like an ordinary geographical dictionary, The Dictionary of Imaginary Places contains alphabetically organized entries for more than a thousand locales. In this case, however, the locales in question are far from ordinary--they range from the orc-ridden wastes of Tolkien's Middle-earth to the languorous shores of Homer's Island of the Lotus-Eaters. Though for the most part these fantastical lands are mapped and chronicled with straight-faced seriousness, the encyclopedia is not without a certain deadpan wit. For example, the entry for Oz describes "a large rectangular country divided into four small countries.... As a famous visitor once remarked, Oz is not Kansas." This handsome and whimsically charming book, adorned with fanciful line drawings and maps, is rich with enough fictive detail to please the most inveterate reader. See less

Added on 10/17/06

If you have ever believed in a world beyond the everyday, this is the book to help you find it. A Complete Guide to Faeries and Magical Beings is a wonderful companion for those who wish to tour an enchanted world. Cassandra Eason begins with the... See more

If you have ever believed in a world beyond the everyday, this is the book to help you find it. A Complete Guide to Faeries and Magical Beings is a wonderful companion for those who wish to tour an enchanted world. Cassandra Eason begins with the myths, legends, and real evidence surrounding the origins and existence of fairies and then takes us on a journey throughout the world to introduce us to the many different varieties of these mysterious beings. From fairies to viking giants, selkies to gnomes, fey beings abound. In this spritely volume, Eason shares fascinating anecdotes of people who have actually seen them. And if you'd like to meet them yourself, Eason also provides simple techniques, exercises, and rituals to attract, find, and communicate with the little people. Hang silver bells by a window. Keep potted plants in your home. Or sit quietly between two oaks at dusk or dawn. Fairyland mirrors universal human issues: fortune versus misfortune, fate versus free will,... See less

Added on 10/17/06

This comprehensive guide is as wonderfully thorough and cross-referenced as we've come to expect from the Oxford Companions, and it deserves a place on the bookshelf of any lover of children's literature or films. Arranged alphabetically, The Oxford... See more

This comprehensive guide is as wonderfully thorough and cross-referenced as we've come to expect from the Oxford Companions, and it deserves a place on the bookshelf of any lover of children's literature or films. Arranged alphabetically, The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales covers authors, illustrators, individual titles, and countries of origin for the fairy tales of Europe, from medieval times through the era of Walt Disney. Each entry is handily marked with asterisks when there's a related section to read; "The Little Mermaid" has asterisks highlighting both Hans Christian Anderson and Disney, while the larger section of Victorian Fairy Painting has 19 asterisks in its three pages of text. While authors and stories generally don't get more than a few paragraphs of detail, you'll find the quantity of entries most impressive. Beyond standard fairy tales, authors of classic children's literature and adult fantasy are often included, if their works rely in any way on earlier myths or... See less

Added on 10/17/06

Murder, mutilation, cannibalism, infanticide, and incest: the darker side of classic fairy tales figures as the subject matter for this intriguing study of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's Nursery and Household Tales. This updated and expanded second... See more

Murder, mutilation, cannibalism, infanticide, and incest: the darker side of classic fairy tales figures as the subject matter for this intriguing study of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's Nursery and Household Tales. This updated and expanded second edition includes a new preface and an appendix containing new translations of six tales, along with commentary by Maria Tatar. Throughout the book, Tatar skillfully employs the tools not only of a psychoanalyst but also of a folklorist, literary critic, and historian to examine the harsher aspects of these stories. She presents new interpretations of the powerful stories in this worldwide best-selling book. Few studies have been written in English on these tales, and none has probed their allegedly happy endings so thoroughly. See less

Added on 10/17/06

Of the various types of mythological literature, fairy tales are the simplest and purest expressions of the collective unconscious and thus offer the clearest understanding of the basic patterns of the human psyche. Every people or nation has its own... See more

