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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.Amazon.com Review
How tantalizing to hear Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient, Schindler's List) but not be able to see him! And hear him one does in his role as Jack Tanner, the antihero of Shaw's 1905 classic drama Man and Superman. Fiennes is a veritable mouthpiece--and a frequently sarcastic one at that--for the burning issues on Shaw's philosophical and social laundry list: the state of the English working class, the arms race, women's rights, unwed mothers, the evils of industry and capitalism, and English morality in general. The seriousness of the discussions is tempered by delightful Shavian wit ("There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it."), which prevents the dialogue from collapsing under its own weight, although it does teeter at times. The four-act play, directed by the esteemed Peter Hall for BBC Radio, begins in the English countryside and ends in the mountains of Spain after a curious detour to Hell, where, in act 3, the famous dream sequence unfolds and the main characters take on such roles as Don Juan and the Devil to further hash out the meaning of existence, the definition of life force, and the power of the female sex. This is a spirited production of Shaw's imperfect but intellectually challenging work. (Running time: 225 min; four cassettes) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

"-Y' Tu Brutus..?", or "Why I Like This Book, but Hate the Vendor'
While the edition of the (George)Bernard Shaw book I purchased IS an authentic early (1904) copy, it was, however, Not in the very GOOD condition as indicated by the vendor (Little Horse (in Colorado) I think)-- And while I don't mind wiping down the classics with a soft, damp cloth every now and again (and who put the recent pencil marks in the book before it shipped--??), it was not what I expected from a book listed in GOOD condition or as well preserved (clearly a point of purchase of some significance for any vintage book collector). -On another note, don't let George Bernard Shaw's inflammatory quips in the dedication turn you off high literature, it was clearly a point they failed to address in the (commercial/bigPub) editorial process (relating to the ongoing issue of mis-editing an author/researcher's work, etc... -a serious problem with some commercial publishing entities)... And while it was shipped in (shoddy) condition, not in any way worthy of a proper public library display and certainly not worthy of a GOOD condition descriptor from any reputable vendor, it is still suitable to one's private/personal library. But, considering it is an early (1904)edition as opposed to a later reprint, I expected much more from the book-vendor in terms of preservation of the book, itself (you know, like how they take the damaging-gunk off the artwork prior to displaying at museums and such)... Readable, yes, Good or very good condition, um, no... So/and considering the work, Very curious indeed, but, anyhoo, "0"/Zero stars for the vendor (F--). Less than one star for the condition of the book (D--). Four-point-Five stars for the overall (intellectual-friendly) book content (B++/A-). Overall a C-/D+ (shopping) experience for an B+/A- literary work.
In otherwords, `Meh/Yeck' to THEM, but `Yay' to Bernard Shaw!
4.5 stars for the book!
---

Thought provoking and hilarious
Shaw turns Don Juan on its head in this analysis of the "Don Juanita". We know what attracts men to women, but what attracts women to men, though similar, is far more complex. Shaw has a great sense of irony and a wonderful grip on what makes people tick, and here he uses those gifts to give us a topsy-turvy Don Juan masterwork.
I chuckled all the way though this and just could not put the book down. There's plenty of comedy to be found in romantic attraction and Shaw manages to find all of it. Though it's a very humorous work, there's also a serious message that will leave every reader with something to think about.
George Bernard Shaw created numerous masterpieces over the span of his writing career. He has the distinction of being the only person to ever be awarded both an Oscar and the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was a very humble and conscientious man, a political activist and a vegetarian. His conscientiousness shows in his work by his inability to write meaningless fluff at a time when fluff dominated the stage. His trademark is his classic use of ample humor in dramas with serious subject matter. It takes a special kind of genius to be able to pull that off as flawlessly as he did.

As a woman I have to agree with Shaw's theory...
As a woman I have to agree with Shaw's theory to some extent. I've seen a lot of women chase after rogues they've perceived to be strong. The nesting instinct is a strange thing, causing women to desire the men least likely to settle down. Shaw takes this theory and runs with it producing a hilarious and thought provoking masterpiece with engaging characters entangled in the most interesting and entertaining situations.

