Brian M. Thomsen

Famous Myths, Hilariously Debunked

The Awful Truths

Julius Schwartz

Before there was Superman or Batman, before Ray Bradbury or Harlan Ellison ever picked up a pen, before there were science-fiction fans and conventions, there was Julius Schwartz -- a man who would have an indelible effect on all this and more. One of the inventors of science-fiction fandom in the thirties and publisher of the first SF "fanzine" (one of its early subscribers was Superman's cocreator Jerry Siegel), Julius Schwartz became the world's first SF specialty literary agent while still in his teens. During the "Golden Age" of science fiction, he represented a distinguished roster of authors, including H. P. Lovecraft, Alfred Bester, Robert Bloch, and Ray Bradbury. But that was only the first chapter in Schwartzs amazing career, for he is also one of the most influential editors in comic-book history. Besides working on both the Superman and Batman character she created much of the mythology we now take for granted. Schwartz was also responsible for revitalizing nearly every important DC Comics character, highlighted by the mighty Justice League of America, in what has since become known as comics' beloved "Silver Age." Over more than forty years, Schwartz captained such blazing talents of the comics industry as Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Curt Swan, Neal Adams, Denny O'Neil, Alan Moore, and many others. Here, in "Julie's" own words, is a behind-the-scenes look at a life spent having fun and making sure readers did, too -- the incredible story of a true hero of American pop culture.

My Life in Science Fiction and Comics

Man of Two Worlds:

The contributors to this Christmas anthology include well-known writers with strong fan followings such as Bram Stoker and Hugo Award-winning author of "American Gods" Neil Gaiman, Hugo Award winner Connie Willis, Anne McCaffrey, Harlan Ellison, Clive Barker, and many others.

Sixteen Fantastical Tales

A Yuletide Universe

The ancient tales of long-dead civilizations to the wild success of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, fantasy has fired our imaginations for as long as there has been story. Whether sweeping sagas of fantastic adventures or cautionary tales told around the campfire, fantasy is deeply woven into the very fabric of humanity, wearing many faces and coming in many flavors. But what fantasy is distinctly American? The American Fantasy Tradition sets out to answer this very question. This comprehensive critical anthology of American fantasy literature applies the groundbreaking theorems of such esteemed American literary critics as Leslie Fiedler, Richard Chase, and Irving Howe to the genre of fantasy in an effort to delineate the true American tradition of fantasy from the more prominent Anglo-European canon, breaking it down into three distinctive strains: The American Tale: Folk, Tall, and Weird Stories that might be considered fables or legends, much like the epics of the Age of Heroes from the classical eras of Rome and Greece, or the tales of the fairy folk from the European tradition, or the fables of Aesop. Fantastic Americana Stories set directly within the American historic landscape, much as the Arthurian tradition is set within the confines of British history. Lands of Enchantment in Everyday Life Stories that involve what might be called the American spirit, focusing on worlds that exist in the shadows of our own, just beyond Rod Serling’s famous signpost for The Twilight Zone.

The American Fantasy Tradition

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."—John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Inauguration Address, January 20, 1961 "Some men see things as they were and say ‘why?' I see things that never were, and ask ‘why not?"—Robert Francis Kennedy, Campaign Speech, University of Kansas, March 18, 1968 "The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."--Senator Edward Kennedy, Democratic National Convention, New York City, August, 1980 The words of three powerful brothers—men united not just by family ties but by a tradition of inspiring service that continues today with their children and grandchildren. Words which have united a nation, inspired generations to take up the very best and most honorable of causes, and pushed individuals to do and be and give their best. So often, these Kennedys—John, Robert, and Edward—found the right words to say, to the United States and to the world. John F. Kennedy, the charismatic President with a strong commitment to justice and human rights. Robert F. Kennedy, Senator, Attorney General, and presidential candidate, who carried the family standard after Jack's assassination and broke new ground in civil rights prior to his own tragic murder. Edward M. Kennedy, the Lion of the Senate, whose passion created some of the most far-reaching legislation of the last five decades. The Dream That Will Not Die collects some of the most striking speeches and quotes by the Kennedys, showing that even when the going was tough, these brothers found the right way to make their thoughts and feelings clear, showing their charm, humor, and determination. Here you will find your own inspiration, in the words of three men who believed that all Americans deserved the same privileges the Kennedys were born to, privileges they never took for granted. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Inspiring Words of John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy

