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At the Sign of the Star
by Katherine SturtevantThe tale of a bookseller's daughter. Meg Moore is the motherless and only child of a bookseller with a thriving business in Restoration London--and that makes her an heiress. She knows that someday she will have her pick of suitors, and that with the right husband she can continue in the book trade and be friends with wits and authors, as her father is. But Mr. Moore's unexpected marriage throws all Meg's dreams into confusion. Meg resists the overtures and edicts of her stepmother with a cleverness equaled only by her fierceness, but in spite of it all her rival's belly soon swells with what Meg fears will be her father's new heir. Meg seeks wisdom from almanacs and astrologers, plays and books of jests, guides for ladies and guides for midwives. Yet it is through her own experience that she finds a new matrimony with which to face her unknown future. This vibrant novel recreates a lively and fascinating historical period when women claimed a new and more active role in London's literary scene.
At the Sign of the Star
by Katherine SturtevantThe tale of a bookseller's daughterMeg Moore is the motherless and only child of a bookseller with a thriving business in Restoration London-and that makes her an heiress. She knows that someday she will have her pick of suitors, and that with the right husband she can continue in the book trade and be friends with wits and authors, as her father is. But Mr. Moore's unexpected marriage throws all Meg's dreams into confusion. Meg resists the overtures and edicts of her stepmother with a cleverness equaled only by her fierceness, but in spite of it all her rival's belly soon swells with what Meg fears will be her father's new heir. Meg seeks wisdom from almanacs and astrologers, plays and books of jests, guides for ladies and guides for midwives. Yet it is through her own experience that she finds a new matrimony with which to face her unknown future. This vibrant novel recreates a lively and fascinating historical period when women claimed a new and more active role in London's literary scene.
At the Sign of the Sugared Plum
by Mary HooperIn June 1665, excited at the prospect of coming to London to work at her sister Sarah's candy shop, teenaged Hannah is unconcerned about rumors of plague until, as the hot summer advances and increasing numbers of people succumb to the disease, she and Sarah find themselves trapped in the city with no means of escape. Historical fiction. Includes a reading group guide at the end.
At the Table of Wolves (A Dark Talents Novel)
by Kay KenyonTinker Tailor Soldier Spy meets X-Men in a classic British espionage story. A young woman must go undercover and use her superpowers to discover a secret Nazi plot and stop an invasion of England.In 1936, there are paranormal abilities that have slowly seeped into the world, brought to the surface by the suffering of the Great War. The research to weaponize these abilities in England has lagged behind Germany, but now it’s underway at an ultra-secret site called Monkton Hall. Kim Tavistock, a woman with the talent of the spill—drawing out truths that people most wish to hide—is among the test subjects at the facility. When she wins the confidence of caseworker Owen Cherwell, she is recruited to a mission to expose the head of Monkton Hall—who is believed to be a German spy. As she infiltrates the upper-crust circles of some of England’s fascist sympathizers, she encounters dangerous opponents, including the charismatic Nazi officer Erich von Ritter, and discovers a plan to invade England. No one believes an invasion of the island nation is possible, not Whitehall, not even England’s Secret Intelligence Service. Unfortunately, they are wrong, and only one woman, without connections or training, wielding her talent of the spill and her gift for espionage, can stop it.
At the Threshold of Liberty: Women, Slavery, and Shifting Identities in Washington, D.C. (The John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture)
by Tamika Y. NunleyThe capital city of a nation founded on the premise of liberty, nineteenth-century Washington, D.C., was both an entrepot of urban slavery and the target of abolitionist ferment. The growing slave trade and the enactment of Black codes placed the city's Black women within the rigid confines of a social hierarchy ordered by race and gender. At the Threshold of Liberty reveals how these women--enslaved, fugitive, and free--imagined new identities and lives beyond the oppressive restrictions intended to prevent them from ever experiencing liberty, self-respect, and power.Consulting newspapers, government documents, letters, abolitionist records, legislation, and memoirs, Tamika Y. Nunley traces how Black women navigated social and legal proscriptions to develop their own ideas about liberty as they escaped from slavery, initiated freedom suits, created entrepreneurial economies, pursued education, and participated in political work. In telling these stories, Nunley places Black women at the vanguard of the history of Washington, D.C., and the momentous transformations of nineteenth-century America.