Shaw is my favorite of the Victorian playwrights. His works were revolutionary in many ways. Use of humor was rare and exceptional for playwrights during that era, but Shaw was not afraid to make audiences laugh. He also tackled serious moral, political, and social issues in his plays at a time when sappy dramas were all the rage. He was truly bold and innovative and greatly contributed to dramatic art. He had an amazing gift, the ability to make people think while simultaneously making them laugh.

Reading Shaw's works are a genuine treat. All of his plays are fabulous. His characters are memorable, and his humor is brilliant.
This is a wonderful book, charming, significant, and insightful. I can't recommend it enough.

Brilliant!!!!
This book was hilarious, and the concept was so true. I could see my friends in some of the characters.

It seems that Shaw just couldn't resist showing us how crazy the human condition really is by his works that always include funny yet absolutely true twists on things, and his twist on the Don Juan tale is one of his best ones yet.
This story was smart and funny. I loved it and wanted more when it was over. I'll have to buy another one of his books. I just love his style.

I can't resist any chance I can get to peek into the mind of a genius, and Shaw was a true genius. This story was delightful and brilliant.

The Heritage Edition of Man and Superman
This review is for the 1962 Heritage edition in the brown pebbled slipcase.

Heritage really went to town with their edition of Man and Superman. Bound in half-cloth, and half-marbled paper with a blind-stamped urn emblem and gold print, it is extensively illustrated by Charles Mozely in tones of russet, puce, green, and brown. Fully illustrated pastedowns and prelims. Over 40 incidental illustrations in sanguine and six 5-color full page illustrations.

The introduction is a personal reminiscence by Sir Lewis Casson, apparently written for this edition, who played Octavius Robinson in the original production! Shaw's Epistle Dedicatory is present.

And, most charming: the John Tanner Revolutionist's Handbook is separately printed in cheap-looking bright red (of course) stapled wraps lodged in a special inset cut into the slipcase.
... Read more

Product Description
Fanny's First Play is a 1911 play by G. Bernard Shaw. A play by a writer who wished to remain anonymous, then later discovered to be written by George Bernard Shaw and produced by The Shuberts. It opened in Sep 16, 1912 and had the longest first run of any of Shaw's plays. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Should people strive to have fun and avoid respectability?

Shaw explores the question whether people should enjoy themselves as best they can or comply with the laws of "respectability" as mandated by society. This is a variation of Shaw's feelings that the Nietzchean concept of the "superman" is correct. There are people who are above the general population because of their intellect and who are not obligated to comply with the rules that were written for the general population to control them from doing harm to themselves and others.

Shaw explores this issue in several ways. There are the generational gaps - the different perspectives of life - of Fanny and her father, Margaret and her parents, Bobby and his parents, and the servant Juggins and his family who are dukes and duchesses. There are other situations that raise the issue. Bobby and Margaret are engaged, but realize that they are unfit for one another. How can they comply with society's rules about breaking engagements? Shaw introduces a young man for Margaret and a young woman for Bobby who are interested in having fun, both have questionable character, and all four of them serve time in jail as a result of seeking to have fun. How do they and their parents handle their jail experience? Bobby's and Margaret's parent reconsider whether they have been living a proper life. Shouldn't they have fun as their children have? Did they waste their lives? Additionally, should people follow the requirements of religion as people generally understand them? Aren't they the same as the mandates of society, being developed for the general population and not for the "superman"?

The play is a story within a story. The above-described tale was written by Fanny who persuaded her father to have it produced privately before four celebrated critics. Fanny and the critics appear at the beginning and end of Shaw's work, as bookends to the humorous drama about Bobby, Margaret, and the others. Her life, as becomes clear in the second bookmark, mirrors what is in her play. Shaw reveals the views of the four critics about "Fanny's enterprise," and their views are humorous and ridiculous. One of the critics says he thinks the play was written by Shaw and all four make foolish remarks about the great writer.