Of the various types of mythological literature, fairy tales are the simplest and purest expressions of the collective unconscious and thus offer the clearest understanding of the basic patterns of the human psyche. Every people or nation has its own way of experiencing this psychic reality, and so a study of the world's fairy tales yields a wealth of insights into the archetypal experiences of humankind. Perhaps the foremost authority on the psychological interpretation of fairy tales is Marie-Louise von Franz. In this book—originally published as An Introduction to the Interpretation of Fairy Tales —she describes the steps involved in analyzing and illustrates them with a variety of European tales, from "Beauty and the Beast" to "The Robber Bridegroom." Dr. von Franz begins with a history of the study of fairy tales and the various theories of interpretation. By way of illustration she presents a detailed examination of a simple Grimm's tale, "The Three Feathers," followed by a... See less

Added on 10/17/06

Fairy tales seem to be innocent stories, yet they contain profound lessons for those who would dive deep into their waters of meaning. In this book, Marie-Louise von Franz uncovers some of the important lessons concealed in tales from around the... See more

Fairy tales seem to be innocent stories, yet they contain profound lessons for those who would dive deep into their waters of meaning. In this book, Marie-Louise von Franz uncovers some of the important lessons concealed in tales from around the world, drawing on the wealth of her knowledge of folklore, her experience as a psychoanalyst and a collaborator with Jung, and her great personal wisdom. Among the many topics discussed in relation to the dark side of life and human psychology, both individual and collective, are: How different aspects of the "shadow"—all the affects and attitudes that are unconscious to the ego personality—are personified in the giants and monsters, ghosts, and demons, evil kings and wicked witches of fairy tales How problems of the shadow manifest differently in men and women What fairy tales say about the kinds of behavior and attitudes that invite evil How Jung's technique of Active imagination can be used to overcome overwhelming negative emotions ... See less

Added on 10/17/06

Nearly 200 characteristic and colorful traditional folk and fairy tales are brought together in the only comprehensive edition available in English. Of the original 1945 edition, Eudora Welty wrote, "These Russian tales are rambunctious, full-blooded... See more

Nearly 200 characteristic and colorful traditional folk and fairy tales are brought together in the only comprehensive edition available in English. Of the original 1945 edition, Eudora Welty wrote, "These Russian tales are rambunctious, full-blooded and temperamental. They are tense with action, magical and human, and move in a kind of cyclone of speed....These tales are gorgeous." See less

Added on 10/17/06

From the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century, many of Japan's most brilliant artists, including Hiroshige, Hokusai, Yoshitoshi, and Zeshin, allowed their imaginations free rein in creating images of the supernatural world in woodblocks,... See more

From the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century, many of Japan's most brilliant artists, including Hiroshige, Hokusai, Yoshitoshi, and Zeshin, allowed their imaginations free rein in creating images of the supernatural world in woodblocks, paintings, books, wooden sculptures, and on screens. This is the first book devoted to the study of the supernatural world and its renditions in Japanese art. The illustrations show a stunning array of Japan's more fiendish figures. Each of the ten chapters focuses on one of the most important themes in Japanese lore, discussing its anthropological meaning and literary and artistic interpretations. 49 color illustrations, 75 black-and-white illustrations. See less

Added on 10/17/06

When Hansel and Gretel try to eat thw witch's gingerbread house in the woods, are they indulging their "uncontrolled cravings" and "destructive desires" or are they simply responding normally to the hunger pangs they feel after being abandoned by... See more

When Hansel and Gretel try to eat thw witch's gingerbread house in the woods, are they indulging their "uncontrolled cravings" and "destructive desires" or are they simply responding normally to the hunger pangs they feel after being abandoned by their parents? Challenging Bruno Bettelheim and other critics who read fairy tales as enactments of children's untamed urges, Maria Tatar argues that it is time to stop casting the children as villians. In this provocative book she explores how adults mistreat children, focusing on adults not only as hostile characters in fairy tales themselves but also as real people who use frightening stories to discipline young listeners. See less

Added on 10/17/06

Breaking the Magic Spell, first published in 1979, is considered a landmark of the field, and this revised, expanded, and updated edition will be invaluable to scholars and students. Folk and fairy tales pervade the everyday world to such a degree... See more

