Maple spring publishing feb 2025 (2 Ergebnisse)

Taschenbuch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - In 1928-only 10 years after the end of World War I-Erich Maria Remarque's classic war novel was published in Germany. It was an immediate hit: in its first 18 months in print, 2.5 million copies were sold, translated into 22 languages. The title of the novel in German-Im Westen nichts neues-was rendered by its first English translator, A.W. Wheen (whose version is presented in this edition), as All Quiet on the Western Front. The English title has stuck, but the German literally means 'nothing new in the West.' It is taken from the very end of the novel. It points to the book's central theme, which centers on the experience of young Paul Baümer, who is coaxed to join the German army at the beginning of the war. This gripping tale follows Paul and his mates as they navigate the horror, boredom, and stupidity of the First World War. We see the pain of one comrade, who loses a leg, while his friends covet the pair of boots he can no longer wear. We follow Paul's company as it is whittled down in combat from 150 men to 32. Paul, wounded, goes home on leave, but he feels alienated from his family, who do not understand what he has gone through and to whom he cannot explain it. Throughout this grim drama, the meaning of the original German title pokes through. The war, the greatest and bloodiest in history up to that point, is also drearily routine-perhaps its greatest horror. All Quiet on the Western Front has caused controversy even since it appeared. It has been taken as a manifesto of pacifism and as such has been banned in countless contexts (including Nazi Germany). But at the outset, Remarque says that the book 'will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war.' Remarque's stark account speaks to the horror of war far more deeply than any manifesto could. It must be read by anyone who wants to understand war-that horrible yet constantly recurring part of the human condition.…

Buch. Zustand: Neu. Neuware - Film noir: the name comes from the French for 'black' or 'dark film.' It points to the central feature of the genre: mood. There is a darkness about film noir, a somberness accompanied by a thrill of dread and ever-present danger. This aura envelops wealthy heiresses, English aristocrats, tough-guy drifters, jazz musicians, drug dealers, and respected schoolteachers-all of whom have secrets to hide and much to lose if those secrets are unveiled. These four samples from the classic era of film noir--the 1940s and '50s--The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, The Stranger, The Man with the Golden Arm, and Rebecca--give a uniquely sharp and compelling glimpse into the themes of noir. In settings as diverse as a squalid corner of Chicago, a quiet New England village, an industrial company town, and a gothic mansion on the coast of England, we see a tight mesh of human entanglements, bound by crime, hidden desires, and an overhanging past. These four films also offer us the visions of some of the greatest directors of all time, including The Stranger, by the legendary Orson Welles, and Rebecca, from Alfred Hitchcock, the pastmaster of suspense. Screen greats Sir Laurence Olivier, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Kirk Douglas, and Frank Sinatra give some of their most brilliant and spellbinding performances. These films exercise their power to this day. They expose the hidden motives that lie within every human being: viciousness, greed, hatred, and selfishness, along with love, courage, and integrity. We come to see that behind all human appearances lies an array of complex and intricate motives--some of them hidden even to the characters themselves. These printed versions fully and accurately replicate the final films. Unlike shooting scripts--which are often changed heavily by the time they reach the screen--these versions replicate the actual spoken dialogue word for word. Additional bridges describe the action as it reveals itself to the viewer. These new and unique versions bring readers as close as possible to these classic movies in their compelling final form. In addition, author and philosopher Richard Smoley provides a bracing and insightful foreword to the collection, showing where noir fits into the history of film--and of America--and showing how it continues to shape and influence our culture to this day. …