Book Description
This expanded volume of the distinguished poet's work contains 29 previously uncollected poems, some that had been published, and some found in manuscript after MacLeish's death in 1982. This is the definitive volume produced by a life that filled several careers as writer, teacher, and public servant, but was devoted above all to poetry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bring him back!
I say, Bring him back! because MacLeish has pretty well dropped from sight, except for 'Ars Poetica' and 'You, Andrew Marvell.' And it's true that one has to mine this hefty volume pretty carefully for the real treasure. Except for Conquistador (MacLeish's 1932 Pulitzer Prize-winning epic--really, it's a sort of epic lyric--of the Spanish conquest of Mexico), MacLeish's long poems hold very little aesthetic interest, and even Conquistador is marred by its indebtedness to the Ezra Pound of the early Cantos. But at his lyric best, MacLeish is incomparable: 'Eleven,' 'Memorial Rain,' ''Not Marble Nor the Gilded Monuments,'' 'Immortal Autumn,' 'Epistle To Be Left in the Earth,' 'Cook County,' 'Winter Is Another Country,' 'Calypso's Island,' 'What Riddle Asked the Sphinx,' 'The Reef Fisher,' 'The Infinite Reason,' 'Dr. Sigmund Freud Discovers the Sea Shell,' 'Captivity of the Fly,' 'Companions,' 'Mark's Sheep,' 'Rainbow at Evening,' and a generous handful of others drawn from every stage of a very long career. What is more, I cannot understand, in this age of the socially conscious anthology, why the editors of the Heath Anthology of American Literature haven't rediscovered the MacLeish of Frescoes for Mr. Rockefeller's City (especially 'Empire Builders'), 'Lines for Interment,' the often misunderstood 'Invocation to the Social Muse' (a satire whose irony turns back on its speaker), 'Speech to Those Who Say Comrade,' and 'Brave New World' (which is especially relevant today, thanks to the so-called Patriot Act). MacLeish was THE poet of the Lost Generation and later the very first 'Fellow Traveler'--literally! His public and private voices merit hearing. ... Read more

Product Description
Multi colored cloth cover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Remembered Fondly
I was asigned this play as a senior in high school (many years ago) and remember it fondly.It is a re-telling of the bibical story of Job, and takes liberities.Anyone who is uncomfortable with the Christian Old Testament in general or re-tellings that take liberities:be forewarned.

Another reviewer suggested reading aloud improves the experience.I would second that suggestion.No need to re-hash the plot.I just wanted to say, in defense of the play, that I found it extremely interesting and thought-provoking.Especially the different ideas regarding what proper religion/spirituality consists of that were brought out by JB, his family and friends.

Multilayered, Thought Provoking, Controversial
I have never written a review before and really don't have much interest in it, but upon reading a few of the reviews of this book, I had to defend it.

This book is not to be read at face value.It is the retelling of perhaps one the hardest stories of the Bible to really digest, and that is the story of Job.

In the Bible, God & Satan make a bet of sorts on just how loyal and wonderful Job is and if he would remain that way in face of all adversity.And God, to prove his point to Satan, makes terrible things happen to Job, everything from killing his entire family to taking away his worldly possessions to afflicting him with a painful disease.

And yet through it all, Job is expected to sing God's praises like a canary.

This is the story of a good man whom terrible things happen to through no fault of his own.A man whose very life and everything he treasures reside soley upon the caprices of otherworldly beings.

JB is multilayered & complex.It starts with Zeuss & Nickles (can we see symbolism in those names, folks?), two tired old men who work in a circus.Zeuss sells balloons, thin plastic filled with hot air, and Nickles sells popcorn.

Zeuss is a great believer that life has meaning.He has Faith.Nickles is angry & sardonic, complaining bitterly about the unfairness of life.

They start arguing about this and one gets the feeling that it is an old argument.And to settle it, they reenact the story of Job, on an empty stage. (All the world's a stage, haha)

Not surprisingly, Zeuss plays God & Nickles plays Satan.And somehow, magically between the two, the story takes on a life of its own.

And in the end, they are both surprised and both come out viewing the reenactment differently.

