The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1)

The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1)
Average customer rating:

Surprisingly GREAT!

More fiction than history, but good read anyway.

The Man can tell a Tale, A Great Intro to the Dark Ages!

Arthur, as he was meant to be

History 1A
The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1)
Bernard Cornwell
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Enemy of God (The Arthur Books #2)

Excalibur (The Arthur Books #3)

The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Chronicles Series #2)

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1)

Lords of the North (The Saxon Chronicles Series #3)

ASIN: 0312156960

Amazon.com

Essentially this is a modern political thriller, told in flat American diction. Narrated by Derfel, an ordinary, likable man who rises through the ranks to become Arthur's friend and advisor in peace and war, the story doesn't follow the traditional patterns. Mordred is Uther's infant grandson, the legitimate king; Arthur is one of Mordred's guardians, sworn to hold the kingdom against the Saxon warlords until Mordred comes of age. Warfare is incessant. Arthur's dream of peace and unity seems unattainable. Derfel's own story--his strange origin, his love for Nimue, his worries and his triumphs--parallels Arthur's as he fights for and beside him.

Bernard Cornwell downplays the magic that enlivens the traditional stories, depicting it more as a combination of superstition and shrewd wits. I recommend this with reservations; though it's absorbing to read, the emphasis on battles and politics means that this will greatly appeal to some fantasy readers, but disappoint others.

Book Description

It takes a remarkable writer to make an old story as fresh and compelling as the first time we heard it. With The Winter King, the first volume of his magnificent Warlord Chronicles, Bernard Cornwell finally turns to the story he was born to write: the mythic saga of King Arthur.

The tale begins in Dark Age Britain, a land where Arthur has been banished and Merlin has disappeared, where a child-king sits unprotected on the throne, where religion vies with magic for the souls of the people. It is to this desperate land that Arthur returns, a man at once utterly human and truly heroic: a man of honor, loyalty, and amazing valor; a man who loves Guinevere more passionately than he should; a man whose life is at once tragic and triumphant.

As Arthur fights to keep a flicker of civilization alive in a barbaric world, Bernard Cornwell makes a familiar tale into a legend all over again.

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly GREAT!.......2007-10-02

Knowing nothing about this author or his style of writing, I was pleasantly surprised by what I firmly believe to be a more accurate accounting of Britain's Dark Ages than any modern movie or ancient legend that I have encountered.

More fiction than history, but good read anyway........2007-09-12

Winter King is OK book. It's not as good as the Last Kingdom, which first got me introduced to Bernie Cornwell, but it's OK.

Frankly, I don't think the book is historically accurate. More mythical. I beleive the historical thing is more like the movie in which Arthur was actually a non-royal Roman general Artorius, and Lancelot was a Samartian warrior from the steppes of Russia.

I can't beleive Bernie turned Lancelot into a woosie. Not sure where he's getting all this, but like the part about Uther and Morgan being half-burned rather than really hot chic that I was told she was supposed to be. OK. Later book said...she was a hot chic who got half-burned, but how am I supposed to know that?

And who's this Derfel dude anyway? Bernie just made the whole thing up, but then again, I bought six of his books so far, so what am I kidding myself? Bernie will be like "Dude, this is historical FICTION...Not history. Hello!!"

The Man can tell a Tale, A Great Intro to the Dark Ages!.......2007-09-02

I was introduced to Cornwell's work thru his Sharpes Stories Books & the DVD. (They both being well worth the time & coin to get) This series however is far and away a much better work. In that the Author take the reader back to a really nasty time - 6th Century AD Britain and the Dark Ages. Where he weaves a grand and gritty story about the Arthur Legend.
While not wanting to give too much away. It provides a fascinating look at a world that is both familiar and alien at the same time coupled with some telling details. Altogether this series is his best effort so far

Arthur, as he was meant to be.......2007-08-16

In this book, the first of three, Cornwell captures the essence of the Arthurian myth while staying true to history (as much as we know it) and reality (as much as we know it).

Together with Enemy of God (The Arthur Books #2) and Excalibur (The Arthur Books #3), these comprise simply the finest Arthur stories, superior to Mallory or Stewart or White. Against the grim, brutal, bleak backdrop Cornwell supplies, Arthur stands out even more as a champion of hope.

In this, we see a return to the Welsh legends - he's not a Christian, he's a pagan; he's not a king, he's a warlord; he's not looking for the holy grail, he's looking for a pagan cup. Genius. Revolutionary.

The Arthur myths became popular in the late middle ages/ early Renaissance, as can be noted in The Master of Verona (another great read, contemporary with another Cornwell book, The Archer's Tale (The Grail Quest, Book 1)). This book and its sequels return Arthur to his roots - brilliantly. Every Arthur novel will forever be compared to this.