At the Threshold: Contemporary Theatre, Art, and Music of Iran (Routledge Advances in Theatre & Performance Studies)
by Rana EsfandiaryThis book examines the performance strategies used by contemporary Iranian artists and activists to reimagine “Iranian-ness” in the context of Iran’s local, regional, and global position. This study identifies the important social and political interventions made by theatrical and performance pieces, visual art, and electronic music that articulate and reformulate Iranian-ness by breaking away from fixed and constructed stereotypes projected on them by both the Islamic regime and Western power. This book explores the reception and context within which artworks become meaningful performative acts. Looking closely at the works of a notable female Iranian photographer, Shadi Ghadirian, in conjunction with the new generation of Iranian nonconformist artists/activists such as Tahmineh Monzavi and Hedieh Ahmadi; the visionary theatre productions of Ali Akbar Alizad; and radically untraditional sound/noise of the electronic music movement in Tehran, this book calls attention to the Iran-based artists who are tirelessly trying to raise awareness regarding the political violence imposed on Iranian identity at the legal (top-down) and everyday (bottom-up) levels. This volume will be of great interest to student and scholars in theatre and performance, photography, art, music, sociology, and politics.
At the Titan's Breakfast: Three Essays on Byron's Poetry (Routledge Library Editions: Lord Byron #7)
by Robert PolitoThis title, first published in 1987, comprises of three essays which examine Lord Byron’s poetry. Some of Byron’s most famous poems are examined, including Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. This title will be of interest to students of literature.
At the Warrior's Mercy (Warehaven Warriors)
by Denise LynnIn twelfth-century Scotland, a woman is trapped into marriage with a warrior—by order of the king!Deceived and alone, Beatrice of Warehaven is forced to flee—straight into the powerful arms of feared warrior Gregor of Roul. He escorts her home, though not before a kiss ignites true passion between them.If Gregor is to gain his freedom, he must obey one last royal order—overthrow Warehaven and marry Beatrice. His betrayal will earn Beatrice’s hatred, but Gregor is prepared to go into battle with this stubborn beauty—and finish what he started with his innocent bride!
At the Water's Edge
by Sara Gruensara GruenNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER<P><P> In this thrilling new novel from the author of Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen again demonstrates her talent for creating spellbinding period pieces. At the Water’s Edge is a gripping and poignant love story about a privileged young woman’s awakening as she experiences the devastation of World War II in a tiny village in the Scottish Highlands.<P> After disgracing themselves at a high society New Year’s Eve party in Philadelphia in 1944, Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are cut off financially by his father, a former army colonel who is already ashamed of his son’s inability to serve in the war. When Ellis and his best friend, Hank, decide that the only way to regain the Colonel’s favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failed—by hunting down the famous Loch Ness monster—Maddie reluctantly follows them across the Atlantic, leaving her sheltered world behind. <P> The trio find themselves in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands, where the locals have nothing but contempt for the privileged interlopers. Maddie is left on her own at the isolated inn, where food is rationed, fuel is scarce, and a knock from the postman can bring tragic news. Yet she finds herself falling in love with the stark beauty and subtle magic of the Scottish countryside. Gradually she comes to know the villagers, and the friendships she forms with two young women open her up to a larger world than she knew existed. Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears: the values she holds dear prove unsustainable, and monsters lurk where they are least expected. <P> As she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be, Maddie becomes aware not only of the dark forces around her, but of life’s beauty and surprising possibilities.
At the Water's Edge
by Theodore GatchelThe amphibious assault against a defended beach is fully explored from the perspective of the defender.
