The Literary Studies Shelf

Unquiet Spirits
Lee Murray and Angela Yuriko Smith, editors
Black Spot Books
9781645481294, $22.95 Hardcover/$18.95 Paper/$6.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Unquiet-Spirits-Essays-Asian-Horror/dp/1645481298

Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women in Horror is a study in cultural inf= luences on the concept and presentation of horror. It should be considered =
a mainstay not just for libraries strong in horror literature, but those in= terested in Asian or women's history and cultural influences, and folklore.=
These collections will especially appreciate essays that explore connectio=
ns between Asian heritage and women's perceptions and depictions of horror = which explore the boundaries and connections between culture, gender, and h= orror representations.

From editor Lee Murray's introductory discussion of the Asian diaspora and = her memories of her "ghost whisperer" mother (whose perceptions of ancestor=
s maintained ties to family long beyond the grave) to Nadia Bulkin's powerf=
ul Indonesian examination "Becoming Ungovernable: Latah, Amok, And Disorder=
In Indonesia," which explores the connections between social and political=
rebels and perceptions of such women as monsters, the diversity of subject=
and cultural roots that tie these works together will surprise and delight=
readers who anticipated a singular progression or subject.

Each essay is a powerhouse of cultural revelation that examines not just th=
e perception and presence of horror in Asian culture, but how these element=
s are transformed by women's experiences, through women's eyes, and by femi= nist thought that would make monsters out of ordinary progressive thinkers.

Readers who look for ghostly encounters won't be disappointed by such piece=
s as Benebell Wen's "Ghost Month in Taiwan." They will just be surprised by=
the literary, social, and political inspections that blend these horror el= ements into bigger-picture thinking. Perhaps most notable of all is the abi= lity of each and every one of these twenty-two essays to share, from differ= ent Asian cultures and perspectives, the foundations of what it means to re= side alongside the unquiet spirits (ghosts, demons, witches and vampires) c= ommon in the Asian experience and tempered by the female eye.

Unquiet Spirits is a literary social inspection that should be in the libra= ries of a diverse range of collections, from those featuring horror literat= ure to libraries looking for expanded insights into women's history, Asian = women's experiences, and the power of supernatural forces in cultural repre= sentations.

The New Annotated Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson, author
Leslie S. Klinger, editor
The Mysterious Press
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613163214, $39.95, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Strange-Case-Jekyll-Hyde/dp/1613163215

Synopsis: There's no question that "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. = Hyde" is one of the most influential texts of all time. The now iconic tale=
by Robert Louis Stevenson has confounded and thrilled readers for more tha=
n a century. It was described by one scholar as the only detective-crime st= ory in which the solution is more terrifying than the problem. And even as = its plot gets continually reinterpreted and reimagined in literature, film,=
and theater, the main themes persist, as do the titular characters, now so=
familiar as to have become a part of the English language.

This new edition of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" gives the=
classic tale of depraved murder and unrelenting horror its most complete a=
nd illuminating presentation yet. Heavily illustrated with over a hundred a=
nd fifty full color images from the history of this cultural touchstone -- = including reproductions of rare books, film stills, theatrical posters, and=
the true-life people associated with the adventure - and extensively annot= ated by Edgar Award winning editor and noted Victorian literature expert Le= slie S. Klinger, this thorough and authoritative approach is both an invalu= able resource for scholars and a sumptuous treat for fans of the text.

Introduced by a compelling and erudite essay from novelist and short story = writer Joe Hill, this complete illustrated and annotated edition of "The St= range Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is the ultimate tribute to an enduri=
ng classic, combining revelatory and surprising information and in-depth hi= storical context with beautiful illustrations and photographs. It is sure t=
o please anyone interested in the Victorian era, mystery fiction, and horro=
r tales.

Critique: An absolute 'must' for the legions of Robert Louis Stevenson fans=
, this literary study of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is e= specially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, communit=
y, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for anyo=
ne with an interest in Occult Fiction, Historical Mysteries, and Traditiona=
l Detective Mysteries that "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is=
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).

Editorial Note #1: Robert Louis Stevenson was a Victorian author born in Sc= otland in 1850. He is best known for his novels Treasure Island and The Str= ange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He died in Samoa in 1894. (https://en= ..wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Louis_Stevenson)

Editorial Note #2: Leslie S. Klinger (https://lesliesklinger.com) is consid= ered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on Sherlock Holmes, Drac= ula, Frankenstein, and H. P. Lovecraft. Klinger is a member of the Baker St= reet Irregulars and Treasurer of the Horror Writers Association. His nonfic= tion works have won numerous awards.

Eclogues and Georgics
Vergil, author
James Bradley Wells, translator
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299337407, $29.95, HC, 248pp

https://www.amazon.com/Eclogues-Georgics-Vergil/dp/0299337405

Synopsis: With the publication of Vergil's "Eclogues and Georgics", Profess=
or James Bradley Wells combines creative practice and intimate knowledge of=
contemporary poetry and classical antiquity in this thought-provoking new = translation of two early works by ancient Rome's most well-known and most e= steemed poet, Vergil's Eclogues and Georgics. With its emphasis on the musi= cality of English, Wells's translations honor the original spirit of Latin = poetry as both a written and performance-based art form.

The accompanying introductory essays situate Vergil's poems in a rich liter= ary tradition. Professor Wells provides historical context and literary ana= lysis of these two works, eschewing facile interpretations of these oft exa= mined texts and ensconcing them in the society and culture from which they = originated. These annotated essays, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary, = alongside Professor Wells's bold vision for what translation choices can re= veal, guide readers as they explore this ancient and famously difficult poe= try.

Critique: Erudite, informative, insightful, thought-provoking, and superbly=
translated into English for an American readership by Professor James Brad= ley Wells, "Eclogues and Georgics" by the Roman poet Vergil includes a Chro= nology, a statement on Translation, a Pronunciation Guide, a thirty-eight p= age Glossary, twelve pages of Notes, and a four page Bibliography -- making=
it a significant and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, profes= sional, community, and academic library Ancient & Classical Poetry collecti= ons in general, and supplemental curriculum Roman Poetry/Vergil studies lis=
ts in particular.

Editorial Note #1: Publius Vergilius Maro (15 October 70 - 21 September 19 = BC), who is usually called Virgil or Vergil in English, was an ancient Roma=
n poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems i=
n Latin literature: the Eclogues (or Bucolics), the Georgics, and the epic = Aeneid. A number of minor poems, collected in the Appendix Vergiliana, were=
attributed to him in ancient times, but modern scholars consider his autho= rship of these poems as dubious. Virgil has been traditionally ranked as on=
e of Rome's greatest poets. His Aeneid is also considered a national epic o=
f ancient Rome, a title held since composition.

Editorial Note #2: James Bradley Wells is an associate professor of classic=
al studies at DePauw University. He has worked widely as a poet, translator=
, and critic. He is author of Pindar's Verbal Art and his own original poet=
ry has been collected and published in Bicycle and The Kazantzakis Guide to=
Greece.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)