4 comments about King Henry VIII (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series).

1. This was an appropriate conclusion to Shakespeare's career. Not only are the characters such as Henry VIII, Cranmer, and Wolsey convincing, but the poetry and images are beautiful. In addition, through the fall of several characters such as Wolsey, we can see reflections of Shakespeare himself as he wrote his 37th and final play. It is also poetically appropriate that one of the greatest writers England ever knew ended his career by writing a play about one of the greatest kings that England ever knew! I DO NOT believe that Shakespeare only wrote parts of this play as many people do. With the beautiful images, poetry, and captivating characters, I am very confident in the belief that this play was written entirely by the one and only William Shakespeare.



2. Shakespeare managed to describe the later life of King Henry the eight, with much intelligence and gracefulness. This play, written centuries before, has captured my attention unlike any present-day play or novel. King Henry VIII was based on the life of the notoriously known King Henry the eight of England. To my dismay, only two of King Henry's wives were mentioned. This play showed how King Henry's life was never truly complete: he couldn't trust anyone, he was unfaithful to the Lord, his wives and his country, and he was never blessed with a son, to be heir to his throne. For myself, the climax of the play was viewing how the king dealt with the change of wives and the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth. The play King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare is a wonderful recommendation for anyone who wishes to understand the tidings of King Henry the eight from a fictitious, historical, personal point of view, rather than from historical facts.



3. ... the reviews for King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare (and all their other books as far as I can tell) as if different editions have the same content - obviously in the case of classics that is far from true.

   ... 3 editions of Henry VIII at this time: (1) Hardback edited by Gordon McMullar published in November 2000 (2) Paperback edited by Jay L. Halio published in September 2000 (3) Paperback edited by R. A. Foakes published in February 1998

   Their editorial reviews describe ALL 3 of these editions as "This is the first fully annotated modern-spelling edition of King Henry VIII to appear for over a decade and includes up-to-date scholarship on all aspects of the play, including dating authorship, printing, sources and stage history." I don't think so! The reader reviews don't distinguish the editions but they are the same reviews posted for the different books. I wish I could contribute the answer but I am still trying to figure it out -- in the meantime, purchase cautiously or you may be disappointed.




4. I have tried to abide by a discipline to read at least one Shakespearean play a year. I rarely if ever have reviewed any of them because they are so picked over that I don't feel that I have anything to add. However, it was with a good deal of anticipation that I stepped away from the renowned to the obscure by reading "King Henry VIII". I say that because it was the subject that interested me and I admit that it made quite a difference reading a play about someone I knew something about. This, in turn, gave me pause to consider many things about "King Henry VIII" that I would never have even known to consider about his other histories. It's not that I read many of his other histories but those that I had read left me completely at the mercy of the Bard for any sort of perspective or overview.
   
   What I found most interesting about "King Henry VIII" is the limited scope that the play covered. Let's face it: even today Ol' King Henry VIII is a treasure chest of plots and subplots. Yet Shakespeare treated his subject with a great deal of respect and, essentially, rewrote history before it was even written. The four or five main characters (with the exception of Cardinal Wolsley) all come across in good light. Perhaps Ann "Bullen" is a bit empty-headed but certainly Henry, Anne of Aragon and the lesser known (outside of the Church) Thomas Cranmer are all noble through and through. There is little of the bawdy, glutonous Henry that history has given us. You would guess that Shakespeare would have done great things with such a subject but he didn't and the question that I asked myself was; WHY?
   
   I have not studied anything about this play. I prefer to always see what the play says directly to me before being told by others as to what it means. Thus I may be stating the obvious but I came away with the conclusion that "King Henry VIII" was written for Shakespeare's Quenn Elizabeth. It was pretty obvious when reading Cranmenr's final speech and it put everything into perspective. All that went before were noble and all that came after were not even mentioned. The "noble" divorce of Henry and Ann of Aragon was necessary so that Henry have the proper opportunity to sire Elizabeth. I'm not sure enough of my timetables to know if Elizabeth I was still alive when this play came out but even if she weren't it would still be the Bard's tribute to her.
   
   I had come to expect that most of the "good stuff" of Shakespeare (with the exception of "King Henry V") was to be found in his tragedies primarily and comedies next with the histories coming up a poor third. However, I kept my pencil busy underling passages in "King Henry VIII". It is a good play, it's not "MacBeth", but it's a good play. I'd have considered rating it 5 stars but then we'd have to rate some of the rest as 7's 8's and 9's. Most people who'd take the time to read Shakespeare probably already have a pretty good working knowledge of at least the popular history of the King with six wives. Read it for yourself and I think that you, too, will find that history is better understood when you are already familiar with the subject.

No comments about The Life of Oliver Cromwell: With a Selection from His Letters and Speeches.

5 comments about Are You Somebody? The A Memoir of a Dublin Woman.

