Book Description

All four members of the Bliss family have independently invited a guest for the weekend at their house near Maidenhead. The guests arrive only to find themselves alternately humiliated and embarrassed by their self-obsessed and self-dramatizing hosts. As Coward himself wrote, "Hay Fever is considered by many to be my best comedy." It was first produced in 1925 and hailed as a technical masterpiece. It remains a classic comedy of bad manners.

Customer Reviews (6)

Hay Fever
A delightful story as relevant today as it was when Noel Coward first wrote it and had it performed in London.
CLM

"Do you think they know they are mad?"
Written when Coward was only twenty-four, and produced shortly after, in 1925, Hay Fever is a broad, manic farce which takes place in the country house of a self-absorbed, artistic family. The Blisses, each of whom is creative and spontaneous, ignore the stultifying conventions of society--Judith, an extravagant stage actress, who pursues her own whims whenever it pleases her; her husband David, an author, who enjoys his own spotlight and camp-followers; and their adult children, Simon and Sorel.When Sorel announces that she has invited a weekend guest and would like to be able to use "the Japanese room," she quickly discovers that each of the other family members has also invited a guest for "the Japanese room."

In the course of the weekend, all the guests--conventional people attracted by the exciting lives these non-conformists have created for themselves--find themselves at the mercy of their more confident and assertive hosts.Guests who arrive thinking themselves in love with one person find themselves unexpectedly engaged to marry someone else.No one listens to them, no one recognizes them as individuals, and no one cares about their dashed expectations.As the Bliss family controls the activity during the weekend, the farce borders on absurdity.Outrageous scenes and emotional confrontations, part of their "normal" lives, prove too much for their guests.

The fast-paced interaction one sees on stage constitutes the only "plot," and there are no background stories to add complexity.What you see is obvious--what Coward has intended you to see. Far less subtle than some of his later work and lacking the cynicism and clever repartee for which Coward later became known, the play nevertheless incorporates many of Coward's trademark themes--the sense of entitlement by artists (some of which, he hints, is because they really are superior), their flamboyant behavior, the casual attitudes toward marriage and sex, their egotism and insensitivity to "ordinary" people, along with their sense of fun as they pursue their own pleasure.

These themes are all set into sharp relief by the behavior and attitudes of the guests, who gain no audience sympathy for their predicaments because they are decidedly dull.Though some believe that this is one of Coward's best plays, others will prefer the clever repartee, wit, and irony of the later plays, which tend to have a more intimate focus and smaller cast of characters.n Mary Whipple

Noel Coward's First Great Comic Success
Noel Coward (1899-1973) is best recalled for his sparkling yet acid-etched comedies, and the 1925 HAY FEVER is among the best, easily ranking alongside such titles as BLITHE SPIRIT, DESIGN FOR LIVING, and PRIVATE LIVES.Among his earlier successes, Coward received inspiration for the play when he visited the home of the great American actress Laurelette Taylor--and found both her and her family shockingly eccentric in an unexpectedly theatrical way.

Unlike most other Coward scripts, HAY FEVER relies less on plot and Coward's talent for sharp wit than it does upon character.Judith, directly based on Laurelette Taylor, is the lynchpin of the piece: recently retired from the stage, she is an intensely theatrical woman who enjoys dramatizing her life.She has invited a much younger man to be a weekend guest, never dreaming that her husband David, son Simon, and daughter Sorrel have each invited a guest as well.

The four guests soon discover that the maid is down with a toothache, there aren't enough rooms, and there is scarcely enough food to go around.To make matters worse, Judith plays every scene that presents itself.It is a habit in which she is not alone; her novelist husband and their two children are every bit as adept at theatrical hysteria as she, and before the weekend concludes the guests are treated to astonshing exhibitions that alternately annoy, confuse, and frighten them out of their wits.

Plays are written to be performed, not read, and HAY FEVER is a good example of the difficulties that can arise when a non-theatre person tries to visualize how it would be on the stage.On the page, it reads as clever and amusing, but only mildly so; on the stage, however, it is easily one of the most hilarious comedies of the 20th Century.Recommended for those who have the imagination required!

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Hay Fever
I was not aware that this was a live stage play.It was hard to follow on the audio tape. This was not really a 'story' being told. You really had to visualize who the characters were and what they were doing. This is not good for an audio book content.
I am an avid audio book listener.

