Let's face it: pirates of the Golden Age are just cool. No one would actually want to encounter them, but they have been the stuff of escapist dreams since childhood. Adventure, fellowship, treasure–the “romantic” aspects of piracy are what make these otherwise nasty individuals anti-heroes par excellence. As an adult and academic and as an occasional crewman on square riggers, I adopted pirates as a favorite sub-set of maritime history. As with other aspects of the past, I view the history of pirates and piracy as really two narratives: what the records tell us happened and why and what our persistent fascination with them reveals about us.
I taught courses on Atlantic piracy in the early-modern era and always included this lively, authoritative survey of piracy (and anti-piracy). It is a go-to volume for the newcomer to pirate history as well as for the specialist, and my students consistently praised it.
Peter Earle brings his mastery of maritime history to each page and is never boring!
Investigating the fascination pirates hold over the popular imagination, Peter Earle takes the fable of ocean-going Robin Hoods sailing under the "banner of King Death" and contrasts it with the murderous reality of robbery, torture and death and the freedom of a short, violent life on the high seas. The book charts 250 years of piracy, from Cornwall to the Caribbean, from the 16th century to the hanging of the last pirate cptain in Boston in 1835. Along the way, we meet characters like Captain Thomas Cocklyn, chosen as commander of his ship "on account of his brutality and ignorance,"…
I’ve always loved horror stories, right from when I was a kid, and I first watched Friday the 13th, the ultimate scary movie. The jump scare moment was everything. I spent time studying great suspense writers like Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen King, and R L Stine. I was in awe at how they had me turning the pages, unable to look away! I think more and more children are discovering the fun and thrill of scary stories, and I love nothing more than making sure I try and implement some of these rules, adding in my own originality, too!
R. L Stein is a Master of Children’s horror fiction. He gets it. He knows where to draw the line and let kids know that the "scary stuff" isn’t real. This isn’t easy. But I guess after so many books, he has a strong format. He does it brilliantly.
This book features a terrifying Halloween mask–perfect for a dark night, especially around Halloween time. I love the way he throws in scary moments at the most unexpected moments. I love how eerie this book is and how frightening he makes the mask, especially when the mask won’t come off!
How ugly is Carly Beth's Halloween mask? It's so ugly that it almost scared her little brother to death. So terrifying that even her friends are totally freaked out by it. It's the best Halloween mask ever. With yellow-green skin and long animal fangs, the mask terrifies the entire neighborhood. Before long, it has a surprising effect on Carly Beth, too. She tries to take it off . . . but it won't budge!Halloween is almost over, but fright night is just beginning.Now with all-new bonus materials!
Legacy is an imaginative fable and
simultaneously a narrative poem that is beautifully constructed. It is very
relevant for our times.
First, it is a gripping read of heroism, triumph over difficulties,
and of confrontation with evil. As fable, it joins the ranks of the classics
like Aesop’s Fables or more recently George Orwell’s Animal Farm. But part of
its beauty is not only its construction but also that it can be read it to your
young children - they will love it!
It is simple to follow, yet has profound
depth. It’s been described as “a much-needed antidote to the moral vacuum of
modern culture.” I totally agree. Reading it is great but I even more strongly
recommend listening to it: the author’s voice is good enough for Disney.
Since I was a kid, “someplace else” has always looked good to me. I turned that passion into a career. I have been a travel writer for the New York Times and travel commenter for Public Radio International. Three of my published books are humorous travel memoirs. I’ve written books about what’s funny when your destination is middle age, the hilarious thrills and disasters that befall you when you’re pretending to be French in Provence, and the gender problems that arise when traveling while married. Bragging is a vice I usually avoid, but I can’t resist telling you that reviewers of my travel books have compared my humor to that of the late Erma Bombeck. I also enjoy giving credit to other successful, amusing humor writers.
