Matthew Dickinson's Books

America's Joan of Arc

The Life of Anna Elizabeth Dickinson

By: J. Matthew Gallman

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

America's Joan of Arc

The Life of Anna Elizabeth Dickinson

By: J. Matthew Gallman

One of the most celebrated women of her time, a spellbinding speaker dubbed the Queen of the Lyceum and America's Joan of Arc, Anna Elizabeth Dickinson was a charismatic orator, writer, and actress, who rose to fame during the Civil War and remained in the public eye for the next three decades. J. Matthew Gallman offers the first full-length biography of Dickinson to appear in over half a century. Gallman describes how Dickinson's passionate patriotism and fiery style, coupled with her unabashed abolitionism and biting critiques of antiwar Democrats--known as Copperheads--struck a nerve with her audiences. In barely two years, she rose from an unknown young Philadelphia radical, to a successful New England stump speaker, to a true national celebrity. At the height of her fame, Dickinson counted many of the nation's leading reformers, authors, politicians, and actors among her friends. Among the dozens of famous figures who populate the narrative are Susan B. Anthony, Whitelaw Reid, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Gallman shows how Dickinson's life illuminates the possibilities and barriers faced by nineteenth-century women, revealing how their behavior could at once be seen as worthy, highly valued, shocking, and deviant.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

273

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

019803654X

ISBN 13

9780198036548

Early National City

By: Marilyn Carnes,Matthew Nye

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Early National City

By: Marilyn Carnes,Matthew Nye

Below the surface of bustling National City lies the story of olive and citrus orchards, grand Victorian homes, great wealth, and the coming of the first railroad. Founded in 1868 by Frank Kimball, National City is credited with multiple distinguished firsts. On the county level, the San Diego County Fair originated here, the first novel published was by a National City pioneer, the first free kindergarten opened here, the first automobile was built here, and the first railroad terminus was located here. On the state level, the first woman to serve as an elected member of a school board lived in National City. Today the city is home to 61,000 residents; and as an accessible and diverse community, all eyes now look upon National City as it begins to experience a renaissance of growth and commerce.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

132

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0738559105

ISBN 13

9780738559100

Private Fire

Robert Francis's Ecopoetry and Prose

By: Matthew James Babcock

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Private Fire

Robert Francis's Ecopoetry and Prose

By: Matthew James Babcock

Matthew J. Babcock's Private Fire: Robert Francis's Ecopoetry and Prose is an examination of the life and work of one of America's most intriguing but tragically obscure writers. Babcock uses his own personal relationship Robert Francis's work, which emphasizes conservation and connectedness to our natural surroundings, to illuminate both overtones and nuances that are undoubtedly useful to those interested in poetry and ecology. Babcock begins with a brief biographical section intended to set the tone for readers previously unfamiliar with Robert Francis and then continues into an analysis of the influence of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost on Francis's work. Starting in Chapter Three, Private Fire shifts into the realm of literary analysis and discusses various angles of Francis's work, from representations of gender and sexual identity; prose contributions, both fiction and non-fiction; religion and politics; to themes of conservation, place-making, experimental poetic styles, and asceticism, finishing with a discussion of Francis's only long narrative poem, 'Valhalla.' This poem joins other prophetic works in musing upon environmental apocalypticism. Matthew J. Babcock finishes this detailed and thoughtful volume with concluding meditations that situate Robert Francis with his contemporaries, helping readers to locate him historically and contextually amongst other 20th century writers. By using biography and literary theory as the lens through which one interprets Francis's work, Private Fire: Robert Francis's Ecopoetry and Prose successfully navigates the literary and cultural environment surrounding a poet who himself was so connected with the world around him.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

226

Publisher

University of Delaware

Published Date

ISBN 10

1611490235

ISBN 13

9781611490237

Early Modern Naval Health Care in England, 1650–1750

By: Matthew Neufeld

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Early Modern Naval Health Care in England, 1650–1750

