History: Alexander the Great, Japanese Concerntration Camps in the US, USO Hostesses During World War II & Hamas vs Fatah

Alexander the Great: A New History

(BOOK): edited by Waldemar Heckel and Lawrence A. Tritle

• Written by leading experts in the field
• Looks at a wide range of diverse topics including Alexander’s religious views, his entourage during his campaign East, his sexuality, the influence of his legacy, and his representations in art and cinema
• Discusses Alexander’s influence, from his impact on his contemporaries to his portrayals in recent Hollywood films
• A highly informed and enjoyable resource for students and interested general readers

Concentration Camps on the Home Front: Japanese Americans in the House of Jim Crow (BOOK): by John Howard

Without trial and without due process, the United States government locked up nearly all of those citizens and longtime residents who were of Japanese descent during World War II. Ten concentration camps were set up across the country to confine over 120,000 inmates. Almost 20,000 of them were shipped to the only two camps in the segregated South—Jerome and Rohwer in Arkansas—locations that put them right in the heart of a much older, long-festering system of racist oppression. The first history of these Arkansas camps, Concentration Camps on the Home Front is an eye-opening account of the inmates’ experiences and a searing examination of American imperialism and racist hysteria.

From Habsburg Neo-Absolutism to the Compromise, 1849-1867 (BOOK): by Agnes Deak translated by Matthew Caples

In 1848, Francis Joseph became Emperor of the Hapsburg Monarchy, and the Russian army helped the Austrians take control of Hungary. The Austrian Council of Ministers ordered the arrest of all political and military officers of the Revolution and dissolved the Hungarian Kingdom. A planned constitution promised extensive rights to national minorities, and the October Diploma of 1860 suggested more convocations of the Imperial Parliament. However, in 1861 Francis Joseph suspended all constitutional organizations, introduced military jurisdiction, and appointed a governor as head of state. After he was crowned King of Hungary, though, Francis Joseph approved the Law of Compromise, and Hungary became independent with regard to public law and internal self-government. The Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy was then born.

Good girls, Good food, Good fun: The Story of USO Hostesses During World War II (BOOK): by Meghan K. Winchell

Think of saddle-shoed coeds jitterbugging with the boys. The dance could be as sexually evocative then as grinding is now. It was all in a night's work for the thousands of young American women who volunteered to host soldiers in United Service Organizations clubs during WWII. The USO's domestic mission was to steer idle troops away from liquor, prostitutes and venereal disease, offering instead homemade cookies and wholesome smalltown girls. In constructing a portrait of wartime sexuality through the lens of the USO's American ideal of women, Winchell highlights what she views as the USO's middle-class prejudices. But she also offers studies of leadership in minority women's lobbying for such issues as canteen integration and access for women soldiers. Winchell, an assistant professor of history at Nebraska Wesleyan University, can't seem to let impressive research speak for itself, and her insightful observations are couched in the academic language of race, class, gender and the economics of women's work. The hostesses should have been the voice of this book—sometimes, they manage to be heard.

Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle for Palestine (BOOK): by Jonathan Schanzer

Schanzer, director of policy at the Jewish Policy Center and counterterrorism analyst for the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the U.S. Department of Treasury, investigates the conflict between rival Palestinian factions with nuance and detail as he exposes the long-broiling tensions and violent eruptions between Fatah and Hamas—even as the two sides attempted to pretend that the Palestinians were still united under one flag. The author posits that only by rejecting the platforms of both parties will the Palestinian people begin to break the self-destructive cycle and provides a concise historical survey from the founding of the Muslim Brotherhood—the template for many Islamist groups—in 1928 to the recent conflict in Lebanon and a thorough comparison of Fatah's and Hamas's leadership. Neophytes to the tangled world of Palestine's internal conflict will be treated to a serious, no-frills account; those readers more familiar with the issues will enjoy how Schanzer weaves a web of connectivity between the Palestinian conflict with Israel, the conflicts involving Lebanon, the rise of al-Qaeda and American complicity.