Don’t be put off by the title. This is a funny, perceptive, deep dive into the workings of Disneyland. I’ve been to Disneyland in Orlando, Florida, and wondered about the inner life of this well-run American cultural phenomenon. I was surprised by some of what I learned – think the Great Wizard of Oz behind the curtain -- and enjoy the voice of this intrepid and funny author.
The bestselling travel memoir by the author of Backpacked: A Reluctant Trip Across Central America Three big dreams, two mouse ears and one J-1 visa. What could possibly go wrong in the happiest place on earth? When Catherine Ryan Howard decides to swap the grey clouds of Ireland for the clear blue skies of the Sunshine State, she thinks that all of her dreams (living in the United States, seeing a Space Shuttle launch and, um, owning a Starbucks card) are about to come true. Blissfully ignorant of the realities of moving thousands of miles away from home - and…
I am a Disney historian, author, and editor of 50 books about Disney. I became passionate about Disney's history when I realized how rich the history of Disney is and how talented the artists who worked for Disney were and still are. Early on, I realized that when Disney built his studio in the 1930s, thanks to the Great Depression, he was able to hire the best artists from around the world (who were then unemployed). I also noticed that little was known about them. Since those artists have been revolutionizing the popular arts for 100 years, I could not help but be fascinated by their talent and their stories.
This biography of Walt Disney is the first that I read. It is the official biography of Disney, and it gave me the foundational knowledge I needed to start digging deeper into the subject of Disney history.
I find it well-written, extremely clear, and easy to read. I also feel that it is extremely lively as the author relies on a great number of interviews to enrich his work with relevant anecdotes along with important facts about Disney’s life and career.
I recommend it as the perfect starting point for learning about Disney history. Soon after reading this one, I recommend reading The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier.
This is the Commemorative Edition of one of the most trusted and respected nonfiction books about Walt Disney ever written!
Includes 4 commemorative essays; a photo insert with more than 60 behind-the-scenes images; and an endnotes section with insightful passages from 15 Disney historians and authors to provide further context for modern audiences.
Walt Disney is an American hero. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland, he changed the face of American culture. His is a success story like no other: a man who developed animated film into an art form and made a massive contribution to the folklore of the world.…
I’ve always loved fairytales. What little girl with a growing romantic heart doesn’t? By the time I was eight, I told people I was Cinderella because of all the work I did at home. An exaggeration, even for the oldest child, but still. My first prom dress, during a year I won’t mention, was reminiscent of Cinderella’s blue ballgown. As I became a writer myself, I noticed my stories held themes I learned from fairytales. Love, loyalty, courage, and a dose of magic. I simply add space or aliens to the mix.
I love when an author takes a character you think you know and adds layers of depth you never would have imagined. That’s what Shea does with Elle here. We all picture the Disney Belle--smart but with that feeling of needing to be rescued. This Elle is not that kind of beauty. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I really appreciated the heartbreaking strength this woman had. She literally gives everything for her family, and once she knows his heart, Prince Severin.
A small miscalculation sends her through the roof of an enchanted chateau. Stranded until her broken leg mends, Elle is unwillingly forced to rely on the good will of the sour chateau owner —the cursed Prince Severin.
Prince Severin—the commanding general and staunch supporter of his brother the crown prince—is cursed to look like a beast until a maiden falls in love with him. He has given up all hope of shattering the curse, and has only disdain for Elle.
Unfortunately, the pair can’t seem to avoid each other thanks to the…
Drawing and painting people has been my passion and my profession for a couple of decades now. Fine art, comic books, animation, illustration – as long as I'm drawing people, I'm happy. I love the challenge of trying to capture (or create) a living, breathing, thinking person on paper. And I love talking about art books with other artists. Which ones are great, which ones miss the mark, which ones have tiny hidden gems in them. This list is a mix of books I love, and books I heartily recommend.
Steve Huston is one of my heroes. I love his art and I love how he talks about art. Steve walks with his feet firmly on the ground and lavishes the feel of the dirt between his toes. He talks about the lofty goals of being human and creating art in the most down-to-earth, practical ways.