(On JB...the modern Job)

Nickles: He misconceived the part entirely.
Mr. Zuss: Misconceived the world! Buggered it!
Nickles: Giving in like that! Whimpering!
Mr. Zuss: Giving in! You call that arrogant,
Smiling, supercilious humility
Giving in to God?

An intriguing thing about this play is that not only could the characters not agree about what happened, but the reviewers in real life could not either.It has been called, "A human triumph," "modern man's reaction to the problem of evil without the category of faith in a loving God," & "a sort of theological schizophrenia."One reviewer said that the protagonist of J. B. was more convincing, more moving than the biblical Job.

Well, either way, it won the Pulitzer & was a smash hit.

PS - For those of you who might find the language difficult, try reading aloud.

Ultimately Fails to Bring Job to the Modern Day
Like one of the other reviewers, I was also forced to read J.B. for school, but I have an entirely different opinion. Since I had read the book of Job prior to J.B., I had some nice perspective on the play. I also didn't like it much, but for solid reasons- the characters are all extremely one-sided, and the whole thing is obnoxiously incomprehensible, and almost condescending. It's sometimes in prose, sometimes in verse, sometimes in couplet form, sometimes not, and all very confusing. The idea of the play taking place at a circus is a bad choice, and doesn't really fit with the play. There is also a strange inconsistency with the characters of Nickles and Mr. Zuss- they have three separate names apiece, and are referred to by each. The entire play just feels contrived, like the author took a simple story (Job) and tried his best to turn it into something sophisticated and complicated. I mean really, of all the stories to convert to modern day, Job is just a nonsensical choice. In response to the accusation that it is somehow sacrilegious to teach the play in schools, if one simply takes the play as a play, and nothing more, then there is no problem. I attend a public high school, and am being taught several stories from the Old Testament- the Creation, the Flood, etc.- and if taken as stories, just stories, then there is nothing to be outraged about. Overall review- not very good, but not evil either.

Tries to teach a lesson, but is carelessly offensive
I was assigned to read JB to get into an English class.I had hardly any knowledge of what the book was about because I could not find reviews, and most people I talked to never heard of it before.I now know why.J.B., MacLeish's version of the Book of Job is not only unintersting, but the way it perceives god is controversial and offensive.It portrays him as an almighty male figure in the sky.I felt discusted at having been assigned this book to read for school, feeling somebody's religious views imposed upon me.Not only does the book undermine religon in its portrayal of God as an all powerful gypsy in the sky, it is a complete bore to read.I found myself cringing at the drawn out speeches and conversations of Mr. Zuss and Nickles, and hoping that their part would soon be over and I could read the slightly more interesting, yet sparse, dialogue of Job and Sarah.The one thing interesting enough about it is its modern style; it's quite confusing at times, especially when it reveals the deaths of Job's children, and switches back in forth between scenes of Job's suffering and the reflections of Zuss and Nickles.I usually enjoy most books I read, but this is one of the first that I can truly say I dislike.I would recommend this book to someone interested in learning about how Christianity, or religion in general, is portrayed in literature, or as a book to learn about the first modern works, but definetly not as a book to read for pleasure.

A masterpiece based on a timeless masterpiece
MacLeish's masterful "play in verse" presents a modern interpretation of the ancient Book of Job.It catches the essence of the tragedy and brings the reader/viewer into a direct experience of the mystery of good and evil.

MacLeish goes beyond the sacred text and dares to present a more satisfying resolution to an eternal question: the "why" of evil.Where the Book of Job fails, JB succeeds.

