Examines and critiques American theater and actors.

Victorian touring actresses brings new attention to women’s experience of working in nineteenth-century theatre by focusing on a diverse group of largely forgotten ‘mid-tier’ performers, rather than the usual celebrity figures. It examines how actresses responded to changing political, economic and social circumstances and how the women were themselves agents of change. Their histories reveal dynamic patterns of activity within the theatrical industry and expose its relationship to wider Victorian culture. With an innovative organisation mimicking the stages of an actress’s life and career, the volume draws on new archival research and plentiful illustrations to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the women as they toured both within the UK and further afield in North America and Australasia. It will appeal to students and researchers in theatre and performance history, Victorian studies, gender studies and transatlantic studies.

Arguing that women use autobiography and performance for expression and as a means of controlling their public and private selves, the contributors of these 11 essays examine the lives and work of a variety of artists ranging from actors as working women in the eighteenth century to monologists and performance artists today. Subjects include several performers, including Alma Ellerslie, Kitty Marion, Ina Rozant, Susan Glaspell, Adrienne Kennedy, Emma Robinson, Lena Ashwell, Tilly Wedekind, Clare Dowie, Janet Cardiff, Tracey Emin, and, in an interview, Bobby Baker, as well as essays on Latina theater and lesbians as performers constructing themselves and their community. Annotation : 2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

" The author and his First Class Mate have provided those who may be new to boating with hundreds of tips to help make their cruising experiences safe and pleasurable " -Jennifer Castle Field, President, Chapman School of Seamanship "Prestegaard's writing has style and elegance, and a way of stoking the imagination. If you're one of the old or idle retirees looking for a change in your routine, read Pete's (Not So) Old Men and the Sea." -Ron & Eva Stob, Founders, America's Great Loop Cruisers' Assoc. "A fun read about the joys and memorable experiences of the cruising lifestyle. It should inspire others to venture off on this journey of a lifetime." -Bill Parlatore, Editor in Chief, PassageMaker Magazine "Enjoyed the read. Entertaining and informative." -Rich Wall, Boat US/West Marine "It's simply Cruising 101" -Jim Meier, Sea Ray Boats Inc. (Not So) Old Men and the Sea covers portions of six years of the author's life, a time when he, his wife and sea dog Bingo experienced first-hand lessons as they prepared for, then negotiated, the legendary Great Circle/Loop of Eastern, Canadian, Midwestern and Southern waters aboard their 38' cruiser, The Family Fjord. In all, they transited over 100 locks, 6000 nautical miles and one over-the-road haul across Wisconsin. NSOM can easily be a blueprint for the novice cruiser who dreams of taking extended coastal or river voyages "on his own bottom." It starts with the glories of cruising and rapidly gets specific about boat, power, options, human factors and experiences, coupled with vignettes of what everyday distance cruising is like. The book features an overriding focus on safety, and author Pete Prestegaard also helpfully includes money-saving tips throughout.