Imperial Germany, 1871-1918 (BOOK): edited by James Retallack

The German Empire was founded in January 1871 not only on the basis of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's "blood and iron" policy but also with the support of liberal nationalists. Under Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany became the dynamo of Europe. Its economic and military power were pre-eminent; its science and technology, education, and municipal administration were the envy of the world; and its avant-garde artists reflected the ferment in European culture. But Germany also played a decisive role in tipping Europe's fragile balance of power over the brink and into the cataclysm of the First World War, eventually leading to the empire's collapse in military defeat and revolution in November 1918.

Iran's Intellectual Revolution (BOOK): by Mehran Kamrava

Since its revolution in 1979, Iran has been viewed as the bastion of radical Islam and a sponsor of terrorism. The focus on its volatile internal politics and its foreign relations has, according to Kamrava, distracted attention from more subtle transformations which have been taking place there in the intervening years. With the death of Ayatollah Khomeini a more relaxed political environment opened up in Iran, which encouraged intellectual and political debate between learned elites and religious reformers. What emerged from these interactions were three competing ideologies which Kamrava categorises as conservative, reformist and secular. As the book aptly demonstrates, these developments, which amount to an intellectual revolution, will have profound and far-reaching consequences for the future of the Islamic republic, its people and very probably for countries beyond its borders. This thought-provoking account of the Iranian intellectual and cultural scene will confound stereotypical views of Iran and its mullahs.

Film: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard

Breakfast at Tiffany's (DVD): Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, Vilallonga, John McGiver, Mickey Rooney

Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. Her next-door neighbor, a writer, is "sponsored" by a wealthy patroness. Guessing who's the right man for Holly is easy; seeing just how romance blossoms is one of the enduring delights of the film.

Films: Comedys Caddyshack, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Blues Brothers & Beverly Hills Cop

Beverly Hills Cop (VHS): Eddie Murphy, Lisa Eilbacher, Steven Berkoff, Judge Reinhold, Ronny Cox

Detroit cop Axel Foley is delighted when he receives a surprise visit from his best friend Mikey Tandino, who lives in California. Not long after Mikey arrives in Detroit, Mikey is killed, right in front of Axel, by a man named Zack. Axel follows Zack to Beverly Hills, California, where Beverly Hills police department Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil assigns Detective Billy Rosewood aworks for Jenny's boss, Victor Maitland, the man who owns the art gallery. Maitland is a drug kingpin who is using the gallery as a front, and Maitland had Zack kill Mikey after Maitland accused Mikey of stealing some of Maitland's bonds. With the help of Jenny, Billy, and Taggart, Axel does what he can to make sure Maitland and Zack won't kill any more people.

Big Business (REEL): Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson

Laurel and Hardy are Christmas tree salesmen in California. James Finlayson refuses to buy a tree from them and this leads to private war which literally brings the house down.

Billy Madison (VHS): Adam Sandler, Bradley Whitford, Josh Mostel, nd Rosewood's partner, Sergeant John Taggart, to keep an eye on Axel. Axel visits his friend Jenny Summers, who works in an art gallery. With Jenny's help, Axel discovers that Zack Bridgette Wilson, Norm MacDonald, Darren McGavin

He's heir to the Madison Hotel millions, but the only subjects Billy has studied are babes and booze. But when Brian Madison informs his goofball son that he plans to turn over his Fortune 500 company to vice president/weasel Eric Gordon, Billy makes the bet of his life. He's going back to school with hilarious results.

Blazing Saddles (DVD): Cleavon Little (Bart), Gene Wilder (Jim), Slim Pickens (Taggart), David Huddleston (Olson Johnson), Liam Dunn (Rev. Johnson), Alex Karras (Mongo)

Never give a saga an even break! Blazing Saddles is an iconoclastic, not-politically-correct parody; one of the 1970s most successful and popular films. Every clichéd element from every Western ever made is turned upside down and inside out, while retaining all the familiar caricatures--eh, characters--of the genre: a dance-hall girl, a gunslinger, a sheriff, and a town full of pure folk. Mel Brooks redefined film comedy, and proved that even sophomoric, scatological humor could be used to ridicule prejudice, injustice, and apathy.

