When young cat Simon is smuggled on board a ship, his quiet little life soon becomes an adventure fit for heroes.With new friend Peggy, the ship ;s dog, he bravely fights King Rat and his gang, rescues the crew from their problems, and shows the joy an animal can bring to our lives.Winning the hearts of the sailors and people across the world, Seacat Simon ;s inspiring and moving true tale of love, friendship and adventure is sure to enthrall a new generation of children. ;Action packed read, rich in detail, harrowing in places, heart-warming in others, and with a beautiful ending. ; - Sheila Jeffries, author of Solomon's Tale .NOTE: Children's version contains bonus quiz material.VERSION FOR ADULTS: Able Seacat Simon ;s story is also available as Simon Ships Out: How one brave, stray cat became a worldwide hero in ebook, paperback and audio formats.VERSION FOR SMALL CHILDREN: Able Seacat Simon ;s story will soon be available as Seacat Simon: An illustrated picture book in ebook and paperback formats.

A New York Times bestseller életrajzírójának, J. Randy Taraborrellinek minden részletet felvillantó, briliánsan megírt k?tete nem egyszer?en a legsikeresebb popsztárok egyikének, Beyoncénak az életrajza. Bepillantás egy olyan világba, ahová szinte mindenki vágyik, de csak nagyon kevesen juthatnak el; az amerikai show-business világába. A végtelenül tehetséges Beyoncé Knowles már nyolcéves korában ebben a világban él, gyerek szépségversenyek és tehetségkutató vetélked?k résztvev?je. Egy pillanatra sem szakad el a színpadtól, és tizenhat évesen a Destiny's Child énekeseként már világsztár. Ontja a slágereket, 2014-ben a Forbes magazin szerint a világ leggazdagabb és legkeresettebb sztárja, az ? fényképével jelenik meg a híres Time magazin. Ez a k?nyv megmutatja a sikereket, de az emberfeletti er?feszítést is, az ?r?k?s harcot az érvényesülésért, az áskálódásokat, pletykákat; beszámol viharos és vad szerelmér?l a híres rapperrel, Jay-Z-vel, a csalódásokról és a meghatározó pillanatokról. ?s mik?zben olvassuk ezt a nyílt, olykor szívszorító, olykor felemel? beszámolót, ?r?kre megváltozik a véleményünk Beyoncéról és a távoli és csillogó show-businessr?l. A szerz?r?l J. Randy Taraborrelli a New York Times bestseller szerz?je, írt már k?nyvet Michael Jacksonról, Marilyn Monroe-ról, Madonnáról, és a Kennedy famíliáról is. K?ztiszteletben álló író, újságíró, a szórakoztatóipar jó nev? és állandó szerepl?je, és jó néhány televízióm?sor, k?ztük a Today, a Good Morning America, a CBS This Morning, az Entertainment Tonight és a CNN Headline News s?r?n felt?n? vendégszerepl?je.

A Dublinban nevelkedett John Kavanagh vékony dongájú k?ly?k volt, akit az iskolában rendszeresen kínoztak és vertek a társai. Miután tinédzserként egyszer ?sszeverték az utcán, mert próbált egy járókel? védelmére kelni, úgy d?nt?tt, megtanulja megvédeni magát. Nem sokkal kés?bb már sportolókat edzett egy apró pajtában, és megszervezte ?rország els? kevert harcm?vészeti rendezvényeit. Aztán egy napon egy pimasz k?ly?k sétált be az edz?termébe. Conor McGregornak hívták. Az ír fiú a semmib?l érkezett, és néhány év alatt a világ egyik legismertebb sportolója lett… Két súlycsoportban is világbajnoki címet szerzett… Ma már egymilliárd forintért száll ketrecbe, és felkerült a világ legjobban keres? sportolóinak százas listájára… Szórakoztató stílusával, hipszter külsejével igazi médiasztár lett, és arra készül, hogy meccseivel futballstadionokat t?lt meg…Ebben a k?nyvben John Kavanagh két leny?g?z? élett?rténetet mesél el: a sajátját és McGregorét, mik?zben végigk?veti az MMA robbanásszer? elterjedését az egész világon. Kavanagh a ?Gy?zz vagy tanulj!” mottót a zászlajára t?zve már nemcsak a világ egyik legelismertebb trénere, hanem képvisel?je egy eszmének, amelynek lényege a kitartás, és a pozitív világszemlélet. Mert mik?zben ott állt az egész világ csodálatát kivívó McGregor mellett a legnehezebb pillanatokban és legnagyobb diadalok perceiben is, megtanulta, mit jelent a becsvágy, a fegyelem, a csalódás – mit jelent beteljesíteni valakinek az álmait. "Mindenkinek, aki tudni szeretné, hogyan k?vesse az álmait – egészen a célig." – Tony Parsons"Vannak emberek, akik képesek a feje tetejére állítani a világot. John Kavanagh és Conor McGregor ilyenek." – S. Kovács ?dám A szerz?r?lJohn Kavanagh, a Straight Blast Gym ?rország vezet?je, a világ egyik leghíresebb kevert harcm?vészeti edz?je. Versenyz?i k?z?tt találjuk a UFC pehely- és k?nny?súlyú bajnokát, Conor McGregort.