By: Matthew Neufeld

From 1650 to 1750 the provision of medical care for injured seamen in the Royal Navy underwent a major transformation, shifting from care provided by civilians in private homes to care at hospitals run by the navy. Early Modern Naval Health Care in England examines the factors responsible for the emergence of centralized naval health care over the course of a century. In 1650 sick and injured Royal Navy sailors were billeted in homes in coastal communities where civilians were paid to look after them. Care work, which involved making meals and feeding patients, administering medicines, washing clothes and bed linens, and shaving and cutting hair, was essential to the recovery of tens of thousands of seamen – and it was done mostly by women. Beginning at the turn of the eighteenth century, naval health care moved to a more centralized system based in hospitals, where the conduct of sailors and care workers could be overseen. A key factor driving this change was the relationships between naval officials and female civilian caregivers, which were often fraught. Yet even with the shift to naval hospital settings, most care for convalescing sailors continued to be provided by women. Early Modern Naval Health Care in England shines a light on the care work that lay behind England’s formidable Royal Navy during the Age of Sail.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

179

Publisher

McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP

Published Date

ISBN 10

0228020611

ISBN 13

9780228020615

Palimpsest: A History of the Written Word

By: Matthew Battles

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Palimpsest: A History of the Written Word

By: Matthew Battles

A profound, eloquent meditation on the history of writing, from Mesopotamia to multimedia. Why does writing exist? What does it mean to those who write? Born from the interplay of natural and cultural history, the seemingly magical act of writing has continually expanded our consciousness. Portrayed in mythology as either a gift from heroes or a curse from the gods, it has been used as both an instrument of power and a channel of the divine; a means of social bonding and of individual self-definition. Now, as the revolution once wrought by the printed word gives way to the digital age, many fear that the art of writing, and the nuanced thinking nurtured by writing, are under threat. But writing itself, despite striving for permanence, is always in the midst of growth and transfiguration. Celebrating the impulse to record, invent, and make one's mark, Matthew Battles reenchants the written word for all those susceptible to the power and beauty of writing in all of its forms.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

280

Publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

0393089517

ISBN 13

9780393089516

The Lyre Book

Modern Poetic Media

By: Matthew Kilbane

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Lyre Book

Modern Poetic Media

By: Matthew Kilbane

This work explores the lyric poem as an indispensable artifact at the intersection of literary and media studies and a critical index of the social history of technological change"--

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

344

Publisher

JHU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1421448114

ISBN 13

9781421448114

The First Four Notes

Beethoven's Fifth and the Human Imagination

By: Matthew Guerrieri

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The First Four Notes

Beethoven's Fifth and the Human Imagination

By: Matthew Guerrieri

A music critic presents a revelatory work of music history that analyzes Beethoven's iconic symphony, assessing the composer's influences and legacy while challenging popular beliefs that Beethoven was deaf at the time of the Fifth's composition.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

385

Publisher

Knopf

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307593282

ISBN 13

9780307593283

Dictionary Of Modern Art

By: Matthew Baigell

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Dictionary Of Modern Art

By: Matthew Baigell

Alphabetically arranged and crossreferenced entries provide background information on major American painters, sculptors, printmakers, and photographers, plus important topics and movements central to American art from the sixteenth century to the present.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

406

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Published Date

ISBN 10

0429688709

ISBN 13

9780429688706

The Abduction of Betty and Barney Hill

Alien Encounters, Civil Rights, and the New Age in America

By: Matthew Bowman

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Abduction of Betty and Barney Hill

Alien Encounters, Civil Rights, and the New Age in America

By: Matthew Bowman

A gripping account of an alien abduction and its connections to the breakdown of American society in the 1960s In the mid-1960s, Betty and Barney Hill became famous as the first Americans to claim that aliens had taken them aboard a spacecraft against their will. Their story—involving a lonely highway late at night, lost memories, and medical examinations by small gray creatures with large eyes—has become the template for nearly every encounter with aliens in American popular culture since. Historian Matthew Bowman examines the Hills’ story not only as a foundational piece of UFO folklore but also as a microcosm of 1960s America. The Hills, an interracial couple who lived in New Hampshire, were civil rights activists, supporters of liberal politics, and Unitarians. But when their story of abduction was repeatedly ignored or discounted by authorities, they lost faith in the scientific establishment, the American government, and the success of the civil rights movement. Bowman tells the fascinating story of the Hills as an account of the shifting winds in American politics and culture in the second half of the twentieth century. He exposes the promise and fallout of the idealistic reforms of the 1960s and how the myth of political consensus has given way to the cynicism and conspiratorialism and the paranoia and illusion of American life today.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