History 1A.......2007-07-06

Oh soooo many books about this time period have been written, all without the benefit of a written dependable history. This series of Historical Novels had be believing it the myriad of possibilities that could have existed in that time frame and let me look into the eyes of the characters of my youth in a whole new way.

I enjoyed all three books once I got past pronouncing the characters names.

Average customer rating:

The Lion in Winter: A Play
James Goldman
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812973356
Release Date: 2004-12-14

Book Description

Insecure siblings fighting for their parents’ attention; bickering spouses who can’t stand to be together or apart; adultery and sexual experimentation; even the struggle to balance work and family: These are themes as much at home in our time as they were in the twelfth century. In James Goldman’s classic play The Lion in Winter, domestic turmoil rises to an art form.
Keenly self-aware and motivated as much by spite as by any sense of duty, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine maneuver against each other to position their favorite son in line for succession. By imagining the inner lives of Henry, Eleanor, and their sons, John, Geoffrey, and Richard, Goldman created the quintessential drama of family strife and competing ambitions, a work that gives visceral, modern-day relevance to the intrigues of Angevin England.
Combining keen historical and psychological insight with delicious, mordant wit, the stage play has become a touchstone of today’s theater scene, and Goldman’s screenplay for the 1968 film adaptation won him an Academy Award. Told in “marvelously articulate language, with humor that bristles and burns” (Los Angeles Times), The Lion in Winter is the rare play that bursts into life on the printed page.

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Simpering and simmering during the English Civil War

The Winter Prince (Signet Eclipse)
Cheryl Sawyer
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451220447

Book Description

A new novel of love and war set in 17th-century England-from the acclaimed author of The Code of Love.

Praised for her "lavish use of history...and vividly detailed settings,"* Cheryl Sawyer sweeps readers back to 17th-century England at the time of the Civil War, where a royal duchess and a warrior prince fight to save a riven kingdom.

Mary Villiers, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, is a ravishing beauty raised as the adopted daughter of Charles I of England. In 1642 she is shocked to find herself opposed to her king when he decides to declare war on Parliament and therefore on his own people. Mary embarks on a dangerous quest to help save the throne of England for its rightful monarch, but first she'll tangle with the king's charismatic nephew, Prince Rupert of the Rhine.

Customer Reviews:

Simpering and simmering during the English Civil War.......2007-07-24

Author Cheryl Sawyer attempts to bring to life the much rumored (but unconfirmed) romance between Mary Villiers, the Duchess of Richmond and Prince Rupert of the Rhine, nephew to (the eventually deposed & decapitated) King Charles I of England during the early years of the English Civil War.

Mary Villiers is daughter to the infamous George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (infamous for being lover to King James I and for his infectious charisma & dandified living). She was a very young girl when jealousy and spite lead to the murder of her father & Mary has tried to live a spot-free chaste courtier's life in the court of her informal "adopted" family - that of King Charles I, his wife Queen Henrietta-Maria and their sons. King Charles I is famous for his ineptitude which eventually lead to the overthrow of the English monarchy, and his wife, Queen Henrietta-Maria for her excessiveness, frivolousness and Catholic fervor. We meet Mary when she is 20 and in a passionless but respectful and friendly marriage to the Duke of Richmond. Mary pays court to the King and Queen nearly without question and without asking for favors - loyalty above all.

In walks the darkly handsome, roguish P.O.W. Prince Rupert of the Rhine, followed by his reputation as a ladies man. Mary and Rupert find themselves drawn to one and other and spend a year yearning and resisting their passionate urges. This sounds like a great set up for a good romance set against political turmoil... but the story didn't deliver. The passion is under developed (too many longing gazes and hidden thoughts) and the chance encounters are hokey (like meeting in a dark tunnel beneath the streets of Oxford that no one had traveled for 200 years). The military strategy sessions and battle descriptions did not add to the love story, and the love story did not add to the political history of the time.

Mary is hard to really truly like - her unwaivering loyalty and friendship to the selfish and fickle Henrietta-Maria is frustrating, and, as written, she seems too fragile, unaware and unsure of herself to hold the interest of the worldly, gallant Prince Rupert. Rupert, on the other hand, is a quirky man who holds to a chivalric code, speaks of himself in the third person, keeps odd pets and is a savage on the battle field (all documented to be true).