A Buenos Aires-i h?ségben olvad a jégpáncél, amelybe évekkel ezel?tt zártam magam szégyenemben, amiért már nem vagyok fiatal… ?jjel-nappal tangózom! A testemen rég nem látott izmok rajzolódnak ki újra, az arcomról elt?nik a keménység, amellyel egész életemben azt üzentem a világnak, hogy er?s vagyok. Ha egyszer?bben akarnám kifejezni, amit érzek, azt mondanám: itt boldog vagyok! Megengedem magamnak, amit azel?tt soha: k?vetem a férfit, megadóan és feltétel nélkül. Táncolok, érzek, azaz élek! Pár hét alatt fokozatosan hántotta le rólam a rétegeket ez a város. Eleinte csak a h?ség: levettem zárt, hosszú ujjú ruhámat, és felvettem egy ujjatlan, mélyen dekoltáltat. Majd j?tt a meglepetés, hogy tetszem – így, ahogy vagyok! Bátran érezhetem magam megint szépnek, amir?l otthon már leszoktam. Túl az ?tvenen, ujjatlan ruhában, szarkalábakkal a szemem alatt. Ezen a helyen N? vagyok a férfiak szemének tükrében. Buenos Airesben az élet újra felkért egy táncra… ?desanyám k?nyvtáros volt egy vidéki kisvárosban, és iskola után sokat vártam rá a munkahelyén. Egyszer elhatároztam, hogy a teljes gyerekk?nyvtárat végigolvasom, válogatás nélkül. A pár év alatt aztán alaposan ?sszen?ttünk, a k?nyvek és én. Talán nem véletlen, hogy végül magam is az írást választottam hivatásul. 2011-ben végigjártam az El Caminót, ami új fejezetet nyitott az életemben. Egy másik, boldogabb élet kapuja tárult ki el?ttem, amely tele van csodával. Igaz t?rténeteimmel szeretném másoknak is megmutatni, hogy igenis lehet ezt másképpen is…

Aki a s?tétség éveit elfelejti, nem érdemli meg azt a napot, amely ma rásüt. Egy fájón búgó hang valahonnan az ?gb?l. A szívre helyezett parázs perg? hamuja. Akinek lábánál a tenger álmodott. Diz?z és nemzeti intézmény: Karády Katalin. Olyan gyémántragyogású csillag volt, amit itthon és a halált süv?lt? orosz hómez?n ugyanúgy látni lehetett. Mert a legszebb csók volt, amit meg nem adott az élet. ?gve dobták el, mert mindig izzott valami jéghideg forrósággal. Nem volt jó színészn?, csupán elhitet? színészn? volt. Sz?gletes mozgású, tündéri trampli. Mégis talán maga Ady Endre is beleszeretett volna. Dalaival az emberek szívét csókolta meg, hogy tovább tudjanak dobogni... A háta volt zseniális, ahogy elmenni tudott. Elvitte vállán az id?t, a filmjeit, a legendáját... Az ítéletet, a rá mért titokzatos büntetést kutatta, a Labirintus bejáratát. A b?n?s n?, aki elkárhozni nem tud, s ezért a férfiak végzetévé lesz. De ez a végzet mindig k?z?s. Elment, elrohant, mert elégett a szíve. Játszott a t?rténelemmel, játszott és énekelt. Majd odahagyott huszonvalahány filmet, sikert, álmokat, s egy elveszített háborút. ?tkelt az óceánon, hogy kalaposn? legyen. Ne kérdezd, ki voltam, / A csókodat én akartam, / ha majd egyszer megsokalltad, / azt mondom agy?!" Lehullott a parázs a hamvadó cigarettavégr?l. Végigszívták. ? vissza sem nézett, és nem mondhatta senki, hogy AGY?. (Mihalicza Tamás, 1990)

