Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Notting Hill (London, England); Fantasy fiction; Political fiction; Notting Hill (London, England) - Fiction; Fiction / Mystery ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Hitch Your Wagon to Shaw.
George Bernard Shaw is supposedly the opposite of Shakespeare, who was too pessimistic, being described as a 'serious optimist.'In Shaw's play "Man and Superman" creative evolution is the topic in serious dramatic terms, performed in 1903.He is the precursor of what is now called "creative intelligent design" as described in the book OF PANDAS AND PEOPLE (1993).While he had problems with the biological randomness of Darwin, he pretty much eliminated God from the equation of how human life began.

The God-incorporated alternative to Darwinism now being proposed by who else but the President of the United States of America,Shaw felt that the life force is transmitted by rare men of genius who were selected by nature to carry on the work of building up an intellectual consciousness.In "Man and Superman" the Don Juan was an asexual but in a way religious and felt that life could be improved and that meant getting rid of 'imprisoning conventions.'

The intelligent design is a hot topic now among theologians, educators and scientists who want this concept taught in the schools along with Darwin (leaving out the Biblical account).Shaw left out completedly the thought of God having anything to do whatsoever with the human existence; it was just a 'what-if' story idea which extremely religious people believe to be the truth.

Shaw's "Devil's Disciple" was his first commercial success with Richard Mansfield as the matinee idol starring in the play set during the American Revoluiton.His earlier "Man and Superman" was placed on a restricted list by the libraries so it could not infect young minds with its unorthodox view of God and matrimony.His play about prostitution, so prevalent in the century he was so prolific with his works, "Mrs. Warren's Profession," played to a sold out audience with up to 3,000 people turned away at the door.This popular sensation was closed down by the police and the entire cast faced charges of 'disorderly conduct.'

Every star wanted to be Henry Higgins in "Pygmalion" played by Peter O'Toole and Leslie Howard.Rex Harrison played the part in the movie, "My Fair Lady."Lynn Fontanne and Wendy Hiller, along with Mrs. Partick Campbell on whom the play was based, wanted to play Eliza Doolittle.

He wrote to Mrs. Campbell "I can't be sympathetic; these things simply make me furious," when her son was killed in 1918 by the Germans as the war was ended.He wrote articulate letters throughout his life to many people, "some subjects that language cannot accommodate."

He had his place in our world and prophesied what was to come on Broadway, the British stage, and the controversial world of science and biology.He was the forerunner to beat all!

WRITER TO WRITER
In only one hundred pages Chesterton encapsulates the influences on and works of George Bernard Shaw, and he is on top form. I should say up front for those that want the Drive-Thru version, go direct to chapters 2 and 6 (35 pages total) for a sound grasp of the man, the playwright, and the later works; and double back to chapter 5 (20 pages) for the earlier works. The last chapter explains how Shaw lost his faith in humanism through reading Plato [tis se philei, o Sokrates;], and fell back in disarray to Nietzsche for backup.

What makes this biography so incisive? Firstly the fact that Chesterton and Shaw were old friends and debating partners. Second, that they were both literary gents of sharply contrasting style, and consequently struck generous bright sparks off one another. Under this stimulus the normally verbose Chesterton style is reigned in, which is a relief to those who have ever been frustrated by it. (It should go without saying that he is worth persevering with, but I took about five reads of 'Orthodoxy' to really get it. His fiction is much more concise - odd but true.)

Enjoyable disagreement
Since Chesterton and Shaw so vehemently disagreed with each other on many topics, one would expect this quick text to be filled with antagonism.Instead, it is a delightful explanation of Shaw's background, biography and beliefs, told in a gentle, light-hearted manner.Chesterton shows a great respect for his adversary, while making clear his own views through quite a few of the one-sentence quotables for which he is well known. ... Read more

Product Description
With the plays in this 1898 collection-Widower's Houses, The Philanderer, and Mrs. Warren's Profession-Shaw challenges his audiences' moral complacency in the face of serious social problems and inequities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unpleasant topics, but ideologically important
The plays of Bernard Shaw span many years and cover many topics.While many of Shaw's works are entertaining as well as enlightening, the plays in this volume (written very early in his career) tackle complex issues that concern society. These plays force us to critically view how success in the world is judged.They demonstrate how any of us may unknowingly be an accomplice to or a participant in activities to which we stringently object on a moral basis.This is pertinent in society today!The works in this volume open our eyes. . .and we may not like what we see.In summary, the plays in this volume are important, although they will hopefully make the reader feel somewhat uncomfortable.A well planned anthology of Shaw's work should be part of any college education ... Read more