I wanted to like this book - but I found it to be just "OK" and a bit too slow for my liking. Those interested in reading about King Charles I and Queen Henrietta-Maria may find their presentation here of interest, though it is secondary to the main story. Sawyer keeps their characters consistent with opinions of the time. They are devoted to each other despite their religious differences. The Queen is a bit domineering, extremely fickle, and "meddlesome" in governmental and military affairs. Perhaps it would not have been such a significant flaw at the time if she had good political instinct, but she did not. Nor did her husband - Sawyer shows him to us as the indecisive and inept ruler he was.

To clarify, I did not expect a traditional sappy "historical romance" & was thus disappointed. I enjoy well written historical novels with romantic subplots. I enjoy the suspense of courtship - the Winter Prince just didn't hit the mark. If love expressed solely by whispered phrases once every 6 months and yearning gazes is your game, The Winter Prince is the book for you.

Holiday Princess: A Princess Diaries Book (Princess Diaries)

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Holiday Princess
Holiday Princess
Princess Mia's take on celebrating the holidays
Great Holiday How to book
Celebrate the Holidays With Princess Mia and Her Pals

Holiday Princess: A Princess Diaries Book (Princess Diaries)
Meg Cabot
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Sweet Sixteen Princess (Princess Diaries, Vol. 7 1/2) (Princess Diaries)
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Valentine Princess (Princess Diaries, Vol. 7 3/4) (Princess Diaries)

ASIN: 0060754346
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Book Description

A princess always knows how to celebrate the holidays. There's Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Chinese New Year, Saturnalia . . .to name just a few.

Then there's gift giving, the royal Genovian Fabergé advent calendar, hot chocolate with marshmallows -- oh, and all those fabulous holiday movies. How will YOU celebrate this holiday season? Mia and her subjects have a few ideas.

Customer Reviews:

Holiday Princess.......2006-03-11

I usually like Meg Cabot, but this book was a waste of my money. It is boring and not half as good as I expected of Cabot. The Princess Diaries Books, as oppose to the series, are just not worth it.

Holiday Princess.......2005-12-26

We're either approaching or all ready knee deep in the holiday season, depending on your point of view. Many of us feel overwhelmed by this time of year, but don't worry, Princess Mia is here to rescue us.

With her usual flair, Ms. Cabot has penned an amusing guide to all the holidays and variations thereof celebrated in the Christmas season around the world. Despite the light tone, this is actually a very informative book. I guarantee that unless you have studied holidays in depth, you'll learn something and enjoy yourself while doing it. Most of the characters we've come to love in the other Princess books contribute to this volume; Lily, Grandmere, Michael, Mr. G, Mia's mother, friends, baby brother, and of course, the Princess herself. If you just need to take a break from the onslaught of chaos, then no matter how old you are, grab this book and smile.

Amanda Killgore

Princess Mia's take on celebrating the holidays.......2005-12-16

Back again with another addition to the Princess Diaries series, Princess Mia invites us to share the holidays with her and the family in her witty rendition of what happens during the holidays. Loaded with advice from everyone closely associated with her, each chapter is also laden with her own views and excerpts on how things really are.

From holiday etiquette on everything from addressing cards to purchasing gifts for others, to what's fashionable to eat, there's something for everyone in this little book (that is, if you're into being a princess and all). Mia is hilariously objective in her comments about her family's take on things, and Meg Cabot cleverly does this by putting all of Mia's comments in red, so you can't mistake her thoughts.

One of the highlights of the book is Mia's chapter on Christmas around the world. Throughout the chapter, there are dozens of countries, complete with folklore, tradition, and how this particular culture spends their holiday season --- a very useful and informative tool for the student who has to do a book report (hint, hint). It's all there. There might even be some countries listed that no one has ever heard of, or ever thought of, that celebrate their own version of Christmas.

Additionally, there are explanations on which movies are best to watch during Christmas, recipes to make, and the real story of truths and myths of what Christmas really means. Finally, it's a wrap with an in-depth guide to Kwanzaa and, of course, the symbolization of Happy New Year, complete with a listing of how to say it in 60 different languages!

Although we won't be in Genovia with the royal princess, she made sure we knew enough to have lasting memories, as if we were. Happy Holidays everyone!

--- Reviewed by Belinda Williams

Great Holiday How to book.......2005-10-26

I have all of Meg Cabot's Princess Diary books, I even have the release dates marked on my calendar, so I was first in line at my bookstore this morning to buy this book.

In this book, Princess Mia, her family and friends share their Christmas memories and customs. There is even a section on Christmas cards, and how to say, "Happy New Year" in a lot of languages.

Great book to learn about Christmas customs and such.