Hay Fever
I was not aware that this was a live stage play.It was hard to follow on the audio tape. This was not really a 'story' being told. You really had to visualize who the characters were and what they were doing. This is not good for an audio book content.
I am an avid audio book listener. ... Read more

Book Description
This book explains the Chinese Theory on the cause of allergic conditions. it offers many low-or no cost home therapies to prevent and heal this widespread disease, including self-massage, Chinese patent medicines, and herbal teas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Only Book of its Kind
This is the only book in print I know of that attempts to discuss allergies from the point of view of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and for that reason alone it is a valuable contribution. This book makes a valiant attempt to explain the theories of TCM as they relate to hayfever, in a way that laypeople can understand.I believe it succeeds.TCM can only be understood on its own terms, not in relation to Western allopathic or any other medical system.This book makes that point beautifully clear.All of the TCM theory in the book is solid and well-worded, including a very helpful glossary of TCM terms.Bob Flaws has written and translated numerous texts on TCM in his many years as a doctor of TCM.

If you suffer from hayfever, I can generally recommend implementing the advice in this book, much of which can be done by yourself.However, I take issue with the fact that little mention is made of adverse reactions to Chinese herbs, especially allergic reactions to the herbs, their constituents, toxins present such as fungicides sprayed on herbs when they are exported from China, pesticide residues, possible non-herbal additives, and even toxic packaging.Reactions to these things is on the rise, especially in the population of people with other allergies, such as food allergies.Chinese herbs are, of course, safer than Western pharmaceuticals, but they have their drawbacks and I have seen many patients with problems from "natural" and "herbal" remedies because of allergies to those remedies, or as is more often the case, to the fumigants and pesticides on the herbs and the plastic bottles some natural medicines are packaged in.I also am not sure that laypeople can safely learn to use such techniques as moxa, cupping, and plum blossom from a book alone.It is far better to get a hands-on lesson from a professional if you want to do these techniques yourself.

Despite his years of experience, and his own personal experience with allergies, Dr. Flaws does not really mention any way of actually "curing" hayfever, as the book title suggests.This book is all about harm reduction, about symptom management.To this end, the book is thorough and I'm sure the advice he gives is very effective.But it won't make you stop being allergic, which he claims is impossible.(It's not impossible!)As Bob Flaws makes clear, it is up to you to manage your own lifestyle in healthy ways and not to rely on doctors or experts to fix you.However, many people who do lead healthy lives and have tried a great deal of natural medicine still have allergies, and may still have symptoms that trouble them a little or a lot.Following the advice in this book may help a great deal, but may be only a starting point.There are TCM methods beyond the scope of this book that can help when the advice in this book is not enough, and when seeing an acupuncturist or herbalist is not enough, or actually makes the problem worse.The cure is possible within the system of TCM, but not through the methods mentioned here.The methods I'm referring are more esoteric.

Though Dr. Flaws emphasizes that TCM is holistic (it is), there is little mention of spiritual causative factors or spiritual solutions to allergies.He advises the use of guided relaxation tapes, and that is as close as he gets to spiritual.There is more to spiritual healing than relaxing your body.Spiritual esoterica is really beyond the scope of this book, but spiritual esoterica of TCM is exactly where the real cure lies.Without the spiritual element, TCM is no longer "holistic."

This book also neglects the modern toxic world, beyond the mention of the hazards of diet soda.There are reasons why allergies have become so common, and for some, so severe.Many of the causes, be they spiritual and/or modern problems, are not addressed in this book. "Faulty diet, lack of adequate exercise, and too much stress," are causes of health imbalances in general, to be sure, but often really just aggravate a situation that already exists.

Many of the limits of this book are simply limits in scope.The concepts lacking may or may not be suitable for lay people, or may be beyond the understanding of Bob Flaws, who may be an expert on TCM but not necessarily an expert on allergies.On the other hand, the detailed herbal formulas, the acupoint-specific massage section, and the chapter on research are all fairly technical even to the point of being tedious, and may not be very helpful to laypeople either.All in all, the book is a good starting place, but not really about a "cure."

The Only Book of its Kind
This is the only book in print that I know of that attempts to discuss allergies from the point of view of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and for that reason alone it is a valuable contribution. This book makes a valiant attempt to explain the theories of TCM as they relate to hayfever, in a way that laypeople can understand.I believe it succeeds.TCM can only be understood on its own terms, not in relation to Western allopathic or any other medical system.This book makes that point beautifully clear.All of the TCM theory in the book is solid and well-worded, including a very helpful glossary of TCM terms.Bob Flaws has written and translated numerous texts on TCM in his many years as a doctor of TCM.

