http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/rss/books/RSS.xml The latest new books in Religion: Religion and Society en-us Mon, 20 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT 1440 http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/M/bo15484824.html Monastic Wales brings together an interdisciplinary team of scholars, working in the areas of history, archaeology, literature, and material culture, to investigate the importance of medieval monasteries in the shaping of Welsh culture, politics, society, and economy. It demonstrates the importance of Welsh monasteries and nunneries, chronicling the many and diverse ways in which religious men and women and their communities contributed to the shaping of the equally diverse regions we now call Wales. <div><i>Monastic Wales </i>brings together an interdisciplinary team of scholars, working in the areas of history, archaeology, literature, and material culture, to investigate the importance of medieval monasteries in the shaping of Welsh culture, politics, society, and economy. It demonstrates the importance of Welsh monasteries and nunneries, chronicling the many and diverse ways in which religious men and women and their communities contributed to the shaping of the equally diverse regions we now call Wales.</div><br> History: British and Irish History Medieval Studies Religion: Religion and Society Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT Janet Burton; Karen Stöber 9780708325827 http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/F/bo16037847.html According to medievalist Gary Vikan, Graceland is much more than a wildly popular tourist destination associated with a famous entertainer, and Elvis Presley is much more than the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In this fascinating new book, Vikan posits that Graceland, the second-most visited historic house in the United States, is a locus sanctus—a holy place—and Elvis is its resident saint. Thus the hordes of fans that crowd Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis are modern day pilgrims, connected in spirit and practice to their early Christian counterparts, sharing a fascination for icons and iconography, relics, souvenirs, votives, and even a belief in miracles. Vikan goes on to explore many other loci sancti around the world, including Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the Grassy Knoll in Dallas, and the Place de l’Alma in Paris. From the Holy Land to Gracelandexplores the role of our “martyred” secular saints today from John F. Kennedy to Michael Jackson. <div>According to medievalist Gary Vikan, Graceland is much more than a wildly popular tourist destination associated with a famous entertainer, and Elvis Presley is much more than the King of Rock &lsquo;n&rsquo; Roll. In this fascinating new book, Vikan posits that Graceland, the second-most visited historic house in the United States, is a <i>locus sanctus</i>&mdash;a holy place&mdash;and Elvis is its resident saint. Thus the hordes of fans that crowd Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis are modern day pilgrims, connected in spirit and practice to their early Christian counterparts, sharing a fascination for icons and iconography, relics, souvenirs, votives, and even a belief in miracles. Vikan goes on to explore many other <i>loci sancti</i> around the world, including Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the Grassy Knoll in Dallas, and the Place de l&rsquo;Alma in Paris. <i>From the Holy Land to Graceland</i>explores the role of our &ldquo;martyred&rdquo; secular saints today from John F. Kennedy to Michael Jackson.</div><br> Culture Studies Religion: Religion and Society Fri, 15 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT Gary Vikan 9781933253725