``Katrina

Celebrate the Holidays With Princess Mia and Her Pals.......2005-10-25

To be a good Princess, one must be diplomatic, and educated in everything regarding the countries and principalities surrounding one's own charge. This includes knowing how to celebrate every winter holiday, from the well-known Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, to the often unspoken about Yule, Chinese New Year, and Saturnalia - just to name a few. But this is not all that a good Princess must know. A good Princess must also be up on gift giving - what exactly is the right present to give to a guy you're not dating, but hope to be dating soon? Then there's those fabulous holiday movies - including some very unconventional holiday tales; and all of this is rounded off with a nice hot chocolate with marshmallows. This year, spend the holiday with Princess Mia, and her band of closest friends, from Lilly to Michael, and Tina to Paolo, as they give you the lowdown on all things Christmas, from how teenagers in other countries celebrate the holidays, and how to say "Happy New Year" in every language known-to-man.

I have purchased and read every PRINCESS DIARIES HOW-TO BOOK, but HOLIDAY PRINCESS instantly took the prize as my favorite installment in the series. Perhaps it's my love of Christmas that made it my favorite; or maybe it's the fact that I love reading about how the PRINCESS DIARIES gang is spending their holiday season. Either way, HOLIDAY PRINCESS is a fun-filled book that will keep everyone on their toes for the holiday season. Cabot has created an informative guide that features style tips, shopping solutions, and much, much more that will get everyone through the Christmas rush; and each tip is accompanied by a marvelous illustration by Chesley McLaren. Overall, this is a must have book for all PRINCESS DIARIES fans, as it will quickly win a place in everyone's heart this holiday season.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Kings, Commoners and Knaves Further Chess Explorations

Average customer rating:

Seeking the Truth
Brilliant, original, meticulous and hilarious
Good book troubled by editing errors

Kings, Commoners and Knaves Further Chess Explorations
Edward G. Winter
Manufacturer: Russell Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1888690046

Book Description

A cornucopia of games, positions, biographies, mysteries, howlers, reviews, quotations, etc., featuring a cast of hundreds from the chess world of today and yesteryear -- the champions and the under-achievers, the scholars and the bunglers, the saints and the sinners. Every page provides fascinating, little-known material from an author who is prepared to name names. Includes * Indexes of games, players, and openings * Engaging chess games * Fascinating anecdotes.

Customer Reviews:

Seeking the Truth.......2007-06-26

Edward Winter again presents us with a collection of historical essays, book reviews, forgotten positions, biographical details, quotes, and photographs from his long-running "Chess Notes" column. Winter's goal, as he says elsewhere, is to find out new (or rediscovered) true information about chess history, and to point out false statements and tall tales that are copied from one lousy chess book to another as "history".

The book therefore contains--among much else--many interesting but forgotten games and compositions, biographical material about unjustly forgotten players, and, to this reader the most interesting part of the book, historical investigations into alleged incidents in the lives of famous players. Very often, Winter shows that the sensational tales, both positive and negative, told about many chess masters (either praising their "genius" or blaiming the "crazy" or "immoral" chess master) are based on no facts at all.

This doesn't mean Winter covers up the unpleasant truth. For example, Winter's detailed investigation does not cover up the evidence pointing towards the conclusion that Alekhine did write of his free will the anti-Jewish articles signed by him which he later claimed he was forced to do against his will. But he also allows Alekhine's defenders (including Alekhine himself) in this matter a fair hearing, and wisely comments that the full story will probably have to wait until Alekhine's personal archives are made available to the public. What Winter objects to isn't criticism, even severe criticism, but libel--such as Fine's notorious remark that Alekhine was was "the sadist of the chessboard", for no good reason.

I suspect the book's most often-read section is, alas, the one dealing with book reviews. To many people, reading scathing book reviews that show how bad a book is is a guilty pleasure, and indeed many of Winter's reviews are scathing. Perhaps, in retrospect, Winter might have avoided much of the controversy surrounding KCK, leaving its historical and research value intact, by cutting out the 10% (or so) of KCK devoted to reviews of books and leaving only the purely historical material. Indeed, in the last decade, Winter had practically ceased to write book reviews, presumably deciding such reviews produce far more heat than light.

That said, Winter's scathing criticism is invariably (so far as I can tell) well-justified and always well-documented with numerous examples. The 'Knaves' of the chess world--those who write meretricious "ooks" (Martin Gardner's term to describe worthless potboilers that do not deserve to be called "books")--get what's coming to them from Winter's pen.

The one "criticism" I have of this book is that not all the material in it interested me--but only about 90% of it. This, of course, is not real criticism: tastes vary, and any book of chess history that is 100% interesting to one reader is sure to be of 0% interest to another. Winter, however, has done such a good job of selection that I strongly suspect this book will be 90% interesting to just about *anybody* with interest in chess history; and that is a great achievement indeed.