Márton László új regénye, A mi kis k?ztársaságunk a t?kéletes állam megalapításának groteszk-tragikus kísérletét jeleníti meg. 1944 végén, amikor a felszabadító és egyben megszálló szovjet csapatok megérkeztek a Viharsarokba, az ott él? agrárproletárok létrehozták a saját kis k?ztársaságukat. A regényben a t?rténelmi tények és az írói képzelet t?rténetei keverednek – a keser? szatírában tegnapi-mai ?nmagunkra ismerhetünk és saját kisszer?ségünk?n nevethetünk.

O que poderá talvez deixar mais intrigado o leitor que pela primeira vez se depare com o título Travessias pela Literatura Portuguesa: estudos críticos de Saramago a Vieira é a aparente anomalia na disposi??o dos nomes que aparecem em subtítulo: de Saramago a Vieira. N?o faria mais lógica de Vieira a Saramago? No entanto, quando percorremos o conjunto de oito artigos que comp?em este volume, compreendemos que eles n?o est?o dispostos por ordem cronológica.

O carte-eveniment, alc?tuit? din dialoguri cu Ana Blandiana, Nicolae Breban, Augustin Buzura, Ion Iano?i, Gabriela Melinescu, Irina Petra?, Dumitru Radu Popa, Alex ?tef?nescu ?i Ion Vianu. Un manual indirect de istorie, realizat de cunoscuta scriitoare (romanciera, poeta ?i eseista) ?n baza m?rturiilor unor oameni de cultur? de prima m?n?, posibile modele europene, care – ?n falsa tranzi?ie interminabil? – aleg, iar ?i iar, voca?ia, atipica meserie de scriitor, r?m?n?nd – martori impar?iali ?i aten?i – mereu ?n prim plan. O carte extrem de dens?, actual?, un fragment dintr-o posibil? istorie a mentalit??ilor. ?Aceast? carte a ap?rut din nevoia de prietenie; a fost adunat?, treptat-treptat, ?n ritmurile felului meu de a fi, uneori-adeseori, catastrofic de ?ncet. Interlocutorii mi i-am ales, i-am c?utat, am ?ncercat s?-i "tachinez" cu ?ntreb?ri, temele discu?iilor converg?nd, firesc, de fiecare dat?, spre o arie de preocup?ri, care ne unesc mai mult dec?t ne despart. Fie ca dialog?m cu Ion Iano?i, fie cu Nicolae Breban, fie cu Ana Blandiana, fie cu Augustin Buzura, fie cu un alt interlocutor, de fiecare dat?, voiam s? aflu – folosind ca instrument, iar uneori ca arm? (din apanajul retoricii, de buna seam?) ?ntreb?rile; unele dintre acestea, da, naive, st?ngace, ?n schimb vii, mereu vii! – cum a rezistat fiecare dintre ei, cum a reu?it s?-?i construiasc? un destin, cum a izbutit s? fie, sa r?m?n? el ?nsu?i/ea ?ns??i ?i s? nu se pr?bu?easc?, cum a izbutit fiecare s? nu renun?e la lupta pentru sine ?nsu?i, pentru cultura rom?n?? Cu unele dintre personajele acestei c?r?i – dac? acceptam ca fiecare scriitor e un personaj, iar literatura este o singur? carte unic? – vreau s? cred c? m-am ?mprietenit, descoperindu-le, redescoperindu-le de fiecare dat?; ?mi place s? cred c? fiecare, aproape fiecare dintre invita?ii mei – ?ntr-un fel sau altul – m-a marcat, m-a f?cut s? m? reapropii altminteri de literatur?, de lectur?, de carte, s? v?d altminteri c?teva lucruri nelipsite pentru mine de greutate, sau – ?i mai important ! – m-a ajutat (uneori, f?r? s? ?tie!) sa r?m?n aceea?i, adic? s? nu m? schimb. Adesea, c?ut?nd prezen?a scriitorilor, de fapt c?utam o calitate la care ?ntunecat?, ?ntortocheat? de mine ajunge greu, c?teodat?, foarte greu: senin?tatea. Apoi… c?utam oameni de litere vii, scriitori ?n carne ?i oase – cum spuneam ?n adolescen??, ?i, iat?, mai spun ?i la cei circa patruzeci de ani – c?rora nu le este str?in cultul prieteniei, cultul voca?iei, cultul lucrului bine f?cut, al lucrului "rotund", cum afirm? un personaj din unul din romanele mele. Apoi… da, nu ascund, c?utam ceea ce se nume?te "complicitate" ?ntr-o lume cultural? postdecembrist? pestri?-amar?, desp?r?it? ?n grupuri, biserici, pui de catedrale. Marea majoritate a protagoni?tilor acestei c?rti de altminteri sunt mari lupi singuratici; ?i mi-a f?cut pl?cere s?-i ?ndemn s? vorbeasc? despre felul ?n care trateaz? solitudinea, via?a, literatura, contemporaneitatea. (Aura Christi)