At the Water's Edge: A Novel
by Sara GruenNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn this thrilling new novel from the author of Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen again demonstrates her talent for creating spellbinding period pieces. At the Water's Edge is a gripping and poignant love story about a privileged young woman's awakening as she experiences the devastation of World War II in a tiny village in the Scottish Highlands.After disgracing themselves at a high society New Year's Eve party in Philadelphia in 1944, Madeline Hyde and her husband, Ellis, are cut off financially by his father, a former army colonel who is already ashamed of his son's inability to serve in the war. When Ellis and his best friend, Hank, decide that the only way to regain the Colonel's favor is to succeed where the Colonel very publicly failed--by hunting down the famous Loch Ness monster--Maddie reluctantly follows them across the Atlantic, leaving her sheltered world behind. The trio find themselves in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands, where the locals have nothing but contempt for the privileged interlopers. Maddie is left on her own at the isolated inn, where food is rationed, fuel is scarce, and a knock from the postman can bring tragic news. Yet she finds herself falling in love with the stark beauty and subtle magic of the Scottish countryside. Gradually she comes to know the villagers, and the friendships she forms with two young women open her up to a larger world than she knew existed. Maddie begins to see that nothing is as it first appears: the values she holds dear prove unsustainable, and monsters lurk where they are least expected. As she embraces a fuller sense of who she might be, Maddie becomes aware not only of the dark forces around her, but of life's beauty and surprising possibilities.Praise for At the Water's Edge "Breathtaking . . . a daring story of adventure, friendship, and love in the shadow of WWII."--Harper's Bazaar "A gripping, compelling story . . . Gruen's characters are vividly drawn and her scenes are perfectly paced."--The Boston Globe "A page-turner of a novel that rollicks along with crisp historical detail."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram "Powerfully evocative."--USA Today "Gruen is a master at the period piece--and [this] novel is just another stunning example of that craft."--Glamour "A captivating tale."--Us Weekly "Compulsively readable . . . a rich, beautiful novel . . . at once a gripping love story, a profound examination of the effects of war on ordinary women, and a compelling portrait of female friendship."--Kristin Hannah "Utterly winning."--The Miami Herald "A compelling, enthralling read, a novel which captivates and rewards, paying off in a series of emotional and narrative twists . . . comfort reading of the highest order."--The Globe and Mail "A super steamy love story."--Good Housekeeping "Unique in its setting and scope, this impeccably researched historical fiction is full of the gorgeous prose I've come to expect from this author."--Jodi Picoult "[Gruen] conveys the lure of the Scottish Highlands. . . . At the Water's Edge captivates with its drama, intrigue and glimpses of both the dark and light of humanity."--BookPageFrom the Hardcover edition.
At the Wolf's Table: A Novel
by Rosella PostorinoThe international bestseller based on a haunting true story that raises provocative questions about complicity, guilt, and survival.They called it the Wolfsschanze, the Wolf’s Lair. “Wolf” was his nickname. As hapless as Little Red Riding Hood, I had ended up in his belly. A legion of hunters was out looking for him, and to get him in their grips they would gladly slay me as well.Germany, 1943: Twenty-six-year-old Rosa Sauer’s parents are gone, and her husband Gregor is far away, fighting on the front lines of World War II. Impoverished and alone, she makes the fateful decision to leave war-torn Berlin to live with her in-laws in the countryside, thinking she’ll find refuge there. But one morning, the SS come to tell her she has been conscripted to be one of Hitler’s tasters: three times a day, she and nine other women go to his secret headquarters, the Wolf’s Lair, to eat his meals before he does. Forced to eat what might kill them, the tasters begin to divide into The Fanatics, those loyal to Hitler, and the women like Rosa who insist they aren’t Nazis, even as they risk their lives every day for Hitler’s. As secrets and resentments grow, this unlikely sisterhood reaches its own dramatic climax, as everyone begins to wonder if they are on the wrong side of history.