Product Description
The Doctor's Dilemma is a play by G. Bernard Shaw first staged in 1906. The extensive preface to the play points out that there is another dilemma: poor doctors are easily tempted to perform costly but useless (and in the best case harmless) operations or treatments on their patients for personal gain. "Can this man make better use of his leg than I of fifty pounds?" This was reportedly inspired on the behaviour of a prominent Ear Nose and Throat specialist in London who had developed a simple and harmless operation to remove the uvula. This did not benefit any of his patients but made the surgeon a great deal of money. The play also mentions (then) new developments in the germ theory of disease, namely opsonins, and included socialist and anti-vivisectionist viewpoints. Specifically, it could be considered as advocating a National Health Service, such as was created in Britain four decades later - since a doctor who is employed by the state and gets a fixed salary for treating whoever needs medical attention would not face the dilemma discussed in the foreword. The theme of the play remains current: in any time, there will be treatments that are so scarce or costly that some people can have them while others cannot. Who is to decide, and on which grounds is the decision to be taken?

George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950) was an Irish playwright. Although Shaw's first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, his talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60 plays. Nearly all his writings deal sternly with prevailing social problems, but have a vein of comedy to make their stark themes more palatable. Shaw examined education, marriage, religion, government, health care and class privilege, and found them all defective. He was most angered by the exploitation of the working class, and most of his writings censure that abuse. An ardent socialist, Shaw wrote many brochures and speeches for the Fabian Society. He became an accomplished orator in the furtherance of its causes, which included gaining equal political rights for men and women, alleviating abuses of the working class, rescinding private ownership of productive land, and promoting healthful lifestyles. He is the only person to have been awarded both the Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938). These were for his contributions to literature and for his work on the film Pygmalion, respectively. Shaw wanted to refuse his Nobel Prize outright because he had no desire for public honors, but accepted it at his wife's behest: she considered it a tribute to Ireland. He did reject the monetary award, requesting it be used to finance translation of Swedish books to English. - Wikipedia ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

May superior people avoid obeying the law?
Shaw satirizes several things in this magnificent play. The principle theme is a doctor who feels certain that he has found a cure for tuberculoses. He is approached by a beautiful woman who wants him to include her husband into his medical trials. He only has place for one more person, either the husband or an old poor unsuccessful doctor. His dilemma is that he has fallen in love with the wife and needs to decide if he wants to help the husband live. If the husband dies, he will have a chance to marry the widow who he thinks is attracted to him. Shaw calls this a "moral," but not a "legal" dilemma, and readers need to decide if he is correct and, if so, why?

Shaw introduces a handful of other doctors, all of whom are pompously certain that they can cure people by their own methods, each different than the others, while even a non-physician reader will realize that what their claims are rubbish. Many of their patients die because of their treatments. One of these doctors is a physician who misuses our protagonist's serum and thereby kills his patients. Our protagonist refers the husband to this doctor.

Shaw mocks others in this play. There is a newspaper reporter who is unable to see what is happening before him, unable to understand events, unable to write and spell.

Shaw raises an interesting and thought-provoking question in this play, found in some of his other plays, whether a person who is a genius, a "Nietzschean Superman," must obey the laws that were established to control the general public. The husband is such a person. He is a superb artist. Yet others consider him rouge. He borrows money with no intent to repay. He marries a woman without disclosing that he is already married. Shaw mocks himself when he has the husband say that he is a follower of Bernard Shaw's teaching about the "Superman."
... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Available in paperback for the first time, Gareth Griffith's book provides a comprehensive critical account of the political ideas of one of the most influential commentators of the twentieth century.
With close reference to a range of Shaw's texts, from the Fabian tracts to the plays, Gareth Griffith draws out the central theoretical messages of Shaw's engagement with politics. The first part of the book provides an intellectual biography, while at the same time analysing Shaw's key concerns in relation to his Fabianism, arguments for equality of income and ideas on democracy and education. Part Two looks at those areas which Shaw approached as long-standing historical problems or dramas requiring immediate thought or action; sexual equality, the Irish question, war, fascism and sovietism.
The book is directed to the general reader as well as to specialists. It will be central reading for anyone seeking to understand Shaw's life, and literary and political writings, or the development of political thinking in this century, or the problems and potential inherent in socialism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