Cassian Maria Spiridon e un fervent al fragmentului liric, al concentratului capabil a fixa poezia. Spa?iul ?i timpul verbului se contrag astfel la minimalul semn al substan?ei, ungarettian urm?rite ?n sensul unor fugitive contacte ale universului l?untric cu cel exterior, ?nconjurate de magia t?cerii. Pe deasupra oric?rei dezvolt?ri, resim?ite ca parazitare, fragmentul e suveran ca loc privilegiat al poeziei. Dac? Paul Valery afirm? c? partea cea mai profund? a omului e pielea sa, ?n?elegem alarma nivelului senzorial, ?ncordarea sim?urilor ?n vederea ?ntegr?rii ?n real a fiin?ei. Se ajunge astfel la o poetic? a sim?urilor. Aceasta restaureaz? concretul ?n drepturile lui de atotputernic? imaginea a lumii. Cassian Maria Spiridon tr?ie?te liric prin concret, ?nlocuind sublimarea experien?elor sale suflete?ti printr-o decupare ghidat? de acuitatea contemplativ?. (Gheorghe Grigurcu)Pozi?ia individual? a unui Cassian Maria Spiridon, interiorizat, divizat ?i iscoditor (dup? o copil?rie frustrat?), comport? st?ri de opozi?ie, accente de orgoliu ?i tentative (e?uate) de ini?iere ?ntr-un umanism f?r? tenebre. Ca?iva dintre contemporanii s?i mai v?rstnici ?i sunt aproape. (…) Problematiz?nd, la modul ?nalt, d?nd prioritate cerebralit??ii ?i ?nc?dr?ndu-se axial ?n fluxul psiho-nevrotic al momentului sau, Cassian Maria Spiridon opune decorativismului ?i transparen?elor ?nsemnele unei vie?i interioare fr?m?ntate. Poezia sa, de un lirism ideizat, e jurnalul superior-ceremonios al unui melancolic de extrema luciditate. (Constantin Ciopraga)