A stylish and funny tale
This play is social commentary at its most hilarious and brilliant. Shaw attacks conformity with a vengeance and produces a masterpiece. He creates characters, which are the equivalent of parrots and zombies, because they are so bent on fitting in, then adds two outrageous characters to the mix. The result is like throwing a torch on a mountain of gunpowder. (Isn't that always the case when non-conformists begin to rouse the walking dead?)
Shaw points out the main danger of social conformity with great style and humor. That main danger is when custom clashes with conscience, and custom wins - when fitting in skews our priorities to the point where we put doing what's expected of us above doing the right thing.
George Bernard Shaw created numerous masterpieces over the span of his writing career. He has the distinction of being the only person to ever be awarded both an Oscar and the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was a very humble and conscientious man, a political activist and a vegetarian. His conscientiousness shows in his work by his inability to write meaningless fluff at a time when fluff dominated the stage. His trademark is his classic use of ample humor in dramas with serious subject matter. It takes a special kind of genius to be able to pull that off as flawlessly as he did.
This book is excellent. It's as thought provoking as it is entertaining. There are times when you can't help laughing out loud. You'll be better for reading it. His works just have that effect - they both enrich and uplift you.

a wonderful jab in the eye at society's obsession with propriety!
This work is a wonderful jab in the eye at society's obsession with propriety. Though the customs have changed, the principle remains the same: we are all expected to behave a certain way around our peers, and we go out of our way to fit in and keep from being rejected.
Shaw takes this to an extreme, but still believable, level by giving us characters stuck so far in their rut of conformity that they put social norms above everything including the wellbeing of their own family members. He takes social conformity to the most absurd heights then shakes things up by adding a couple of scandalously non-conformist characters to the cast, bringing everything to a zany head.
Shaw is my favorite of the Victorian playwrights. His works were revolutionary in many ways. Use of humor was rare and exceptional for playwrights during that era, but Shaw was not afraid to make audiences laugh. He also tackled serious moral, political, and social issues in his plays at a time when sappy dramas were all the rage. He was truly bold and innovative and greatly contributed to dramatic art. He had an amazing gift, the ability to make people think while simultaneously making them laugh.
Reading Shaw's works are a genuine treat. All of his plays are fabulous. His characters are memorable, and his humor is brilliant.
This is a wonderful book, charming, significant, and insightful. I can't recommend it enough.

Shaw was a true genius!
Oh my goodness! I could never put a weekly dinner with friends first if my child went missing and can't imagine anyone who ever would, but Shaw gives us a couple so deadened and trapped by tradition and routine that they can't see what really matters anymore, and the other couple is just as bad. We get to see bowing to social pressures at its saddest and most ridiculous in this hilarious look at a serious issue.

This story was smart and funny. I loved it and wanted more when it was over. I'll have to buy another one of his books. I just love his style.

I can't resist any chance I can get to peek into the mind of a genius, and Shaw was a true genius. This story was delightful and brilliant.

It's as thought provoking as it is entertaining.
... Read more

Product Description
Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on standardized tests, Webster's paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this edition of A Treatise on Parents and Children by George Bernard Shaw was edited for students who are actively building their vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT¿, SAT¿, AP¿ (Advanced Placement¿), GRE¿, LSAT¿, GMAT¿ or similar examinations.
PSAT¿ is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT¿ is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE¿, AP¿ and Advanced Placement¿ are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT¿ is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT¿ is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved. ... Read more

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This collection was designed for optimal navigation on Kindle and other electronic devices. It is indexed alphabetically, chronologically and by category, making it easier to access individual books, stories and poems. This collection offers lower price, the convenience of a one-time download, and it reduces the clutter in your digital library. All books included in this collection feature a hyperlinked table of contents and footnotes. The collection is complimented by an author biography.

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic!
Works of George Bernard Shaw. (30+ Works). Pygmalion, Major Barbara, Candida, The Irrational Knot, An Unsocial Socialist & more. FREE Author's biography ... version. Published by MobileReference (mobi)

If you have any interest in Bernard Shaw this is a must ebook. The collection presents a wonderful overview of Shaw's developement as a playwright and thinker. Shaw's words and ideas made him the father of the modern English drama. His plays are little gems filled with wit and insight.

Great ebook
Works of George Bernard Shaw. (30+ Works). Pygmalion, Major Barbara, Candida, The Irrational Knot, An Unsocial Socialist & more. FREE Author's biography and Stories in the trial version.

