Both critically and commercially successful filmmakers, the Coen brothers have written, produced, and directed numerous acclaimed films over the past three decades. Sara MacDonald and Barry Craig demonstrate that their comedies, in particular, which are often dismissed as mere entertainments, actually present substantial philosophic and political arguments. They examine five of the Coen brothers’ comedies: Raising Arizona, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and Hail Caesar...

From early explorers to contemporary scientists, naturalists have examined island flora and fauna of Oceania, discovering new species, carefully documenting the lives of animals, and creating work central to the image of Oceania. These “discoveries” and exploratory moves have had profound local and global impacts. Often, however, local knowledge and communities are silent in the ethologies and histories that naturalists produce. This volume analyzes the ways that Indigenous and non-Indigen...

For seven seasons, AMC’s Mad Men captivated audiences with the story of Don Draper, an advertising executive whose personal and professional successes and failures took viewers on a roller coaster ride through America’s tumultuous 1960s. More than just a television show about one of advertising’s “bad boys,” the series investigates the principles of the American regime, exploring whether or not the American Dream is a sustainable vision of human flourishing and happiness. This collection o...

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians with a heavy heart, wrestling to maintain his relationship with the young church that he established. The way that Paul handled this painful situation provides an example for us today. When should we reconcile, and when should we walk away? How do we cut ties with darkness--whether in ourselves or in others? In this volume from the Transformative Word series, edited by Craig Bartholomew, John D. Barry explores how we deal with such scars in light of Jesus' example....

Recovering Hegel from the Critique of Leo Srauss offers a defense of modernity against the critique of the influential mid-twentieth century political philosopher, Leo Strauss. Strauss, whose influence on contemporary conservative political theory is well documented, discovered the ground of much of what he found wanting in contemporary political and social life to lie in the philosophy of the 19th century German philosopher, G. W. F. Hegel. Specifically, Strauss accused Hegel of being the...

This book explores the understanding of freedom developed in the later novels of celebrated Canadian author, David Adams Richards. Many reviewers highlight two interconnected features in Richards novels: a seemingly rigid determinism of setting and sociodemographics, and a resulting hopelessness. In contrast, Richards describes the quest of human life and the purpose of his novels as a search for freedom. This book explores the account of freedom that is developed through the course of fou...

This book studies several of Mark Helprin’s novels in terms of their relation to Dante’s Divine Comedy. The authors demonstrate that A Soldier of the Great War, In Sunlight and in Shadow, and Winter’s Tale substantially correspond to, respectively, Dante’s Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The author himself has acknowledged his debt to Dante and references to the Comedy appear throughout his works. It is not that Helprin’s novels track their Dantean antecedents slavishly, or even follow ...

"Archie's Choice": After reading some psychology books, Jughead feels qualified to answer Archie's eternal question: should he choose Betty or Veronica? Is Jughead's advice all it's "quacked" up to be?

Plaidness Madness: It's a fashion faux pas when Archie advises Mr. Lodge on which style jacket would make the perfect gift for Veronica! "Big City Blues": Is that laugh track just in Archie's head or are all of his cousin Albert's friends renegades from a sitcom?!

"Good Bye Paparazzi!": The paparazzi follow Veronica home to Riverdale from a movie premiere, and it isn't long before most of her friends are vogue-ing for the cameras, too! "Scrap Flap": Veronica has no interest whatsoever in Betty's new scrapbook hobby... until she meets the hunky scrapbook expert at the craft shop! "Dancing Fool": Inspired by a classic beach party movie, Veronica comes up with her own dance step guaranteed to make you flip... literally!

Talk about a bad connection - it's a 'Two Ring Circus' when Veronica gives Archie one of her father's prototype phones, even though the matching phone is Mr. Lodge's! To get out of a jam with Veronica, Archie asks Jughead to take the blame, and 'The Blame Game' begins when the deal is doomed to failure! Mr. Lodge has to think 'Outside the Box' when he enters the toy business and discover kids almost always love the box the toys comes in best! Finally, Dilton tries to give Archie the ink bl...

"The Face in the Mirror": A poignant tale that asks the question, does Veronica have a conscience after all? "She Just Can't Win": Veronica simply cannot... will not... believe her brand new designer dress was designed by... Betty! "Economizing": When it comes to saving money, it's all a matter of perspective... and in Veronica's case, the amount of "zeros" in the final figure! "It Takes a Thief": Mr. Lodge gives Veronica an ultimatum: improve her grades or kiss her social life and credit ...