Volumele de dialoguri (vor fi trei ?n total) socratice adun? convorbiri cu personalit??i ale culturii ?i literaturii na?ionale, realizate ?n libertate, ?ncepind cu 1990. Ele au fost publicate ?n diverse reviste, ?n principal ?Convorbiri literare“ ?i ?Poezia“, dar ?i ?n ?Dacia literar?“, ?Poesis“, ?Hyperion“ ?.a. Dialogurile se succed ?n ordinea apari?ie ?i reflect? fr?m?nt?rile culturale, literare, politice ale momentului, de interes peren ?i constant privind biografia artistic? a personalit??ii intervievate. Dialogurile sunt vii, atractive, instructive ?i mereu actuale prin problematic? abordat?. Participan?ii la acest veritabil banchet platonician din primul volum, Democra?ia oblig? idiotul sa stea al?turi de geniu (310 pagini), sunt: Petre ?u?ea, Ana Blandiana, Alexandru Zub, Ioan Alexandru, Dimitrie Gavrilean, Mihai Ursachi, Cezar Iv?nescu, Svetlana Paleologu-Matta, ?erban Cantacuzino, ?tefan Avadanei, Cristian Simionescu, Luca Pi?u, Lauren?iu Ulici, Corneliu ?tefanache, Ioana Cr?ciunescu, Paul Goma, Monica Lovinescu, Ilie Cleopa, George Astalos, Marin Mincu, Liviu Ioan Stoiciu, Dan M?nuc?, Costache Ol?reanu, Sorin Vieru, Gellu Dorian, Alex ?tef?nescu, Nicolae Manolescu, Ilie Constantin.

Ez volt ám az ember, ha kellett, a gáton, Nem terem ma párja hetedhét országon; Ha most feltámadna s elj?ne k?zétek, Minden dolgát szemfényvesztésnek hinnétek. Hárman sem birnátok súlyos buzogányát, Parittyak?veit, ?klel? kopjáját; Elhülnétek, látva rettenetes pajzsát, ‘?s, kit a csizmáján viselt, sarkantyúját.’ […] He was brave and fearless, always ready for fight, There’s nobody like him here and there and world-wide; If he would rise from dead and would come to your ranks, You’d believe all his things to be fancies and cranks. Neither three of yours could raise his ponderous mace And his sling-stones and pike and his iron sword-lace; You’d be well dumbfounded looking at his grand shield, ‘And at spurs he had on his boots in battle-field.’ ?

Kevin Poulsen exhacker az elmúlt tíz évben az egyik legjobb oknyomozó újságíróvá vált a cyberb?n?zés területén. A Kingpin az els? alkalom, hogy egyedülálló szakértelmét és kapcsolatait k?nyv formájában is élvezhetjük. A macska–egér harc t?rténetének lebilincsel? leírása eddig példátlan bepillantást enged a 21. századi szervezett b?n?zés legjellemz?bb formájába. A cyber-alvilágban futót?zként terjedt a hír: valaki – egy briliáns és vakmer? szélhámos – átvette az uralmat egy online b?n?z?i hálózat felett, amely dollármilliókat szivattyúzott ki az amerikai gazdaságból. Az FBI azonnal titkos akciót indított, hogy az új nagyf?n?k nyomára bukkanjon. ?gyn?kségek a világ minden tájáról beépített emberek és kett?s ügyn?k?k tucatjait állították csatasorba. A cyber-zsaruk együttes er?vel számos gyanútlan hackert csaltak t?rbe, legfontosabb célpontjuknak azonban megvan az a nyugtalanító tulajdonsága, hogy lépten-nyomon kiszagolja besúgóikat, és átlát a terveiken. A létez? legvalószín?tlenebb b?n?z?t keresték: egy hippi értékrendjével és egy f?gonosz kett?s személyiségével felruházott zseniális programozót. ?lvonalbeli fehérkalapos hackerként Max ?Vision” Butler egyfajta celeb volt a programozói berkekben, aki még az FBI-nak is dolgozott tanácsadóként. ?m feketekalapos ?Icemanként” az adathalászok világában kihagyhatatlan lehet?séget látott, amivel próbára tehette rendkívüli képességeit. Országszerte ezer meg ezer számítógépbe hatolt be, és t?bb millió hitelkártyaadatot lopott el. K?nny?szerrel felt?rte hackertársai gépét is, és az orruk el?l csaklizta el csalással szerzett javaikat. Egy sima beszéd? szélhámossal kar?ltve hatalmas b?nszervezetet hozott létre. ?s ezt éveken át képes volt látszólag büntetlenül fenntartani, mik?zben riválisainak folyamatosan ott volt a nyakán a rend?rség. Ahogy figyelte a folytonos civakodást a csalók besúgók fert?zte k?z?sségben, és látta módszereik hatástalanságát is, épp e b?n?z?i k?r?k m?k?désképtelenségében kezdte meglátni a végs? kihívást: magához ragadja az irányítást, kijavítja a hibákat, és úgy fogja irányítani a dolgokat, ahogy kell – még akkor is, ha ezzel a saját homlokára fest célkeresztet. Bár a t?rténet voltaképpen egy b?n?z? figyelemre méltó felemelkedésér?l és a rendfenntartó er?k hajtóvadászatáról szól, a Kingpin feltárja egy titokban zajló b?n?zési hullám bels? m?k?dését, amely t?bb millió amerikai életére van hatással. A k?nyv lapjai bepillantást engednek az online csalás hatalmas szupermarketjeibe, ahol halmokban állnak a hitelkártyaszámok, a hamis csekkek, a felt?rt bankszámlák, a titkos ?postaládák” és a hamis útlevelek. Képet kapunk a hackelés módszereir?l – a b?ngész? biztonsági réseinek kihasználásától, az adathalászaton át a trójai vírusokig, s?t még azon is túl –, amelyeket ezek a csalók mindennapi munkájuk során alkalmaznak, valamint nyomon k?vethetjük a bonyolult utat, amelyet bejárva a lopott adatokból dollármilliók lesznek. Poulsen mind rend?r?kkel, mind pedig b?n?z?kkel ápolt figyelemre méltó kapcsolatrendszerének k?sz?nhet?en beléphetünk a csendes, elszánt fegyverkezési versenybe, amelyet a rendfenntartó er?k a mai napig folytatnak a csalók ellen. A Kingpin végs? soron egy megd?bbent? erej? és széles látók?r? utazás az alvilágba, ahol hétk?znapi amerikai tinédzserek gyilkos orosz maffiózókkal dolgoznak együtt, és ahol egy egyszer? wifi-kapcsolat t?bb millió dollár érték? aranyat eredményezhet.

