Language & Literature

One of the most original and dominant figures in American literature during the 19th Century was Edgar Allen Poe. His stories and poems have influenced generations of American writers and scared millions of readers with his timeless Gothic tales. This PBS home video examines the truths and debunks the myths about this famous writer who was haunted by his own personal demons; it also reveals the sources of his imaginative stories. In his life Poe was a writer, editor, critic, and poet with a tragic life that was filled with melancholy, depression, and alcoholism, only to end mysteriously just prior to his fortieth birthday. ~ Forrest Spencer, All Movie Guide

This video, part of the Famous Authors series, examines the life and work of the multi-faceted and controversial writer John Steinbeck. His early background in a farming area of California enriched Steinbeck's writings with themes of poverty, depression, and nature, while also bringing realism to the words he wrote. Best known for his many novels, including Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck was also a famed playwright and screenwriter. Though his works caused him to become a politically disruptive figure, even labeled a Communist, Steinbeck's writing continuously impressed critics, earning him both a Pulitzer Prize and a Nobel Prize for Literature. This video captures the world of Steinbeck, featuring portraits, photographs, and archival material along with commentary from professors and scholars. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide

This video, part of the Famous Authors series, examines the life and work of famous American poet Walt Whitman. Best known for his collection of poetry Leaves of Grass, Whitman dared to experiment early in his career with the boundaries of poetry. He came up with his own rhythmic pattern, giving his poems a musical, lyrical tone. He was also unconventional with the themes of some of his poems, tackling such topics as death, civil rights, philosophy, and spiritualism. In his later life, he suffered a stroke, but continued to lecture, teach, and write. This video captures the world of this acclaimed poet, featuring portraits, photographs, and archival material along with commentary from scholars about Whitman and his work. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide

Recorded in March 1967, this performance captures Hal Holbrook's amazing portrayal of one of America's greatest author's, Mark Twain. Holbrook, who memorized more than 14 hours of Twain's material, becomes the legendary character for 90 minutes with only a white suit, white hair and mustache, a lectern, and that signature cigar. One of the best television performances ever captured on film, this one-man show has lasted for over 40 years. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide

This video is part of a series that examines some of the most important stories and figures in the Bible. In this volume, the subject is prophecy. In Biblical times, men and women who could see and predict the future were very important and powerful figures. This program examines the words of Biblical prophets, including John, Elijah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Deborah. Biblical scholars discuss the meaning behind the prophets' words and imagery, their impact, and their accuracy. The film features on-location footage, religious art, and readings from the works of the prophets. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

In 1955, poet Allen Ginsberg summed up the greatest fears of his generation in a landmark poem appropriately titled "Howl." As a result of that defining piece of prose, Ginsberg would become an icon of the Beat Generation. Inspired by Ginsberg's powerful personality and captivating charisma as a performer, filmmaker Jerry Aronson procured every film clip of the poet that he could find and compiled it into a comprehensive documentary tracing the life and times of the man who never backed down from his beliefs. From Ginsberg's early experiences alongside such American icons as Jack Kerouac, Timothy Leary, and William Burroughs to his historical clash with William F. Buckley, and his tense confrontation with police during the 1968 Democratic Convention, Aronson's film doesn't miss a beat. Back to back readings of "Howl" from 1955 and 1992 show precisely how the poem continued to resonate decades after it was originally written, and by exploring Ginsberg's political and spiritual beliefs Aronson offers compelling insight into the mind of a counter culture legend. Originally released in 1993, The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg was updated to cover the events surrounding the subject's untimely death in 1997 and to provide a final, fitting epitaph for the controversial author.

The deluxe two-disc DVD release includes over six hours of bonus materials, including a "making-of" documentary, footage of Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac's grave, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg in a 1994 appearance at Naropa University, selected readings by Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and Ginsberg at a 1965 City Lights Bookstore appearance, the making of the music video for "A Ballad of Skeletons", a guided tour of a Ginsberg photographic exhibition hosted by the writer himself, excerpts from Last Three Days on Earth as a Spirit, footage from Ginsberg's New York City memorial, photo galleries, and trailers. Additional interviews with subjects ranging from Joan Baez to Johnny Depp, Yoko Ono, Hunter S. Thompson, and Ken Kesey show just what an expansive influence Ginsberg truly had as an artist. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Building upon the lessons presented in Standard Deviants: English Punctuation Part 1, this video teaches the viewer how to use dashes, hyphens, form compound words, the difference between who's and whose and the proper use of single quotation marks. The lessons were co-written by university professors and are a condensed version of what a college student studying English would encounter. The speed of the lessons, the sketches and computer graphics may turn some viewers away, but the option of navigating through the lessons with the remote control may make it worth the effort. ~ Ed Atkinson, All Movie Guide

This biography of the American writer Ernest Hemingway is aptly titled, since Hemingway was forever struggling with life. A mixture of outdoorsman and intellectual, Hemingway has become emblematic of a certain way of life in the 20th century. His personal style and his many written works have become intertwined in the public imagination. In this A&E portrait, both the man and the myth are examined in an illuminating way. ~ Cara Saposnik, All Movie Guide

The documentary Chronicling Narnia offers the viewer an analysis of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia book series. The film offers an explanation of the symbolism of the characters, as well as an analysis of how Lewis' religious convictions informed the works. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Edgar Allan Poe's popular poetry is read for viewers including: The Raven, The Haunted Palace, To Helen,Evening Star, The Conqueror Worm, To My Mother, Annabel Lee, The City in the Sea, and Eldorado. Learn a bit more about this writer who also toiled as a magazine writer and editor. Poe played an important role in developing new genres of writing. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide

This is a children's video about the life and work of the author commonly known around the world as Dr. Seuss. The video also contains original musical productions based on Dr. Seuss' books, including Oh, The Places You'll Go, Green Eggs and Ham, and The Cat in the Hat. On this video, you will see Dr. Seuss characters featured in original animated and live-action tales and fun games for fans of the author's books. Some of the participants featured in this video are Kathy Najimy, Robin Williams, Christopher Lloyd, David Paymer, Patrick Stewart, Eileen Brennan, Billy Crystal, and Howie Mandel, among others. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide

Revelations is one of the most cryptic and powerfully written books of the Bible. It foretells that the world will end violently. Scholars, mystics, and laymen study this final book of the Bible and try to interpret the series of numbers, beasts, and warnings. A&E presents this documentary, filmed on-location in Jerusalem and other Middle East locations, to explore these mysteries, including who the true author is. Richard Kiley and Jean Simmons narrate. ~ Nicole Jones, All Movie Guide

A young boy attends a concert and is captivated by the conductor. He uses sounds from all over his house as his orchestra as he fantasizes about becoming a conductor. This charming video teaches children that even the ordinary sounds around their house can be interesting. And as the boy in the story finds out, they are only limited by their imaginations. Raul Julia narrates this story by Claudio Abbado. ~ Amy Lewis, All Movie Guide