LOST is a question.

It is an intimate, personal question, posed to you. Scholar, fan, student, average Jill or Joe, literary critic or consumer of culture, the question is independent of any title you apply to yourself, any knowledge or wisdom or fascination you might claim to possess, any theory of which you consider yourself proponent.

Is LOST relevant to you as a human being?

Among the 500-plus large-format (8.5" x 11") pages of LOST Thought University Edition you will find 32 compelling questions posed by two dozen of the world's leading authorities in literary analysis, film theory, theatre, art, theology, language, and music-as well as the most recognized names in the LOST blogosphere. With fascinating discussions touching on thousands of novel ideas, you will discover new ways of thinking about the thesis, major themes, character arcs, and original concepts given form and substance in one of television's greatest artistic achievements. LOST confronted some of the most fundamental questions of human existence, arriving at answers never before explored in fiction, using storytelling techniques new to television drama. LOST Thought University Edition brings together the most capable and thoughtful voices in academe and the LOST community to ask the probing, revealing questions that shed light on the essential concepts and provide insightful commentary and analysis available nowhere else.

This University Edition of LOST Thought contains eight new essays, some 74 pages of which have never before been published and cannot be read in any other venue. All told, over 300 pages of material were created exclusively for LOST Thought and are available in no other publication. Edited by Pearson Moore, papers were chosen for the anthology not only on the basis of author expertise, but with a keen eye for diversity of opinion, lively prose, depth of analysis, and broad range and high pertinence density of topics. Every paper presents a thought-provoking array of questions guaranteed to stimulate thought, discussion, debate, and a deep appreciation of the artistry of the series.

Scholar or fan, the Island is our destiny. LOST Thought University Edition will bring greater meaning to that destiny than any other companion book, literary guide, or analytical tool. Twenty-three scholars and authors await on the shores of the Island. Grab a backpack, a water bottle, and your laptop or iPad-and get ready for a fascinating adventure. Namaste

Song of the Open Road: An Autobiography and Other Writings is the personal memoir of Paul Weston and Jo Stafford. Told through a collection of letters, supplementary manuscripts, and a previously unpublished autobiography, the book reveals the inner circle and rise-to-stardom of two of the most dominating musical figures in pre-rock 'n' roll America.