Brilliant, original, meticulous and hilarious.......2002-01-22

This book is incredibly good. Many chess writers recycle old (and often inaccurate) information from other books, but that is definitely not Winter's way. This book is remarkably accurate and is written in sparkling English. The research and editing are superb. The book contains hundreds of unknown games and positions, thousands of unknown or forgotten facts (many of them historical but also with plenty of topical comment) and all in all it is simply terrific. Winter doesn't pull his punches and can be hilarious when panning sloppy or dishonest hack-writing. Five stars hardly do justice to this wonderful book!

Good book troubled by editing errors.......2001-12-15

This book is best summarized as a series of short articles. Some of the articles are interesting and some are not.

Different aspects of chess are covered: miniatures, trivia, puzzles, theory etc. Most of the individual groupings are fun... and most are well written. However, some are not.

The worst parts of this book bore us with the history of misspellings of famous players names; their obituaries and such.

Some of the best parts (the puzzles and miniatures) are troubled by poor editing of the chess lines(see below). This is somewhat resolved by the general good quality of the puzzles themselves(...)Overall I would give this book 3 and a half stars. The binding is nice (and better than -say- an Everyman chess binding) but the poor editorship really is taxing.

Average customer rating:

My First Chadwick But Definitely Not The Last!

The Winter Mantle

High expectations disappointed

Outstanding

Wonderful historical reading/ There are 2 Chadwick authors be careful
The Winter Mantle
Elizabeth Chadwick
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312312911

Book Description

Normandy 1067---William may have conquered England, but it is a conquest of a different kind that one English earl has in mind.

Fresh from his defeat of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, William of Normandy has returned home in triumph, accompanied by the English nobles he cannot trust to leave behind. For Waltheof of Huntington, however, rebellion is not at the forefront of his thoughts. From the moment he catches sight of Judith, daughter of the King’s formidable sister, he knows he has found his future wife.

When Waltheof saves Judith’s life, it is clear that the attraction is mutual. But marriage has little to do with love in medieval Europe. When William refuses to let the couple wed, Waltheof joins forces with his fellow rebels in an uprising against the King. William brutally crushes the rebellion, but realizes that Waltheof cannot be ignored. Marrying him to his niece, he decides, is the perfect way to keep him in check.

But is the match between the Saxon earl and Norman lady made in heaven or hell? As their children grow, Waltheof and Judith must choose between their feelings for each other and older loyalties. At the same time, the reputation of Waltheof’s Norman acquaintance Simon de Senlis continues to flourish. The son of William’s chamberlain, he shares a special bond with Waltheof, who rescued him from being trampled by a horse when he was a squire. Now Simon enjoys the confidence of both the King and the rebel earl. And when tension between the two ignites once more, it is Simon who is set to reap the reward.

Based on an astonishing true story of honor, treachery, and love, The Winter Mantle is historical fiction at its very best, reaching from the turbulent reign of William the conqueror to the high drama of the Crusades.

Customer Reviews:

My First Chadwick But Definitely Not The Last!.......2007-10-11

This was a beautiful exciting tale about a love that eluded one couple but is found by their daughter. It's got so much more than just romance though. It's a solid piece of historical fiction. After reading this I ordered three more of Chadwick's books! A great read!

The Winter Mantle.......2007-02-08

A story of a young girls love, led by the strongest memory of her late father- his White, fur mantle. Dealing, at a loss, with her mother's controlling ways -she makes an escape by way of a marriage to one of her father's friends and former squires (the one who now posseses his winter mantle). He was to originally wed the mother, but instead the daughter went to him. Together they take title and land from the mother. Love does eventually grow between the two. But with a twist, after Simons' crusade in the Holy Land, a nun sends to him that he has had a child with her. Simon accepts this child into his household, understanding that he will have to explain this child to his wife. Unknowning that she has already found out. This is the story of love sought, lost, and the tragedy of betrayal by those you hold dear. A truly good read.

High expectations disappointed.......2006-11-11

I'm having a hard time reconciling all of these positive reviews with the mediocre book I just finished. Until about halfway through the book, I considered abandoning it, and I hardly ever put down a book after starting it. Granted, the second half of the story was much better than the first, but even the second half wasn't great.

The writing is inconsistent, many of the characters are painfully flat, and for all of the criticisms that I've read concerning this book's close resemblance to a tawdry romance novel, I've read better sex scenes in a Harlequin paperback.

If you don't mind the unfocused, meandering plot and shrewish women that fill the first 300 pages, the last 200 pages are somewhat enjoyable. But as a book editor, I don't believe that it's worthwhile to waste a reader's time for very little payoff.

