Reviews (1)

Wonderful Book!
A must-have book.Informative and excellently written.Gives all the information you want on Public speaking. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Language    3. Language Arts & Disciplines    4. Performing Arts    5. Public speaking    6. Speech    7. Theater - General    8. Language Arts & Disciplines / Speech    9. Language teaching & learning material & coursework    10. Phonetics, phonology, prosody (speech)   

Features

• Unabridged

Reviews (57)

Excellent Quality for the price
Very nice edition, highly quality finish and binding. The pages are standard re-production for Shakespeare issues - but overall it is excellent value for money and is attractively bound. For those who want 'notes' and 'critiques' - look elsewhere. It is as described - a leather bound edition of the complete works of Shakespeare. I love it! Thank you Amazon USA, you cant get this edition in the UK.

Excelent
What can I say? Shakespeare is the man. For any of you who love shakespeare, or just need a good reference for class; this book is amazing... not only that but you will look really intelligent if you have a thick leather bound shakespeare book on your bookshelf haha

Remember......
Remember, this is a rating of not the WRITING of Shakespeare, but of the VOLUME that it is in.For those who have railed on against Shakespeare (And about how they wrote better plays about ninjas or whatever--tis true, stupid people do make themselves look like idiots on a regular basis.)this is for the book that it is in, not the writing, because there are so many books about Shakespeare, and that is what the potential consumers need. (Rated on the product's average, so as not to throw it off much.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Literature: Classics    3. Sale Adult - Plays / Drama    4. Shakespeare    5. Drama / Shakespeare    6. Shakespeare plays, texts    7. Sale Books   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (8)

Shakespeare in Wisconsin
This is a gorgeous production that is indeed a treasure.I listen with a Creative Zen Vision player and every word is delicious.I have enjoyed the first seven plays, thru Hamlet, and every nuance, every word, every inflection, pause, sound, background music theme and all the audio panorama makes every minute an absolute delight.I am now in a quandary about whether to continue listening thru the series or begin again to search among the endless audio treasures for gems I might have missed.This Arkangle series is a gift from the gods and worth many times its price. This kind of talent, dedication and flawless performance beggars description.

"...poesis, poesis, the literal characters, the vatic lines..."
I give this project five stars, but a qualified five. Like one of the other reviewers, I agree: there were certain scenes/characters I would have liked to hear performed differently, but considering the enormity of the project, 100% sustained satifaction seems an unreasonable expectation (indeed, the bard himself has some weak moments across the 38 plays--he was only human, after-all). And I would have liked it if the nondramatic poetry were included (there are several wonderful recordings of the sonnets available--I recommend Helen Vendler's rather introspective performance and Alex Jennings has recorded a fine complete version of the same--he also plays Berowne in the Arkangel "Love's Labor's Lost", a fine touch, considering the connections between the sonnets and that play!). But overall, how can you argue with an effort like this? Shakespeare is the greatest poet the Western world has known, and these recordings give overwhelming support to that critical commonplace. As literary values change (decline?), the eminence of Shakespeare becomes more important. To hear these plays is to hear the english language bursting at the seams. To know these plays is to know what poetry is capable of, which is nothing less than a sanction of life. And the audio format is perfect for poetry, which MUST be heard. Long live the audiobook!
Shakespeare sounding fabulous!
I have studied, listened to, and viewed Shakespeare's plays in all available formats for thirty years and I am thoroughly pleased with the Archangel Complete Shakespeare audio. Having listened now to Hamlet and Macbeth, I judge these two productions to be perhaps the best vocal interpretations I have heard ever, any where. They are easy to listen to and easy to understand. The actors interpretations are neither over-done nor under-done. If the remaining plays are as good, this production of the totality of the plays is a gift to scholars and to groundlings as well. Thank you Archangel et al. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    2. Drama    3. Shakespeare    4. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616    5. Unabridged Audio - Drama/Poetry    6. English    7. English literature: drama texts    8. Shakespeare plays, texts    9. Shakespeare studies & criticism   

Reviews (5)

Literature: An IntroductionRevisited
I wrote to complain about the 7th edition of this standard anthology because the editors had removed one of the world's truly great short stories, Leo Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilych," from the volume.I must now eat my words because the editors have replaced that work; I am pleased to say that I once again endorse and use the work.I wrote about the 7th edition; the Tolstoy restoration, I think, occurred in the 8th edition.I am writing now about the 9th edition, which is certainly strong and useful; I know the editors shouldn't try to please everyone.
Good solid compilation for traditional approach
A very nice textbook, with a broad selection of literature, thought-provoking questions on each selection, short author bios, discussions of literature-related concepts, and even some pictures of authors. By tackling fiction, poetry, and drama all, the book has a very comprehensive and broad approach. A specialist in any of these three areas might look elsewhere for a more focused approach to their field; for a far-ranging english literature, class, the book is very solid.

