Helen Morales Libri

A star of immense charm, Dolly Parton captivates audiences beyond country music, with songs like "Jolene" and "9 to 5" appealing to diverse listeners. More than just a singer or actress, she embodies a cultural phenomenon, known for her talent, infectious laugh, and resilient spirit. Unique among female stars, she owns Dollywood, a themed amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, attracting thousands of fans annually. Helen Morales, a devoted admirer, embarks on a journey to explore Parton's Tennessee. Her travels take her to iconic sites like Elvis Presley's Graceland, Loretta Lynn's ranch, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Grand Ole Opry, culminating in the "Dolly Homecoming Parade" in Pigeon Forge, where Parton serves as grand marshal. Morales contrasts the imagined Tennessee of Parton's lyrics with the real landscape that shaped the singer's upbringing, highlighting connections between country music and regional culture. Accompanied by her partner and daughter, Morales, a recent English transplant, seeks to grasp American values through Tennessee's celebrity landmarks. This homage to Dolly and Americana resonates with anyone who finds solace in music, promising to win over even those unfamiliar with Parton's enchanting artistry.

The idealized picture of classical antiquity most of us learned in school conveniently glosses over the most brutal parts of the history -- and omits surprising stories of feminist resistance. For each story of misogynist violence, there's another that tells of solidarity and empowerment. And it's time we reclaimed them. Through short, pointed chapters, acclaimed classicist Helen Morales grapples with this legacy and charts a path forward. In a chapter called '#MeToo, or as Daphne Might Say, #EgoQuoque,' Morales reminds us of the myth of Procne and Philomela, two sisters who refused to be silenced by assault and worked together to take down a powerful man. In a chapter called 'Beyonce, Goddess,' Morales shows how Beyonce deliberately challenges the images of "traditional," and traditionally white, goddesses to bring images from African mythology into the canon. By turns witty and inspiring, ANTIGONE RISING offers a much-needed, fascinating new lens on the stories we take for granted.

From Zeus and Europa, to Diana, Pan, and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome seem to exert a timeless power over us. But what do those myths represent, and why are they so enduringly fascinating? Why do they seem to be such a potent way of talking about our selves, our origins, and our desires? This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical mythology. It is a wide-ranging account, examining how classical myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, taking the reader from the temples of Crete to skyscrapers in New York, and finding classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from Arabic poetry and Hollywood films, to psychoanalysis, the Bible, and New Age spiritualism.#167