If you suffer from hayfever, I can generally recommend implementing the advice in this book, much of which can be done by yourself.However, I take issue with the fact that little mention is made of adverse reactions to Chinese herbs, especially allergic reactions to the herbs, their constituents, toxins present such as fungicides sprayed on herbs when they are exported from China, pesticide residues, possible non-herbal additives, and even toxic packaging.Reactions to these things is on the rise, especially in the population of people with other allergies, such as food allergies.Chinese herbs are, of course, safer than Western pharmaceuticals, but they have their drawbacks and I have seen many patients with problems from "natural" and "herbal" remedies because of allergies to those remedies, or as is more often the case, to the fumigants and pesticides on the herbs and the plastic bottles some natural medicines are packaged in.I also am not sure that laypeople can safely learn to use such techniques as moxa, cupping, and plum blossom from a book alone.It is far better to get a hands-on lesson from a professional if you want to do these techniques yourself.

Despite his years of experience, and his own personal experience with allergies, Dr. Flaws does not really mention any way of actually "curing" hayfever, as the book title suggests.This book is all about harm reduction, about symptom management.To this end, the book is thorough and I'm sure the advice he gives is very effective.But it won't make you stop being allergic, which he claims is impossible.(It's not impossible!)As Bob Flaws makes clear, it is up to you to manage your own lifestyle in healthy ways and not to rely on doctors or experts to fix you.However, many people who do lead healthy lives and have tried a great deal of natural medicine still have allergies, and may still have symptoms that trouble them a little or a lot.Following the advice in this book will probably help a great deal, but may be only a starting point.There are TCM methods beyond the scope of this book that can help when the advice in this book is not enough, and when seeing an acupuncturist or herbalist is not enough, or actually makes the problem worse.The cure is possible within the system of TCM, but not through the methods in this book.The methods I'm referring are more esoteric, and beyond the scope of this book.

Though Dr. Flaws emphasizes that TCM is holistic (it is), there is little mention of spiritual causative factors or spiritual solutions to allergies.He advises the use of guided relaxation tapes, and that is as close as he gets to spiritual.There is much more to spiritual healing than relaxing your body.I understand that spiritual esoterica is really beyond the scope of this book, however, but spiritual esoterica of TCM is exactly where the real cure lies.TCM is holistic because it includes spiritual healing--without the spiritual element, it cannot be holistic.

This book also neglects the modern toxic world, beyond the mention of the hazards of diet soda.There are reasons why allergies have become so common, and for some, so severe.Many of the causes, be they spiritual and/or modern problems, are not addressed in this book. "Faulty diet, lack of adequate exercise, and too much stress," are causes of health imbalances in general, to be sure, but often really just aggravate a situation that already exists.

Many of the limits of this book are simply that the book is limited in scope.The concepts lacking may or may not be suitable for lay people, or may be beyond the understanding of Bob Flaws, who may be an expert on TCM but not necessarily an expert on allergies.On the other hand, the detailed herbal formulas, the acupoint-specific massage section, and the chapter on research are all fairly technical and even tedious, and may not be very helpful to laypeople either.All in all, the book is a good starting place, but not really about a "cure." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful
Hi! We're the Stirrup Stars. We're a horse-lovers club and we love these books! They're full of interesting events having to do with horses. We thought it was awesome when Stevie chased the bus by horseback! Ahorse-lover's must! (stirrup_stars@hotmail.com)

Great book!!
I think this book was great, #1 Horses #2 It was really good, you'd neverwant to put it down since it's exciting #3 humorous #4 Well, it's theSaddle Club! I really think people should read this book!! It says it's forages 9-12, but it's for all ages, I think. 8 years old, or 13 years old!

Max is in Love
The saddle club is at it again.This time they seek to help Max find a suitable girl.With a show coming up at Pine Hollow the girls invite any and all the available women they know in efforts that Max might like one of them.Little do they know Max has already found someone.Carole, Stevie, and Lisa realize this a little too late and must stop her from leaving. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Three Brilliants By The Great English Wit
Noel Coward's talent for spinning gossamer plots into rapier-sharp comedy assures his reputation in theatre, and his comedies have such timeless appeal that they remain staples of both English and American theatre.This volume collects three of his most memorable scripts: the fantasy BLITHE SPIRIT, the farce HAY FEVER, and the razor-wicked PRIVATE LIVES.

