Monday, June 25, 2012

God of Comics: Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World War II Manga

Natsu Onoda Power
online access from ProQuest Ebook Central
check holdings in CityU LibraryFind

Cartoonist Osamu Tezuka [手塚治虫] (1928-1989) is the single most important figure in Japanese post-World War II comics. During his four-decade career, Tezuka published more than 150,000 pages of comics, produced animation films, wrote essays and short fiction, and earned a Ph.D. in medicine. Along with creating the character Astro Boy (Mighty Atom in Japan), he is best known for establishing story comics as the mainstream genre in the Japanese comic book industry, creating narratives with cinematic flow and complex characters. This style influenced all subsequent Japanese output. God of Comics chronicles Tezuka's life and works, placing his creations both in the cultural climate and in the history of Japanese comics.

The book emphasizes Tezuka's use of intertextuality. His works are filled with quotations from other texts and cultural products, such as film, theater, opera, and literature. Often, these quoted texts and images bring with them a world of meanings, enriching the narrative. Tezuka also used stock characters and recurrent visual jokes as a way of creating a coherent world that encompasses all of his works.

God of Comics includes close analysis of Tezuka's lesser-known works, many of which have never been translated into English. It offers one of the first in-depth studies of Tezuka's oeuvre to be published in English.

(Excerpt from amazon.com)


豐子愷漫畫選

畢克官 編
online access from SuperStar Digital Library
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在舊中國,豐子愷先生是最為群眾所熟悉的一位漫畫家。他的《子愷漫畫》深受讀者歡迎。他一生的作品,數量很多,僅出版的畫集就達四十餘部……

《子愷漫畫》在二十年代所以受到社會的重視,主要在於它的獨特性。這些漫畫取材新穎,表現手法別致,在當時美術園地裡別開生面,獨樹一幟,開拓了新的天地。我們知道,一九二五年前後,新文學陣營與復古派和鴛鴦蝴蝶派之間進行着激烈的論戰。以上海為例,當時除了少數報刊發表時事畫和政治畫外,美術市場主要是美人畫和形形色色低級庸俗的東西。中國人物畫多畫是古人,西洋畫則是靜物、風景和模特兒寫生,都遠離社會生活。在這樣的狀況下,突然有那麼一位畫家向人們展示出像 《花生米不滿足》、《阿寶兩只腳》、《瞻瞻的車》這樣率真而生動的兒童漫畫;像《都市之春》、《買粽子》、《紅了櫻桃綠了芭蕉》、《人散後,一鈎新月天如水》等充滿生活情趣又耐人尋味的作品,確實是令人耳目一新,感到親切……

(摘錄自書中“序”)


Subject: Comics & Cartoons
[Accessible on Campus Only]


Monday, June 18, 2012

Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making

Micaela Preston
online access from ProQuest Ebook Central
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Creating a green and healthy home might seem like an overwhelming task at times. Practically Green takes the practical approach to mindful living: Start small and go from there. Author Micaela Preston takes the guesswork out of green living by helping you make smart.

(Excerpt from amazon.com)


共悟人間: 父女兩地書

劉再復, 劉劍梅
online access from SuperStar Digital Library
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本書榮列香港「2002年十本好書」(香港電台與香港康樂文化事務署合辦),金庸先生大力推薦。

我推薦的十本好書之一,是《共悟人間》。這是劉再復先生和他女兒劉劍梅小姐的通信集。兩人都是文字優美、見解獨到的當代作家。以溫馨可愛的情緒,表達深刻的思想,在我讀的時候,我像是在他美國科羅拉多家中的花園樹蔭下,跟他父女倆談論文學與人生。他們可愛的小妹妹小蓮沒有在書中出現,但我感到她仰起了頭在用心的聽。

即使你不認識兩位作者,看這本書也會樂在其中,因其中談及的是文學與人生,可以乾脆不把它當書信,而作為一般文章來看。 ——金庸

靈動澄澈的思緒,跳躍在父女往返的書信中。從《紅樓夢》與《桃花扇》的世界,談到現實人生的頓悟與徬徨,再從女性和母親的自處之道,談及文學藝術的認知與培養天下襟懷。父女倆的深沉思考、哲思湧現、靈犀相通,發揮了相濡以沫的溫馨情感,並將感情與理性熔於一爐。只要翻開本書,將會感受到心靈的巨大震撼,一種心領神悟的莫名感動。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)


Monday, June 11, 2012

The New Korea: An Inside Look at South Korea's Economic Rise

Myung Oak Kim, Sam Jaffe
online access from ProQuest Ebook Central
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In 1953, South Korea was rated by the U.N. as the poorest country in the world. Five decades later, it is the fifteenth largest economy. Now, South Korea's decisions on how to manage its society and its role as a modern democracy while also establishing its policy regarding reunification with North Korea will determine where the country will go in the next fifty years. The New Korea examines the political, economic, industrial, and societal aspects of Korea today. Will it continue to enjoy an economic boom through new industries while competing against low-wage countries like China and India? Will it return to its role as a stomping ground for other powers? And what should Westerners pay attention to in terms of investment and business opportunities? As South Korea enters the most critical phase of its journey, it is crucial that we understand the factors involving its decisions and evolution. The New Korea is a fascinating account of what is and may become the state of this important region.


(Excerpt from amazon.co.uk)

半島唐風: 朝韓作家與中國文化

劉順利
online access from SuperStar Digital Library
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同屬漢文化圈的中國與朝鮮、韓國,一衣帶水,交通自古,文化交融源遠流長。箕子受武王之封,孔子向往“東國”;朝鮮使臣往來不斷,七百年間寫下洋洋灑灑《燕行錄》。崔致遠、李齊賢、樸趾源情系中華,《全唐詩》裡眾多朝鮮優秀詩家留下華章。

古代朝鮮作家學習、吸納中國文化,也以自己的智慧與領悟,豐富和發展了漢文化。王仁博士東渡日本傳授漢文化,眾多學人闡釋儒家經典、弘揚性理之學,大量寫作漢文詩歌與散文,造就了一個中國之外絕無僅有的漢文世界。

半島唐風,餘韻悠長。近現代朝鮮作家的文化抉擇,可資借鑒。願本書上領您去東鄰半島作一番文化之旅,領略浸潤著唐風古韻的朝韓古代文化的一脈馨香,品味中國與朝鮮、韓國人民間彌足珍貴的友好情懷……

本書引領讀者去東鄰半島做一番文化之旅,領略浸潤這唐風古韻的朝韓古代文化的一脈馨香,品味中國與朝鮮、韓國人民間彌足珍貴的友好情懷。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)