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300: Graphic Novel
by
Frank Miller and Lynne Varley
In his rather ambitious graphic novel, 300, Frank Miller
cleverly takes us all through the events of the Historical
Battle of Thermopylae. The battle itself was short but the
campaign on either side was a lengthy one, resulting in the
later repulsion of the Persian forces at the battle of Salamis.
This tale is often presented by Western historians as a triumph
of democracy over slavery won in the face of overwhelming odds
and treachery. It's not difficult to extrapolate a whole bunch
of racist undertones in this. There are a few problems with this
concept. The Greeks themselves in those days were enthusiastic
practitioners of slavery, rapine and other forms of barbarism.
They had monarchies as well. They had a harsh culture...
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Buffy The Vampire
Slayer:
Omnibus Volume 1
by Joss Whedon, etc.
The smash TV hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer led to nearly a
decade of amazing comics at Dark Horse-including cool multiple
specials, one-shots, and guest miniseries. This omnibus series
is truly the ultimate compilation of the Buffy comics Dark Horse
has published, and runs along the TV series' timeline. This
first volume begins at the beginning— The Origin, a faithful
adaptation of creator Joss Whedon's original screenplay for the
film that started it all. The newly-chosen slayer's road to
Sunnydale continues in Viva Las Buffy and Slayer, Interrupted.
Next, high school, the Scoobies and an English librarian lead
the way into Season One continuity. Plus, The Goon creator Eric
Powell provides pencils to "All's Fair," featuring...
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For One More Day
by Mitch Albom
Fans of Mitch Albom's infamous novel Tuesdays with Morrie and The
Five People You Meet in Heaven will enjoy his new novel For One More
Day. The story is told by a sports writer who encounters an interesting
man in the bleachers at the local Little League game. This man, a former
pro ball player named Charles "Chick" Benneto , voluntarily
begins to answer the same question that he is always asked: Why
did he try to kill himself? Chick's story is much broader than
just life and death. This is the story of Charley, a child of
divorce who is always forced to...
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YOU: The Owner's Manual by Michael E. Roizen, M.D. and
Mehmet C. Oz, M. D.
When Oprah speaks, we will be the first to admit, all of us
here at UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate pays very close
attention. As a semi-regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, we
found Dr. Oz to be engaging, charming and absolutely
fascinating. We read the entire book and learned quite a bit; we
were indeed surprised about a number of things covered including
blood pressure and cholesterol levels. After all, we certainly
do not come with an official "Owner's Manual", although it would
be pretty damn cool if we did. Between your full-length mirror
and high-school biology class, you probably think you know a lot...
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Meditation
In A New York Minute
by Mark Thornton
Hermann Göring famously said that "Whenever I hear the word
culture I reach out for my gun." And when I read the words success,
payoff or prosperity coupled with meditation, Eastern philosophies, or
Buddhism, I, too, reach for my gun. But, being a pacifist, it's a
water-gun." Mark Thornton tells us that, after retiring as interim CEO
at J. P. Morgan, London, "My new career has been teaching major
corporations about finding calm." You're a corporation, you're
flustered, you need peace, he's your man...
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Life
and Everything In Between
by Stephen J. Dodds
Entrepreneur Stephen J. Dodds presents his debut poetry
collection Life and Everything in Between, a free-verse
anthology interspersed with a diverse array of black-and-white
photographic images. Each poem is a single page in length,
centered on the page rather than aligned to the left margin, and
opposite an insightful quote from a famous individual. Though
Life and Everything in Between can be read in a single sitting,
all of its themes, atmosphere, and symbolic philosophy innately
prompt quiet contemplation at length. When asked to describe...
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The
Mathematics of Love
by Emma Darwin
The mathematics of love truly defies arithmetic... The
Mathematics of Love is an intimate, poignant story of two people whose
lives— amazingly, impossibly— become interwoven in a brilliant tapestry
of tragedy, memory, and love. Moving from the modern English countryside
to the mountains of nineteenth-century Spain, Emma Darwin's
extraordinary narrative style beautifully evokes the horrors of war, the
pain of loss, the heat of passion, and the timeless power of love. 1819.
Stephen Fairhurst, a veteran of Waterloo, is weary of war. Wounded in
body... |
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Column
Frequency: Weekly
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