Hold ucca

After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, one solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra with a broken leg, a female orang-utan - and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Since it was first published in 2002, Life of Pi has entered mainstream consciousness and remains one of the most extraordinary works of fiction in recent years. In October 2005 Canongate launched a competition with The Times to find an artist to illustrate Yann Martel's international bestseller. Soon the competition expanded as the Globe and Mail and The Age newspapers also launched a search in Canada and Australia. From thousands of entries, Croatian artist Tomislav Torjanac was chosen as the illustrator for this new edition of Life of Pi. Now readers can enjoy this extraordinary tale with his glorious colour illustrations.

Sidney C. Philips, an easygoing Alabama teenager, enlisted along with a friend. 'Manila John' Basilone was the son of immigrants who found happiness in the rough-and-ready life of a marine. Eugene B. Sledge watched his best friend and brother go off to war - and finally rebelled against his parents to follow them. 'Shifty' Shofner was the scion of a prominent family with a long record of military service. Ensign Vernon 'Mike' Micheel left the family farm to complete flight school. Between America's retreat from China in late 1941 and the moment that MacArthur's plane landed in Japan in August 1945, these five men fought many of the key battles of the war in the Pacific. Here, Hugh Ambrose focuses on their real-life experiences and those of their fellow servicemen, enhancing and expanding upon the story told in the HBO miniseries. Covering nearly four years of combat with unprecedented access to military records, letters, journals, memoirs, photographs and interviews, this volume offers a unique historical perspective on the war against Japan, from the debacle in Bataan to the miracle of Midway, the relentless vortex of Guadalcanal, the black terraces of Iwo Jima and the killing fields of Okinawa - and ultimately the triumphant yet uneasy return home. These are the true stories of the men who put their lives on the line for their country, who were dispatched to the other side of the world to fight an enemy who preferred suicide to surrender; men who suffered hardship and humiliation in POW camps; men who witnessed casualties among soldiers and civilians alike; and men whose medals came at a shocking price - a price paid in full by all.

