Steven J. Rolfes

Unveil the mystery of the banshee and other entities that bridge the gap between life and death with this book's extensive Celtic folklore and historic cases. From deities like the Morrigan to death-related beings such as the Doppelganger, Steven J. Rolfes examines what banshees are and how they have captivated humanity for centuries. This book presents numerous examples of banshees, such as the omens connected to President Abraham Lincoln's murder and modern encounters with the herald of the grave. You'll learn about the piercing wails at the 1876 hanging of a young Irish murderer, the sign of impending death that came for the German philosopher Goethe, and much more. From ghostly white women in Germany to avian creatures in the jungles of Sri Lanka, this book will thrill you with tales of death messengers from all around the world.

Theaters have always been the places where memories are made. There, on Saturday afternoons, children could escape the pressures of growing up to live for two hours in a fantasy world of daring heroes, dastardly villains, and dazzling magic. They were the places where awkward teenage boys could nervously, and often clumsily, put their arms around equally nervous girls. In years past, every neighborhood had its own local theater. Downtown was home to the great movie palaces, ornate portals to a world of motion picture thrills. For a unique experience, nothing could beat a hot summer night at the drive-in. Today, in the era of the corporate multiplex, the great movie palaces are just memories. Some neighborhood cinemas are now churches or venues for meetings, wedding receptions, and small concerts. Images of America: Cincinnati Theaters looks back at these marvelous old theaters and the days when they were in their prime.

Landmarks are more than statues and great buildings--they tell the world what is important to a community. Behind every landmark is a story, and Cincinnati has many stories. A charming gazebo is actually the site of a grisly murder committed by a gangster. Symphonies and operas performed in an elegant hall are actually serenading the forgotten dead of a century before. What is now an office building once held the relics of an ancient saint, attracting thousands of pilgrims every year. These and many other stories make up the tapestry of Cincinnati Landmarks.

Journey into the rich history of Cincinnati and see how it got the name The Queen City of the West. A must for fans of Cincinnati and Ohio history Walking down the dirt, cobblestone, or paved streets of downtown Cincinnati in the past, there is no telling whom a person would meet. Someone might rub elbows with future presidents, such as Hayes, Taft, or that visiting lawyer from Illinois--Lincoln; dine with Generals Wayne, Grant, or Sherman; have tea with Harriet Beecher Stowe; or share a mug of Hauck beer with Frank Duveneck, Stephen Foster, or that poet-warrior William Lytle. A person lingering in the opulent hotels may meet visiting artists such as Junius Booth, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Henry Irving, and his manager, Bram Stoker; hear a speech by abolitionist Salmon P. Chase or flirt with the pretty Confederate spy Lottie Moon. Once the furthest expansion of the western frontier, every street and corner of downtown Cincinnati has been tread by the famous and infamous. Historic Downtown Cincinnati is the story of America, of businessmen like the brothers-in-law Procter and Gamble, of visionaries like McGuffy, and powerful political bosses like George Cox.