Atacama (Matthew Bishop (Español) #3)
by Burt ClinchandhillUn misterio de mil millones de años resurge. > GANADOR: Premio Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, otoño de 2022 - Mejor aventura histórica Walker Monroe, profesor de Yale, bibliotecario y experto en lenguas antiguas, recibe la visita inesperada de dos miembros del Servicio Geológico de Estados Unidos. Le muestran una pieza de metal desconocido grabada con un texto misterioso y codificado y le piden ayuda para traducirlo. Pide ayuda a sus amigos y colegas, Matthew Bishop y Jennifer Porter, pero al no poder descifrar el código, inician la búsqueda del origen de la extraña pieza de metal. Emprenden un peligroso viaje a través de cuatro continentes, desentrañando un peligroso rompecabezas, mientras otros interesados los siguen de cerca. Pieza a pieza, se acercan a una verdad que sacudirá los cimientos de todo lo que pensaban que era cierto sobre la historia de nuestro mundo. EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTA el tercer libro de la serie "Matthew Bishop" de thrillers de conspiraciones religiosas, ideal para fans de Dan Brown y Michael Crichton.
Atacama fantasma: Viaje a la memoria del desierto
by Cristóbal MarínCristóbal Marín nos entrega en su segunda obra un recorrido por el norte de Chile, describiendo el desierto, la guerra, la pobreza, el esplendor de las oficinas salitreras y un conjunto de episodios insólitos. Luego de su elogiado debut con Huesos sin descanso, Cristóbal Marín recupera en Atacama fantasma algunos recuerdos de viajes de infancia y juventud que, mezclados con ciertas informaciones, dan forma y fondo al desierto de Atacama. A partir del mecanismo de la memoria de infancia y juventud el autor recorre diversos episodios que ocurrieron en ese vasto e inhóspito territorio: la travesía de Diego de Almagro, la increíble vida y obra de Max Uhle, la matanza en la Escuela Santa María de Iquique, el auge y caída de las oficinas salitreras, las vidas de Luis Emilio Recabarren y Elías Lafferte, la batalla de Dolores, las travesías de los naturalistas durante el siglo XIX, el horror en Pisagua entre otras inverosímiles y apasionantes historias. Con el mismo estilo digresivo con el que cosechó elogios en su debut literario, Marín vuelve a construir una cartografía que lo consolida como uno de los grandes ensayistas chilenos en la actualidad.
Atado a la tierra
by Mari Collier Mario Israel Ruiz V.Un hombre con genes Thaliano–Justine es abandonado en el planeta tierra. Tiene la nave espacial y la escondió en la espesura de Texas. Debe sobrevivir en este planeta violento y regresar para destruir a los Justine y vengar a su madre y a Thalia. Toma el nombre de MacDonald y rescata a Rolfe durante una pelea de bar. Se une a Rolfe en el comercio de pieles hasta que se termina. Se vuelven comerciantes hasta que un asalto kiowa destruye sus bienes. MacDonald admite que tiene oro escondido. Un viaje a la nave provee fondos para una concesión de tierra del estado de Texas. MacDonald se convierte en explorador para la 2a de Dragones. Durante una redada en un campamento Comanche, rescata a Anna, una mujer lo suficientemente alta y guerrera como para igualarlo. ¿Sobrevivirán Anna y MacDonald a la plaga, la enemistad de sus vecinos sureños, una incursión en La Esquina de Schmidt y la guerra civil?
Atalanta: A Novel
by Jennifer SaintFrom the beloved, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne, a reimagining of the myth of Atalanta, a fierce huntress raised by bears and the only woman in the world’s most famous band of heroes, the ArgonautsPrincess, Warrior, Lover, HeroWhen Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one condition: if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis's warning, she begins to question the goddess's true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?Full of joy, passion, and adventure, Atalanta is the story of a woman who refuses to be contained. Jennifer Saint places Atalanta in the pantheon of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, where she belongs.