Awaken your inner Force with 29 intergalactic breakfast recipes. Fuel up with Hans Soloatmeal, battle hunger with Admiral Ackbars, and so much more! These easy-to-make, mouthwatering recipes feature characters and scenes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens as well as from the upcoming film Star Wars: The Last Jedi. And photographs featuring Star Wars figurines re-creating epic moments from the films provide an extra helping of humor. and TM Lucasfilm Ltd. Used Under Authorization

The Art of Monsters, Inc. opens the door into Pixar's colorful archives of concept art and to the endearing story of Monsters, Inc. Since the very first bedtime, children around the world have known that once their parents tuck them into bed and shut off the light, monsters lie waiting behind closet doors, ready to emerge. But what they don't realize is that these monsters scare children because they have to. It's their job. This superb film from Pixar Studios, the people who brought you Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Toy Story 2, reveals the truth about monsters with the brilliant techniques that have earned them their reputation as a ground-breaking animation studio. This incredible body of artwork was commissioned from the top artists, illustrators, and animators in the industry and from it the ultimate visual approach of the film was defined. From sketches scribbled on napkins and quickly inked marker drawings, to finished oil paintings and fabulous pastel color scripts, this behind-the-scenes artwork reveals the elaborate creative process behind a blockbuster film.

James Shirley was born in London in September 1596. His education was through a collection of England's finest establishments: Merchant Taylors' School, London, St John's College, Oxford, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in approximately 1618. He first published in 1618, a poem entitled Echo, or the Unfortunate Lovers. As with many artists of this period full details of his life and career are not recorded. Sources say that after graduating he became "e;a minister of God's word in or near St Albans."e; A conversion to the Catholic faith enabled him to become master of St Albans School from 1623-25. He wrote his first play, Love Tricks, or the School of Complement, which was licensed on February 10th, 1625. From the given date it would seem he wrote this whilst at St Albans but, after its production, he moved to London and to live in Gray's Inn. For the next two decades, he would write prolifically and with great quality, across a spectrum of thirty plays; through tragedies and comedies to tragicomedies as well as several books of poetry. Unfortunately, his talents were left to wither when Parliament passed the Puritan edict in 1642, forbidding all stage plays and closing the theatres. Most of his early plays were performed by Queen Henrietta's Men, the acting company for which Shirley was engaged as house dramatist. Shirley's sympathies lay with the King in battles with Parliament and he received marks of special favor from the Queen. He made a bitter attack on William Prynne, who had attacked the stage in Histriomastix, and, when in 1634 a special masque was presented at Whitehall by the gentlemen of the Inns of Court as a practical reply to Prynne, Shirley wrote the text-The Triumph of Peace. Shirley spent the years 1636 to 1640 in Ireland, under the patronage of the Earl of Kildare. Several of his plays were produced by his friend John Ogilby in Dublin in the first ever constructed Irish theatre; The Werburgh Street Theatre. During his years in Dublin he wrote The Doubtful Heir, The Royal Master, The Constant Maid, and St. Patrick for Ireland. In his absence from London, Queen Henrietta's Men sold off a dozen of his plays to the stationers, who naturally, enough published them. When Shirley returned to London in 1640, he finished with the Queen Henrietta's company and his final plays in London were acted by the King's Men. On the outbreak of the English Civil War Shirley served with the Earl of Newcastle. However when the King's fortunes began to decline he returned to London. There his friend Thomas Stanley gave him help and thereafter Shirley supported himself in the main by teaching and publishing some educational works under the Commonwealth. In addition to these he published during the period of dramatic eclipse four small volumes of poems and plays, in 1646, 1653, 1655, and 1659. It is said that he was "e;a drudge"e; for John Ogilby in his translations of Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey, and survived into the reign of Charles II, but, though some of his comedies were revived, his days as a playwright were over. His death, at age seventy, along with that of his wife, in 1666, is described as one of fright and exposure due to the Great Fire of London which had raged through parts of London from September 2nd to the 5th. He was buried at St Giles in the Fields, in London, on October 29th, 1666.