The Best Teaching Anthology
... First of all, it is massive and contains three books in one - fiction, poetry and drama. Each section includes a plethora of selections as well as longer works (like the full length plays of Hamlet and Macbeth). So one is really getting quite a library from this one book.Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections    2. Drama    3. Fiction - General    4. General    5. Literary    6. Literary Criticism    7. Literary Forms    8. Literature    9. Literature (General)    10. Poetry    11. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    12. Literary studies: general   

Reviews (26)

"It is no part of salvation that you should use me!"
Arthur Miller's masterful play explores the consequences of greed, envy, vengeance, extremism, and hypocrisy run amok. It is set in Salem during the infamous witch trials, but could easily translate to other times in history (Robespierre's reign of terror during the French revolution, McCarthy's Communist hearings, etc.). Miller shows how the witch trials took flight and gathered speed and power until they nearly consumed the whole of Salem. He also shows how the officials in charge refused to hear evidence contrary to their purpose so as not to lose face publicly by standing down. Through the story of John and Elizabeth Proctor, a couple caught in the center of the firestorm, the tragedy of the trials is made abundantly clear. In a futile attempt to save his wife from the machinations of Abigail Williams (the young girl Proctor had had an affair with, and who kicks off the accusations with her friends to get Elizabeth Proctor out of the way so that she can be with John), Proctor fights the system by challenging the court to see the motives behind the accusations. His attempts to bring reason into madness are met with the insistence that if he is not with them, he is against them (which should sound eerily familiar to anyone with a television set). After Proctor himself has been accused of colluding with the Devil and sentenced to death the officials in charge become determined to use him to validate their holy terror. If Proctor, a popular and well-liked man in town, were to lie and give them a confession that he had conspired with Satan it would legitimize all of the hangings that went on in the public eye. Giving a false confession would save Proctor from hanging and allow him to live to see the birth of the child Elizabeth is carrying -- but can he go through with it? Miller's multilayered play is a classic for the ages -- a truly timeless work of drama that is every bit as relevant today as it was when it was first produced in 1953 (at the height of the McCarthy hearings), and which will most likely prove relevant in another fifty years as well. That is a sad statement for humanity, but a credit to Miller for his perceptive eye and his courage to capture it so eloquently. Perhaps with the example set forth in "The Crucible" we can learn from the past, and not be doomed to repeat it.

The awful price of "extremism in the pursuit of liberty"

An extraordinary play -- about McCathy"s witchhunt
My wife and I first read this play about 35 years ago and we saw it performed (separately)in lackluster productions.
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Subjects:  1. American    2. Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775    3. Drama    4. General    5. History    6. Massachusetts    7. Miller, Arthur - Plays & Criticism    8. Plays    9. Plays / Drama    10. Salem    11. Salem (Mass.)    12. Witchcraft    13. Fiction / Classics   

Reviews (23)

Evolution

To thine own self be true ...
William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is arguably the most famous play ever written in the English language; presenting the world with questions and characters that have been the subject of thespian and scholarly debate ever since the Prince of Denmark's first appearance on the stage of London's Globe Theatre. Probably written and first performed in 1601 (estimates vary between 1600 and 1602), the play draws on Saxo Grammaticus's late 12th/early 13th century chronicle "Gesta Danorum," which includes a popular legend with a similar plot centering around a prince named Amleth; as well as several more contemporaneous sources, primarily Francois de Belleforest's "Histoires Tragiques, Extraicts des Oeuvres Italiennes de Bandel" (1559-1580), which expands on the story told in the "Gesta Danorum," and a lost play known as the "Ur-Hamlet" (i.e., original "Hamlet"), sometimes also attributed to Shakespeare, but equally likely written by a different author a few decades earlier. Another work frequently cited in this context is 16th century playwright Thomas Kyd's "Spanish Tragedie."
I love the play Hamlet!
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet
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Subjects:  1. 1564-1616    2. 1564-1616.    3. Classics    4. Drama    5. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    6. Fiction    7. Hamlet    8. Hamlet (Legendary character)    9. Literature: Classics    10. Plays / Drama    11. Shakespeare    12. Shakespeare, William,    13. Drama / General   

