An innovative volume of fifteen interdisciplinary essays at the nexus of material culture, performance studies, and game theory, Playthings in Early Modernity emphasizes the rules of the game(s) as well as the breaking of those rules. Thus, the titular "plaything" is understood as both an object and a person, and play, in the early modern world, is treated not merely as a pastime, a leisurely pursuit, but as a pivotal part of daily life, a strategic psychosocial endeavor.

"A Book of Myths" deals in a most entertaining manner with the mythology of Greece and Rome and many other noted lands. Added to the pleasure of the story there is the lure of the legend and the spell of old ways and customs. Not only many of the most celebrated are retold, but also many of the less well-known tales. The aim of the author, it is stated, has been to simplify for those who are not erudite scholars the stories of mythology, to which constant reference is made not only in classic, but in modern poetry, and to direct the attention of readers to poems which are not already known to them. Included are tales of Prometheus, Pygmalion, Orpheus, Perseus, King Midas, Pan, the Lorelei, Baldur and many more.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, there was a rage for colorfully illustrated books—especially fairy tales and fantasy adventures. English artist Warwick Goble (1862–1943), an expert in watercolor techniques, was among the era's premier illustrators. This one-of-a-kind collection gathers the best of his fairy tale imagery, featuring eighty-six visions of memorable scenes from timeless folk tales. The international array of illustrations begins with Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies, followed by pictures from Grace James's Green Willow and Other Japanese Fairy Tales, as well as Folk-Tales of Bengal and the Italian Stories from the Pentamerone. Images inspired by The Fairy Book; The Best Popular Fairy Stories Selected and Rendered Anew include such familiar characters as Little Red-Riding-Hood, Cinderella, Tom Thumb, and Puss in Boots. The collection concludes with imaginative depictions from The Book of Fairy Poetry, including scenes from Shakespeare's fairy classics, The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream, along with works by Milton, Tennyson, and other poets. Readers of all ages will cherish this unique book and its splendid combination of art and literature. Original Dover (2008) publication. 96pp. 83/8 x 11. Paperbound. ALSO AVAILABLE Rackham's Fairy Tale Illustrations in Full Color, Arthur Rackham. 64pp. 83/8 x 11. 0-486-42167-8 Nielsen's Fairy Tale Illustrations in Full Color, Kay Nielsen. 64pp. 83/8 x 11. 0-486-44902-5 For current price information write to Dover Publications, or log on to www.doverpublications.com and see every Dover book in print.

According to Roger Caillois, play is an occasion of pure waste. In spite of this - or because of it - play constitutes an essential element of human social and spiritual development. In this study, the author defines play as a free and voluntary activity that occurs in a pure space, isolated and protected from the rest of life.

"The Book of Buried Treasure" by Ralph Delahaye Paine. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.