metaphysics, pursuit of Happiness, evolutionary righteousness
George Bernard Shaw was the master intellectual of British socialism and has been one of the most influential political commentators of the twentieth century. "Socialism and Superior Brains" provides a comprehensive critical account of his political ideas. Shaw assumed many roles as a thinker, including those of artist-philosopher, clowning prophet, and pamphleteer. This book explains the methods he employed, the levels of abstraction at which his thought operated, and the intentions which informed his epic engagement with ideas. Part One provides an intellectual biography, while at the same time analyzing Shaw's concerns in relation to his Fabianism, arguments for equality of income, and ideas on democracy and education. Part Two looks at those areas which Shaw approached as long-standing historical problems or dramas requiring immediate thought or action: sexual equality, the Irish question, war, fascism and Sovietism. This book is directed to the general reader as well as the specialist. It will be central reading for anyone seeking to understand Shaw's life, his literary and political writings, or the development of political thinking in this century.

The above paragraph delineates the book in accordance with the published outline. Yet there is much more to the book than may meet the eye from the perspective of an intelligent reader. It is in the crevices of the structure that Shaw refuses to edify wherein we find the energy of his thought, much as in his plays where the whimsical is but a cover for the depth of a psychological trance. Shaw's concept of individual anarchism and his countercultural descriptions of evolutionary righteousness put him beyond the order of most liberal thinkers, and daringly exploit and expound a theorem that goes beyond good and evil. But to allow for the inadmissible prescription of a utopian society, that in addition to being functional is also adherent to the stratas of individual aims is a project that requires more than simple aggregates of historical and political investigations, astute suppositions and penetrating assessments; it calls for a great deal of maturity which may readily be condensed into a symptom of naiveté by critics of every stamp or affiliation. It is not since William Morris that a thinker as dreamy as Shelley and as beaming with common sense as Thomas Paine forced his thought on the general public. His reputation as a playwright speaks in favor of his artistic virtues, but we have only controversial and insolent ridicule when we approach him as a bona fide political thinker. The issue here, perhaps, may be more than a matter of style, or truth: it may be buried in a heap of psychological habits we find too appealing to admit as appalling. If one were to take Shaw's claim that we should do away with punishment altogether, as in no prisons or a an incarnate legal superego, we will find few even remotely cordial to the propositions invested in his writings. Socialism is here defined as extreme for practical purposes, anarchism as absolute freedom and, finally life not as a dialectical struggle but borne of a freedom that we have denied ourselves by way of social hierarchical diagnostics and a concept of democracy Shaw judges as absurd and distressing - the art of deceit most effectively endowed with consent by those being deceived.
Furthermore Griffith dilutes the presence of a social imperative that draws its impressions without the stigma of a political orientation. Words suchh as class struggle, economic equality are wielded with sensibility and a sense of historical authority, but the cynicism of classifications within a framework of proletarian or a bourgeoisie morality are radically forsworn. The essence of its political statement is assumed under the head of socialism and Fabianism, but the intent is not so much to educated, rather it is to uneducated a socius of assumed truths that demean, degrade and incarcerate. Foucault designates anthropology, by circumscriptions that uproot an archeology of knowledge that defines the individual in ways that make us feel strangers to ourselves, but Shaw's depth stood beyond the strata of discourse of his time and still does of ours. The philosophy of life, implicitly and explicitly, must yet be understood, and Gareth Griffith does an admirable work in trying to bring us closer to the core of its tenets. However it is safe to say that if we look upon the beauty of humanity as a utopian distillation then we realize why the use of words such as superman or ubermensch are greeted with disparaging tones and fearful cadences. In all truth the message here treated is too much for us and the author might as well have screamed his heart out in the desert because few, less than few, will peruse this book with that suspension of preconceived ideas which we must by necessity begin from and map out of. Garreth Griffith does more than just offer a delighful read, this study is more than merely a source whereby the acquisition of knowledge of a major playwright may be had; There is the candor of innocence, the wisp of absence, the insistant breakdown of our compromising tendencies, and in doing so challenges its audience to truly listen to its content, as if the echo of its voice where to travel beyond the borders of space lost in an abyss of skepticism. this is the best secondary literature on the subject and an indispensable guide to 20th century political thought. But it is a work of postmodern sensibility, which reluctantly deciphers the chaos from the carnival. In its explication the book does nothing less tha expound the heart of postmodern ethics. Beckett and Shaw are far more similar than we may at first realize. They are two sides of the same coin: from head to tail one choice to make: coin. But that's not fair... ... Read more