This is an excellent anthology of the works of George Bernard Shaw. The ebook is very nicely done. ... 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; Drama / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; ... Read more

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Bernard Shaw's Preface to Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw
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Click on our Editor Name (eBook-Ventures) next to the book title above to view all of the titles that are currently available. **********************************************************
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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

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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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First staged in 1906, "The Doctor's Dilemma" is a play that revolves around a community of doctors, most specializing, unbeknownst to them, in different types of expensive, fraudulent treatments. Dr. Ridgeon, who has actually discovered a vaccine for tuberculosis, is conflicted about administering his limited remedy, for the husband of a woman he is in love with can pay, but his kind yet poverty-stricken colleague Dr. Blenkinsop cannot. Shaw's drama highlights the medical predicament of his day, that of treating patients with unnecessary practices to earn a living. A well-written, verbose play characteristic of Shaw, "The Doctor's Dilemma" still resonates with today's audience because of its thoughtful commentary on the continuing problem of providing adequate healthcare to the poor. ... 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

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.

... Read more

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Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG-- On the heights overlooking the harbor of Mogador, a seaport on the west coast of Morocco, the missionary, in the coolness of the late afternoon, is following the precept of Voltaire by cultivating his garden. He is an elderly Scotchman, spiritually a little weatherbeaten, as having to navigate his creed in strange waters crowded with other craft but still a convinced son of the Free Church and the North African Mission, with a faithful brown eye, and a peaceful soul. Physically a wiry small-knit man, well tanned, clean shaven, with delicate resolute features and a twinkle of mild humor. He wears the sun helmet and pagri, the neutral-tinted spectacles, and the white canvas Spanish sand shoes of the modern Scotch missionary: but instead of a cheap tourist's suit from Glasgow, a grey flannel shirt with white collar, a green sailor knot tie with a cheap pin in it, he wears a suit of clean white linen, acceptable in color, if not in cut, to the Moorish mind. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A delightful play
In this three act comedy, no person or act is exactly what he, she, or it appears to be. Captain Brassbound's conversion is not from atheism to Christianity, but from a rough character to something slightly more refined, a conversion that lasts only until he leaves the influence of a rather beautiful but silly woman. Indeed, the missionary in the play was only capable of converting one man during his 25 years of activity in Morocco, and this man, a thief, only seems converted, like Brassbound and the woman, when he is near the clergyman. The Muslims in Morocco call the missionaries Epicureans because they seem to a life of luxurious idleness.

The play focuses on the mesmerizing power of a beautiful but foolish woman upon men. She has her way with every man she meets, Christian and Muslim, pious and thief. Brassbound is a brigand who controls a group of thieves by the force of his personality and his physical strength. The uncle of the beautiful woman cheated him and his mother and he wants revenge. But he abandons his plan because of the influence of the woman. Readers will enjoy the play's humor.
... Read more

Product Description
A huge collection of over 20 plays by George Bernard Shaw with an active table of contents.

Augustus Does His Bit
Androcles and the Lion
Annajanska, the Bolshevik Empress
Arms and the Man
Caesar and Cleopatra
Candida
Captain Brassbound's Conversion
The Devil's Disciple
The Doctor's Dilemma
Fanny's First Play
Getting Married
Great Catherine
How He Lied to Her Husband
John Bull's Other Island
Major Barbara
The Man of Destiny
Misalliance
O'Flaherty V.C.
Overruled
Press Cuttings
Pygmalion
The Inca of Perusalem
The Philanderer
The Shewing-Up Of Blanco Posnet
You Never Can Tell
Warren's Profession
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Classics of GBS
Another book I ordered for my Kindle for Ireland Trip. If you like GBS, you'll need the essentials here. Great for theatre buffs like me :)

There is a table of contents
To find the table of contents - when the first page of the book appears, just press the appropriate button to go back one page and all 26 of the play titles appear.

Use the 5 way controler to bring the cursor to the desired title, click once and a list of all the acts in the play appears. Go to act one or two or three (if you so desire), and click -the text appears, and off you go.