Atalanta: The heroic story of the only female Argonaut
by Jennifer SaintThe heroic story of the only female Argonaut, told by Jennifer Saint, the bestselling author of ELEKTRA (UK, Sunday Times, May 2022) and ARIADNE (UK, Sunday Times, April 2021).'A brilliant read' Women & Home | 'A spirited retelling' Times | 'Beautiful and absorbing' Fabulous | 'A vivid reimagining of Greek mythology' Harper's Bazaar | 'Jennifer Saint has done an incredible job' RedWhen a daughter is born to the King of Arcadia, she brings only disappointment.Left exposed on a mountainside, the defenceless infant Atalanta is left to the mercy of a passing mother bear and raised alongside the cubs under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis.Swearing that she will prove her worth alongside the famed heroes of Greece, Atalanta leaves her forest to join Jason's band of Argonauts. But can she carve out her own place in the legends in a world made for men?Praise for Jennifer Saint's books:'A lyrical, insightful re-telling' Daily Mail'Relevant and revelatory' Stylist'Energetic and compelling' Times'An illuminating read' Woman & Home'A story that's impossible to forget' Culturefly
Atalanta: The heroic story of the only female Argonaut
by Jennifer SaintThe heroic story of the only female Argonaut, told by Jennifer Saint, the bestselling author of ELEKTRA and ARIADNE.When a daughter is born to the King of Arcadia, she brings only disappointment.Left exposed on a mountainside, the defenceless infant Atalanta, is left to the mercy of a passing mother bear and raised alongside the cubs under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis.Swearing that she will prove her worth alongside the famed heroes of Greece, Atalanta leaves her forest to join Jason's band of Argonauts. But can she carve out her own place in the legends in a world made for men?'A brilliant read' Women & Home | 'A spirited retelling' Times | 'Beautiful and absorbing' Fabulous | 'A vivid reimagining of Greek mythology' Harper's Bazaar | 'Jennifer Saint has done an incredible job' RedPraise for Jennifer Saint's books:'A lyrical, insightful re-telling' Daily Mail'Relevant and revelatory' Stylist'Energetic and compelling' Times'An illuminating read' Woman & Home'A story that's impossible to forget' Culturefly(P) 2023 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
Ataque a un enemigo de la libertad
by Ciceron40 grandes ideas que han cambiado el mundo. Los mordaces discursos de Cicerón en contra de las ambiciones dictatoriales de Marco Antonio se encuentran entre los más famosos e influyentes de la historia y constituyen el apasionado testamento del más grande estadista de su época; un último intento por recuperar su querida República que le costaría la vida. <P><P>A lo largo de la historia, algunos libros han cambiado el mundo. Han transformado la manera en que nos vemos a nosotros mismos y a los demás. Han inspirado el debate, la discordia, la guerra y la revolución. Han iluminado, indignado, provocado y consolado. Han enriquecido vidas, y también las han destruido. Taurus publica las obras de los grandes pensadores, pioneros, radicales y visionarios cuyas ideas sacudieron la civilización y nos impulsaron a ser quienes somos.