Outstanding.......2006-09-14

Another excellent book from this author, and always a weekend lost in another time. The author's grasp of writing the sights, smells, sounds, food and habits of time are so lifelike it's like you are living in it yourself. Highly recommended.

Wonderful historical reading/ There are 2 Chadwick authors be careful.......2006-05-07

This story was wonderful. It's been a few months since I've read this but I remember it well enough for it to have earned 5 stars. My favorite thus far for Elizabeth Chadwick books.

The Winter's Tale (The Pelican Shakespeare)

Average customer rating:

A gentle and melancholy play
A tale to pass the winter snow.
About par for Shakespeare.
A curious play
Tired of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar...?

The Winter's Tale (The Pelican Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 014071488X

Book Description

The Winter's Tale was one of the very last plays Shakespeare wrote, a moving romance whose themes are sin, forgiveness, death, rebirth, and the power of Time and Nature to heal all wounds. Based on a novella by Shakespeare's enemy and arch rival Robert Greene, The Winter's Tale introduces Perdita, perhaps the Bard's most richly symbolic character. At times tragic, at times humorous, but always entertaining and instructive, The Winters Tale is a complex and rewarding work by the greatest dramatist of all time.

A Shakespeare Society Production.

The complete play in four acts.

Download Description

Paul. The Keeper of the prison, call to him: Let him haue knowledge who I am. Good Lady, No Court in Europe is too good for thee, What dost thou then in prison? Now good Sir, You know me, do you not?

Customer Reviews:

A gentle and melancholy play.......2007-05-25

Although this play is not one of Shakespeare's better known plays, it is one of his very best. It is a tragicomedy suffused by gentle melancholy. Unreasonable and cruel jealousy are also portrayed. We also have two endearing young lovers to liven up the story. These characters are very well-drawn, and the story is quite beautiful.

A tale to pass the winter snow........2007-01-12

I have always favoured the Oxford Shakespeare series over others (Folger, etc), and the Winter's Tale is no exception. It's translation notes and lexigraphical assistance makes reading a joy and brings out the true heart and soul of one of Shakespeare's commonly overlooked tragi-comedies.

About par for Shakespeare........2006-05-07

As usual in Shakespearean plays, the language here is very prettily written. As usual in Shakespearean comedies, there are plot holes that one could easily drive a tank squadron through. But since this is not just a comedy, but a tragicomedy, in which the first part is a tragedy and the second a comedy, not everything comes out well in the end: some worthy characters die. Also, as is usual for Shakespeare, we have a morality play on the evils of jealousy and closed-mindedness. Really, though, other than the pretty Shakespearean turns of phrase, there isn't much to recommend this book.

A curious play.......2005-07-16

Early compilers of Shakespeare's plays classified this a comedy, but there is much tragedy in it. Later it was called a romance. Through irrational jealousy a king is apparently responsible for the deaths of his entire family -- wife, son and daughter -- by mid-play. Time is a character in the play and at his one appearance summarizes the passage of sixteen years. If you have an overy high regard for realism, you may not much enjoy this play, but that will be true of more of Shakespeare than just this one tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I look forward to seeing it. I've ordered the BBC DVD and it's being performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2006. These Cambridge School editions have the play's text on right-hand pages; they have summary, commentary and exercises, and vocabulary on the facing left-hand pages. As I read through the play, I'd read the summary, read the play text paying attention to vocabulary, and then read the commentary and exercises. Some additional, unusual vocabulary was only explained in the commentary. I felt I got a deeper understanding of the play than if I had just read the play proper.mmary, commentary and exercises, and vocabulary on the facing left-hand pages. As I read through the play, I'd read the summary, read the play text paying attention to vocabulary, and then read the commentary and exercises. Some additional, unusual vocabulary was only explained in the commentary. I felt I got a deeper understanding of the play than if I had just read the play proper.

Tired of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar...?.......2003-12-24

Then read this before you retire from Shakespeare! I read this in AP English after Hamlet, and I have to say that this was a surprise to me. The Winters Tale is refreshing compared to Shakespeare's earlier tragedy works. No one dies in this play except for one person instead of the entire cast.

This is mainly a love story with several different types of love affairs- Leontes and Hermoine, Leontes and Polizenes, Farid and Perdita... There is no single major character as this play is set up in two different time periods and each character mostly acts independently of each other.

As for the characterization in the play, readers can observe the classical Shakespearean characters (similar characteristics to the earlier plays) and newly personality designed characers. This mixed play reveals Shakespeare's transition from his original writings to his attempt to prove his audience that there is good in life.

