Most Popular Books by Peter Gross

The revolutions of 1989 swept away Eastern Europe''s communist governments and created expectations on the part of many observers that post-communist media would lead the liberated societies in establishing and embracing democratic political cultures. Peter Gross finds that it was utopian to hold such expectations of the media in societies in transition. On the one hand, those countries'' media professionals had all learned their jobs under the communist regimes and could not instantly transform themselves into guides for a politically enabled populace, Gross argues. On the other hand, newcomers to the media world, even those who were notable literary figures, viewed themselves as social and political leaders rather than mere informers and facilitators of the resocialization required to form new democracies. The news media have remained highly politicized and partisan. So how are the media, civil society, and political culture related in societies in transition? And can changes in these relationships be anticipated? To address these questions, Entangled Evolutions examines media in post-1989 Eastern Europe. It studies the effects of privatization of the media, journalists'' relations to political figures, institutional structures such as media laws, professional journalistic culture, and the media''s relation to their market. Sources include interviews with journalists and politicians, sociological and political data from national surveys, and media audience studies.

The Boy Who Turned into a cat is a funny. lighthearted, yet touching story of 12 year-old Charles (Chuggy) Thomas. Chuggy has a disagreement with his parents and unhappy over having to do his chores, he goes to sleep one night wishing he could live a carefree live, much like that of his cat, Peeps. The next day, Chuggy wakes up to discover his wish has come true - he is a cat! From that point on the tale becomes funny, frantic and furry. Chuggy''s desperate parents can''t figure out where he''s gone. Television and newspaper reporters descend on the Thomas house to get the ''scoop.'' In the midst of this is a remarkable cat that seems to have communication skills superior to most household pets. And what is it that Susie, Chuggy''s five year-old sister knows that no one else knows? The Boy Who Turned into a Cat is very much a pre-teen version of Be Careful What You Wish For. At first, Chuggy is ecstatic about his new feline life; the freedom, the ability to jump six feet in the air with his powerful back legs and the revelation that he can now ''talk'' to Peeps. But soon Chuggy begins to miss the things he used to do as a boy and he now has to figure out how to become a human again. Along the way, he sees how much his family cares for him and how much he is missed. Cat lovers will smile as they recognize the behaviours of their own kitties in The Boy Who Turned into a Cat. Anyone who loves an old-fashioned family values story will also read this from cover to cover. It''s a fast and witty read, full of surprises, laughs and even a little sidebar on what constitutes an important story on news shows these days.

101 Ways to Amaze & Entertain helps kids become confident, funny magicians, teaching them unique tricks and gags with clear, easy-to-follow instructions and humorous illustrations. It provides tips on telling jokes, how to deal with hecklers, as well as step-by-step instructions for 50 magic tricks that will delight readers of all ages. Additional instructions on how to create a complete magic act with performance tips sets this book apart from the competition, and it combines the two into one fun and hilarious book.

Tom King lo dice chiaramente nella sua prefazione al volume: è lecito aggiornare i miti. Quando George Orwell scrisse La fattoria degli animali, a neanche metà del Ventesimo secolo, voleva evidenziare come il mondo fosse cambiato rispetto alle logiche politiche dell’Ottocento, e quali pericoli si nascondessero nelle politiche più estreme all’interno dei sistemi democratici. Ottant’anni dopo Tom King, uno degli sceneggiatori più apprezzato d’America, aiutato dal disegnatore Peter Gross e dalla colorista Tamra Bonvillain, attualizza la metafora di Orwell per renderla attuale, pertinente nel tempo confuso e pericoloso che stiamo vivendo. La storia del rifugio, di Madame Fifi, di Lucky, Titan e delle libere elezioni tra gli animali è la nostra storia. Il loro pericolo è quello all’ombra del quale ci risvegliamo ogni mattina. E questo fumetto è qualcosa che tutti dovrebbero leggere, per tornare a dire ad alta voce che le cose assurde sono assurde.

Examines the nature and influence of the news media in Romania before, during, and after the December 1989 revolution, concentrating on print and broadcast news media and their struggle to remake themselves and remake society. Covers the precommunist legacy, foreign mass media as a spark for the revolution, media laws in the noncommunist era, neutrality and objectivity in journalism, and news media in the presidential and parliamentary elections of the 1990s. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book offers an alternative perspective to the reigning socio-political and economic approaches to evaluating media systems and why and how they function. Peter Gross outlines a cultural model, a "kaleidoscopic cultural prism," for assessing the nature and functioning of these systems. By testing this model in one Eastern European country, Romania, Gross contributes to existing scholarship on media theory, media and transformation, East and Central European media, Romanian media, and East and Central European transformations in general. Awareness of the inherent negatives in the cultural bricolage accumulated over the centuries while Romanians lived under physical, administrative, and ideological dominance of various empires is increasingly sown among the new generations. This reality makes a culture-driven understanding of Romania’s media system even more urgent and meaningful for comprehending the evolving transformation. Scholars of communication, media studies, and Eastern European studies will find this book of particular interest.

The third chapter of the Eisner Award-nominated anthology features stories written by Neil Gaiman, Warren Wllis, Peter Gross and many more.

The sequel to Eisner Award-nominated anthology features a Death story written by THE SANDMAN''s Neil Gaiman and a HELLBLAZER story written by Garth Ennis with art by Glyn Dillon.

The second and final omnibus of Peter Gross'' amazing run of The Books of Magic series! The son of a manipulative sorceress and a mystical falconer, Tim Hunter is destined to become the most powerful mage in the world. But as the young Londoner comes to terms with his abilities and future, he must deal with demons and wizards looking to claim his power. In the fourth volume of this enrapturing series, Tim''s magical adventures continue as he has a remarkable encounter with Death, transforms himself into a cat, faces off against an ancient enchantress and celebrates his fourteenth birthday. Readers can enjoy this expansive collection that includes The Books of Magic #33-75, The Books of Magic Annual #1-3, The Books of Faerie #1-3, Vertigo: Winter''s Edge #1-3, Hellblazer: Books of Magic #1-2, Books of Faerie: Molly''s Story #1-4, and Vertigo Secret Files: Hellblazer #1.

From the pages of Neil Gaimans THE SANDMAN, comes the story of Lucifer Morningstar, the former Lord of Hell, who is unexpectedly called back into action after he receives a mission from Heaven. Now as his enemies unite to stop his reemergence, Lucifer gathers his forces as he prepares to launch his new revolution.Forces in Hell and on Earth prepare for a final struggle for supremacy in this volume that ventures through space and time and the places outside both, weaving a sweeping saga out of multiple character threads mortal and immortal alike.

Tim Hunter''s voyage of discovery across America''s mystical landscape and beyond continues, with a way-out trip to the wild, Wild West, and a pioneering leap into the unknown.

Timothy Hunter is taken on a tour of the magical realms by a quartet of fallen mystics.