Books by William Park

"Hollywood: An Epic Production" delights as it instructs. Written in heroic couplets, the form used by Dryden and Pope in their mock epics and satires, it recounts and interprets the history of the movies. Like other great epics, it contains twelve (short) cantos, each one devoted to an era such as the Twenties or Film Noir, an epic catalogue, and epic similes. Its witty lines and deep insights prove once again that poetry can be as enjoyable as it can be meaningful. Every lover of the movies, every devotee of film, every student of Americana, indeed, anyone who appreciates literature will want to read this poem and to share it with others."Page by page, William Park''s epic poem "Hollywood: An Epic Production" takes the reader on a poetic romp through Hollywood''s razzle-dazzle history. The poem is composed by an author made of three personalities - the passionate moviegoer, scrupulous historian with an encyclopedic knowledge of films and why we love them, and witty poet. Park takes us on an elegiac journey from Capra to Kubrick, silent films to the modern day blockbuster that reminds us of all that is great about movies and poetry. Melding film and poetry in a deft blend, Park''s poem is ultimately a celebration of the artistic spirit."Jon Avnet, director of Fried Green Tomatoes, Up Close and Personal, and Uprising."William Park loves the movies and loves the eighteenth century, and his mock-poetic history of Hollywood in heroic couplets brings together both loves." Gilberto Perez, author of The Material Ghost.

In November 1941, about 100 university students began their short-term compulsory military training with the 15th Infantry Battalion. Their compulsory military training was due to end on 4 February 1942, but the outbreak of the Pacific War on 7 December changed everything.

What is Film Noir? surveys the various theories of film noir, defines film noir, and explains how the genre relates to the style and the period in which noir was created. It also provides a very useful theory of genre and how it relates to film study.

This book provides a survey of the principal items on the European security agenda following the end of the Cold War. The book deals with the period since the end of the Cold War to the present day, and focuses upon those institutions and regions where the reconsideration of security issues and approaches has been particularly profound.