No Table of Contents
Amazon needs to start implementing a little quality control. What good are 26 plays if you can't jump to the one you're looking for? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

No longer banned but still shocking
This brilliant play was originally banned as immoral due to its subject matter, though now it's lauded for its astute view of the corruption at the heart of Victorian society. Shaw takes on the topic of poverty vs. immorality in the context of Victorian society with great style and wit.
In this story a very bright young girl begins to grow suspicious about the mystery and people surrounding her wealthy mother, and this leads her to a discovery that shakes her world to its very foundation but also explains the strange behavior of the people around her. This new found knowledge greatly complicates her life but also causes some hilarious situations to arise.
George Bernard Shaw created numerous masterpieces over the span of his writing career. He has the distinction of being the only person to ever be awarded both an Oscar and the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was a very humble and conscientious man, a political activist and a vegetarian. His conscientiousness shows in his work by his inability to write meaningless fluff at a time when fluff dominated the stage. His trademark is his classic use of ample humor in dramas with serious subject matter. It takes a special kind of genius to be able to pull that off as flawlessly as he did.

A Hilarious, Shocking, and Brilliant Book!
This was excellent. Shaw has given us yet another strong and intelligent female character in a brilliantly humorous tale that exposes the seedy underbelly of prim and proper Victorian society. It's a powerful indictment of Victorian era society, which exposes its corruption and hypocrisy. Even today the subject matter of this story is shocking, so I can certainly see why it would have caused such a ruckus back then.

As is always the case with Shaw's works, the characters are very well fleshed out and mirror people you know in real life. The circumstances are wildly, laugh-out-loud entertaining, the plot is beautifully ironic, and the message is as serious as a heart attack. In this work he doesn't pull a single punch.

Shaw is my favorite of the Victorian playwrights. His works were revolutionary in many ways. Use of humor was rare and exceptional for playwrights during that era, but Shaw was not afraid to make audiences laugh. He also tackled serious moral, political, and social issues in his plays at a time when sappy dramas were all the rage. He was truly bold and innovative and greatly contributed to dramatic art. He had an amazing gift, the ability to make people think while simultaneously making them laugh.

Reading Shaw's works are a genuine treat. All of his plays are fabulous. His characters are memorable, and his humor is brilliant.
This is a wonderful book, charming, significant, and insightful. I can't recommend it enough.

MILDLY INTERESTING
There is a reason this is a free book.The play was only mildly interesting.Don't even TRY to wade through the author's 'apology' at the beginning.

You can't help but root for Vivie!
In this wonderful play Shaw brilliantly takes on a forbidden subject that got him into trouble back in his day but that's now praised as an excellent and insightful masterpiece. I must agree that it is truly excellent even though the subject it takes on is a very uncomfortable one even now.

You can't help but root for Vivie as she cleverly deals with the hypocritical rogues around her in this hilarious tale.

This story was smart and funny. I loved it and wanted more when it was over. I'll have to buy another one of his books. I just love his style.

I can't resist any chance I can get to peek into the mind of a genius, and Shaw was a true genius. This story was delightful and brilliant.

Mrs. Warren's Profession
This is a play by George Bernard Shaw.I played the part of Mrs. Warren.It is a marvelous play that was very scandelous for its time (1895).Beautifully written.Mother-daughter conflict.A jewel in Shaw's crown. ... 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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Candida centers on a romantic triangle and parodies courtly love and the domestic drama of Ibsen. It abounds with classical allusions, the fervor of a religious revival, and poetic inspiration and aspirations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A great play
Comparing Shaw's Candida and Voltaire's Candide adds a dimension of understanding to both. Voltaire's Candide focuses on the enlightenment of a very naïve young boy who is influenced by his teacher, the philosopher Pangloss, who teaches him that this is "the best of all possible worlds" and therefore everything in it and everything that happens is not only good but the best that could possibly be. Voltaire was pocking fun at the philosopher Leibniz who taught this notion. Leibniz argued that God is good and all that he creates must of necessity be good. Voltaire shows that this is a ridiculous notion - according to this view, why save a man who is drowning since his death is "obviously" the best thing there is. The boy comes to understand that philosophy/thinking is not good; one should instead live life to the fullest.

Shaw's Candida focuses on a woman and what women want from men. However, the comedy in three acts also contains a very naïve young boy and it too enlightens men who have a wrong concept. The eighteen-year-old boy falls in love with the wife of an approximately forty-year-old pastor. She is fifteen years older than the boy.Both the pastor and the boy argue about who Candida should live with. Both want to give her the best of all possible worlds. Both ask Candida to decide between them. But, as in the Voltaire tale, Candida is not interested in the best of all possible worlds. She makes her choice based on an entirely different desire.