287

Publisher

Yale University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0300274424

ISBN 13

9780300274424

Mobilising the Masses

Populist Conservative Movements in Australia and New Zealand During the Great Depression

By: Matthew Cunningham

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Mobilising the Masses

Populist Conservative Movements in Australia and New Zealand During the Great Depression

By: Matthew Cunningham

The radical right has gained considerable ground in the twenty-first century. From Brexit to Bolsonaro and Tea Partiers to Trump, many of these diverse manifestations of right-wing populism share a desire to co‑opt or supplant the mainstream parties that have traditionally held sway over the centre right. It is now more important than ever to understand similar moments in Australian and New Zealand history. This book concerns one such moment—the Great Depression—and the explosion of large, populist conservative groups that accompanied the crisis. These ‘citizens’ movements’, as they described themselves, sprang into being virtually overnight and amassed a combined membership in the hundreds of thousands. They staunchly opposed party politicians and political parties for their supposed inaction and infighting. Whether left or right, it did not matter. They wanted to use their vast numbers to pressure their governments into enacting proposals they believed were in the national interest: a smaller, more streamlined government where Members of Parliament were free to act according to their conscience rather than their party allegiance. At the same time, the movements prescribed antidotes for their nations’ economic ill‑health that were often radical and occasionally anti-democratic. At the height of their power, they threatened to disrupt or outright replace the centre right political parties of the time—particularly in Australia. At a time when fascism and right-wing authoritarianism were on the march internationally, the future shape of conservative politics was at stake.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

326

Publisher

ANU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1760465119

ISBN 13

9781760465117

Intellectual Property and Climate Change

Inventing Clean Technologies

By: Matthew Rimmer

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Intellectual Property and Climate Change

Inventing Clean Technologies

By: Matthew Rimmer

An historically grounded study on a cutting-edge topic, Intellectual Property and Climate Change has it all. Not only is it well-written, concise, and hugely informative, it is also a timely intervention addressing truly global challenges. Quite simply, a must-read.' Eva Hemmungs Wirtén, Uppsala University, Sweden 'Rimmer provides a much needed, well written, authoritative book on the intellectual property aspects of climate change, natural disasters, clean vehicles, and renewable energy. The book is essential reading for those wishing to better understand the complex patent issues involved with transitioning away from our current fossil-dominated economy to a more environmentally sustainable and equitable energy future.' Benjamin K. Sovacool, National University of Singapore In the wake of the international summits in Copenhagen and Cancún, there is an urgent need to consider the role of intellectual property law in encouraging research, development, and diffusion of clean technologies to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. This book charts the patent landscapes and legal conflicts emerging in a range of fields of innovation including renewable forms of energy, such as solar power, wind power, and geothermal energy; as well as biofuels, green chemistry, green vehicles, energy efficiency, and smart grids. As well as reviewing key international treaties, this book provides a detailed analysis of current trends in patent policy and administration in key nation states, and offers clear recommendations for law reform. It considers such options as technology transfer, compulsory licensing, public sector licensing, and patent pools; and analyses the development of Climate Innovation Centres, the Eco-Patent Commons, and environmental prizes, such as the L-Prize, the H-Prize, and the X-Prizes. This book will have particular appeal to policy-makers given its focus upon recent legislative developments and reform proposals, as well as legal practitioners by developing a better understanding of recent legal, scientific, and business developments, and how they affect their practice. Innovators, scientists and researchers will also benefit from reading this book.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

513

Publisher

Edward Elgar Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0857935887

ISBN 13

9780857935885

A Concise History Of American Painting And Sculpture

Revised Edition

By: Matthew Baigell

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

A Concise History Of American Painting And Sculpture

Revised Edition

By: Matthew Baigell

This clear, thorough, and reliable survey of American painting and sculpture from colonial times to the present day covers all the major artists and their works, outlines the social and cultural backgrounds of each period, and includes 409 illustrations integrated with the text. Although some determining factors in American art are considered, Matthew Baigell views the rich and diverse achievements of American art as the result of the efforts and talents of a pluralistic society rather than as fitting into a particular mold.This edition includes corrections and revisions to the text, an updated bibliography, and 13 new illustrations.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