Book Description

With wonderful accounts of the Shakespearean England from her youth to Restoration England to which she returned, this is the rags-to-riches story of Elizabeth of Bohemia. "It is as easy to read and absorbing as a novel, and has the advantage of scholarly documentation."--Times Literary Supplement.

Customer Reviews:

The Stuart Queen Elizabeth.......2002-10-28

Recent English royal biographies, perhaps following the success of Fraser's "Mary Queen of Scots," remain fixated on the Tudor era, Elizabeth I in particular, with less frequent mention of Mary Tudor or Mary Stuart, and/or perhaps Henry's wives. The romance of the Stuart queens, however, didn't end with Mary Queen of Scots - it reached its apogee with her grandchild, Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia. Married to the hapless Frederick, Elector Palatine, in 1619 she and her young family were brought to Prague as the newly elected (and Protestant) King and Queen following the deposition (defenestration, to be exact) of the previous Catholic regime. In power for little more than a few weeks, they were chased back into Germany after the disastrous Battle of the White Mountain, following which Elizabeth languished in exile in Holland for the best part of the next 40 years. Oran's 1930s bio is the standard work on Elizabeth - she pays particular attention to the life of a woman in the 17th century European court: hobbies, clothes, sports and the ubiquitous letter-writing. Elizabeth turned the damsel-in-distress cliche on its head, being a furious rider and outdoorswoman as well as a supple European politician and skilled linguist. Despite competition with the other women in the Stuart family (e.g., Charles I's and II's respective wives), it was Elizabeth's genes that won out - under the Act of Succession, every English monarch since 1713 has been required to prove an ancestral link to the Winter Queen. Classic biography and a useful bridge between Antonia Fraser's four Stuart books (Mary/James I/Gunpowder Plot/Royal Charles) and C.V. Wedgwood's numerous 17th century histories (e.g. Thirty Years War, Montrose).

The story of "Europe's grandmother".......2002-03-27

Elizabeth, the daughter of King James VI of Scotland and I of England, was widely acclaimed as the most beautiful princess in Europe. Her hand was sought by many, but James selected the Protestant prince of a small German state, Frederick of the Palatine, to counterbalance the intended match of his eldest son with the Catholic royal daughter of either France or Spain. It would prove to be a true love match, as well as a political disaster.

This history follows the eventful life and tumultous times of Elizabeth of Bohemia, known as the Winter Queen for the brief duration of her husband's reign. The research is solid, the writing scholarly yet engagingly annecdotal. The narrative is particularly strong: settings are described with unusual care and color, and telling bits of cultural detail help evoke a sense of time and place.

The relationships between Elizabeth and her many family members are vividly drawn. Most poignant among these were her strong sibling attachment to her oldest brother Henry, her passionate but disappointing marriage to the moody Frederick, and the sense of betrayal she must have suffered when her father all but abandoned her. She survived war and endured exile -- not only from Bohemia and her husband's hereditary Palatine, but also from England. Neither James nor his successor Charles I acknowledged her as a queen, or permitted her to return to England.

Students of history might be interested in Elizabeth's descendents, which, in 1938, included the ruling sovereigns of Denmark, Great Britain, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Roumania, Sweden, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Italy. By any measure, this is an impressive family saga!

The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)
Average customer rating:

I like this play

What an absolute JOY to read such biting dialog.

True Art

The Modern Middle Ages

A Lion in Winter. A Lion in my Heart.
The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)
James Goldman
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Customer Reviews:

I like this play.......2004-06-29

Foo bar, baz!

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The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)

Tell us what you think. Write a review of this item and share your opinions with others. PleAmazon.com cares about children's privacy on the Internet. But we also care about freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas in a safe environment. That's why we've created this separate form for those under the age of 13. When children under 13 submit reviews for their favorite items, we won't ask for names or e-mail addresses, but we'll still enable them to share their opinions.
The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)

Tell us what you think. Write a review of this item and share your opinions with others. Ple

What an absolute JOY to read such biting dialog........2003-12-09

I just bought a new copy of this play and I am so very, very happy that I did. I dashed through it and then reread my favorite parts. I hadn't read it in many years, but my respect has really grown for the playwright's wit and imagination. What an absolutely wonderful play. Of course, I love the film, but it was great fun to see how the play moves rapidly and the dialog is so biting and bitter at times. I agree with all the reviewers. Buy this play because it is a classic play with ripping dialog.

True Art.......2003-02-25

I recently completed a production of this fine play where I played Geoffrey, Duke of Aquataine. I have done a lot of play and this without a doubt is the most well written. Goldman does not waste a single word in the play.

