Thornton Wilder is one of America’s greatest writers, and the only author to win Pulitzer Prizes in both fiction and drama. Equally well known for his plays and novels, his unique and diverse body of work also includes essays, journals, lectures, and film and television scripts. In The Thornton Wilder Encyclopedia, Thomas S. Hischak exhaustively covers Wilder’s life and extensive career. Entries not only contain every one of his novels, plays, and scripts, but also his letters, journals, and all other existing works by Wilder, published or unpublished. In addition, this valuable reference features entries on the individuals who worked with Wilder and friends and family members who were a great influence on him. With a biography of Wilder to introduce the work and a chronology and selected bibliography to augment the entries, The Thornton Wilder Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive reference available on one of America’s greatest playwrights and finest novelists.

"An Eternal Family narrowly escape one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present. Meet George and Maggie Antrobus (married only 5,000 years); their two children, Gladys and Henry (perfect in every way!); and their maid, Sabina (the ageless vamp) as they overcome ice, flood, and war -- by the skin of their teeth."--Amazon

"The Long Christmas Dinner - nine decades long - showcases the lives of several generations of the Bayard family, and some of their Christmas dinners. Wilder breaks the boundaries of time as we measure it, and invites us to partake of 'one long, happy Christmas dinner' - past, present, and future. As generations appear, have children, wither, and depart, only the audience appreciates what changes and what remains the same. 'Every last twig is wrapped around with ice. You almost never see that, ' young Genevieve marvels, not realizing that her mother made this observation years earlier, or that her daughter-in-law will one day do the same."--

This comprehensive, detailed study of Wilder's entire dramatic oeuvre is the only one to place the works in their broad aesthetic and philosophical context and to integrate literary analysis of the plays with interpretation of their theatrical techniques. Its sources include Gilbert Harrison's authorized 1983 biography of the dramatist and the published selections from Wilder's journals for the years 1939-1961, as well as unpublished material—letters, diaries, and notes—in the Yale Collection of American Literature Wilder papers. Lifton discusses the symbolist, naturalist, expressionist, Brechtian, futurist, Pirandellian, and existentialist elements in Wilder's plays, as well as parallels between Wilder's theatre and that of such diverse cultures as the classical Greek and Roman, medieval European, Elizabethan, Renaissance Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese.

Although the horror genre has been embraced by filmmakers around the world, Japan has been one of the most prolific and successful purveyors of such films. From science fiction terrors of the 1950s like Godzilla toviolentfilms like Suicide Circle and Ichi the Killer, Japanese horror film has a diverse history. While the quality of some of these films has varied, others have been major hits in Japan and beyond, frightening moviegoers around the globe. Many of these films—such as the Ringu movies—have influenced other horror productions in both Asia and the United States. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Films covers virtually every horror film made in Japan from the past century to date. In addition to major and modest productions, this encyclopedia also features entries on notable directors, producers, and actors. Each film entry includes comprehensive details, situates the film in the context and history of Japanese horror cinema, and provides brief suggestions for further reading. Although emphasizing horror as a general theme, this encyclopedia also encompasses other genres that are associated with this theme, including Comedy Horror, Science Fiction Horror, Cyber-punk Horror, Ero Guru (Erotic Grotesque), and Anime Horror. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Films is a comprehensive reference volume that will appeal to both cinema scholars as well as to the many fans of this popular genre.

"This play is a rewritten version of the play "The merchant of Yonkers" which was directed in 1938 ..."--P. [4].

A biographical encyclopedia of American and British Christian-themed writers from World War II to the present, covering acclaimed literary works and popular evangelical fiction. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Fiction: From C.S. Lewis to Left Behind spans the entire breadth of Christian-themed British and American writing from World War II to the present—well-known and less familiar authors, acclaimed literary novels, and popular writing in a variety of genres (mysteries, thrillers, romances), works that explore matters of faith, works that challenge orthodoxy and church practices, and works wholly written by and for devout evangelicals. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Fiction offers 90 alphabetically organized entries covering the field's most important writers. Each entry includes a brief biography, religious and educational background, a survey of major works and themes, and a summary of critical response, as well as a bibliography of major works and criticism. By examining evocative, sometimes overlooked Christian elements in modern fiction, and by exploring the depth and scope of popular evangelical fiction, Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Fiction offers the richest, most complete portrait of the role of faith in modern English writing ever published.