Books

Star Wars

History of Star Wars: Premiered 46 Years Ago

By billpetro / May 25, 2023 /

HISTORY OF STAR WARS The original Star Wars movie premiered on May 25, 1977. Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away… when living in Berkeley, in November 1976, I picked up a new science fiction novel, “Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker” by George Lucas. I did not know then that it…

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King James Bible

History of the King James Bible: Over 400 Years of the Authorized Version?

By billpetro / May 2, 2023 /

HISTORY OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE Four hundred and twelve years ago marked the publishing, at the request of the Anglican clergy, of what would become the Authorized Version of the Bible to wide acclaim. But there are three problems with that statement. While it is true that the King James Bible was published in…

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Young Charles Dickens

History of Charles Dickens: 211 years Ago

By billpetro / February 7, 2023 / Comments Off on History of Charles Dickens: 211 years Ago

HISTORY OF CHARLES DICKENS Today marks the 211th birthdate of Charles Dickens, considered by many the greatest English writer since Shakespeare — at least he was during his lifetime in the Victorian age. He enjoyed the distinction of fame and a measure of financial success during his lifetime, starting in his 20s. Many of his…

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Peter Pan

History of Peter Pan: the Story Behind the 70-Year-Old Disney Classic

By billpetro / February 5, 2023 /

HISTORY OF PETER PAN All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again.   So begins my favorite Walt Disney animated movie, Peter Pan, which debuted 70 years ago today on February 5, 1953. The original movie poster said: “It will live in your heart forever!” …and indeed, it has. Why was…

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A Christmas Carol

History of A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas

By billpetro / December 19, 2022 /

History of A Christmas Carol and the impact of Charles Dickens’ classic

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jrr tolkien

History of J.R.R. Tolkien: A 100-Year Love Affair

By billpetro / September 1, 2022 /

HISTORY OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN: A 100-YEAR LOVE AFFAIR Tonight begins the Amazon Prime TV series “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which depicts the Second Age of Tolkien’s legendarium, set over three thousand of years before the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. This is expected to be the most expensive TV series in…

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Book Review: The Children of Hurin

By billpetro / July 9, 2007 /

Book Review: The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien Perhaps the saddest book I’ve ever read, the first “new” J.R.R. Tolkien book in 30 years, is “…long and sad in the telling, as are all tales of Middle Earth.” While it is beautiful in its composition and profound in its scope, it contains at all…

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