462

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Published Date

ISBN 10

0429971273

ISBN 13

9780429971273

"Liberty to the Downtrodden"

Thomas L. Kane, Romantic Reformer

By: Matthew J. Grow

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

"Liberty to the Downtrodden"

Thomas L. Kane, Romantic Reformer

By: Matthew J. Grow

Thomas L. Kane (18221883), a crusader for antislavery, womens rights, and the downtrodden, rose to prominence in his day as the most ardent and persuasive defender of Mormons religious liberty. Though not a Mormon, Kane sought to defend the much-reviled group from the Holy War waged against them by evangelical America. His courageous personal intervention averted a potentially catastrophic bloody conflict between federal troops and Mormon settlers in the now nearly forgotten Utah War of 185758. Drawing on extensive, newly available archives, this book is the first to tell the full story of Kanes extraordinary life. The book illuminates his powerful Philadelphia family, his personal life and eccentricities, his reform achievements, his place in Mormon history, and his career as a Civil War general. Further, the book revises previous understandings of nineteenth-century reform, showing how Kane and likeminded others fused Democratic Party ideology, anti-evangelicalism, and romanticism.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

369

Publisher

Yale University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0300153260

ISBN 13

9780300153262

What to Watch When

By: Christian Blauvelt,Laura Buller,Andrew Frisicano,Stacey Grant,Mark Morris,Drew Toal,Eddie Robson,Maggie Serota,Matthew Turner,Laurie Ulster

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

What to Watch When

By: Christian Blauvelt,Laura Buller,Andrew Frisicano,Stacey Grant,Mark Morris,Drew Toal,Eddie Robson,Maggie Serota,Matthew Turner,Laurie Ulster

Answering the eternal question... WHAT TO WATCH NEXT? Looking for a box set to get your adrenaline racing or to escape to a different era? In need of a good laugh to lift your spirits? Hunting for a TV show that the whole family can watch together? If you're feeling indecisive about your next binge-watching session, we've done the hard work for you. Featuring 1,000 carefully curated reviews written by a panel of TV connoisseurs, What To Watch When offers up the best show suggestions for every mood and moment.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

480

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

ISBN 10

0744037905

ISBN 13

9780744037906

Phenomenology and the Late Twentieth-Century American Long Poem

By: Matthew Carbery

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Phenomenology and the Late Twentieth-Century American Long Poem

By: Matthew Carbery

Phenomenology and the Late Twentieth-Century American Long Poem reads major figures including Charles Olson, Lyn Hejinian, Nathaniel Mackey, Susan Howe and Rachel Blau DuPlessis within a new approach to the long poem tradition. Through a series of contextualised close readings, it explores the ways in which American poets developed their poetic forms by engaging with a variety of European phenomenologists, including Hannah Arendt, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Martin Heidegger, Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida. Consolidating recent materials on the role of Continental Philosophy in American poetics, this book explores the theoretical and historical contexts in which avant-garde poets have developed radically new methods of making poems long. Matthew Carbery offers a timely commentary on a number of major works of American poetry whilst providing ground-breaking research into the wider philosophical context of late twentieth-century poetic experimentation.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

240

Publisher

Springer

Published Date

ISBN 10

3030050025

ISBN 13

9783030050023

Faces of Union Soldiers at Fredericksburg

By: Joseph Stahl & Matthew Borders

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Faces of Union Soldiers at Fredericksburg

By: Joseph Stahl & Matthew Borders

Look into the eyes of these soldiers and see the faces of those who dared to stare into the face of Death. The Battle of Fredericksburg, fought December 11-15, 1862, is often remembered for the seemingly futile attacks by the Army of the Potomac against dug in Confederates on Marye's Heights. Less well understood is the fighting south of the heights on what has become known as Slaughter Pen Farm. In this work the images of thirty Union soldiers are published for the first time. They give a face and history to those men who struggled across that bloody landscape, as well as to those that charged up the slope of Marye's Heights into Confederate fire. Authors Matthew Borders and Joseph Stahl introduce you to these men, their stories and their sacrifice on the bullet swept battlefield of Fredericksburg.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