Ataque a un enemigo de la libertad
by Ciceron40 grandes ideas que han cambiado el mundo. Los mordaces discursos de Cicerón en contra de las ambiciones dictatoriales de Marco Antonio se encuentran entre los más famosos e influyentes de la historia y constituyen el apasionado testamento del más grande estadista de su época; un último intento por recuperar su querida República que le costaría la vida. A lo largo de la historia, algunos libros han cambiado el mundo. Han transformado la manera en que nos vemos a nosotros mismos y a los demás. Han inspirado el debate, la discordia, la guerra y la revolución. Han iluminado, indignado, provocado y consolado. Han enriquecido vidas, y también las han destruido. Taurus publica las obras de los grandes pensadores, pioneros, radicales y visionarios cuyas ideas sacudieron la civilización y nos impulsaron a ser quienes somos. La crítica ha dicho sobre la colección «Great Ideas»...«Un fenómeno editorial.»The Guardian «De veras que la edición es primorosa y pocas veces contenido y continente pueden encontrarse mejor ensamblados y unidos. ¡Qué portadas! Para enmarcar. [...] Ante las «Great Ideas», solo cabe quitarse el sombrero. ¡Chapeu!»ABC «A parte de los contenidos, en general muy bien elegidos, son tan bonitos que si los ven seguro que cae alguno.»El País
Ataque ao Bunker de Hitler
by Lazlo Ferran Raimundo Alves dos SantosRudolph Eineger foi deixado com o dedo dentro de um corpo morto. Repulsado, retirou-o e limpou-o na túnica preta da SS. Richard Earlgood, um piloto de caça rebelde da RAF, e Michael Dorfmann, um ambicioso agente duplo da Luftwaffe, planejam um ataque audacioso a luz do dia usando caças Hurricane, carregados nas costas do bombardeiro quadrimotor Stirling para alcançar o quase completo... inexpugnável... Bunker do Führer neste livro de ficção ambientado na Segunda Guerra Mundial. Anna Styles, uma decodificadora da Estação X, tinha um romance com Dorfmann em Oxford e está sendo forçada a “cuidar” do agente duplo. Ela ainda ama Dorfmann, mas se apaixona por Richard também. Esta invasão singular para bombardear o Bunker de Hitler pode vencer a Guerra, mas apenas um homem pode ganhar o coração de Anna Anna. A maioria do pessoal de Hitler simplesmente não acredita que tal invasão seja possível, mas um oficial cruel da SS não vai descansar até pegar Dorfmann e derrotar os Britânicos. Homens , máquinas e paixões serão levados aos limites num ataque... que moldará a História. Ataque ao Bunker de Hitler! A invasão secreta da RAF para bombardear o Bunker de Hitler em Berlim que nunca aconteceu – provavelmente. Fãs do Esquadrão The Dam Busters, The Dam Busters, Operação Valquíria, A Águia Pousou , Desafio das Águias ou até mesmo o jogo simulador da Segunda Guerra Mundial War Thunder vão amar este thriller de ação incandescente feito montanha-russa durante a Guerra pelas ruas de Berlim em uma missão de bombardeio que deixará seus cabelos em pé! Categorias: romance, ménage, internacional, espiões, suspense, segunda chance, amnésia, thriller, história, militar, guerra, Segunda Guerra Mundial. Gênero: FICÇÃO / Histórico Gênenro Secundário: FICÇÃO / Thrillers Idioma: Language: Português brasileiro Contagem de palavras: 87872 Informações
Atari Age: The Emergence of Video Games in America
by Michael Z. NewmanBeginning with the release of the Magnavox Odyssey and Pong in 1972, video games, whether played in arcades and taverns or in family rec rooms, became part of popular culture, like television. In fact, video games were sometimes seen as an improvement on television because they spurred participation rather than passivity. These "space-age pinball machines" gave coin-operated games a high-tech and more respectable profile. In Atari Age, Michael Newman charts the emergence of video games in America from ball-and-paddle games to hits like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, describing their relationship to other amusements and technologies and showing how they came to be identified with the middle class, youth, and masculinity.Newman shows that the "new media" of video games were understood in varied, even contradictory ways. They were family fun (but mainly for boys), better than television (but possibly harmful), and educational (but a waste of computer time). Drawing on a range of sources -- including the games and their packaging; coverage in the popular, trade, and fan press; social science research of the time; advertising and store catalogs; and representations in movies and television -- Newman describes the series of cultural contradictions through which the identity of the emerging medium worked itself out. Would video games embody middle-class respectability or suffer from the arcade's unsavory reputation? Would they foster family togetherness or allow boys to escape from domesticity? Would they make the new home computer a tool for education or just a glorified toy? Then, as now, many worried about the impact of video games on players, while others celebrated video games for familiarizing kids with technology essential for the information age.
