Author: Peter Wilson File Type: pdf A collection of essays, by leading international scholars, on the history of the Greek theatre, and on the wider context of festival culture in which theatrical activity took place in the Greek world. The emphasis is on the documentary material - inscriptions, archaeological remains and monuments - which provides so much of our hard evidence for the activities of the theatre. Much of the important material discussed here is unknown except to specialists, and these studies offer access to its interpretation to a wider audience. They cover a wide range of time and place, from the earliest days of the Greek theatre to the Roman period, with special emphasis on the neglected Hellenistic period, which is especially rich in documentary evidence.ReviewWilsons worms-eye view reveals fascinating and important new data and challenges many preconceived ideas. Wilsons stated aim is to energize the study of the documentary base of the Greek theatre and encourage others to explore differing trajectories of inquiry. To this end, Wilson and his contributors succeed in offering this detailed, thoughtful, and illuminating book, which should be essential reading for anyone seriously interested in studying the Greek theatre. --Classical WorldAbout the AuthorPeter Wilson is William Ritchie Professor of Classics at the University of Sydney.

Author: Lincoln Geraghty File Type: pdf Though science fiction certainly existed prior to the surge of television in the 1950s, the genre quickly established roots in the new medium and flourished in subsequent decades. In Channeling the Future Essays on Science Fiction and Fantasy Television, Lincoln Geraghty has assembled a collection of essays that focuses on the disparate visions of the past, present, and future offered by science fiction and fantasy television since the 1950s and that continue into the present day. These essays not only shine new light on often overlooked and forgotten series but also examine the look of science fiction and fantasy television, determining how iconography, location and landscape, special effects, set design, props, and costumes contribute to the creation of future and alternate worlds. Contributors to this volume analyze such classic programs as The Twilight Zone, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as well as contemporary programs, including Star Trek The Next Generation, Angel, Firefly, Futurama, and the new Battlestar Galactica. These essays provide a much needed look at how science fiction television has had a significant impact on history, culture, and society for the last sixty years.**From Publishers WeeklyThe twelve essays in this collection examine aspects of sci-fi and fantasy television, from the recurring desert landcape of The Twilight Zone to the gritty aesthetic of the rebooted Battlestar Galactica. With the exception of Laurel Forsters far-ranging essay on the scientist in sci-fi television (relating it to, among other things, the progression of the UK womens rights movement), most essays will lose much impact for those who havent seen the program under discussion. All, however, seem to build to editor Geraghtys chapter on Futurama, where the previously discussed conventions are all, finally, set on their head. For fanboys of one or more, however, this volume should provide illuminating context. Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. ReviewThe twelve essays in this collection examine aspects of sci-fi and fantasy television, from the recurring desert landscape of The Twilight Zone to the gritty aesthetic of the rebooted Battlestar Galactica. For fanboys of one or more, this volume should provide illuminating context. (Publishers Weekly, Web Exclusive Review, July 2009) An anthology of thoughtful essays which re-examine overlooked and forgotten series, as well as exploring the appearance and feel of this genre of television as a whole. A remarkably studious examination of the implications of imaginative popular culture, especially recommended for media studies shelves with a focus on science fiction and fantasy. (Wisconsin Bookwatch, June 2009) An anthology that brings together intelligent discussions of such varied series as The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Highlander The Series, Futurama, and Battlestar Galactica has much to offer. ... I found Channeling the Future an interesting collection, one that contributes to the rapidly growing and well-justified body of recent commentary on sf television. (Science Fiction Studies, March, 2010) College-level libraries strong in science fiction and film analysis need this! (Midwest Book Review, March 2010) This is an eclectic collection that covers a lot of territory. It is an enjoyable read, and will no doubt form a valuable record of television sci-fi at what may prove to be its peak. More than that, it is genuinely thought-provoking in its discussions of what our imagined futures say about us as a society. (Uk Times Higher Education Magazine, 3 September 2009)