Product Description
With Saint Joan, Shaw reached the height of his fame as a dramatist. Fascinated by the story of Joan of Arc (canonized in 1920), but unhappy with "the whitewash which disfigures her beyond recognition," he presents a realistic Joan: proud, intolerant, naïve, foolhardy, always brave-a rebel who challenged the conventions and values of her day.Amazon.com Review
Joan of Arc, born in 1412, was burned at the stake in 1431, canonized by the Catholic Church in 1920, and, like most saints, whitewashed byhistory. Canonization tends to strip a saint of supposedlyun-Christian attributes such as rebelliousness, pride, and intolerance. And Joan, despite having been a stubborn, haughty, naive, even foolishgirl, has for much of history been remembered only as a pious martyr. However, George Bernard Shaw's play, Saint Joan, completed in 1925,began the modern rehabilitation of the icon as a fully human, falliblecharacter--not to mention a poster girl for teenage rebellion and feminism.Shaw's Joan, like the real Maid of Orleans, leads the fight to drive theEnglish out of her native France, insists on direct communication with herGod instead of submitting to the mediation of Catholic priests, and refusesto dress, speak, or act according to traditional notions of how women wereexpected to behave. Until the closing scene of Shaw's play, however,neither Joan nor her foes are cast in neatly heroic terms. Both areearnestly pursuing their partial visions of the truth. In the play'sfamous epilogue, Shaw suggests that even 400 years later, most ofus are so limited by our own perspectives that we are unable to tell thedifference between a saint and a heretic. "O God that madest thisbeautiful earth, when will it be ready to receive Thy saints?" Joan asks,preparing for her death. "How long, O Lord, how long?" --Michael JosephGross ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Too smart, apparently, for some
"Cauchon: If you dare do what this woman has done - set your country above the holy Catholic Church - you shall go to the fire with her."

So speaks a more engaging, complex executioner of the legendary young soldier put forth by Bernard Shaw in "Saint Joan." Even if the Bishop put Joan to death for political reasons he likely believed that her execution was just. The Catholic Church's problems with Joan lingered for nearly 500 years. Her active assertion of nationalism as a holy endeavor intuited by her own judgment undermined the Catholic church's political authority, and yes, presaged the Reformation, even if Joan was not a Protestant (Shaw labels her "anti clerical").

And she willingly asserted a non-traditional feminine role (soldiering and politicking), which by its nature required non-traditional feminine behavior and dress.Reviewers who say that Joan wore armor to keep from being raped are half right, since Joan's soldiering included such occupational hazards, as with being wounded.But she did and thrived at it anyway. In fact, I agree with Shaw that the voices spurring her on were Joan's own subconcious, but that is another debate...

Those who are skeptical of Shaw's ideas would do well to consider the year of her Canonization: 1920. It's no accident that a year after the Great War, in which the world's powers successfully mobilized against each other in the name of Nationalism (the churches providing prayers and getting out of the way), that Catholicism threw up its hands and recognized the genius of the young French teenager. This too as women had been called on in support roles like nurses and ambulance drivers, and were being enfranchised by their European and American nations.

The play itself is typical Shaw - bright, smart, very worthwhile.None of the play's acts goes on too long.None is weak, except for Act III on the eve of the battle of Orleans, but Shaw is Shaw and seems embarassed by the warlike bluster. Joan herself, as others have observed, often speaks in lines that are taken directly from the trial transcripts.When she doesn't it's usually to give her a flash of wit that rarely seems contrived. This is Joan for grown-ups.And it is Joan for the 21st century: post-modern, the old sentiments put aside.

Also reccomended: Regine Pernoud's books. If you need to hear what a pretty, chaste, tear-provoking, goody goody of a girl Joan was buy Mark Twain (I myself donated that volume to the public library when I was 17).

Shaw's Joan of Arc story knows no border on Earth
Shaw's keen understanding of French Patriotism as illustrated in Joan of Arc story transcends borders, cultures, languages and skin colors. The legacy of Joan's heroism, her vision and her love of humanity and her country still haunts both Western and Eastern civilizations in each individual's effort to fulfill his "duties" in life.

Saint Joan on audio tape
Audio recordings of plays are usually done with different actors reading the roles as in a radio play.This is the first time I have listened to a play being read by only one reader.It is not at all the same experience, but better than one might expect.The reader uses a neutral American accent for the French characters, but a slightly British one to differentiate the English characters.There was a recording on Caedmon of the play with Siobhan McKenna repeating her famous performance, but it is not available.(Some libraries still have it on vinyl, but that doesn't help me pass the time while commuting.)