Euripides is rightly lauded as one of the great dramatists of all time. In his lifetime, he wrote over 90 plays and although only 18 have survived they reveal the scope and reach of his genius. Euripides is identified with many theatrical innovations that have influenced drama all the way down to modern times, especially in the representation of traditional, mythical heroes as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. As would be expected from a life lived 2,500 years ago, details of it are few and far between. Accounts of his life, written down the ages, do exist but whether much is reliable or surmised is open to debate. Most accounts agree that he was born on Salamis Island around 480 BC, to mother Cleito and father Mnesarchus, a retailer who lived in a village near Athens. Upon the receipt of an oracle saying that his son was fated to win "e;crowns of victory"e;, Mnesarchus insisted that the boy should train for a career in athletics. However, what is clear is that athletics was not to be the way to win crowns of victory. Euripides had been lucky enough to have been born in the era as the other two masters of Greek Tragedy; Sophocles and schylus. It was in their footsteps that he was destined to follow. His first play was performed some thirteen years after the first of Socrates plays and a mere three years after schylus had written his classic The Oristria. Theatre was becoming a very important part of the Greek culture. The Dionysia, held annually, was the most important festival of theatre and second only to the fore-runner of the Olympic games, the Panathenia, held every four years, in appeal. Euripides first competed in the City Dionysia, in 455 BC, one year after the death of schylus, and, incredibly, it was not until 441 BC that he won first prize. His final competition in Athens was in 408 BC. The Bacchae and Iphigenia in Aulis were performed after his death in 405 BC and first prize was awarded posthumously. Altogether his plays won first prize only five times. Euripides was also a great lyric poet. In Medea, for example, he composed for his city, Athens, "e;the noblest of her songs of praise"e;. His lyric skills however are not just confined to individual poems: "e;A play of Euripides is a musical whole....one song echoes motifs from the preceding song, while introducing new ones."e; Much of his life and his whole career coincided with the struggle between Athens and Sparta for hegemony in Greece but he didn't live to see the final defeat of his city. Euripides fell out of favour with his fellow Athenian citizens and retired to the court of Archelaus, king of Macedon, who treated him with consideration and affection. At his death, in around 406BC, he was mourned by the king, who, refusing the request of the Athenians that his remains be carried back to the Greek city, buried him with much splendor within his own dominions. His tomb was placed at the confluence of two streams, near Arethusa in Macedonia, and a cenotaph was built to his memory on the road from Athens towards the Piraeus.

Sense and Sensibility (1811) is Jane Austen's first published novel. It is a book about love and romance that follows the life of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. When their father dies and his property goes to his son and first wife, the Dashwood sisters move with their family to live in a modest cottage in Devonshire where start their romantic adventures and heartbreaks. The cottage belongs to their mother's cousin Sir John Middleton who welcomes them and presents them to his family and friends. One of John's friends, Colonel Brandon, soon falls in love with Marianne, yet the latter finds him unattractive and too old for her age. She later meets the philandering John Willoughby and becomes interested in him to be drowned in grief when he leaves to do business in London. As for Elinor, she develops a relationship with Edward Ferrars before they move to Devonshire. When the two sisters are disappointed by their lovers who go with other women, the novel depicts the different ways they react as well as their wavering between passion and reason. By the end of the novel, Edward comes to mend his relationship with Elinor and marries her while Marianne marries Colonel Brandon. We've also included a concise and informative biography of Jane's works and life at the end of the book. We hope it helps to give a little context and colour about how her life interacted with her art.

Edgar Rice Burroughs was born on September 1, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. His early career was unremarkable. After failing to enter West Point he enlisted in the 7th Calvary but was discharged after heart problems were diagnosed. A series of short term jobs gave no indication as to a career path but finally, in 1911, married and with two young children, he turned his hand to writing. He aimed his works squarely at the very popular pulp serial magazines. His first effort 'Under The Moons Of Mars' ran in Munsey's Magazine in 1912 under the pseudonym Norman Bean. With its success he began writing full time. A continuing theme of his work was to develop series so that each character had ample opportunities to return in sequels. John Carter was in the Mars series and there was another on Venus and one on Pellucidar among others. But perhaps the best known is Tarzan. Indeed Burroughs wanted so much to capitalise upon the brand that he introduced a syndicated Tarzan comic strip, movies and merchandise. He purchased a large ranch north of Los Angeles, California, which he named "e;Tarzana."e; The surrounding communities outside the ranch voted in 1927 to adopt the name as their own. By 1932 Burroughs set up his own company to print his own books. Here we publish the seventh in the Tarzan series 'Tarzan the Untamed'. Another cultural classic.