1. This is a splendidly written autobiography, unbelievably rich in detail and raw emotion. While other reviewers have ably described her life's journey - from a chaotic household with alcoholic parents to a very good job as TV producer and then columnist - this is also a beautiful and vivid evocation of a changing Ireland. O'Faolain provides the grittiest of portraits, of a stalled society that is emerging from centuries of repression and excessive religiosity to a modern society. She herself embodies much of it, journeying (across class lines) from desperate loneliness (seeking love as a panacea) to a self-empowered feminist writer who has the strength to keep going. It is deep and gets you to reflect on your own predicament, particularly middle age.
   
   Warmly recommended.



2. I am astonished at the 5 star reviews for this book. Pay attention to what other readers are saying. I read this book because it was our book club selection of the month. Out of many years in book club, this was the worst book we have read. I am writing this review so others may be spared by the glowing marks of 'professional' reviewers.
   
   It's difficult to describe how rampant the name-dropping was in this book. There were parts of the book in which 10 or more names would appear per page for dozens of pages. I don't care if the names are notable authors, it's boring to read lists of names! This was not writing, this was 'list making'.
   
   The book couldn't hold a theme for more than a couple sentences. (spoilers next)... The author has a miscarriage, which gets just 2 or 3 sentences of attention. The author is raped. Apparently something as life shattering as that gets only a brief mention as well. There are many traumatic and life-changing events that are barely explored in the book, because the look is too busy name-dropping every person she has met.
   
   This memoir should have been exciting, it should have been a great book. What an amazing life she has led, against tragedy and great odds. Yet somehow she manages to make this story sound boring.
   
   An interesting development is the 'Afterward' after the book has ended. It's so well written you can't help but wonder if it was done by the same author? The first 20 pages and the Afterward of this book are great, the 200 pages in the middle are a mess. Do yourself a favor and pay attention to the reviews here. Life is short and there so many great books to read, I regret I'll never get the time back I spent reading this disappointing book.



3. This was a slow read for me; I had to force myself to pick it up each night. I found the writing fragmented with references to many people (particularly writers) I had never heard of. The subtitle "An accidental memoir" is fitting becomes the book seems to be constructed of disjoint notes and memories (many involving drinking). A recurring theme is Faolain's disappointment with her parents' behavior (particularly her mother's alcoholism). I felt that Faolain was a bit self pitying (which she acknowledges in the book). It wasn't until the end when she discusses her surprise at being alone and her loneliness that I became more engaged in her story. Until that point, Faolain's story was a whirlwind of working, drinking, and traveling interwoven with criticisms of her parents. I am surprised that this book was a best seller and I wonder what I am missing.



4. I heard an interview with the author and decided she was quite an interesting individual. Although this book has received many over-the-top reviews, I was disappointed. The book has sections which are long lists of people she met, worked with, or admired. But often she provides no information about the individual. She clearly accomplished a great deal but how? There is a tone of self-pity throughout the text and she seems loathe to give people, including herself, credit for their achievements. Very Irish that way.



5. This is a book every woman should read. It is an excellent historical account of the difference between generations of families. It is a deep revelation about family relationships.
   For young women, especially, who have lives not so different from their mothers should make this a must read. It is a very personal history of what it was like to live through the women's movement.

1 comments about Shadow Lovers: The Last Affairs Of H. G. Wells.

1. The poor quality of this book is indicated by the author's statement that I did not attempt to contact Martha Gellhorn during my research for a biography of her Even a cursory reading of the first edition of Nothing Ever Happens to the Brave: The Story of Martha Gellhorn shows that I did indeed contact Gellhorn, and that I received a reply. Correction: The author of this book points to an error in my comment on it. Lynn did not write that I failed to contact Gellhorn; rather she speculated that perhaps I did not ask for an interview. Readers of my Gellhorn biography (first edition) can have little doubt that I intended to interview Gellhorn. But more to the point, for a writer to speculate that perhaps I did not ask for an interview is slipshod. All she had to do was contact me to resolve any doubts she had.

No comments about .

1 comments about The King's Wife: George IV and Mrs Fitzherbert.

1. marie never let any man make a victim out her.the prince of wale was a spoiled brat who fell more in love with her than she in him.she survived 2 husband befor prince of wales lost heart to her.she made sure she got a wedding ring own her finger even with her marriage to the prince being illegal in the eyes of the crown.in the end her place in prince life change she made sure her and her childern recieve money to live comfortable lives from the crown.

2 comments about Wrestling with God: The Story of My Life.

1. This is a wonderfully candid reflection on the life of one of the 20th century's theological trailblazers. Readers of Lloyd Geering's many books will know that whilst he was Principal of the Knox Theological College (Presbyterian) in sleepy Dunedin, New Zealand, he was charged with heresy for writing a paper that reinterpreted the story of the resurrection of Jesus in a symbolic fashion. At his church trial in 1967 he was exonerated of the charge. He soon published an expanded version of his thoughts in "God in the New World".
   
   The strength of "Wrestling With God" is that Geering gives us (for the first time) a complete background to the development and maturing of his theological ideas. By the early 1970s Geering was effectively forced to resign from the Presbyterian church, realising that if he were to change people's thinking about God it would have to be outside the traditional religious context. Accepting an offer from Victoria University in Wellington, Geering became the first Professor of Religious Studies in a secular New Zealand university. For the next decade and a half, Geering exercised a key role in the development of a superb department dedicated to the study of all religions from a humanist perspective.
   
