Books with author Richard Baran

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Richard Barnum was the pseudonym used for a series of books for children called the Kneetime Animal Stories, produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate between 1915-1922. Titles include: Mappo, the Merry Monkey; Squinty, the Comical Pig; Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel; Don, a Runaway Dog; Tinkle, the Trick Pony; Sharp Eyes, the Silver Fox; Nero, the Circus Lion; Tum Tum, the Jolly Elephant; Dido, the Dancing Bear; Blackie, a Lost Cat; Flop Ear, the Funny Rabbit; Light Foot, the Leaping Goat; Chunky, the Happy Hippo; Tamba, the Tame Tiger; Toto, the Rustling Beaver and Shaggo, the Mighty Buffalo. In all nursery literature animals have played a conspicuous part; and the reason is obvious, for nothing entertains a child more than the antics of an animal. These stories abound in amusing incidents such as children adore, and the characters are so full of life, so appealing to a child's imagination, that none will be satisfied until they have met all of their favorites - Squinty, Slicko, Mappo, and the rest.

The concept of chivalry is one of the central ideas of the medieval world. It developed out of the unique intellectual and practical climate of the times, and found expression in both words and deeds. Richard Barber's wide knowledge of medieval literature and history gives special depth to his study of this fascinating subject. From the prehistory of chivalry - the warrior-knights of early medieval Europe and their developing social role - he moves to an exploration of the chansons de geste, the early romances, and the biographies and handbooks for aspiring knights, to discover the early expressions of the chivalric code. In an extended survey of tournaments and of the knight on the battlefield in the incessant warfare of the middle ages, he studies chivalry in action. Aspects of chivalry, the tensions inherent in courtly love and honourable warfare, made the church's antagonism inevitable, but also gave rise to the great adventure of the crusades and the foundation of the military orders, here vividly recounted. Last but not least comes the adoption of the ideals of chivalry by the princes of western Europe in the formation of the secular orders, before the knight was ultimately transformed into the renaissance courtier. Second edition, revised, expanded and updated.

Budgeron is struggling mightily to write the great ferret novel, a story so rich, so finely wrought, it will set the world of ferret literature on its tail. By day, he writes adventure stories for kits' magazines. By night, he lights the Lamp of Wisdom and calls forth Count Urbain de Rothskit, hero of the massive volume Where Ferrets Walk. After a near-perfect first sentence, Budgeron sighs in his tiny attic writing room and waits for the second to to come. Downstairs, a page-turner romance tumbles effortlessly from the keyboard of Budgeron's mate, Danielle. A pawdicurist who decides to write for fun, Danielle never expected her first page would explode with Veronique Sibhoan Ferret, a willful, naughty, mesmerizing animal who will one day bewitch millions of reader. Budgeron and Danielle are aspiring writer ferrets following their calling through the quiet rooms where stories are born, past the mailbox and rejection slips and finally into the white-hot world of big-time book publishing. In the end, each finds success writing for the one heart they must truly please: their own. Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse is a tale about the search for what really mattersnin life; the struggle to free our ineer voice; pursuit of a dream against significant odds and the need to love and be loved by like-minded spirit.

As one of the richest sources of diversion for the people of Britain between the end of the First World War and the 1960s, the variety theater emerged from the embers of music hall, a vulgar and rambunctious entertainment that had held the working classes in thrall since the 1840s. Music hall bosses decided they would do better business if a man going to theaters on his own could take his wife and children with him, knowing they would see or hear nothing that would scandalize them. So variety, a gentler, less red-blooded entertainment was gradually established.At the top of the profession were Gracie Fields, a peerless singer and comedienne, and Max Miller, a comic who was renowned for being risqué, but who, in fact, never cracked a dirty joke. They were supported by acts that matched the word ‘variety’: ventriloquists, drag artists, animal acts, acrobats, jugglers, magicians and many more. But the variety theater was constantly under threat, first from revue, then radio, the cinema, girlie shows, the birth of rock ‘n’ roll and finally television. By the end of the 1950s, the variety business seemed to have given up, but the recent and extraordinary popularity of talent shows on television has proved the public appetite is still there. Variety could be about to start all over again.