Breaking the Magic Spell, first published in 1979, is considered a landmark of the field, and this revised, expanded, and updated edition will be invaluable to scholars and students. Folk and fairy tales pervade the everyday world to such a degree that we are sometimes unaware of their enormous influence on our behavior. In seven essays collected in Breaking the Magic Spell, Zipes discusses historically and critically the evolution of folk tales as fairy tales, their influence on popular beliefs, the politics behind them, and the way they are used in mass media culture today. Zipes looks at how a wide range of authors, including the Brothers Grimm, Perrault, the German romantics, Hans Christian Andersen, Wilde, and Tolkien, used fairy tales as he assesses their enduring importance. See less

Added on 10/17/06

Jack Zipes develops a social history of the fairy tale and shows how educated writers purposefully appropriated the oral folk tale in the eighteenth century and made it into a discourse about mores, values, and manners.

Jack Zipes develops a social history of the fairy tale and shows how educated writers purposefully appropriated the oral folk tale in the eighteenth century and made it into a discourse about mores, values, and manners. See less

Added on 10/17/06

Most of the fairy tales that we grew up with we know thanks to the Brothers Grimm. Jack Zipes, one of our surest guides through the world of fairy tales and their criticism, takes us behind the romantic mythology of the wandering brothers. Bringing... See more

Most of the fairy tales that we grew up with we know thanks to the Brothers Grimm. Jack Zipes, one of our surest guides through the world of fairy tales and their criticism, takes us behind the romantic mythology of the wandering brothers. Bringing to ber his own critical expertise as well as new biographical information, Zipes examines the interaction between the Grimms lives and their work. He reveals their personal struggle to overcome social prejudice and poverty, as well as their political effortsas scholars and civil servantstoward unifying the German states. By deftly interweaving the social, political, and personal elements of their lives, Zipes rescues the Brothers Grimm from sentimental obscurity. No longer figures in a fairy tale, the Brothers Grimm emerge as powerful creators, real men who established the fairy tale as one of our great literary institutions. Part biography, part critical assessment, and part social history, The Brothers Grimm provides a complex and very... See less

Added on 10/17/06

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Added on 10/17/06

Written with the same immense energy, wry humor and Hollywood skewering that filled the bestsellingIf Chins Could Kill, our hero gives his fans a follow-up they could not have expected-a laughout-loud novel starring (who else?) Bruce Campbell I n... See more

Written with the same immense energy, wry humor and Hollywood skewering that filled the bestsellingIf Chins Could Kill, our hero gives his fans a follow-up they could not have expected-a laughout-loud novel starring (who else?) Bruce Campbell I n this autobiographical novel, the King of 'B' movie actors gives his legions of fans the inside view of his hilarious attempt to become an 'A' list actor-taking readers on a wild ride to nail the dream role. In this side-splitting send-up, Bruce imagines that he is cast in the big-budget film 'Let's Make Love,'where he plays a relationship guru/doorman opposite Richard Gere and Renee Zellwegger. Nervous that the star-studded cast will discover he's a grade below, Bruce embarks on a crash-course in method acting, regaling readers with stories of his exploits-including taking jobs as a wedding planner, private investigator, and Waldorf Astoria doorman. Along the way, he throws off tidbits of advice that his fans will find entertaining-but better... See less

Added on 10/17/06

If Chins Could Kill is a delightfully irreverent, yet oddly touching epic of ambition and disappointment, fame and anonymity, and lots of fake blood. Told in Bruces wry, sarcastic voice, it is a Hollywood from the bleacher seats look at his... See more

If Chins Could Kill is a delightfully irreverent, yet oddly touching epic of ambition and disappointment, fame and anonymity, and lots of fake blood. Told in Bruces wry, sarcastic voice, it is a Hollywood from the bleacher seats look at his experiences in film and TV and at his status as a cult horror and sci-fi movie god. This man with the face of a matinee idol and the heart of a Stooge first attracted what has grown into an enormous cult following as the star of Sam Raimis legendary Evil Dead trilogy of thriller-comedies. With tireless good humor and biting wit, Bruce acted, produced, and directed his way through a bakers dozen of B horror films and space operas before finally enjoying mainstream stardom on prime-time TV. Deeply earnest and fiercely funny, this book tells the story of an unlikely star who continues to lead a unique double life as cult movie icon and regular Joe. See less