   Geering continues to live in good health and has published a series of excellent books (including "Tomorrow's God") to inspire those of us who consider ourselves to be exiled from the church. He is an active member of the Sea of Faith movement, a good friend of radical theologian Don Cupitt and has close links with the Westar Institute in California.



2. This book tells a man's story, from childhood in the Depression to high honour in his native New Zealand. He proved a bright student and became a Presbyterian minister, whose studies of modern scholarship brought conflict with those who took biblical stories literally. A trial for heresy ensued. He was vindicated, but moved to teaching religious studies at university level.
   Two other themes warm this story and inform it: the author's family life and his growing concern for the environment.
   This is a book to encourage many (but especially those of a Christian background) who seek a modern way of faith.

5 comments about The Diana I Knew: Loving Memories of the Friendship Between an American Mother and Her Son's Nanny Who Became the Princess of Wales.

1. I've read most of the Diana books on the market, and this one is my all time favorite. The warmth, candor, and respect that Mrs. Robertson uses in describing her ongoing relationship with the late former Princess of Wales is refreshing (who else treats Diana with dignity anymore, anyway?), well paced (I can stay into it, even on the treadmill), and wholly respectable (staying exclusively in the realm of what Mrs. Robertson herself saw, learned, or experienced, and not crossing the line into lurid speculation, armchair psychology, or maudlin reflection). This is an idea purchase or gift with anyone having an interest in Diana, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly as a sweet (I know it's an overused word, but it's the RIGHT word) tribute to the relationship from one mother to another and their friendship which spanned 17 years.



2. I guess that I'd have to give this book about 3 1/2 stars if I could do that, it's an interesting little book to read. Written by Mary Robertson, the American woman who once employed Diana as a nanny, it isn't nearly as bad as some critics would suggest.The book starts with an Aug 31-Sept 6th recap of learning about Diana's death and attending the funeral, in the next chapter and for most of the book details Robertson's experiences over the years with the Princess. While Mrs. Robertson does talk about herself (not particularly boastfully)she tells a lot of harmless little details about Diana, various meetings & so on, that you just don't see elsewhere. I wouldn't put it at the top of your list of books to accquire but it makes a nice little addition.



3. I bought this book as soon as it came into the shops and have read it so many times. It is good to read Mary's account of her relationship with Diana. One of the most readable books I have ever read. I wonder if Mary has written other books?



4. I wanted to read this book for the longest but it was unavailable. I finally bought it used through Amazon.
   I was not disappointed! A truly readable and enjoyable book. Diana often was dismissed by critics as a shallow, self-serving woman who only "cared" about people when the cameras and press were recording an event.
   Mrs. Robertson refuted this often repeated attack of Diana's character by showing us that behind the scenes and away from the press, Diana continued a warm friendship with this American woman and her family. A common family who could in no way further Diana's reportedly selfish agenda.
   Why?
   The only explanation is that Diana truly was a very warm and caring person. The book captures that simple quality of Diana.
   Many books have been written to show the world what the real Diana was supposedly like.
   These books deride fans for believing in a media image of Diana and have attacked Diana's every move.
   Mrs. Robertson knew the "real" Diana and her memories are refreshing, honest and much in tune with Diana's worldwide image.
   Mrs. Robertson's friendship with the Princess of Wales was not based on a phony media image.
   Thank you Mrs. Robertson for writing this book and showing us the lovely "inner" Diana.
   Diana proved it was possible to be warm, unpretentious, radiant AND royal.



5. Mary Robertson tells of a Diana that could have been one of our daughters or the girl next door who babysat for us. She explained several incidents, such as Diana eating out of their refridgerator that were so human. One wanted to reach inside the book, pull out Diana, and hug her. The way she opened up to the Robertsons is detailed and the pictures are so special. Mary Robertson writes as she knew Diana; she doesn't brag about knowing the Princess, but truly explains "The Diana She Knew." Highly recommended-definately one of my most favorite Diana books because the author is not intending to capitalize or sensationalize.

No comments about Elizabeth I: The Golden Reign of Gloriana (English Monarchs-Treasures from the National Archives) (English Monarchs-Treasures from the National Archives).

2 comments about Prince of Wales: A Biography.

1. Gift books have a habit of piling up on me before I have a chance to read them. This book was somewhere in the pile at the time of Diana's death. At that point, I blew the dust off and hunkered down to read it. It's certainly not fast reading. I found it very informative although I have to admit I didn't read every word. It did give me a much better insight into the lives and functions of the British Monarchy. As for the story of Charles and Diana, it's obvious that they should never have married.



2. I love this book. Even though it is a few years outdated, before the official divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, it is still enthralling nonetheless. Mr. Dimbleby approaches the life of Prince Charles in nothing but respect, for a change. He opens up Prince Charles for you, and you learn about all of the good he does. It is amazing how much Prince Charles has done for unemployed and underprivaledged youths and areas. Through all of the tabloid-al journalism, you really get a good taste of the true Prince of Wales. I recommend this book to all royalists and monarchists and anyone wanting wanting true information instead of the tampered information often portrayed on tabloids.