Much Ado, written by award-winning journalist Michael Lenehan, gives readers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the lauded American Players Theatre's 2014 production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Wall Street Journal drama critic Terry Teachout has called the APT--based in the unassuming town of Spring Green, Wisconsin--"the best classical theater company in America." It's also one of the most successful, with an annual budget of $6 million and ticket sales of more than 100,000 each season. Performing almost entirely outdoors, rain or shine, on the "Up the Hill" stage, the company has established a reputation for authentic, accessible, entertaining shows--and Much Ado was no exception, selling nearly 23,000 tickets during its five-month run. Through Lenehan's keen reporter eyes, Much Ado explores the evolution of this complicated stage production, from casting to costumes to curtain call. In doing so, it provides readers with a deeper sense of the company's astonishing artistry and craft, a peek into the intricate technical logistics involved with outdoor theater, and a refreshing perspective on one of the Bard's most famous plays. Lenehan weaves together firsthand observations and literary analysis with interviews with key members of the APT's artistic ensemble and production staff--including lauded director David Frank, lead actors Colleen Madden (Beatrice) and David Daniel (Benedick), and set and costume designer Robert Morgan--to paint a remarkable portrait of one of our most treasured artistic institutions.

The sun-god Ra re-awakens from thousands of years of hibernation in a sarcophagus hidden at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea so he can resume his plan to take control over the people of the Earth. In his guise as a museum researcher, he assumes possession of an ancient stone that gives him supreme power over the world. In his final mission, the erfin Mirrortac travels with his family across the cosmos in an effort to stop Ra and his allies from achieving their plan. An epic battle between the forces of good and evil embroils many worlds and peoples in this fast-paced fantasy adventure.

The hero of The Wizard's Sword, Mirrortac, is branded a traitor, thief and sorcerer. Found guilty of sacrilege against the god of his ancestral cousins, the Roznogh, after he steals their most sacred object of power, the Werdstone, he later kidnaps its keeper in a mission to liberate three planets from enslavement by the Sky-master god Yidu, a much-revered deity of an alien master race. The key to his power lies in three mysterious stones of power, all of which link to the Werdstone. Mirrortac not only loses face, but also his mind, leaving his three children and an unlikely ally the only ones who can ensure the success of his ambitious quest.

"The Loyola Ramblers have too often been forgotten for their role in basketball's cultural history. They remain a significant, uplifting story." --Frank Deford

"If you're interested in the history of Chicago], interested in the history of college basketball in the city, and racial history in not just the city but the country then you should check out Ramblers]. " Laurence Holmes, WSCR-AM host and NBC5 anchor

In 1963, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats 60 58 in the NCAA men's basketball championship, coming from behind to upset the two-time defending champions in a buzzer-beating overtime thriller. What elevated this particular game from one of Chicago's most memorable sports victories into one for the history books was the transgressive lineups fielded by both teams: the Bearcats started three African-American players, and the Ramblers had four. When Americans tuned in to watch the game (one of the first NCAA championships to be broadcast nationally), they saw for the first time a sight we take for granted today: most of the players on the floor were black. Ramblers tells the story of that game, and of the teams and players that helped change public perceptions of who could and couldn't succeed on the court.

Today basketball is played mostly "above the rim" by athletes of all backgrounds and colors. But 50 years ago it was a floor-bound game, and the opportunities it offered for African-Americans were severely limited. Ramblers is an entertaining, detail-rich look back at the unlikely circumstances that went into creating Loyola's championship squad. Along the way, author Michael Lenehan also explores the in-depth stories of two Loyola opponents: Mississippi State, the all-white team that defied state policy by sneaking out of Mississippi to play in the NCAA tournament; and Cincinnati, the two-time defending NCAA champions, who were heavily favored going into the championship game.

While on the surface this is a story about basketball, the book goes deeper to illuminate how sport in America both typifies and drives change in the broader culture. The social-historical realities of the 1950s and 1960s are brought to stark life in Lenehan's telling, illustrating the challenges all of these teams confronted in the effort simply to play their game against the worthiest opponents. At its heart, Ramblers is a profound story about American history, culture, and society at a dramatic crossroads."