Disaster movies

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Rebecca N. Ferguson

All things must pass. In an understatement of historic proportions, quite a few things have passed since the end of the last millennium. Some of the history-making events include the election of George W. Bush, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; spectacular images from probes in outer space, medical advances and debate, and many new scientific discoveries on Earth; a devastating earthquake in Iran and the deadly tsunami in Asia; the downfall of Enron and the comeback of Apple, not to mention the dot.com bubble burst and whatever happened to the budget surplus?. Whew! A new era has taken shape, and The Handy History Answer Book records it. A concise guide to all things historical, Handy History addresses people, times, and events in a wide-ranging and comprehensive manner, complemented by nearly 200 illustrations and, for those who like their history instant, a chronology of major events. Beginning with a section on historical eras, this popular reference source tracks history with obsessive zeal and tight editing. The Handy History Answer Book organizes information in thirteen specific subject sections ranging from politics to war to science to religion. It tackles exploration and settlement, technological advances, legal fireworks, financial and business events, social movements, natural and man-made disasters, medicine and disease, and art and culture. Along the way you’ll meet a cast of thousands, including Socrates (an early advocate of the question-and-answer format) and Plato, Elvis Presley, and Thomas Edison, four guys who’d be real fun together at a dinner party. The Handy History Answer Book is a fingertip, time-traveling guide through the pages of history.

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Liam Burke

In 1978 Superman made audiences believe a man could fly. Since then, Superhero Movies have shown that man can not only fly, but swing from webs through New York's concrete canyons, turn monstrous shades of green if suitably vexed and dress as giant rodents to safeguard the city streets. Today, there are more Superhero Movies than ever before as the cinematic skies are filled with caped crusaders and nocturnal vigilantes that continue to delight and excite cinemagoers the world over. This book reveals the secret identity of the Superhero Movie, examining how cinema has come to represent the mythological icons of our age. Through detailed analysis and fascinating facts, Superhero Movies explores how, in a single bound, the Superhero has made the leap from the comic book page to the silver screen. So fasten your utility belt as you prepare to take flight with Superhero Movies. Includes an exclusive interview with Stan Lee, former president of Marvel Comics, creator of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, the Silver Surfer and Daredevil.

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Giannalberto Bendazzi

"... Its encyclopedic style will find it a place in the library of everyone interested in the subject." — Kirkus Reviews. "Enthusiastically recommended as both a fascinating story and an incredible reference resource for both scholars and aficionados of the art of film." —Choice. "Although animation has finally begun to be thought worthy of serious attention, the spate of books on it in recent years has focused primarily on commercial Hollywood animation. Bendazzi ambitiously attempts to fill the gap. He covers more than a century's worth of animation, from the 1888 th{‚}e{ƒ}atre optique (a device for projecting moving painted images that predates motion picture pioneers Edison and Lumi{Š}ere) to today's cutting edge computer-animation technology. He covers American animation, of course, but also describes developments in more than 70 other countries, in many of which animation emerged more as an art form than a box office draw. His work is not without shortcomings: the writing (the translation, anyway) is occasionally awkward, and despite or because of its exhaustive depth and scholarly approach, the text seldom conveys the delightfulness that makes the best cartoons so compelling. Carping aside, this valuable effort, already well received in France and Italy, promises to be the basic reference on its subject for some time to come." -- Gordon Flagg , Booklist review.

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Jamey Heit

"This critical analysis of Calvin and Hobbes explores Calvin's world as an intertextual space, revealing a deep reservoir of meanings. Close readings of individual strips highlight the profundity of Calvin's world with respect to a number of life's big questions, including what an individual values, friendship, God, death, and other struggles in life"--Provided by publisher.