Shaw's play is intriguing, coming as it did so soon after Joan's canonization and Ireland's war for independence ("France for the French"), but there is no denying that is rather untheatrical, save for the climactic scene. Joan confesses to her supposed sins to save her life, but then withdraws the confession, choosing execution and martydom.I had never realized how much Arthur Miller owed to Shaw; I was reminded of the scene in The Crucible when John Proctor confesses to a lie and then recants, preferring an honorable death.These scenes are both based on historical events, of course, but the resemblance in the way they are dramatized is striking nonetheless.Here's a potential trivia topic: How many plays and movies can you think of that use the device of a false confession followed by an even more dramatic retraction?

Shaw never misses a chance to make a good point.
I have seen this performed, I have read it and I have heard it on a tape from Books on Tape for the Blind and Disabled.I loved it every time.I agree fully with Shaw that the Catholic Church has gotten a bad rap over Joan.When you listen to her words she was espousing overt Protestant beliefs -- God can, should and will speak to one person, individually and doesn't require a mediator like the Pope or Mary or any of the saints.

I actually got the most out of this play by hearing it on a tape from Books on Tape for the Blind and Disabled.I was able to speed the tape up and suddenly the wimpy, silly voices of the court officials came out perfectly.The farce inside the tragedy revealed itself clearly.

Shaw is brilliant and astute -- but no one needs me to tell them that!

Drama Instead of History
This is George Bernard Shaw's most important work.A successful drama that has enjoyed continuous popularity for nearly eighty years is worth a read.Most audiences find it very satisfying.Shaw has a gift for lucid dialogue that brings a centuries old story to life.This is one of the most approachable of the great English language plays.

Why then does "Saint Joan" fall short of five stars?

Fictional accounts of Joan of Arc's life are numerous and seldom accurate.Shakespeare makes her a witch.Voltaire makes her an idiot.Schiller makes her admirable - and gives her a magical helmet that protects her from harm until she falls in love.

In a rare exception to his usual satirical style, Mark Twain spent months in France researching her life and published a fictional biography.Readers who enjoy accurate historical fiction would do well with Twain's "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc."Twain considered this - not "Huckleberry Finn" - to be his finest work.

Shaw pays far more attention to accuracy than most fictionalizations.Several lines in the play are Shaw's own translations from her trial transcript.Shaw's long introductory essay aspires to be history as well as drama.Most scholars agree with his assessment of Joan of Arc's socioeconomic background.Shaw acknowledges a few dramatic economies: he combines the historical Jean d'Orleans and Duke Jean d'Alencon into a single character.What causes problems are Shaw's unacknowledged deviations from the factual record.

Shaw argues that Joan of Arc was a forerunner of Protestantism who got a fair trial.Among serious scholars this argument gains no credibility.A surviving letter from the English government that financed the trial guaranteed her execution even if the court found her not guilty.Joan of Arc never rejected the Roman Catholic Church: she rejected the authority of politically biased judges bent on discrediting her and, by inference, on discrediting the king she had crowned.Twenty-four years after her death the Pope reopened the case.The appeals court not only found her innocent but discovered such extensive violations of proper court procedure that it accused the late Bishop Cauchon of heresy.

Shaw's choice works as drama rather than as history yet he advocates it on historical grounds.He might be sincere but he is certainly not honest.To an academic scholar who has explained the facts to umpteen Shaw enthusiasts the difference can be infuriating.This is why "Saint Joan" collects a handful of scathing reviews.

A reader who understands this little shell game with history should have a lively time with the drama.If this is your first reading of "Saint Joan" then I envy you.Nothing quite equals the first encounter. ... Read more

Product Description
George Bernard Shaw was the greatest British dramatist after Shakespeare, a satirist equal to Jonathan Swift, and a playwright whose most profound gift was his ability to make audiences think by provoking them to laughter.

In one of his best-loved plays, Pygmalion, which later became the basis for the musical My Fair Lady, Shaw compels the audience to see the utter absurdity and hypocrisy of class distinction when Professor Henry Higgins wagers that he can transform a common flower girl into a lady—and then pass her off as a duchess—simply by changing her speech and manners.

In Major Barbara Shaw spins out the drama of an eccentric millionaire, a romantic poet, and a misguided savior of souls, Major Barbara herself, in a topsy-turvy masterpiece of sophisticated banter and urbane humor. His brilliant dialogue, combined with his use of paradox and socialist theory, never fails to tickle, entertain—and challenge.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Manipulation in the name of science...
Before I read Pygmalion everythin I knew was, that is was connected to the musical 'My fair lady'. So first of all I was scared because musicals arer not the kind of entertainment I prefer. But while reading it the manipulation of a poor an first mentally weak girl in the name of science an in a sadistic and somehow abusing way kept me in suspense to go on reading. And beside that human-despising experiment a little love story evolved to a happy end. To conclude I want to justify the 'just' three stars: I don't like love stories.