192

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1467151270

ISBN 13

9781467151276

An Introduction to Christian Theology

By: Richard J. Plantinga,Thomas R. Thompson,Matthew D. Lundberg

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

An Introduction to Christian Theology

By: Richard J. Plantinga,Thomas R. Thompson,Matthew D. Lundberg

A journey in Christian theology through biblical, historical, and thematic perspectives, with special attention to the context of today's world.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

687

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1108480047

ISBN 13

9781108480048

An Introduction to Fantasy

By: Matthew Sangster

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

An Introduction to Fantasy

By: Matthew Sangster

This accessible new introduction to Fantasy literature, media and culture delves into pasts, presents, practices and communities. It considers Fantasy as a deep-rooted form, discusses a wide range of media permutations and reflects on the ways in which fantasies draw from and return ideas to a dynamic, ever-shifting commons.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

481

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1009429930

ISBN 13

9781009429931

The Definitive "Golden Girls" Cultural Reference Guide

By: Matt Browning,Matthew A. Browning

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Definitive "Golden Girls" Cultural Reference Guide

By: Matt Browning,Matthew A. Browning

The Definitive Golden Girls Cultural Reference Guide is an in-depth look at the hundreds of topical references to people, places, and events that make up many of the funniest lines from the ever-popular television series, The Golden Girls. Over the course of seven seasons and 180 episodes, The Golden Girls was a consistent top 10 hit, yielding 58 Emmy nominations, multiple spin-off shows, and millions of lifelong devoted fans with its biting observations and timeless humor about such issues as dating, sex, marriage, divorce, race, gender equality, gay rights, menopause, AIDS, and more. Reruns are run on multiple cable networks daily and are streaming 24/7 on Hulu. This book brings 21st Century viewers “in on the joke” while educating readers about pop culture and world events from the past.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

409

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Published Date

ISBN 10

1493063375

ISBN 13

9781493063376

A Handbook for Genealogy United States Edition

By: Matthew C. F. Wander

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

A Handbook for Genealogy United States Edition

By: Matthew C. F. Wander

The Handbook for Genealogists provides genealogists at every level with the tools they need to find they ancestors, including: 1.A complete gazetteer of cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and CDPs (census designated places) in the United States. 2.A timeline of historical events to provide context for the times in which your ancestors lived. 3.Demographic tables, including rates of immigrant return. 4.Full color maps of population densities, railroads, shipping routes, tribal lands, voting detracts, and more. 5.Dates for when states took over collecting vital records from churches. 6.Tables that help the genealogist determine maternal and paternal ages based on the ages of their children. 7.Complete origin information for every county in the United States. Genealogy isn't just the search for your ancestors, it's family history. The Handbook for Genealogy will provide you with the tools to write your family's story.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

689

Publisher

Lulu.com

Published Date

ISBN 10

131220172X

ISBN 13

9781312201729

Memoirs of Aaron Burr

Volume 2

By: Matthew L. Davis

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Memoirs of Aaron Burr

Volume 2

By: Matthew L. Davis

Reproduction of the original: Memoirs of Aaron Burr by Matthew L. Davis

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

389

Publisher

BoD – Books on Demand

Published Date

ISBN 10

3734090415

ISBN 13

9783734090417

Cinematography in the Weimar Republic

Lola Lola, Dirty Singles, and the Men Who Shot Them

By: Paul Matthew St. Pierre

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Cinematography in the Weimar Republic