The Blues Brothers (VHS): John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Carrie Fisher, Aretha Franklin, Henry Gibson

Chase comedy featuring musical performances by various blues artists, including the Blues Brothers Band, as an ex-convict and his brother attempt to raise the tax money for their former orphanage, wreaking havoc across Illinois on their "mission from God."

Bob Roberts (VHS): Tim Robbins, Giancarlo Esposito, Ray Wise, Gore Vidal, John Cusack, Peter Gallagher, Susan Sarandon, Fred Ward

"Tim Robbins stars as Bob Roberts, a radical folksinger turned senatorial candidate, in this satirical comedy that blends his campaign trail with singing, music videos and scandal"--container

Breakfast at Tiffany's (DVD): Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, Vilallonga, John McGiver, Mickey Rooney

Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. Her next-door neighbor, a writer, is "sponsored" by a wealthy patroness. Guessing who's the right man for Holly is easy; seeing just how romance blossoms is one of the enduring delights of the film

Bringing Up Baby (DVD): Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charlie Ruggles, Walter Catlett, Barry Fitzgerald, May Robson, Fritz Feld

An heiress determined to catch a zoologist uses her pet leopard, Baby, to get his attention.

Bud Abbott & Lou Costello meet Frankenstein (DVD): Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert

A comic horror film in which Abbott and Costello encounter Frankenstein's monster, Dracula and a mad scientist.

Caddyshack (VHS): Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe and Bill Murray

Danny Noonan is a young caddy at Bushwood Country Club who has no idea about where his future will lead. His best chance at getting his life on track is to earn a caddy scholarship from Judge Elihu Smails, the owner of the Country Club. Al Czervik is a rude, and overly eccentric millionaire who has interests in purchasing Bushwood. Judge Smails shows a quick disliking towards Al and soon there is a conflict between the Judge and Al, the Judge and Danny, and even between the Judge and Ty Webb the charming golfer who is slowly helping Danny figure out his real goals. On the outside of this is Carl Spackler the Golf Course Grounds keeper, who's goal is eliminate a rampaging gopher who is chewing up holes throughout the golf course.

Anthropology: Summercamps, Gender Gaming & Museums and Indigenous Perspectives on the Matter

A Manufactured Wilderness: Summer Camps and the Shaping of American Youth, 1890-1960 (BOOK): by Abigail A. Van Slyck

Since they were first established in the 1880s, children’s summer camps have touched the lives of millions of people. Although the camping experience has a special place in the popular imagination, few scholars have given serious thought to this peculiarly American phenomenon. Why were summer camps created? What concerns and ideals motivated their founders? Whom did they serve? How did they change over time? What factors influenced their design? To answer these and many other questions, Abigail A. Van Slyck trains an informed eye on the most visible and evocative aspect of camp life: its landscape and architecture. She argues that summer camps delivered much more than a simple encounter with the natural world. Instead, she suggests, camps provided a man-made version of wilderness, shaped by middle-class anxieties about gender roles, class tensions, race relations, and modernity and its impact on the lives of children. Following a fascinating history of summer camps and a wide-ranging overview of the factors that led to their creation, Van Slyck examines the intersections of the natural landscape with human-built forms and social activities.

Anthropological Futures (BOOK): by Michael M. J. Fischer

In Anthropological Futures, Michael M. J. Fischer explores the uses of anthropology as a mode of philosophical inquiry, an evolving academic discipline, and a means for explicating the complex and shifting interweaving of human bonds and social interactions on a global level. Through linked essays, which are both speculative and experimental, Fischer seeks to break new ground for anthropology by illuminating the field’s broad analytical capacity and its attentiveness to emergent cultural systems.