A humorous look at what women want
Shaw's feminist leanings come to light in this humorous tale of two men fighting over a woman who outranks them in intelligence. I thought the choice of characters used to engage the topic via a love triangle was perfect: a brilliant woman, a clergyman settled into his routine, and a dashing poet promising romance and excitement. I really enjoyed the story and wondered which man Candida would ultimately choose.
As usual, Shaw turns everything on its head. Candida's husband is a prominent and imposing man in public but in reality can't function without his wife. Candida herself is kind and clever and gently rules the roost. The idealistic poet is the catalyst who causes all to confront themselves, their needs, desires, and reality. It's a wonderful story with an explosive ending.
George Bernard Shaw created numerous masterpieces over the span of his writing career. He has the distinction of being the only person to ever be awarded both an Oscar and the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was a very humble and conscientious man, a political activist and a vegetarian. His conscientiousness shows in his work by his inability to write meaningless fluff at a time when fluff dominated the stage. His trademark is his classic use of ample humor in dramas with serious subject matter. It takes a special kind of genius to be able to pull that off as flawlessly as he did.
This book is excellent. It's as thought provoking as it is entertaining. There are times when you can't help laughing out loud. You'll be better for reading it. His works just have that effect - they both enrich and uplift you.

They are not battling over a dimwitted but lovely bimbo...
In this wonderful play, Shaw addresses the topic of what women really want in a man through the character of Candida, who is a brilliant woman responsible for her husband's success. When a handsome, young poet sets out to steal her away from her husband, whom the poet sees as too boring and complacent, Candida is forced to choose between the two men.
This is a fascinating character study that analyzes love, loyalty, and attraction in the context of a smart woman's desires. Shaw's choice of an extremely intelligent woman as the prize the two men are fighting over takes the premise and the stakes up to a much higher level and also increases my respect for the men involved. They are not battling over a dimwitted but lovely bimbo. They are vying for a very capable woman who is able to assess and address the situation intelligently.
Shaw is my favorite of the Victorian playwrights. His works were revolutionary in many ways. Use of humor was rare and exceptional for playwrights during that era, but Shaw was not afraid to make audiences laugh. He also tackled serious moral, political, and social issues in his plays at a time when sappy dramas were all the rage. He was truly bold and innovative and greatly contributed to dramatic art. He had an amazing gift, the ability to make people think while simultaneously making them laugh.

Love triangle that raises the question of what good women really want and need
This was hilarious. I loved the way the illusion and the reality were exact opposites. Shaw is the master of the art of turning things upside down and making them humorous while also bringing up serious issues and causing us to really think about them.

Here we have a love triangle that raises the question of what good women really want and need.

This story was smart and funny. I loved it and wanted more when it was over. I'll have to buy another one of his books. I just love his style.

Amazing introduction
Peter Gahan's introduction to G.B. Shaw's play Candida in the new Penguin Classics edition shows an old favorite play in a very new light. Not only does Gahan read between the lines of the plot, he also draws the reader's attention to on-stage props, names, and even off-stage happenings, which might otherwise easily go unnoticed. He makes some truly amazing connections with a multitude of other works of art, such as Yeats' poetry, pre-Raphelite paintings, andWagnerian opera.This new edition of Candida is worth buying for its introduction alone. ... Read more

Product Description
Speeches for men and women from the plays of G. B. Shaw,the prolific dramatic craftsman.These monologues from "Man andSuperman", "Candida", "You Never Can Tell", and others contain thepith of Shaw's genius. An important addition to the library of anyserious actor. ... Read more

Product Description
Arms and the Man is a comedy written by George Bernard Shaw, and was first produced in 1894 and published in 1898, and has become on the the most popular plays of George Bernard Shaw. Like his other works, Arms and the Man questions conventional values and uses war and love as his satirical targets. This edition of Arms and the Man is in the form of a paperback book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

terrible printing
This edition of Arms and the Man has a terrible publisher who seemed like they cut and paste the text and slapped it on some paper.There are misspellings, awkward punctuations, and improper spacing of sections.They even are missing several of the last few pages of the book, which is utterly inexcusable.This version was hard to read.They say you can't judge a book by it's cover, but this I think this plain book cover is totally indicative of the effort that went into printing this version.