The Dream That Will Not Die

After all that theft, racketeering, adultery, murder, and going to the mattresses, even a wiseguy needs a little pasta fazool for the soul. A hilarious self-help parody based on the exploits of Don Corleone, Anthony Soprano, and those other "made" guys. If your conscience is growing weary because you've had to off your best friend or you've recently learned exactly what was inside that envelope you were asked to deliver, take heart: Brian M. Thomsen and his associate, Don Minestrone, have got your back with more than 100 tales of redemptive goomba guidance and mobster lore. In the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Soul meets The Departed comes tales of family loyalty, mobster morals, and criminal compassion. So the next time you or someone from your clan goes to the mattresses on some trumped-up racketeering charge, we suggest you leave the gun and take the cannoli-and this book, of course.

Heartwarming Stories of "Family" Life

Pasta Fazool for the Wiseguy's Soul

Irish is more than a nationality—it’s a state of being. What other cultural background allows you to demand a kiss, celebrate the wearing of a color, toast the wee folk, and take pride in one’s readiness to fight? What other land is celebrated by parades and parties and allows even the non-blessed to declare themselves countrymen for one day? From sports to poetry, and from rock ‘n’ roll to Wilde and Shaw, Ireland’s Most Wanted™: The Top 10 Book of Celtic Pride, Fantastic Folklore, and Oddities of the Emerald Isle gives you loads of delightful tidbits and trivia from the homeland of saints, sinners, and the greatest beverage ever brewed, Guinness. Brian M. Thomsen provides an irreverent but fact-filled look at Ireland and the Irish, leaving no stone—Blarney or otherwise—unturned in bringing her gifts to you. With a bushel full of top-ten lists on all things Irish, Thomsen takes you on a journey through the greenest of lands and provides tales and anecdotes on everything from Irish pubs, Irish castles, leprechauns and banshees, heroes and kings, and the influence of the Irish on culture. Whatever their nationality, everyone has a wee bit of the Irish in them. Ireland’s Most Wanted™ is a true pot of gold!

The Top 10 Book of Celtic Pride, Fantastic Folklore, and Oddities of the Emerald Isle

Ireland's Most Wanted™

Martin H. Greenberg

How do novels get their start? The answers to that question often prove as varied as the authors who create them. In Novel Ideas: Fantasy, seven of the genre's most talented tellers of tale are represented by eight masterful short works--many of them award winners--which laid the groundwork for some of the most acclaimed fantasy novels and series in the field.

Novel Ideas-Fantasy

An entertaining and informative look at our paranormal presidencies." --Bill Fawcett, author of Oval Office Oddities The Discovery Channel's A Haunting meets the History Channel's The Presidents inside this collection of strange-but-true tales of White House weirdness. Brian M. Thomsen offers a series of nonpartisan accounts of spirits, specters, and supernatural beliefs by and about those who have inhabited the White House. Readers will learn which U.S. presidents have claimed to encounter UFOs, and which have been connected to ghosts, as well as which of our nation's leaders have consulted with fortune-tellers or otherwise been associated with other aspects of the occult. Famous subjects include Warren G. Harding and the curse of the Hope Diamond, the uncanny similarities between the lives and deaths of John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln, George Washington's visions, Ronald and Nancy Reagan's reliance on psychics, the haunted homes of Dolly Madison and Rosalyn Carter, Jimmy Carter's UFO sighting, Hillary Clinton's experience with channeling, the mysterious curse of Tecumseh, the secret societies of presidents, and much more.

Brian M. Thomsen

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