And that's not a side-note to his how-to-draw book, that's the central message of this how-to-draw book. See the world, be in the world, trust and love your own senses, make contributions to the world. This book is filled with gorgeous drawings and a warm invitation to ways of seeing and drawing and conceptualizing the human figure.
Figure Drawing for Artists: Making Every Mark Count is not a typical drawing instruction book; it explains the two-step process behind juggernauts like DreamWorks, WB and Disney.
Though there are many books on drawing the human figure, none teach how to draw a figure from the first few marks of the quick sketch to the last virtuosic stroke of the finished masterpiece, let alone through a convincing, easy-to-understand method.
That changes now!
In Figure Drawing for Artists: Making Every Mark Count, award-winning fine artist Steve Huston shows beginners and pros alike the two foundational concepts behind the greatest masterpieces in…
Princess Mononoke blew my mind. And as I read about Miyazaki himself I thought: here is a kindred spirit. I thought I’d try teaching a course on Miyazaki, not sure if I could sustain a whole semester just about his work—and then I found, there’s way more than a semester’s worth to talk about. After teaching about Miyazaki for a few years, I had to write it all down. Some reviews of my book say my essays are personal, and it’s true, for better or worse—it isn’t about Studio Ghibli or the production process or even about Japan—it’s my reflections on these great films.
This is an excellent general review of the films from Castle of Cagliostro to Princess Mononoke, including plot outline, character studies, technical notes, and appreciations of the films. She is very insightful about the artistic technique. And there’s an interesting chapter at the end about Miyazaki merchandise. This would be a good starting point for a fan.
Anime is a huge market, and this is the exclusive, definitive book on the leading master of Japanese animation today, Hayao Miyazaki. Disney has licensed the Miyazaki line (e.g., Kiki's Delivery Service ) and plans another major release this summer. This book supplies informed discussions of style and narrative for each of Miyazaki's major films, with all the data and detail fans want.
I’ve been a gamer all of my life and am a teacher of elementary school students. After finding the LitRPG genre I wished to share this with other kids... like the one I had once been. Most parents in the genre push full 200k books on their children with an expectation of found love. While I imagine it works for a few of them, I rather expect that the majority of those attempts end in failure. Kids have their own world and their own sense of humor. I write to them, to inspire them and make them laugh, to make them entertained even as I teach them universal morals and lessons about the world.
The fact that it is set in a highly recognizable franchise makes kids very excited to read it. But the text itself is great.
The story follows the rules of the game, staying true to the ‘universe’ in which it is set, and making the text relatable to children worldwide. It contains great humor for the K through 6th grade age range, and honestly, I got a real Disney sense when reading it before giving the book to my son. It swirls with happy-laugh energy, a key element in books these days since they must compete with video games and screen time.
The Accidental Minecraft Family has faced an army before, but nothing like this.
Ortho is back, and it looks like he’s collected every pillager in the world! Plus a powerful Omega Beacon he is using to enhance his forces. But that's not even the worst part. He and his pillagers have learned to mine and craft, taking away the family's biggest advantage.
How will The Accidental Minecraft save the village from such an overwhelming foe?
I loved this book because I had it as a child,
but never had a chance to read it.
Only 40+ years later, I came across
the Disney film version and recalled the fact I *had* the novel of this all
those years ago. I went and bought a
copy on eBay and read the book, literally for the first time!
This cat, named
Jake, was stranded on Earth and needed help repairing his ship. It was comical with the cat speaking to various characters through his collar and
mind. I found it quite a unique story, and his interactions with the humans were lightly unnerving, but hilarious in some parts.
A book of this grade is in acceptable shape to read and store. Definitely content are intact. Generally sturdy spine with all pages intact physically. Generally solid cover. Typically have decent shelve wear. Might includes acceptable highlights and notes.