Atari Age: The Emergence of Video Games in America
by Michael Z. NewmanThe cultural contradictions of early video games: a medium for family fun (but mainly for middle-class boys), an improvement over pinball and television (but possibly harmful) Beginning with the release of the Magnavox Odyssey and Pong in 1972, video games, whether played in arcades and taverns or in family rec rooms, became part of popular culture, like television. In fact, video games were sometimes seen as an improvement on television because they spurred participation rather than passivity. These “space-age pinball machines” gave coin-operated games a high-tech and more respectable profile. In Atari Age, Michael Newman charts the emergence of video games in America from ball-and-paddle games to hits like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, describing their relationship to other amusements and technologies and showing how they came to be identified with the middle class, youth, and masculinity.Newman shows that the “new media” of video games were understood in varied, even contradictory ways. They were family fun (but mainly for boys), better than television (but possibly harmful), and educational (but a waste of computer time). Drawing on a range of sources—including the games and their packaging; coverage in the popular, trade, and fan press; social science research of the time; advertising and store catalogs; and representations in movies and television—Newman describes the series of cultural contradictions through which the identity of the emerging medium worked itself out. Would video games embody middle-class respectability or suffer from the arcade's unsavory reputation? Would they foster family togetherness or allow boys to escape from domesticity? Would they make the new home computer a tool for education or just a glorified toy? Then, as now, many worried about the impact of video games on players, while others celebrated video games for familiarizing kids with technology essential for the information age.
Atari to Zelda: Japan's Videogames in Global Contexts
by Mia ConsalvoIn the early days of arcades and Nintendo, many players didn't recognize Japanese games as coming from Japan; they were simply new and interesting games to play. But since then, fans, media, and the games industry have thought further about the "Japaneseness" of particular games. Game developers try to decide whether a game's Japaneseness is a selling point or stumbling block; critics try to determine what elements in a game express its Japaneseness -- cultural motifs or technical markers. Games were "localized," subjected to sociocultural and technical tinkering. In this book, Mia Consalvo looks at what happens when Japanese games travel outside Japan, and how they are played, thought about, and transformed by individuals, companies, and groups in the West. Consalvo begins with players, first exploring North American players' interest in Japanese games (and Japanese culture in general) and then investigating players' DIY localization of games, in the form of ROM hacking and fan translating. She analyzes several Japanese games released in North America and looks in detail at the Japanese game company Square Enix. She examines indie and corporate localization work, and the rise of the professional culture broker. Finally, she compares different approaches to Japaneseness in games sold in the West and considers how Japanese games have influenced Western games developers. Her account reveals surprising cross-cultural interactions between Japanese games and Western game developers and players, between Japaneseness and the market.
Atari to Zelda: Japan's Videogames in Global Contexts
by Mia ConsalvoThe cross-cultural interactions of Japanese videogames and the West, from DIY localization by fans to corporate strategies of “Japaneseness.”In the early days of arcades and Nintendo, many players didn't recognize Japanese games as coming from Japan; they were simply new and interesting games to play. But since then, fans, media, and the games industry have thought further about the “Japaneseness” of particular games. Game developers try to decide whether a game's Japaneseness is a selling point or stumbling block; critics try to determine what elements in a game express its Japaneseness—cultural motifs or technical markers. Games were “localized,” subjected to sociocultural and technical tinkering. In this book, Mia Consalvo looks at what happens when Japanese games travel outside Japan, and how they are played, thought about, and transformed by individuals, companies, and groups in the West. Consalvo begins with players, first exploring North American players' interest in Japanese games (and Japanese culture in general) and then investigating players' DIY localization of games, in the form of ROM hacking and fan translating. She analyzes several Japanese games released in North America and looks in detail at the Japanese game company Square Enix. She examines indie and corporate localization work, and the rise of the professional culture broker. Finally, she compares different approaches to Japaneseness in games sold in the West and considers how Japanese games have influenced Western games developers. Her account reveals surprising cross-cultural interactions between Japanese games and Western game developers and players, between Japaneseness and the market.