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| Library status: currently open during regularly scheduled hours. |
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Crossing Borders in Victorian Travel : Spaces, Nations and Empires by 
H. Rider Haggard on the Imperial Frontier: The Political and Literary Contexts of His African Romances by
"This is the first book-length study of H. R. H.'s African fiction. It revised the image of Rider Haggard (1836-1925) as a mere writer of adventure stories, a brassy propagandist for British imperialism. Professor Monsman places Haggard's imaginative works both in the context of colonial fiction writing and in the framework of subsequent postcolonial debates about history and its representation."--BOOK JACKET.
King Solomon's Mines by
A famed elephant hunter embarks on a perilous African treasure hunt in this classic tale that launched the long-running Allan Quatermain series. Sir Henry Curtis's brother has disappeared into the uncharted African interior. Last seen by explorer and hunter Allan Quatermain, he was traveling toward the fabled King Solomon's diamond mines in search of his fortune. Now, Curtis and his friend, Capt. John Good, persuade Quatermain and a mysterious native porter, Umbopa, to lead their expedition. They venture through treacherous mountain ranges and the valley of Kukuanaland, home to the violent Kukuana warriors, to find Curtis's brother--and the treasure. Journeying to an unexplored region of Africa, they encounter hardship, myth, lost tribes, cruel kings, and an evil sorceress. The three men also discover a secret about Umbopa that changes the course of their quest--and lands them in great danger. The team will need to keep their weapons--and their wits--handy if they hope to return home alive in this gripping tale full of exciting action and thrilling adventure. Hailed by its publisher in 1885 as "the most amazing book ever written," King Solomon'sMines was an immediate bestseller and, a century later, inspired the film starring Richard Chamberlain. Author H. Rider Haggard went on to write many more classic adventures featuring Quatermain, which continue to entertain audiences today.
Rider Haggard and the Fiction of Empire: A Critical Study of British Imperial Fiction by
While Rider Haggard's stories have been popular with several generations of readers, this was the first study to examine the place of Empire in his writing and to draw out its related political and literary implications. Dr Katz argues that the romance adventure carried an ideological burden for Haggard and that he was one of a number of imperial-minded writers - among them R. L. Stevenson, Andrew Lang, W. E. Henley and Kipling - who shared a similar world-view and certain literary traits. The book includes a biographical sketch focusing on Haggard's experiences in the Transvaal in the later 1870s and early 1880s, and his association with South Africa throughout his life; a description of the imperial background, with particular attention paid to the imperial emphasis on leadership and heroism; an analysis of romance as a literary genre; and a detailed study of Haggard's work with reference to that of other imperial writers. This book will be of value to specialists in literature, imperial history and politics, as well as to readers of Haggard.
Rudyard Kipling and Sir Henry Rider Haggard on Screen, Stage, Radio and Television by
Rudyard Kipling and Sir Henry Rider Haggard--close friends--wrote about adventure and the exotic in very different ways. Examined together, their works illuminate each other. The writings of both have been adapted to the screen, stage, television, and radio numerous times (with varying degrees of fidelity) and this is a complete guide to those adaptations. In the main section of the book each original literary work is summarized, followed by a complete filmography and an analysis of each film based on that story or poem. Additional sections provide information on adaptations for radio, stage, and television. Photographs are included from films ranging from The Jungle Book (Kipling) to King Solomon's Mines (Haggard).
Victorian Literature and Finance by 
White Skins/Black Masks: Representation and Colonialism by
In this exciting re-reading of the classic work of Haggard and Kipling, Gail Ching-Liang Low examines the representational dynamics of colonizer versus colonized. Exploring the interface between the native 'other' as a reflection and as a point of address, the author asserts that this 'other' is a mirror reflecting the image of the colonizer - a 'cultural cross-dressing'. Employing psychoanalysis, anthropology and postcolonial theory, Low analyzes the way in which fantasy and fabulation are caught up in networks of desire and power. White Skins/Black Masks is a fascinating entry into the current debate of post-colonial theory.