Reviews (3)

Fare Book- Nasty Price
The book is very basic (almost superficial) but covers most of the important ground well enough. However, it has two major draw-backs: It was great.
Book was great.It was used but in good condition.It arrived in only a couple days.

Great resource book for debaters!
This book is an excellent resource for both high school and college debaters in both the policy and value areas.I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Critical thinking    2. Debate And Forensics    3. Debates and debating    4. Decision making    5. General    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    9. Persuasion (Rhetoric)    10. Public Speaking    11. Reasoning    12. Speech    13. Discourse analysis    14. Philosophy / General    15. Rhetoric   

Subjects:  1. American    2. American Contemporary Drama    3. Drama    4. Fiction - General    5. Literary    6. Mccarthy, Cormac - Prose & Criticism    7. Plays    8. Drama / American   

Reviews (136)

A Raisin in the Sun
I purchased this audio tape for my daughter for a summer reading assignment for school. It was easy to listen to and follow. We listened to it in the car each time we had to go somewhere. It kept our interest and was a great way to complete the assignment. I wish more book were available on audio.

"A Raisin in the Sun" is great American play that is human and touching.
This play was also required of me on my 10th-grade English class. Boring, right? Not really. I found the story to be inspiring and emotional and the characters realistic, multi-faceted and down-to-earth. Beneatha's loftiness, spontaneity and charming flightiness reminded me very much of my younger sister, which enhanced the realism of the book. The character of Mama was someone I would have liked to meet in real life; simple and ignorant but conventionally wise and hardworking. The story dealt with both the characters' internal and external conflicts, conflicts with money, lovers and family, which in my mind made it very interesting reading. This book outlines a colorful premise on the life of an African American family and describes their fight for their dreams.
Wantin Some Extra Credit!!!!!! WB Period 5
A Raisin in The Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry is a powerful and captivating book.The book sheds light on many issues not only dealt with in African American families but for any American family. There are problems with racism, unemployment, living conditions, and disputes over the way money should be spent are all present in this book and plenty of people can relate to them. The characters in the book are realistic and the reader should be able to find a piece of them in one of the characters. One of the characters that stood out to me in this book was the father Walter Younger. He was a strong man but he also had many weaknesses. He would do anything for his family but that also led him to making wrong decisions that put his family in bad positions. I feel like I can relate to Walter because I know I would go to any length to support my family even if I had to do things that weren't viewed upon as morally right. I feel that this book was a great read and being able to watch the play is an opportunity that should not be missed. I would recommend this book to anyone from the 8th grade and up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American families    2. American    3. Classics    4. Drama    5. Plays    6. Plays / Drama    7. Drama / American    8. Drama texts: from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. Collections    2. Drama    3. General    4. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    5. Literary Criticism    6. Literature    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Poetry    9. Rhetoric    10. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    11. Literary studies: general   

Features

• Unabridged

Reviews (37)

"Can you speak one minute without we land in Hell again? I am sick of Hell!"
When John Proctor says these words at the beginning of this play, he has no idea that he himself will face accusations of being in league with the Devil.Though he has sinned by committing adultery with Abigail Williams, he believes the witchcraft trials which will ultimately consumed him to be the result of human, rather than godly, forces. Playwright Arthur Miller sets the scene for this action in an Overture explaining the theocracy which controlled Salem. Powerful clergymen, some more rigid in their interpretations of Scripture than others, "protected" citizens by enforcing conformity with the church's teachings. people never change
I just finished the book, found it very depressing but good.It seems like at least several times a century some major event related to bigotry/religious fanaticism/politics occurs that contributes to a major change in thought, etc., such as the salem trails, civil war, inquistion, civil rights, etc.It's depressing enough to think these terrible things have to happen for people to behave in a humane, understanding and tolerant way but it reminds me of a book by Barbara Tuchman called A Distant Mirror in which she quotes Voltaire saying "History never repeats itself, man always does". He was right, she was right.That we are still doing the equivalent of things like the salem trials that happened several centuries ago proves that man is essentially never going to change for the better.It's a gloomy thought but all you have to do is look at what is going on in the world today to see the truth of it. I wish now I hadn't read it, I don't always want to be reminded of how awful human beings can be, the news is enough.But, having said all that, it's still a very good book.However, in reading some of the other reviews I can't believe some of the nuts who write them, meaning the extreme right and left wing people, all you can do after reading one of their reviews is shake your head in disbelief, and think to yourself, it's people like this that have caused all the chaos in the world.
The Crucible
The printing is of poor quality, some pages are genuinely difficult to read. Since I was unable to view pages on the website I was unaware of the print quality. I would choose a different edition, if I had it to do again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Fiction/Suspense Thriller    2. American    3. Audio Adult: Other    4. Audio adaptations    5. Audiobooks    6. Drama    7. Unabridged Audio - Drama/Poetry   