Praise for Shaw's Voice
Shaw masters satire in Pymalion his play with a double edged sword.A superficial examination of the play reveals it to be a self-rightoues lesson in grammar. But a deeper inspection shows it tobe a toungue in cheek comedy (albeit a critical one) that reveals much about the British society of the time (particularly linguistically speaking).Henry Higgin's unabashed condescending attitude provide many laughs while Eliza's emotion filled responses are also humorous and no less insightful.The prolougue although irritating to most, gives the play a unique voice and the epilogue although considered by many to be a literary fallacy says true to Shaw's style.I have only one complaint about this book that I can rant on about to no end, that fact that he say's English is the language of the Bible. Is English the lanuguage of Crime and Punishment or Metamorphosis because it was translated in English? Please, don't insult us. But aside from that it is a Brilliant play!

The Pygmalion was wonderful, but Major Barbara...?
This was, all in all, a charming little book.I loved the Pygmalion and the manipulative male lead, Professor Higgins.Major Barbara, on the other hand, was as boring as could be.The preface?Don't even bother reading. It was absolute boredom, and completely unaffective on the reading of MajorBarbara.The Pygmalion, while I did not particularly enjoy the epilogue(I'm a romantic), was very clever and yes, probably the real aspect of howthings turn out.So, all being said, read the book!It is a delightfullittle sample of Shaw's work.

Witty compositions but unable to escape parochialism
The worst thing I found was Shaw's ending epilogue after the Pygmalion. He went too far, too deep and too preachy in his imagination of how thingswere to turn out.His lengthy preface to Major Barbara may well reflectsentiments at the turn of the century, but he never looked at the question"whether he imagined the impoverished becoming like him or himbecoming like the impoverished" when he talked idealistically againstthe tyranny of poverty.He showed no comprehension of basic economics,social evolution nor human nature.Had he lived longer, he might have seenit in the collapse of communism in eastern Europe.That is not to say Shawwas espousing communism, and it can be argued that the communism was animperfect implementation of a perfect solution.The same then can be saidof a lot of other things, including Christianity, the Church, the SalvationArmy, nationhood, law enforcement as well as the judiciary.None set outto commit the sins they did.At the end of the day, helping feed a singleindividual may cause no more harm than helping no individuals but sittingdown and espousing fine rhetorics and theories and ideals which lead toestablishment of institutions modelled after them which affect thousandsinstead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Master of Opinion
For three quarters of a century Bernard Shaw bombarded editors of newspapers aned journals with polemical letters, thereby gaining access to a large and varied reading audience.Collected in this book for the first time, these rich and entertaining letters are gathered from hundreds of correspondence collumns, and run chronologically from 1875, when Shaw was nineteen, to 1950, the year of his death.

Here is Shaw at his outrageous best, with opinions on everything from the abolition of Christmas to the atomic bomb, from BBC pronunciation to Wagnerian opera.Through his letters to the press Shaw debated such adversaries as G.K. Chesterton, H.G. Wells, and Arthur Conan Doyle, to the enlightenment and entertainment of the reading public. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Too smart, apparently, for some
"Cauchon: If you dare do what this woman has done - set your country above the holy Catholic Church - you shall go to the fire with her."

So speaks a more engaging, complex executioner of the legendary young soldier put forth by Bernard Shaw in "Saint Joan." Even if the Bishop put Joan to death for political reasons he likely believed that her execution was just. The Catholic Church's problems with Joan lingered for nearly 500 years. Her active assertion of nationalism as a holy endeavor intuited by her own judgment undermined the Catholic church's political authority, and yes, presaged the Reformation, even if Joan was not a Protestant (Shaw labels her "anti clerical").

And she willingly asserted a non-traditional feminine role (soldiering and politicking), which by its nature required non-traditional feminine behavior and dress.Reviewers who say that Joan wore armor to keep from being raped are half right, since Joan's soldiering included such occupational hazards, as with being wounded.But she did and thrived at it anyway. In fact, I agree with Shaw that the voices spurring her on were Joan's own subconcious, but that is another debate...

Those who are skeptical of Shaw's ideas would do well to consider the year of her Canonization: 1920. It's no accident that a year after the Great War, in which the world's powers successfully mobilized against each other in the name of Nationalism (the churches providing prayers and getting out of the way), that Catholicism threw up its hands and recognized the genius of the young French teenager. This too as women had been called on in support roles like nurses and ambulance drivers, and were being enfranchised by their European and American nations.