The Modern Middle Ages.......2002-04-25

This play about the famously disfunctional family of England's Henry II is perhaps the most devestating family drama this side of "Long Day's Journey into Night".

For those who want a real epic, it can - but doesn't have to - be read as a sequel to Jean Anoilh's "Becket". Personally I found that this adds to the tragedy.

It opens during a fictional family Christmas get together that is combined with a historical meeting between Henry and France's young King Phillip. Henry's persistent humiliation of his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, through his string of mistresses has prompted her to hurt him in the only way available to her - by systematically destroying his relationships with their sons. Now Henry - although not old yet - is no longer a young man. The fact that a potentially dangerous Phillip - who has a legitimate axe to grind with Henry - is no longer a child forces them to realize that their familial intrigues have set their boys up for both internal and external disaster upon Henry's death. They make a real effort to save both their shattered marriage and their shattered children, but it may already be too late ...

The main tragedy, of course, is what Henry and Eleanor have done to their children. Richard is admirably brave but has had much of his compassion beaten out of him and replaced with brutality. Geoffrey's great sense of humor has been blasted in the bud, and his fustrated capability of love makes a weapon of an intelligence that would have been an asset to anyone who would have shown him the slightest affection in return (it's worth noting for those who don't know the family's subsequent history that given the condensed time of the play, Geoffrey would presumably have died in a fatal tournament accident soon after the action of the play - making him even more poignant). John, the youngest son of Robin Hood fame, is somewhat mishandled - his failure had much to do with Richard's prior mismanagement and lousy historical timing rather than his own faults, and the ruthless streak that doomed Geoffrey's son Arthur (who isn't in the play) as well as his general competence in many instances (he would later rescue Eleanor from a siege in a manner that would have done Richard proud) doesn't really come across - but in an otherwise excellent play Goldman can be forgiven for bowing to popular opinion in one case.

An accurate depiction of the dynamics of the Plantagenet family, "The Lion in Winter" is also a timeless study of what constitutes a healthy family.

A Lion in Winter. A Lion in my Heart........2001-10-16

I have to say Iam in love with this book. I know every line by heart. I saw the movie frist. Also a A+++++ movie. I don't know, something about it.It somehow just gets under your skin. Anyone who loves history. Or just just great works of writing should have this little book.

Average customer rating:

Exceptional!
Fantastic final chapter in Bradshaw's trilogy
Leave everything off and read this book!
A new view on the old story, King Arthur.

In Winter's Shadow
Gillian Bradshaw
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Exceptional!.......2003-11-27

If you think you know the story of Arthur - try again. Gillian Bradshaw completes her trilogy in an exceptional tale. This time the story is told from the perspective of Gwynhwyfar. Some of the basics hold true - the love triangle, the usurping, treasonous, illegitimate son and the battle of "good vs. evil".
However, Lancelot's name does not appear in this work - neither does Merlin's. Bradshaw holds true to the Welsh version of the tale and uses the more traditional characters of Cai and Bedwyr among others.

The end of Camlann comes not with a barge and three queens sailing Arthur off into the sunset...but with how kingdoms truly end and lives along with them.

It is a gripping, exciting read filled with good military strategy for those of you who like that aspect of Arthurian tales. If you like this legend - this is a must read. This collection will never leave my bookshelf!

Fantastic final chapter in Bradshaw's trilogy.......1999-07-27

In Winter's Shadow is the third and final book of Gillian Bradshaw's version of the Arthurian saga, which began with "Hawk of May" and continued with "Kingdom of Summer." She manages to make this one of the most emotionally compelling novel re-tellings of this classic story, and to do so is no small feat. Because Bradshaw paints such a remarkable picture of sixth century Britain, has such a canny touch with magic, and creates such depth of character, the reader is drawn through this legend as if they've never heard it before. I highly recommend every book of this trilogy; it is one of the finest examples of fantasy/historical fiction I've ever read. And it will make you cry!

Leave everything off and read this book!.......1999-05-10

This is a book about the Legendary King Arthur, and Gillian Bradshaw uses her pen to draw you into the fear, mistrust, anger, love and all other emotions as Medraut tries to take over the throne from his father, Arthur. This book will keep you in suspense while you are reading it, and make you cry at the end.

A new view on the old story, King Arthur........1997-12-09

As the conclusion to Bradshaw's Arthurian trilogy, this book serves wonderfully to tie up loose ends and terminates with the classic tragedy, Arthur's kingdom falls because of his wife's infidelity; however, Bradshaw adds new spice and flavour to the whole story by telling it from Guinevere's point of view and her names for the characters are Welsh. I highly recommend this book to those looking for a new slant on the Arthurian trilogy.

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