4 books found
Across Ethiopia and beyond, Sherlock Holmes encounters both the hideous and the divine, ripping asunder the fragile veil separating us from worlds unknown-all while in the company of the renowned Allan Quatermain. The last of Allan Quatermain's true African adventures to appear, The Treasure of the Lake, was published nearly a century ago in 1926. Those who lusted to vicariously accompany Quatermain on new perilous treks into the vast reaches of the "Dark Continent" (as they had done to King Solomon's Mines) had no choice but to remain disappointed. UNTIL NOW! Recently found amongst some obscure papers at Brown University, this new manuscript chronicles a complex and inspired quest headed by Quatermain deep into the earthquake- and volcano-ripped Danakil Desert of Ethiopia in 1872 accompanied by his devoted aide-de-camp Hans and a host of the nineteenth century's most prodigious luminaries, including astronomer Maria Mitchell, volcanologist Axel Lindenbrock, and Gunnery Sergeants Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnehan. Along the way, this ragtag troop is brutally attacked in the desert by its trophy-hunting denizens, and then they discover a 2,000-year-old lost city. Yet Holmes' and Quatermain’s quest is not merely one of surviving in Ethiopia’s beautiful yet tortuous landscapes; they must confront horror and overcome it. As the tale unfolds, readers will be swallowed by a maelstrom of concepts, relentlessly pulled headlong, descending into a scholarly labyrinth of interwoven writings. In point of fact, Quatermain encounters no less than the very essence of the meaning of life, which he then discounts as a wizard's trick!
Jerome Kern (1885-1945) is considered one of the most versatile and influential of all American theatre and film composers. His pioneer work in developing a truly American musical sound inspired many of the great songwriters of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, and his songs include dozens of beloved standards still heard today, such as “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” The Jerome Kern Encyclopedia consists of entries on people, theatre and film musicals, songs, subjects, and themes related to the composer. Not only are all of Kern’s stage and screen projects from 1904 to 1946 covered, but there are also entries on all the major librettists and lyricists with whom he worked, as well as producers, directors, actors, and other individuals who figured prominently in his career. Approximately 100 of Kern’s most important songs are discussed, and other entries address awards, collaborations, working methods, song styles, and other related subjects. The encyclopedia also includes a brief biography of Kern, a chronology of his life and work, and appendices on recordings, interpolations, revivals, and remakes. The most complete work on one of America’s greatest composers, this fascinating, readable, and extensive look at Kern will appeal totheatregoers, movie musical fans, students, teachers, and professionals in musical theatre.
In The Mikado to Matilda: British Musicals on the New York Stage, Thomas Hischak provides an overview of British musicals that made their way to Broadway, covering their entire history up to the present day. This is the first book to look at the British musical theatre with reference to those London musicals that were also produced in New York City. The book covers 110 British musicals, ranging from 1750 to the present day, including the popular Gilbert and Sullivan comic operettas during the Victorian era, the Andrew Lloyd Webber mega-musicals of the late twentieth century, and today's biggest hits such as Matilda. Each London musical is discussed first as a success in England and then how it fared in America. The plots, songs, songwriters, performers, and producers for both the West End and the Broadway (or Off Broadway) production are identified and described. The discussion is sometimes critical, evaluating the musicals and why they were or were not a success in New York.