This book gathers examples of the author's criticism from the span of his writing career, each of which demonstrates his passion for the way we view movies, as well as how we write about them.

This guide and reference work of all of the bestselling books, authors and genres since the beginning of the 20th century, provides an insight into over 100 years of publishing and reading as well as taking us on a journey into the heart of the British imagination.

In the style of the phenomenally successful 1001 Series this is an essential guide and gift for anyone with a passion for gardens. A remarkable guide to the most stunning gardens in the world, 1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die contains inspirational designs by the most successful gardeners and designers. From the famous gardens of Granada′s Alhambra to the private, hidden gems known only to the privileged few, this magnificently illustrated guide will inspire gardeners and garden lovers alike.

Here is an exploration of pulp literature and pulp mentalities: an investigation into the nature and theory of the contemporary mind in art and in life. Here too, the violent, the sensational and the erotic signify different facets of the modern experience played out in the gaudy pages of kitsch literature. Clive Bloom offers the reader a chance to investigate the underworld of literary production and from it find a new set of co-ordinates for questions regarding publishing and reading practices in America and Britain, ideas of genre, problems related to commercial production, concerns regarding high and low culture, the canon and censorship, as well as a discussion of the rhetoric of current critical debate. Concentrating on remembered authors as well as many long disregarded or forgotten, Cult Fiction provides a theory of kitsch art that radically alters our perceptions of literature and literary values whilst providing a panorama of an almost forgotten history: the history of pulp.

From the day it opened, on October 1, 1907, the lavish 19-story French Renaissance building on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South was simply the grandest hotel in the world. It's no wonder that the Plaza's lavish interiors and exteriors have remained sought-after settings for films, TV shows, commercials--even music videos--as well as home to the most significant social events of their day. It's no surprise that many of the films shot there have become beloved classics, from Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest; to everybody's favorite tear-jerker, The Way We Were; to Neil Simon's uproarious Plaza Suite and Barefoot in the Park. In those and dozens of others, the Plaza's own special magic was stirred into Hollywood's heady mix and the results were timeless. In Starring the Plaza, a labor of love conceived and created by pop-cultural historian Patty Farmer, the hotel shines in a new light: a Klieg light, as it were. Page after page of moments captured from movies, plays, TV shows, parties, premieres, and press events form a new kind of chronicle of New York's favorite landmark. Readers will find all their favorite Plaza-on-film moments here--plus a few they might not have been aware of. There are even some Hollywood recreations of the place included--Plaza Pretenders--but it's clear that no amount of movie magic could ever beat the real thing. From Shirley MacLaine scaling the Pulitzer Fountain to a frizz-headed Barbra Streisand handing out political leaflets, the Plaza has co-starred with the best in the business. And from Liz Taylor to the Beatles, anyone who is anyone has stayed there, partied there, and who-knows-what-else there. Yes, that's really the grand lobby in Home Alone 2, the Oak Bar in North by Northwest, and the Persian Room in Sabrina. Starring the Plaza is the first-ever visual celebration of the Plaza on stage, screen, and in society, and author, Patty Farmer, has scoured the archives to show it off in all its glory. Legendary movie star Mitzi Gaynor provides the Foreword and discloses a few of her own adventures at the iconic hotel.

A collection of twenty-two nursery rhymes, including "Old King Cole" and "Little Bo-Peep," fashioned into full-length stories by the author of "The Wizard of Oz."