The play itself is typical Shaw - bright, smart, very worthwhile.None of the play's acts goes on too long.None is weak, except for Act III on the eve of the battle of Orleans, but Shaw is Shaw and seems embarassed by the warlike bluster. Joan herself, as others have observed, often speaks in lines that are taken directly from the trial transcripts.When she doesn't it's usually to give her a flash of wit that rarely seems contrived. This is Joan for grown-ups.And it is Joan for the 21st century: post-modern, the old sentiments put aside.

Also reccomended: Regine Pernoud's books. If you need to hear what a pretty, chaste, tear-provoking, goody goody of a girl Joan was buy Mark Twain (I myself donated that volume to the public library when I was 17).

Shaw's Joan of Arc story knows no border on Earth
Shaw's keen understanding of French Patriotism as illustrated in Joan of Arc story transcends borders, cultures, languages and skin colors. The legacy of Joan's heroism, her vision and her love of humanity and her country still haunts both Western and Eastern civilizations in each individual's effort to fulfill his "duties" in life.

Saint Joan on audio tape
Audio recordings of plays are usually done with different actors reading the roles as in a radio play.This is the first time I have listened to a play being read by only one reader.It is not at all the same experience, but better than one might expect.The reader uses a neutral American accent for the French characters, but a slightly British one to differentiate the English characters.There was a recording on Caedmon of the play with Siobhan McKenna repeating her famous performance, but it is not available.(Some libraries still have it on vinyl, but that doesn't help me pass the time while commuting.)

Shaw's play is intriguing, coming as it did so soon after Joan's canonization and Ireland's war for independence ("France for the French"), but there is no denying that is rather untheatrical, save for the climactic scene. Joan confesses to her supposed sins to save her life, but then withdraws the confession, choosing execution and martydom.I had never realized how much Arthur Miller owed to Shaw; I was reminded of the scene in The Crucible when John Proctor confesses to a lie and then recants, preferring an honorable death.These scenes are both based on historical events, of course, but the resemblance in the way they are dramatized is striking nonetheless.Here's a potential trivia topic: How many plays and movies can you think of that use the device of a false confession followed by an even more dramatic retraction?

Shaw never misses a chance to make a good point.
I have seen this performed, I have read it and I have heard it on a tape from Books on Tape for the Blind and Disabled.I loved it every time.I agree fully with Shaw that the Catholic Church has gotten a bad rap over Joan.When you listen to her words she was espousing overt Protestant beliefs -- God can, should and will speak to one person, individually and doesn't require a mediator like the Pope or Mary or any of the saints.

I actually got the most out of this play by hearing it on a tape from Books on Tape for the Blind and Disabled.I was able to speed the tape up and suddenly the wimpy, silly voices of the court officials came out perfectly.The farce inside the tragedy revealed itself clearly.

Shaw is brilliant and astute -- but no one needs me to tell them that!

Drama Instead of History
This is George Bernard Shaw's most important work.A successful drama that has enjoyed continuous popularity for nearly eighty years is worth a read.Most audiences find it very satisfying.Shaw has a gift for lucid dialogue that brings a centuries old story to life.This is one of the most approachable of the great English language plays.

Why then does "Saint Joan" fall short of five stars?

Fictional accounts of Joan of Arc's life are numerous and seldom accurate.Shakespeare makes her a witch.Voltaire makes her an idiot.Schiller makes her admirable - and gives her a magical helmet that protects her from harm until she falls in love.

In a rare exception to his usual satirical style, Mark Twain spent months in France researching her life and published a fictional biography.Readers who enjoy accurate historical fiction would do well with Twain's "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc."Twain considered this - not "Huckleberry Finn" - to be his finest work.

Shaw pays far more attention to accuracy than most fictionalizations.Several lines in the play are Shaw's own translations from her trial transcript.Shaw's long introductory essay aspires to be history as well as drama.Most scholars agree with his assessment of Joan of Arc's socioeconomic background.Shaw acknowledges a few dramatic economies: he combines the historical Jean d'Orleans and Duke Jean d'Alencon into a single character.What causes problems are Shaw's unacknowledged deviations from the factual record.