The Play and The Book
Shaw is a genius... even his weakest plays are virtuoso exhibitions of his remarkable insight into human behavior and his remarkable ability to entertain with both drama and comedy. Arms and the Man is NOT his weakest play and is a must read for fans of drama.
One of the unique aspects of Shaw as a playwright is his inclusion of extensive commentary in his text.Detailed descriptions not only of what the characters wear but what they look like, down to the shape of a nose or the length of a chin. Set details such as the condition of the napkins on a table, the exact year a particular piece on the set was created, the sloppiness of the handwriting on a note on the desk... details the director may express in his interpretation, but can never deliver as a direct experience to the audience. Compare this with Shakespeare, who restricted himself strictly to the dialogue, leaving all other details to the imagination of the director or reader. It is always true that reading a drama is a completely different experience than seeing it staged; Shaw apparently embraced that difference and took the pains to create a richer back story for the reader.

One of the best endings ever
I first read Arms and the Man some years ago and found it a cool play. It still holds up today. However, it is not a strong play as I hoped. Arms and the Man is not what I describe as a gripping, edge-of-the-seat play, but rather it is a light comedy that invokes the feeling of idealistic setting while George Bernard Shaw mocks the people who live quite comfortably because of their socioeconomic status. What he was trying to do didn't work for me, and I didn't laugh that much anytime there was supposed to be a comedic moment. Honestly, I would have given Arms and the Man a rating of 3, but the ending of the play is undeniably one of the best, most classic endings I've read. And it was literally the reason why I choose to read the play again. Take that away, Arms and the Man is pretty average as plays come. The reading is quite simple but little bit confusing. The descriptions are of world-class and terse. It is easy to visualize the setting. I found the conversations easy to follow yet are filled with small gaps. In my book, I find it weird that the prime symbols, that is, the "apostrophe" symbols (such as dont for don't and havent for haven't) are omitted throughout the play. Meanwhile, Louis Kronenberger wrote an introduction for the play, and I thought it was boring and too analytical. Overall, I recommend Arms and the Man to be read by children and adults alike, and I think it's a very sentimental play with the one of the best endings you'll see.

Arms and the Man
Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw. Published by MobileReference (mobi).

This is witty, subtle, and surprising treat from the author of Pygmalion. Shaw fashions the subjects of false ideals, heroism, romanticism, and the fake glories of war into a well-constructed farce which sustains through the very last line.

BATTLE FOR A CHOCOLATE CREAM SOLDIER
George Bernard Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN (original production: 1894) continues to entertain audiences a century later. Considered one of his "Pleasant" plays by the author (one might say, Comedies) this amusing
parody on War and Love is set in distant Bulgaria in the 1880's.Throughout the piece we witness curious interpersonal relations between the daughter of the household and her handsome officer and a gentleman
fiancé. But the small cast engages in almost farcical surprise developments: there's a saucy maid with upper-class pretensions,
and a dignified fellow servant with her best interests at heart. Raina's parents are the prototype for modern sitcoms, with their behind-the back finagling and opposing motivations.

As if the war between Bulgarians and Serbians were insufficient to provide dramatic chaos, Shaw introduces a literary wild card (THE MAN)
into this volatile mix: one Swiss mercenary named Bluntschli. As a fugitive from a ferocious calvary charge, the desperate man makes a nocturnal entrance into the heroine's bedroom, fleeing immediate death by climbing up a drain pipe--begging pathetic sanctuary from the
impressionable young woman.Should she hide and protect him--an enemy of her country, or turn him in?What begins as a potentially serious situation gradually devolves into delightful comedy and ends in romantic farce.

Shaw's sardonic wit mercilessly spotlights the manly art of war, false appearances (bravery, courtliness, obedience, social pretension), plus marital attempts to hoodwink the gullible spouse.Women's hearts seem fickle, while only the Man remains true to his original feelings.Despite the subtle themes of the hopelessness of being In Service and the superficial reputations of soldiers and maidens, this play offers moments of humor interspersed with wonderful opportunities for Stage Business.Regardless of the verisimilitude of the denouement women readers should take up arms to defend their men--no matter their rank. In the end it is Women's arms which prove stronger than Men's.

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