Other books that might interest you

• 

  Sweet William - A User's Guide...

  Michael Pennington

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Michael Pennington's solo show about Shakespeare, Sweet William, has been acclaimed throughout Europe and in the US as a unique blend of showmanship and scholarship. In this book, he deepens his exploration of Shakespeare's life and work - and the connection between the two - that lies at its heart.
  It is illuminated throughout by the unrivalled insights into the plays that Pennington has gained from the twenty thousand hours he has spent working on them as a leading actor, an artistic director and a director - and as the author of three previous books on individual Shakespeare plays.
  With practical analysis, wonderfully detailed and entertaining interpretations of characters and scenes, and vivid reflections on Shakespeare's theatre and ours, the result is a masterclass of the most enjoyable kind for theatregoers, professionals, students and anyone interested in Shakespeare.
  'A brilliant and intimate insider's guide to Shakespeare from one of our greatest classical actors.' Gregory Doran
  'Shakespeare comes wonderfully to life in Michael's beautifully written book.' Rupert Everett
  'engaging, absorbing, congenial, informative... a must-read for anyone interested in Shakespeare from almost any angle - actor, drama student, teacher, director, technician, literature student or audience member' The Stage

  Show book

• 

  The Works of Samuel Johnson...

  Samuel Johnson

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A brief essay on the life and genius of the prolific eighteenth-century English author, followed by a selection of his poetry, letters, and a novella.Under the pen name “Dr. Johnson,” English writer Samuel Johnson was a biographer, essayist, lexicographer, literary critic, moralist, playwright, poet, and travel writer. The son of a bookseller, he made so many contributions to the English language that he is regarded as one of the greatest figures of eighteenth-century literature. The first of nine volumes, The Works of Samuel JohnsonVolume One includes an essay on the life and genius of Samuel Johnson, followed by a collection of his poetry, including his “Drury Lane Prologue,” “On the Death of Mr. Robert Levet,” and “The Vanity of Human Wishes.” A selection of his personal correspondence is featured as well, along with his great satirical novella, The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia.

  Show book

• 

  Ode An

  Edward Granville Browne

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  LibriVox volunteers bring you 13 recordings of An Ode by Táhirih (Fátimih Baraghání) (1814/1817 – 1852), Translated by Edward Granville Browne (1862 – 1926). This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for February 7th, 2010.Fátimih Baraghání (1814/1817 – 1852), also known by the titles of Táhirih (Arabic for “The Pure One”) and Qurratu’l-‘Ayn (Arabic for “Consolation of the Eyes”) was an influential Iranian poet and Bábí heroine from the town of Qazvín. Her legacy is important to Bahá’ís, as well as supporters of women’s rights in Iran. In 1844, she became the seventeenth disciple or “Letter of the Living” of the Báb (1819-1850). As the only woman in this initial group of disciples, she is often compared to Mary Magdalene. From June-July 1848, she attended the Conference of Badasht where she appeared without a veil in public (a shocking statement of women’s rights) and declared that a new religious dispensation had been inaugurated. Coincidentally, shortly after this, the Seneca Falls Convention (an important women’s rights convention) was held in New York on the 19th-20th of July, 1848. She was executed in Tehran in 1852. Before her death, she said that although she would be killed, they could not stop the emancipation of women. Edward Granville Browne described her thus: “The appearance of such a woman as Qurratu’l-‘Ayn is in any country and any age a rare phenomenon, but in such a country as Persia it is a prodigy—nay, almost a miracle. Alike in virtue of her marvellous beauty, her rare intellectual gifts, her fervid eloquence her fearless devotion, and her glorious martyrdom, she stands forth incomparable and immortal amidst her countrywomen.” This poem is a ghazal composed in the Kámil metre. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. Browne notes that this poem appears to be addressed to the Báb. Browne made a versified translation of the poem, which first appeared in the J.R.A.S. in 1899. (Summary by Nicholas James Bridgewater)

  Show book

• 

  Library of Small Catastrophes

  Alison C. Rollins

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Library of Small Catastrophes, Alison Rollins's ambitious debut collection, interrogates the body and nation as storehouses of countless tragedies. Drawing from Jorge Luis Borges's fascination with the library, Rollins uses the concept of the archive to offer a lyric history of the ways in which we process loss. "Memory is about the future, not the past", she writes, and rather than shying away from the anger, anxiety, and mourning of her narrators, Rollins's poetry seeks to challenge the status quo, engaging in a diverse, boundary-defying dialogue with an ever-present reminder of the ways race, sexuality, spirituality, violence, and American culture collide.

  Show book

• 

  Nocturne

  Rachel Lawson

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Poetry of the night

  Show book

• 

  Merchant of Venice The (Argo...

  William Shakespeare

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. 
  'The quality of mercy is not strain'd, 
  It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven’ 
  Bassiano, a noble Venetian, hopes to woo the beautiful heiress Portia. However, he requires financial assistance from his friend Antonio. Antonio agrees, but he, in turn, must borrow from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. As recourse for past ills, Shylock stipulates that the forfeit on the loan must be a pound of Antonio’s flesh. 
  In the most renowned onstage law scene of all time, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare’s most cunning heroines, disguising herself as a lawyer and vanquishing Shylock’s claims; meanwhile, Shylock triumphs on a humanitarian level with his plea for tolerance. 
  All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. 
  Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production. 
  The full cast includes: Donald Beves; John Barton; Toby Robertson; George Rylands; Gary Watson; Anthony Jacobs; Gerald Mosback; Derek Jacobi; Richard Marquand; Tony Church; Clive Swift; Michael Bates; Terrence Hardiman; Christopher Renard; John Tracy-Phillips; Margaretta Scott; Christine Baker; Janette Richer. 
  This short, yet impactful play, is a testament to the best of European theatre, showcasing the performing prowess of the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Merchant of Venice, a masterpiece by William Shakespeare, continues to resonate with audiences, proving the timeless nature of its themes and characters. 
  For fans of Richard Parsons (GCSE English Shakespeare Text Guide), and Arthur Miller (Incident at Vichy).

  Show book