Of the three, BLITHE SPIRIT and PRIVATE LIVES are best known to the general public through various film versions and frequent revivals.BLITHE SPIRIT concerns a novelist who invites a medium to give a seance that he might learn tricks of the trade for the book he is writing--but the medium is no fake, and she unintentionally summons up the ghost of his first wife, who promptly moves in and makes his second wife's life a living hell.PRIVATE LIVES offers the story of a divorced couple who unexpectedly meet while honeymooning with their new spouses--whom they quickly abandon in order to resume their torrid passion for each other.Trouble is, although they love each other desperately, their personalities are about as compatible as two scorpions in a bottle.HAY FEVER, one of Coward's earliest successes, presents the story of visitors to an eccentric family who are very nearly driven mad before they are able to escape.

Coward was reknowned for his sophistocated and often acid turn of phrase, and all three of these plays contain enough outrageous situations and sharp-tongued lines to make even the worst sourpuss laugh loud enough to annoy the neighbors.Although those unused to reading playscripts may find HAY FEVER a bit hard to grasp, both BLITHE SPIRIT and PRIVATE LIVES read extremely, extremely well--so much so that you're likely to find yourself acting them out as you read!Wonderful fun, and strongly, strongly recommended.

Impressive
I recieved my summer reading list for Honors English a few weeks ago, and under the section that held a list of three play titles to choose from, I came across Blithe Spirit.Having never heard of Noel Coward, or anything of the other two plays in this book (Hay Fever, and Private Lives) I decided to give the book a chance and I am pleased that I did.I am not a huge fan of reading plays, but after I read Blithe Spirit, I felt that I just had to keep going and read the other two.After reading this book, it is now very obvious to me that Noel Coward was a man with extreme talent, and an awful witty sense of humor.While reading these plays you come across some really interesting situations, and characters, and I guarentee that you will be smiling throughout the whole thing.

The only serious challenge to Feydeau in English
Noel Coward's _Hay Fever_, Evelyn Waugh's _Handful of Dust_, and Kingsley Amis's _Lucky Jim_ are, for my money, the three funniest things written in English in the 20th century.I was a drama critic for nearly 12 years, sawhundreds of productions of all kinds from coast to coast in the US and afew in London, and never laughed harder or enjoyed myself more than at aregional US production of "Hay Fever" in the late 1970's.Do itagain!Do it again! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Allergy Self Help Book
This is a great book! It simplifies allergies so that the layperson can start doing something about allergy problems. Just the list of allergy symptoms helps educate patients about how they are being influenced by their allergies. I suggest that all of my TMJ and Orthodontic patients purchase the Allergy Self Help Book.
The book shows non invasive common sense methods for controling allergy problems. Unfortunately, many physicians and dentists are not aware of the severe effects allergies can have on their patients so patients have to educate themselves fully.
It is especially important that parents protect their children from the harmful effects of allergies such as decreased nasal breathing and neck problems.

A very educational book on allergies!
I got this book from the library after a friend of mine had gotten it and knows of my anxiety trouble.She begged me to get this book and knowing of my many allergies including shots as a child I got this book and low andbehold - I have seen the light.I'm trying to purchase one as I have toreturn this to the library but I recommend this book to anyone havinghealth trouble, it willreally open up your eyes to things you would neverdream of. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Two classic plays and a fun bonus play
Noel Coward's irrepressibly witty style made him a huge theater success.He also wrote serious dramas (I recommend the screenplay BRIEF ENCOUNTER) but he will always be known for the type of plays included in this volume, two of which promise to endure.

BLITHE SPIRIT (5F, 2M) is my favorite of the lot.Writer Charles Condomine throws a dinner party and invites local medium Madame Arcati.At an after-dinner seance, the spirit of Charles' first wife is released into the house.The fact that only he can see her makes for some great comic scenes, and torments his second wife, Ruth, to no end.The end of the second act brings a surprising twist that further turns the spiritual tables on Charles.The themes of marriage and remarriage are also profitably taken up by...

PRIVATE LIVES (3F, 2M), perhaps Coward's best-known farce, and the last play in this volume.Two honeymooning couples find themselves at the same resort as their exes, provoking three acts of on-again off-again action and some hilarious one-liners.Love is a madness, the play says, and we enjoy hurting the ones we love.