Reviews (2)

All the world is a romantic comedy.
I recently re-read AS YOU LIKE IT prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1552-1616) produced this romantic comedy in 1599 and published it in the First Folio in 1623.
All The World's A Stage
As You Like It is one of Shakespeare's most beloved pastoral comedies. Banishment, disguises and love are the elements with which Shakespeare weaves his tale of several pairs of lovers who ultimately wind up marrying in the forest of Arden.
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Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Drama    3. Exiles    4. Fathers and daughters    5. General    6. Pastoral drama    7. Plays    8. Plays / Drama    9. Shakespeare    10. Drama / General   

Reviews (18)

Amazing
Amazing. The modern play of a man being interrogated by two detectives from a totalitarian state. The thoughts on writing and authorship and readership all help to highlight a larger question: What is the author's responsibility for the morality of his readers? A big question indeed.
Scary and Brillant
This play will leave you stunned. With so many twist that you can not believe what you are reading, this script never left my hand. I was left with this feeling of shock and terror. With mild humor thrown in and random times, this is a must read play for theatre people and the general public alike. I can not wait to direct this show next year. It was truely amazing. BUY IT

Must Read for Actors!
This play was amazing! I am not a reader, and I couldn't put it down. I recommend this play for any actor. It will stretch your mind and acting abilities. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. English Contemporary Drama - Individual Authors +    3. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    4. Plays    5. Plays / Drama    6. Drama texts: from c 1900 -    7. English   

Reviews (97)

Great story, poor edition...
This play/story would have gotten a 5-star rating if it had not been a screenplay edition. I brought this book from Amazon.com because of my upcoming English class but when I got ahold of it, I was disappointed. The book does contain the same dialogue as the story version would give, but the description it gives allows you to set the stage for the play. So I guess if you are an director or actor in a theater, you might buy this edition, but if you are not, like I am, play the other edition, which gives you 11 scenes instead of "A Play in Three Acts". The reason I know that this is a good book/story is the fact that I checked out the book out of the library already, just to compare and all.
A Masterpiece of America
Personally, I do not understand how this classic literary work possible could merit a rating under 5 stars. Not only does Williams paint a realistic view of period American society, but he addresses human themes touching anyone who ever loved. I strongly recommend reading this play in order to experience the poignant and true characters Blanche and Stanley, and to learn more about yourself.

Its Not About a Taxi Cab
This play takes place in New Orleans, where most of the homes are decribed as "white" and "rickety," a place where many different "types of people," dwell. It is the month of May, and Blanche Dubois has come without warning to her sister, Stella's, flat, expecting to stay. Stanley, Stella's egotistical husband, has become suspicious of Blanche and their personalities cause a powerful conflict.
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Subjects:  1. American    2. Classics    3. Plays / Drama    4. Fiction / Literary   

Reviews (11)