What is Macleish's answer to the problem of evil?Read JB and weep. ... Read more

Book Description
Three weeks after the death of Archibald MacLeish in April 1982, the Archibald MacLeish Symposium, initiated to pay tribute to the poet, playwright and critic on his 90th birthday, was held at Greenfield Community College. This book contains the proceedings of that event and is the only collection of criticism by major scholars on the poet's work. Among the forty people who speak on these pages are not only scholars and poets like William Heyen, Donald Hall, Judson Jerome, Richard Wilbur, Robert Penn Warren, but also respected and well-known statesmen like John Kenneth Galbraith, Edward Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Other well-known Americans such as Charles Kuralt, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and Henry Steele Commager are also represented. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Social Education, published by National Council for the Social Studies on September 1, 2003. The length of the article is 2822 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Letter from Archibald MacLeish about relocating the charters of freedom during World War II: protecting our founding document in war and peace.(Teaching with Document)
Author: Michael Hussey
Publication: Social Education (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2003
Publisher: National Council for the Social Studies
Volume: 67Issue: 5Page: 248(6)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
The beloved poet-statesman's Pulitzer Prize-winning play which offers something for every reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Hast Thou Considered My Servant Job?
J.B. is a modern day (1950s) retelling of the biblical story of Job. To summarize: Job, God's most loyal servant, is punished by God without reason. God only wishes to prove that no matter what obstacles God threw at him, Job would still "praise God." While the story of Job makes a deep point about human suffering and the strength of faith, J.B. delves deeper.

The play centers on a dialogue between two characters, Zuss and Nickles, who play God and Satan respectively. Each makes important points about the root of suffering and God's role in Job's pain. Zuss argues, in more words or less, that Job has no right to question God. Nickles, instead, sympathizes with Job's pain believing that God has been unfair to mankind and especially to this man. Please grant that these are simplifications of their arguments, one can write novels on the meaning of this play.
Its not hard to imagine how the play ends, but like many things it's the journey not the destination that matter. The banter between the two, and satirical overtones of throwing the whole setting in a circus tent, take the reader beyond the norm. This is a story that requires the reader to engage, be prepared to think! You can not help but question your spirituality and faith during the play. For while few of us suffer as Job does, fewer still believe in God. Would you be able to still love God, if he took everything away from you?

I'll be straightforward and admit that my review is biased. MacLeish's J.B. has been (since reading it in my High School AP English Class) my favorite. I'm an avid reader, but there's something so subtly beautiful about MacLeish's language, something so deep in his words that have resounded in my heart, that I am compelled to re-read this play over and over again. MacLeish has a profound message to teach us "modern, disillusioned men" that one would have to have a heart of stone not to appreciate.

The Book of Job in present times
I was familiar with J.B. when it first came out in the late 50's or early 60's.The story of the Book of Job was updated to a time when nuclear war was a possibility, and that was the backdrop for J.B.'s (Job's) losses.With the terrorist threat now prevalent in the world, the play is now more timely than ever.

Modern take
Macleish's modern rendition of the Book of Job does an adequate job of converting the serious tale to a modern almost circus like story. Although sardonic at times, he keeps the main focus intact: WHY DO THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFER?

JB and Job
This play in verse is a modern take on one of the timeless questions of suffering during our lives.In this instance,JB loses his wealth,health and family and during the ensuing discussions with his "friends", it beomes evident that the story is not about suffering, but about faith.Very powerful,but short, descriptive scenes and dialogue.

Ecouraging book
This is a play based on the book of Job.It takes you through hisstruggle and faithfulness to God.After having a lot of land, good cattleand sheep, and a happy family, he is tested. Satan says he will curse Godto his face if he doesn't have wealth, a family, or health.Satan isproved wrong. Job stays faithful to the Lord and in the end is rewardedwith more than he ever started off with.

I enjoyed this book.It is aaccurate play in terms of the Bible, although it is not quoted, it helpsyou too understand the story of Job and it helps you understand what itmeans to be faithful to God in good times and also in bad times, for he isalways there.I recommend it for anyone dealing with any problems oranyone who liked the Book of Job. ... Read more

Book Description

Term paper due tomorrow? Need to cram for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?

Turn to "Drama for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by Thomson Gale--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the play's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose "Drama for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: Thomson Gale--and "Drama for Students."Download Description

Term paper due tomorrow? Need to bone up for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?

Turn to "Drama for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by the Gale Group--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the play's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose "Drama for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: The Gale Group--and "Drama for Students." ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Archibald MacLeish, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 8203 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
Discussions of the poetic art and allied topics, as filmed for broadcasting on the CBS television network in 1962. Edited, with a foreword, notes and acknowledgments, by Warren V. Bush. ... Read more