Shaw argues that Joan of Arc was a forerunner of Protestantism who got a fair trial.Among serious scholars this argument gains no credibility.A surviving letter from the English government that financed the trial guaranteed her execution even if the court found her not guilty.Joan of Arc never rejected the Roman Catholic Church: she rejected the authority of politically biased judges bent on discrediting her and, by inference, on discrediting the king she had crowned.Twenty-four years after her death the Pope reopened the case.The appeals court not only found her innocent but discovered such extensive violations of proper court procedure that it accused the late Bishop Cauchon of heresy.

Shaw's choice works as drama rather than as history yet he advocates it on historical grounds.He might be sincere but he is certainly not honest.To an academic scholar who has explained the facts to umpteen Shaw enthusiasts the difference can be infuriating.This is why "Saint Joan" collects a handful of scathing reviews.

A reader who understands this little shell game with history should have a lively time with the drama.If this is your first reading of "Saint Joan" then I envy you.Nothing quite equals the first encounter. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Drama / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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McCOMAS. Howled at! My dear good lady: there is nothing in any of those views now-a-days to prevent her from marrying a bishop. You reproached me just now for having become respectable. You were wrong: I hold to our old opinions as strongly as ever. I don't go to church; and I don't pretend I do. I call myself what I am: a Philosophic Radical, standing for liberty and the rights of the individual, as I learnt to do from my master Herbert Spencer. ... Read more

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Augustus Does His Bit by George Bernard Shaw
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Customer Reviews (1)

A very funny one act play
This one act comedy, written by George Bernard Shaw during the First World War, was praised during its day, but is not widely known now. Virtually every event in the play is hilarious.

Lord Augustus Highcastle, a colonel in the English army, is 45 years old. He is the scion of a prestigious family with officials in both the English and German governments. He is a fool and any who meets him can see it.

In fact the Germans once captured him when he foolhardily advanced against them. The Germans released him within an hour because they figured that it would better serve their interests if Augustus remained in the English fighting forces.Some English people similarly said that since Augustus was on the job, England needed an additional million soldiers to protect the homeland. The play pocks fun at the war and the way that the English administration is handling it.

The plot focuses upon Augustus having a secret document showing how the English placed their guns. A woman decides to steal the document from Augustus to show what a fool he is, and the play shows how she does so. While the play is not fashionable, it is a delight to read.

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The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet by George Bernard Shaw
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Customer Reviews (7)

This edition misses the point
With Shaw's plays, the point is in the preface.In the case of Androcles and the Lion, the preface is Shaw's disquisition on Christianity -- he explains it and the Gospels, in his inimitable way -- for over a hundred pages.The preface to Androcles and the Lion is one of Shaw's masterpieces...and is MISSING from this edition.Could it possibly be that this is because those putting this travesty of Shaw's work out do not want Christian readers seeing Shaw's explanation?

Read the whole book!!!
Do not be tempted to pass over the essay that begins this book.It is a delightfully thought provoking essay that sets up the story of the play.Shaw writes of his views of organized religon with support for his thesis.It is important to read this before diving into the play itself.

The play is wonderful, but the theater program must be 200 pages long.You need all the 111 pages before the play to get all of the meanings of the play.

The Folly of Martydom
To prick a thorn out of a lion's foot one will surely gain new friends and old enemies. The story of Androcles, a Christian who is about to be sent to the lions for being a heretic in the Roman Empire. A cynical, humerous,poignant, and hypocritical story of religion versus humanism. The book isintended with the introduction with Shaw's discourse on Jesus andChristianity. Although I found it dryly written, which some wit involved,he makes some good remarks on the problems of Christianity. Mainly is thedevout in which they will surely go to the lions before giving up theirgods. Hypocritically the Romans could care less who their gods were orwhether they believed in them, so long it was not a Christian god. Theintroduction acts as a set-up to put one in the mind set of Shaw and tounderstand his point of view which makes the play that much easier tounderstand and funnier to read. The play itself is a wonderful entry intothe classics of the thearter.

A Pleasant Fable
Androcles and the Lion is an allegorical work which points out that kindness is not necessarity altruistic - it can be of worth.Shaw's writing is brilliant and well worth the reading.

Excellant to show sequencing to learning disabled students
I teach 7th grade learning disabled students world history and I use Androceles and the Lion to teach sequencing skills. After I read the story, I ask the students to number in order in which they occur, several eventsin the story. ... Read more

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1898. Most of Shaw's early plays were either banned by the censor or refused production. With Plays: Pleasant and Unpleasant he sought a reading audience. He also began the practice of writing the challenging, mocking, eloquent prefaces to his plays, which were sometimes longer than the play itself. This volume contains the Unpleasant: Widowers' Houses; The Philanderer; and Mrs. Warren's Profession. ... Read more