Ernest Thayer's ""Casey at the Bat"" was first published in the San Francisco Daily Examiner on June 3, 1888. Its popularity owed much to the universality of its subject; every city seemed to have a ""Casey"" on its team. Thayer, a Harvard graduate, said little about the real Casey, though he did leave a few clues. ""The verses owe their existence,"" he wrote in 1930, ""to my enthusiasm for college baseball...and to my association with Will Hearst."" Thayer's background is examined here as the basis for determining the origins of the colorfast cast of characters behind his ""Ballad of the Republic""--men who may have been ""Casey,"" ""Flynn,"" ""Cooney"" and other members of the Mudville Nine.

Golden Age Hollywood screenwriter Charles Brackett was an extremely observant and perceptive chronicler of the entertainment industry during its most exciting years. He is best remembered as the writing partner of director Billy Wilder, who once referred to the pair as "the happiest couple in Hollywood," collaborating on such classics as "The Lost Weekend" (1945) and "Sunset Blvd" (1950).

In this annotated collection of writings taken from dozens of Brackett's unpublished diaries, leading film historian Anthony Slide clarifies Brackett's critical contribution to Wilder's films and Hollywood history while enriching our knowledge of Wilder's achievements in writing, direction, and style. Brackett's diaries re-create the initial meetings of the talent responsible for "Ninotchka" (1939), "Hold Back the Dawn" (1941), "Ball of Fire" (1941), "The Major and the Minor" (1942), "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943), "The Lost Weekend," and "Sunset Blvd," recounting the breakthrough and breakdowns that ultimately forced these collaborators to part ways. Brackett was also a producer, served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Screen Writers Guild, was a drama critic for the " New Yorker," and became a member of the exclusive literary club, the Algonquin Round Table. Slide gives readers a rare, front row seat to the Golden Age dealings of Paramount, Universal, MGM, and RKO and the innovations of legendary theater and literary figures, such as Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Ferber, and Dorothy Parker. Through Brackett's witty, keen perspective, the political and creative intrigue at the heart of Hollywood's most significant films come alive, and readers will recognize their reach in the Hollywood industry today.

Jim Moore's memoir proves that it is possible to overcome parental abuse, a substandard inner city elementary and secondary education, anger problems which may have been caused by bipolar disorder, and mental illness, if a person loves the Lord and follows His commands. It proves that a person can find healing and peace when he places the Shepherd first in his life. Jim Moore has worked in the field of mental health counseling for over 20 years. He holds a bachelor's degree from Utica College, a master's degree from Cairn University, and a doctorate from Newburgh Theological Seminary. A native of Philadelphia, Jim is married and has two adult stepchildren, as well as two grandchildren. He resides in Ardmore PA.

"Going the Distance: A Story of Faith in Action" is filled with heart-touching and insightful stories of Kazakhstan university students telling of faith, fear, persecution, and perseverance in following Jesus. (Christian)

Even casual observation sadly reveals that most otherwise intelligent and educated Americans know little or nothing about the heart and soul of America: how it was conceived, how the principles of freedom, justice, and independence is, today, in jeopardy, and what we need to know and do to save this great nation. This two-part book consists of (1) selected essays on what defines the very essence of America, and (2) a definitive creation of the U.S. Constitution-as kids might tackle it, so even adults can understand it.

About the Book The author draws from personal life experiences to show how Jesus Christ draws all people into seeking Him. Each time Jesus is successful in getting your attention onto Him and off yourself, He uses the opportunity to plant a seed in your mind to find Him. How many of your seeds have sprouted? You find Jesus by asking questions like, 'Is God real?' and, 'What does God want from me?' When your curiosity is aroused, you will try to gain the wisdom needed to answer those questions. Where will YOU seek YOUR truth? When you find 'Christian Truth', then you find Jesus and His plan. Upon finding Jesus, you can be 'saved' and receive your free 'gift of heaven'. So, ask yourself two questions: 1. What is Christian Truth for you? 2. Will you live that truth when you find it? About the Author This book is another Christian seed to help you find answers. Jim is a native of Ithaca, NY. He is the second oldest in a family of nine children. The family was raised Catholic. So, Jim attended a Catholic grammar school and was an altar boy in his parish. Jim's first real interest in Jesus Christ specifically, came with his ownership of a 'Sacred Heart' statue. After graduating college in NY, Jim moved to Connecticut. There he married and raised his family under the umbrella of Catholic procedures for 30 years. Then, near age 50, Jesus connected personally with Jim. Suddenly Jesus became real and was not a statue anymore. Jesus infiltrated Jim's mind and began a ten year teaching process which led Jim to: know Jesus, become personally saved, and become cognizant of what Jesus wants of His followers. Jim has been newly encouraged, by the Holy Spirit, to share this process of discovering Christ and Christian Truth with others.

Most Americans still do not understand electric utilities, and many consumers have only a vague grasp of the intricacies of regulation and deregulation. This is a paradox of sorts; regulation, in particular, seems easy enough to grasp. The real difficulty lies in understanding how power companies have manipulated the regulators.

If you think utility deregulation has done away with electric utility monopolies, think again! Deregulation is a myth-it's business as usual for the power companies.

For most of America, utility deregulation has yet to become a reality. Even if it does, electric companies will still swindle those they serve. Why? One reason: deregulation allows the utility giants to retain control of the transmission and distribution of electricity.

Utility cheating has gone unchecked for more than a century. Author Joe Seeber has caught the electric companies red-handed, from fudged financials and courtroom trickery to meter manipulation and outright fraud. He paints a compelling portrait of an industry wired for greed-and argues that it's time someone pulled the plug.

How did Greek literature and cultural assumptions / world-view interact? John Gould examines ancient Greek ideas concerning myth, ritual, memory, and exchange. An overriding interest in anthropological fieldwork shapes his argument. This book contains essays written by one of the world's foremost experts in Greek mythology and culture since the 1970s, including many previously unpublished papers. Newly revised, with reference both to corroborative material and to subsequent treatments and discussion of significantly different approaches to the same topics, these essays give the whole volume a coherence of focus and argument. Most of the essays arise out of the experience of teaching and address problems, puzzles, and misunderstandings encountered by students.

Also covering California Gold Country and the Northern Sierra Nevada, this savvy guide for upscale travels covers world-class ski resorts, casinos, and sought-after destinations and adventurous activities.

From an after-work ride through Portland's neighborhood streets or a family cycle along the flat Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, to a multi-day tour in the salty breezes of the Oregon coast if you're seeking the best road biking the state has to offer, you'll find plenty of blacktop bliss in 75 Classic Rides: Oregon.