Becoming Human: Innovation in Prehistoric Material and Spiritual Culture (BOOK): edited by Colin Renfrew & Iain Morley

The Upper Palaeolithic era of Europe has left an abundance of evidence for symbolic activities, such as direct representations of animals and other features of the natural world, personal adornments, and elaborate burials, as well as other vestiges that are more abstract and cryptic. These behaviours are also exhibited by populations throughout the world, from the prehistoric period through to the present day. How can we interpret these activities? What do they tell us about the beliefs and priorities of the people who carried them out? How do these behaviours relate to ideologies, cosmology, and understanding of the world? What can they tell us about the emergence of ritual and religious thought? And how do the activities of humans in prehistoric Europe compare with those of their predecessors there and elsewhere? In this volume, fifteen internationally renowned scholars contribute essays that explore the relationship between symbolism, spirituality, and humanity in the prehistoric societies of Europe and traditional societies elsewhere. The volume is richly illustrated with 50 halftones and 24 color plates.

Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender and Gaming (BOOK): edited by Yasmin B. Kafai

Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat brings together new media theorists, game designers, educators, psychologists, and industry professionals, including some of the contributors to the earlier volume, to look at how gender intersects with the broader contexts of digital games today: gaming, game industry and design, and serious games. The contributors discuss the rise of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and the experience of girl and women players in gaming communities; the still male-dominated gaming industry and the need for different perspectives in game design; and gender concerns related to emerging serious games (games meant not only to entertain but also to educate, persuade, or change behavior). In today's game-packed digital landscape, there is an even greater need for games that offer motivating, challenging, and enriching contexts for play to a more diverse population of players.

Campus Recreational Sports Facilities: Planning, Design, and Construction Guidelines (BOOK): by National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association

The focus on campus recreational facilities continues as university administrators and campus recreation professionals increasingly recognize participation in recreational sport programs and activities as a key determinant of student recruitment, retention, and satisfaction. The significance of campus recreational facilities in an institution's success has led many institutions to evaluate possibilities for new or renovated recreational spaces. For assistance in these construction and renovation projects, campus recreational professionals and others can look to the advice, guidance, and best practices in Campus Recreational Sport Facilities: Planning, Design, and Construction Guidelines.

Contesting Knowledge: Museums and Indigenous Perspectives (BOOK): edited by Susan Sleeper-Smith

This interdisciplinary and international collection of essays illuminates the importance and effects of Indigenous perspectives for museums. The contributors challenge and complicate the traditionally close colonialist connections between museums and nation-states and urge more activist and energized roles for museums in the decades ahead.

The institutions examined in these pages range broadly from the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC; the Oneida Nation Museum in Oneida, Wisconsin; tribal museums in the Klamath River region in California; the tribal museum in Zuni, New Mexico; the Museum of the American Indian in New York City; and the District Six Museum in Cape Town, South Africa.

Dancing from the Heart: Movement, Gender, and Cook Islands Globalization (BOOK): by Kalissa Alexeyeff

"Dancing from the Heart" is the first study of gender, globalization, and expressive culture in the Cook Islands. It demonstrates how dance in particular plays a key role in articulating the overlapping local, regional, and transnational agendas of Cook Islanders. Kalissa Alexeyeff reconfigures conventional views of globalization's impact on indigenous communities, moving beyond diagnoses of cultural erosion and contamination to a grounded exploration of creative agency and vital cultural production. Central to the study is a rich and textured ethnographic account of contemporary Cook Islands dance practice. Based on fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and archival research, it offers an engrossing analysis of how Cook Islands social life is generated through expressive practices.

A Coincidence of Desires: Anthropology, Queer Studies, Indonesia (BOOK): by Tom Boellstorff

The case studies contained in A Coincidence of Desires speak to questions about the relation of sexualities to nationalism, religion, and globalization. They include an examination of zines published by gay Indonesians; an analysis of bahasa gay—a slang spoken by gay Indonesians that is increasingly appropriated in Indonesian popular culture; and an exploration of the place of warias (roughly, “male-to-female transvestites”) within Indonesian society. Boellstorff also considers the tension between Islam and sexuality in gay Indonesians’ lives and a series of incidents in which groups of men, identified with Islamic fundamentalism, violently attacked gatherings of gay men. Collectively, these studies insist on the primacy of empirical investigation to any queer studies project that wishes to speak to the specificities of lived experience.