The middle play of the volume, HAY FEVER, was one of Coward's early hits on the London stage, 1925 according to the dust jacket.Though it contains much in the way of funny banter, it does not hold up as well as the other two plays.It treats on a crazy family led by a histrionic matriarch and the unsuspecting guests they host one weekend.It has a large cast (5F, 4M), and those interested in ensemble pieces might want to take a look.The book is worth the read for BLITHE SPIRIT and PRIVATE LIVES alone.Consider HAY FEVER a bonus.

Since I've taken the time to review one of Amazon's least-visited books, I'd appreciate your vote if you found my review at all helpful.It is nice to know it is being read.Thank you. ... Read more

Book Description
A step-by-step guide to understanding and coping with hay fever, perennial rhinitis, and other allergic reactions.

Helps to determine whether you really suffer from hay fever and how to deal with it on a year-round basis.

Shows how to lessen your symptoms without drugs and how to avoid reactions in the first place.

Explains how to minimize the development of allergies in your children.

Includes appendices on pollen seasons around the world, air pollution, and useful products and resources.

Almost everyone has thought that they may be suffering from hay fever at one time or another. But what is hay fever? And what are the most effective treatments? Hay Fever: The Complete Guide looks at these questions and provides the scientific background on the causes and types of hay fever and related sinus conditions and how to treat them for the most effective results. The authors explore all the issues of respiratory allergies, including the links between asthma and hay fever and the related issue of preventing allergies in children. They also discuss the role of food allergies and allergens and review the common myths surrounding them. The most effective treatments, both drug-based and homeopathic, are analyzed and weighed against one another. Helpful Appendices offer a summary of the causes, symptoms, and possible treatments for hay fever as well as various sources for further information. 

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Skin & Allergy News, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2007. The length of the article is 631 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: Immunotherapy shots effective for hay fever.(Clinical Rounds)
Author: Diana Mahoney
Publication: Skin & Allergy News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 38Issue: 3Page: 89(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
This is a 3-in-1 reference book. It gives a complete medical dictionary covering hundreds of terms and expressions relating to hay fever. It also gives extensive lists of bibliographic citations. Finally, it provides information to users on how to update their knowledge using various Internet resources. The book is designed for physicians, medical students preparing for Board examinations, medical researchers, and patients who want to become familiar with research dedicated to hay fever.If your time is valuable, this book is for you. First, you will not waste time searching the Internet while missing a lot of relevant information. Second, the book also saves you time indexing and defining entries. Finally, you will not waste time and money printing hundreds of web pages.Download Description
This is a 3-in-1 reference book. It gives a complete medical dictionary covering hundreds of terms and expressions relating to hay fever. It also gives extensive lists of bibliographic citations. Finally, it provides information to users on how to update their knowledge using various Internet resources. The book is designed for physicians, medical students preparing for Board examinations, medical researchers, and patients who want to become familiar with research dedicated to hay fever. If your time is valuable, this book is for you. First, you will not waste time searching the Internet while missing a lot of relevant information. Second, the book also saves you time indexing and defining entries. Finally, you will not waste time and money printing hundreds of web pages. ... Read more

Book Description

Euromonitor's Cold, Cough and Allergy Remedies in Venezuela report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level.It provides the latest retail sales data (1998-2003), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market- be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2008 illustrate how the market is set to change. Product coverage includes decongestants, cough remedies, pharyngeal preparations, medicated confectionery, antihistamines/allergy remedies, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies. Euromonitor International has over 30 years experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore and Shanghai and a network of over 600 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.

Why buy this report?

• Get insight into trends in market performance (historic and forecasts)
• Pinpoint growth sectors and trends and identify factors driving change
• Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands
• Use Euromonitor's research as a starting point for exploring new business opportunities

Book Description

Euromonitor's Cold, Cough and Allergy Remedies in Egypt report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level.It provides the latest retail sales data (1998-2003), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market- be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2008 illustrate how the market is set to change. Product coverage includes decongestants, cough remedies, pharyngeal preparations, medicated confectionery, antihistamines/allergy remedies, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies. Euromonitor International has over 30 years experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore and Shanghai and a network of over 600 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.

Why buy this report?

• Get insight into trends in market performance (historic and forecasts)
• Pinpoint growth sectors and trends and identify factors driving change
• Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands
• Use Euromonitor's research as a starting point for exploring new business opportunities