Yale's may be the best edition of Macbeth
Virtually all editions of Macbeth will have at least some annotations. Rummaging through five different editions, I preferred the Yale University Press version, edited by Burton Raffel, as having the most comprehensive and comprehensible notes, as well as an excellent introduction to Shakespeare's play. Raffel not only explains the meanings of obscure words, but also gives brief notes pertaining to relevant history, geography, stage directions, etc, that are rarely addressed as fully by other editors. In addition, Raffel frequently gives the proper way to stress the syllables in a line when reading it aloud, which can be extremely helpful. (However, in most places these stresses need to be very subtle, so that you don't sound like "taDUM taDUM taDUM".) And Yale's page layout is among the clearest that I've seen.
Macbeth does murder sleep -finish it tonight
One of the great Shakespearian tragedies. It deals with political avarice in the royal family and the consequences thereof on the personal lives of those involved.
a wonderful tragedy ...
Today, many people desire to see what lies ahead in life but fail to realize the ceaseless consequences that can transpire if premonitions about the future come about prior to its arrival. Macbeth is the victim in this situation, when he receives a foretelling from three supernatural witches that he would become the king of Scotland. From then on, fueled by his greed, Macbeth does anything to reign, and goes far enough as to killing his best friend. As the previous noble knight becomes a malicious evildoer, many people in Scotland yearn for his abdication or someone to put an end to his life. Soon, their wish comes through.
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Subjects:  1. 11th cent.    2. Classics    3. Drama    4. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    5. Fiction    6. King of Scotland,    7. Kings and rulers    8. Literature: Classics    9. Macbeth,    10. Plays / Drama    11. Regicides    12. Scotland    13. Shakespeare    14. Drama / General   

Reviews (3)

The Text is Excellent.
I have taught with several of the major readers on the market: Samovar and Porter's, Nakayama and Martin, and others. This text has the most well written readings and contains articles on many seminal issues, context (Hall), time (Hall), etc. This text has the LEAST blatantly fluff filled articles intended only to titillate and pander to students. Additionally, if you review some of the other texts, you will see that they often have poorly referenced articles and the work is less than scholarly. It is possible to write a chapter for a reader such as this and support your content with support and references. The articles here are interesting, well written, well referenced, and more-grounded in theory and research than a lot of the competition. I recommend it highly. MLK

Great Book!! Very Informative
I was lucky enough to take a class from Professor Samovar.This was a great book and a good introduction to intercultural communication.

Order: Intercultural Communication : A Reader
Intercultural Communication : A Readerby Larry A. Samovar (Editor), Richard E. PorterPaperback 9th edition (July 1999)Wadsworth Pub Co; ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Intercultural communication    3. Performing Arts    4. Performing Arts/Dance    5. Speech    6. Theater - General    7. Communication Studies    8. Language Arts & Disciplines / Speech   

Reviews (15)

Kicking the Habit
Are there times in the course of human endeavors where the end justifies the means?Are there times when mere suspicion is sufficient to take up arms against a potential threat? Suppose the potential victim is a child and the suspected predator is a person of power. Suppose the suspect is your superior? Suppose you are a nun and he is a priest. Do you act to stop him without proof? How much proof of harm, potential harm, do you need?Does the way the priest looks at the boy provide sufficient reason for a nun to interfere? Suppose the evidence of that "look" came to the nun second hand. Then what? What should the nun do?
So good it is destined to be a classic of dramatic arts.
John Patrick Shanley's script for the play Doubt is a masterpiece. It is basically about "truth" as a social construct with a broad range of consequences depending on how the construct is framed and accepted. Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the Catholic school principal, is convinced that she has discovered a truth about Father Brendan Flynn, a robust likable assertive priest.
"What do you do when you're not sure?"
The opening line of John Patrick Shanley's spectacular Pulitzer prize winning play asks the question "What do you do when you're not sure?" When you think that something may be so, but have no proof? Do you hold out for evidence, allowing your reservations to halt any action? Or do you boldly -- perhaps recklessly -- move forward on the "proof" afforded you by your gut instinct? The two sides of this argument make up the characters of Sister Aloysius Beauvier and Sister James, two nuns at a Catholic school and church in the Bronx in 1964 who suspect that Father Flynn, the pastor, may have engaged in an improper relationship with the school's only black student. Sister Aloysius, the stern and old-fashioned principal, demands that they immediately move to have Father Flynn removed from the school, while Sister James wavers that she may have misjudged the interactions between her pupil and the seemingly benevolent Father Flynn. Since the nuns cannot go to their institution for help (Flynn would deny any wrongdoing and the monsignor would take his side) they must take action against Father Flynn directly to convince him to leave before they expose him. Naturally, Father Flynn denies any impropriety and seethes with indignation at his accusers (in righteousness? Or in desperation to protect himself?).