Profiles many fictional figures from literature, myth, film, and other sources that have shaped society, culture, and the course of history, such as Rosie the Riveter, Lady Chatterly, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Hamlet.

Surveys the legacies of fictional heroes who shaped everyday culture, from Sherlock Holmes and James Bond to Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus.

Join TIME to explore the almost-lives and almost-times of the most fascinating people who never lived. Inspired by Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, we've created a list of history's 100 most memorable characters from the worlds of literature, film, TV, video games--even advertising. Here are Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones, Wonder Woman and Rosie the Riveter, Atticus Finch and Dorothy Gale--and 94 more intriguing figures.

We know them better than we know our friends: brilliant Sherlock Holmes; stingy Ebenezer Scrooge; the idealistic Don Quixote; the obsessed Captain Ahab. Hamlet is indecisive and world-weary; Romeo and Juliet are young, lusty and impulsive; Indiana Jones is dashing, learned and courageous. We speak of men with Oedipus Complexes or Peter Pan Syndromes. We know women who dream of being Cinderella-or Madame Bovary. We fear Orwell's Big Brother, Bram Stoker's Count Dracula and Dr. Frankenstein's Creature. And we marvel at odd couples: Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. D'Arcy; Huckleberry Finn and Jim; Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock; Humbert Humbert and Lolita. Yet all of these unforgettable icons-who have shaped civilization and embodied our deepest archetypes-are not human: they are fictional constructs, some created by great authors, others by long processes of folklore and myth. Now TIME has enlisted a host of brilliant authors to ponder the impact of these remarkable figures. Imagine Paul Ryan saluting Ayn Rand's heroic individualist, John Galt. Think David Sedaris sizing up the Marlboro Man, Gloria Steinem dressing down the Barbie doll, and Chris Rock ripping the reign of Jim Crow. Join TIME for a brisk, enlightening exploration of the almost-lives and almost-times of the most influential characters who never drew a breath.

With discernment and an eye for finding scriptural relevance in daily life, Dan Betzer shares a powerful collection of observation and insight from his beloved "Byline" radio and television programs in Godcast: Transforming Encounters with God. Contains 245 unique "godcasts" - read each in two minutes or less. Focused on life, the church, the bible, and a culture sometimes at odds with all of three. Each godcast includes a scriptural reference and a simple prayer. Unique collection for personal enrichment or as an empowering pastoral resource! An executive Presbyter of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, the senior pastor of the 10,000 member/adherent First Assembly of God Church in Fort Myers, Florida, and with over 60 years of media and ministry experience, Dan Betzer served as the familiar face and beloved voice for Revival time and Byline radio/TV for millions of viewers and listeners over a thousand radio and television stations. He continues to host daily television programs, has authored over 20 books, produced dozens of music and children's albums, and remains a dynamic and powerful speaker who has ministered in 61 nations.

From Santa Claus to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Uncle Sam to Uncle Tom, here is a compelling, eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining compendium of fictional trendsetters and world-shakers who have helped shape our culture and our lives. The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived offers fascinating histories of our most beloved, hated, feared, and revered invented icons and the indelible marks they made on civilization, including: # 28: Rosie the Riveter, the buff, blue-collar factory worker who helped jump-start the Women's Liberation movement # 7: Siegfried, the legendary warrior-hero of Teutonic nationalism responsible for propelling Germany into two world wars # 80: Icarus, the headstrong high-flyer who inspired the Wright brothers and humankind's dreams of defying gravity . . . while demonstrating the pressing need for flight insurance # 58: Saint Valentine, the hapless, de-canonized loser who lost his heart and head at about the same time # 43: Barbie, the bodacious plastic babe who became a role model for millions of little girls, setting an impossible standard for beauty and style

If you ask someone the question, "Tell me a story that changed your life," there will almost certainly be a thoughtful pause before a huge grin emerges. Everyone's life has been guided and impacted by stories, beginning with the earliest fables and nursery rhymes our parents used to instill moral values to the last time you wanted to illustrate a point in a meeting or get a laugh out of a friend over dinner. Storytelling is a uniquely human activity, among our first and most enduring forms of communication. This is a book about the meaning of stories in people's lives, especially those that have produced enduring changes in their values, behavior, lifestyle, and worldview. Carefully documented and supported by research from the social sciences, as well as from neurobiology, the humanities, media studies, and arts, Jeffrey Kottler will explore how and why stories are so powerfully influential in people's lives, especially those that lead to major life transformations.