Lola Lola, Dirty Singles, and the Men Who Shot Them

By: Paul Matthew St. Pierre

In film history, director-cinematographer collaborations were on a labor spectrum, with the model of the contracted camera operator in the silent era and that of the cinematographer in the sound era. But in Weimar era German filmmaking, 1919-33, a short period of intense artistic activity and political and economic instability, these models existed side by side due to the emergence of camera operators as independent visual artists and collaborators with directors. Berlin in the 1920s was the chief site of the interdisciplinary avant-garde of the Modernist movement in the visual, literary, architectural, design, typographical, sartorial, and performance arts in Europe. The Weimar Revolution that arose in the aftermath of the November 1918 Armistice and that established the Weimar Republic informed and agitated all of the art movements, such as Expressionism, Dada, the Bauhaus, Minimalism, Objectivism, Verism, and Neue Sachlichkeit (“New Objectivity”). Among the avant-garde forms of these new stylistically and culturally negotiated arts, the cinema was foremost and since its inception had been a radical experimental practice in new visual technologies that proved instrumental in changing how human beings perceived movement, structure, perspective, light exposure, temporal duration, continuity, spatial orientation, human postural, facial, vocal, and gestural displays, and their own spectatorship, as well as conventions of storytelling like narrative, setting, theme, character, and structure. Whereas most of the arts mobilized into schools, movements, institutions, and other structures, cinema, a collaborative art, tended to organize around its ensembles of practitioners. Historically, the silent film era, 1895-1927, is associated with auteurs, the precursors of François Truffaut and other filmmakers in the 1960s: actuality filmmakers and pioneers like R. W. Paul and Fred and Joe Evans in England, Auguste and Luis Lumière and Georges Méliès in France, and Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton in America, who, by managing all the compositional, executional, and editorial facets of film production—scripting, directing, acting, photographing, set, costume, and lighting design, editing, and marketing—imposed their personal vision or authorship on the film. The dichotomy of the auteur and the production ensemble established a production hierarchy in most filmmaking. In formative German silent film, however, this hierarchy was less rank or class driven, because collaborative partnerships took precedence over single authorship. Whereas in silent film production in most countries the terms filmmaker and director were synonymous, in German silent film the plural term filmemacherin connoted both directors and cinematographers, along with the rest of the filmmaking crew. Thus, German silent filmmakers’ principle contribution to the new medium and art of film was less the representational iconographies of Expressionist, New Objective, and Naturalist styles than the executional practice of co-authorship and co-production, in distinctive cinematographer-director partnerships such as those of cinematographer Theodor Sparkuhl and director Ernst Lubitsch; Fritz Arno Wagner with F. W. Murnau, Fritz Lang, and G. W. Pabst; Rudolf Maté with Carl Theodor Dreyer; Guido Seeber with Lang and Pabst; and Carl Hoffmann with Lang and Murnau.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

287

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Published Date

ISBN 10

1611479452

ISBN 13

9781611479454

Cinematography of Carl Theodor Dreyer

Performative Camerawork, Transgressing the Frame

By: Paul Matthew St. Pierre

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Cinematography of Carl Theodor Dreyer

Performative Camerawork, Transgressing the Frame

By: Paul Matthew St. Pierre

Legendary Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer (3 February 1889-20 March 1968) was born in Copenhagen to a single mother, Josefine Bernhardine Nilsson, a Swede. His Danish father, Jens Christian Torp, a married farmer, employed Nilsson as a housekeeper. After spending his first two years in orphanages, Dreyer was adopted by Carl Theodor Dreyer, a typographer, and his wife, Inger Marie Dreyer. He was given his adoptive father’s name. At age 16, he renounced his adoptive parents and worked his way into the film industry as a journalist, title card writer, screenwriter, and director. Throughout his career he concealed his birth name and the details of his upbringing and his adult private life, which included a period in which he explored his homosexual orientation and endured a nervous breakdown. Despite his relatively small output of fourteen feature films and seven documentary short films, 1919-64, he is considered one of the greatest filmmakers in history because of the diversity of his subjects, themes, techniques, and styles, and the originality of the bold visual grammar he mastered. In Cinematography of Carl Theodor Dreyer: Performative Camerawork, Transgressing the Frame, I argue: 1) that Dreyer, an anonymous orphan, an unsourced subject, manufactured his individuality through filmmaking, self-identifying by shrouding himself in the skin of film, and 2) that, as a screenwriter-director who blocked entire feature films in his imagination in advance—sets, lighting, photography, shot breakdowns, editing—and imposed his vision on camera operators, lighting directors, actors, and crews in production, he saw filmmaking essentially as camerawork and he directed in the style of a performative cinematographer.

Average ratings

N/A