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Book reviews for "Hargreaves-Mawdsley,_William_Norman" sorted by average review score:

Love's Fire: Seven New Plays Inspired by Seven Shakespearean Sonnets
Published in Paperback by Quill (1998)
Authors: William Shakespeare, William Finn, John Guare, Tony Kushner, Marsha Norman, Ntozake Shange, Wendy Wasserstein, Eric Bogosian, and Mark Lamos
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Better in person...but good none-the-less
I saw this play in person, and just finished the book. Nothing better than great poetry made for our time. Highly recomend for those who who've seen it, or heard a review. Some of the plays are musical so they don't translate well to paper. One drawback.

Superbly Performable Language Driven Text
Love's Fire embodies our perception of language. The spoken and unspoken voices of God, Love, Nature, and Humanity become the essential elements in this collection of one acts. Riveting and powerful, Love's Fire demands to be performed. Not only is the language spoken by the actors and heard by the audience, but the language of our contemporary masters blends with the master of language himself, William Shakespeare. As Love's Fire reinvigorates our grasp of language we come to an understanding that poems, sonnets, books, plays, spiritual songs, or body movements fuel the fire of love. An excellent piece of work by 7 masters who dedicated the collection to the Bard.

Brilliant idea...beautifully realized
Shakespeare's inspired words talk to today's audience through the intriguing interpretations of master American playrights. Especially fascinating is John Guare's "The General of Hot Desire". These original works defy description...so read them...or better yet...perform them...and appreciate these unique literary gems in all their splendor.


On the Road Again: Travel, Love, and Marriage
Published in Audio Cassette by Fleming H Revell Co (1998)
Authors: Jim Cote, William C. Hendricks, and Norman Miller
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Great tool for those who travel and love people who travel
I have found this book to be very insightful to the problems and challenges for not only those who travel but for the families of those travel. It gave me a new insight to BOTH sides. I am ordering more books to give to my co-workers!

Highly recommended for New BizTravelers or Road Warriors!
I've always had pains of guilt when I would travel to some great place and have room service and maid service..... and leave my family behind. The cover of the book says more to the truth of trying to stay connected to our families than any human resource manual from work. When you take a job that travels... h/r doesn't tell you the effect on your marriage!

This book had such great insight to the biz traveler and the effects on their marriage! We BizTravelers think we have it hard while on the road but the family you leave behind is in a hard spot too! This book helps address the biz traveler's concerns as well as the family left behind.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to a new biz traveler. This book could save your patience and marriage! The author tells it like it is.

Great Resource for the busy traveler!
As I read this book, I kept thinking, how does this guy know all this? It's right on the money page after page! I gave 20 copies to friends who travel, and they all loved it!


The First Part of King Henry VI (New Penguin Shakespeare)
Published in Paperback by Viking Press (1981)
Authors: William Shakespeare, T. J. B. Spencer, and Norman Sanders
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Part 3 and still running strong!
This is not quite as good as 1 or 2, but it is still excellent! Shakespeare grabs us with the dispute between Henry VI and York. While it seems to end peacefully it does not, and the war goes on! York's death in 1.4 is another landmark in Shakespeare's writing. The scene (2.5) where Henry finds true terror is horror, sorrow, and yet beauty and yet another moving part of the play. (The son that hath killed his father and the father that hath killed his son.) The war pauses in disaster for Henry and some comic relief is offered. But the horror starts all over again when Edward IV and Warwick have a falling out. The war starts over again, and the King of France gets involved! The scene where King Henry VI is reinstated is a scene of beauty and hope. While all of this is happening, Shakespeare carefully prepares the monstrously satanic character of Richard III. From here, the play just gets more and more bloody. A final moment of horror is offered when the eventual Richard III proudly compares himself to the one who betrayed Christ. In part 4 "Richard III," the real terror begins!

Not A Single Complaint!
This was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. (possibly his third) Yet, there is nothing to indicate he was only starting out. Right away he grabs our attention with the funeral of King Henry V. Henry V's brothers Bedford and Gloucester help us to see the virtues and strengths of the deceased king. The Bishop of Winchester is well drawn as a comical villain who plots and plans, but never succeeds in doing any real damage. (Not until the next play anyway.) Talbot is memorable as the selfless hero of the play. York is memorable as the hero who defeats Joan of Arc. King Henry VI himself is interesting. First we see him as a helpless infant. By the third act, we see that he has both strengths and weaknesses. He makes the mistake of dividing the command between the rivals Somerset and York. But also, we see that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. There are also many memorable scenes. The garden scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses is well drawn. The scene where York comforts his dying uncle is tragic beauty. Bedford's death in 3.2 has almost a divine tone. The death of Talbot and his son is very lamentable. York's sudden rise to power is captivating. Perhaps Shakespeare's greatest achievement in this play is that he simultaneously shows us England's war with France and the dissension with England itself.


Five Miles High: The Story of an Attack on the Second Highest Mountain in the World by the Members of the First American Karakoram Expedition
Published in Paperback by The Lyons Press (2000)
Authors: Richard L./ House, William P./ Houston, Charles S./ Petzoldt, Paul K./ Streatfield, Norman R. American Karakoram Expedition 1938)/ Burdsall, Charles Houston, and Robert Bates
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A certain style of expedition...
Well written and with occasional engaging flashes of humor, Five Miles High gives a well-drawn picture of the large Himalayan expeditions of the past. At the same time as expedition members are having their food cooked for them and having their gear carried by numerous "coolies", they are walking a much greater distance, and in some ways subsisting in harsher conditions, than climbers do today. The contrasts with the present day are perhaps the most interesting thing about this book. "Boy's First Adventure Book"-ish illustrations at the chapter headings add a charming retro touch.

1938 American Expedition to K2
Five Miles high is an extremely interesting and very readable firsthand account of the 1938 American Expedition to climb K2, the second highest peak in the world. The book is a reissue of the original book describing the expedition and is authored by two team leaders with additional contributions by the other four team members. Of particular interest is their description of their trek through the Karakoram just to reach the mountain in the days when the primary hauling of supplies was done by ponies and porters. The contrast between the preparations and efforts involved in this expediton and the efforts described in all of the current Mt. Everest books is amazing. All in all, you'll find this a very enjoyable book to read. The same authors also wrote a second book describing their 1953 expedition - K2, The Savage Mountain. This one also has been recently reissued.


The Gonne-Yeats Letters 1893-1938 (Irish Studies)
Published in Paperback by Syracuse Univ Pr (Trade) (1994)
Authors: Anna MacBride White, A. Norman Jeffares, Maud Gonne, and William Butler Yeats
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Letters of love, passion and politics
This is a wonderful volume. The love of Yeats for Maud Gonne is one of the defining characteristics of his life and the passion he felt for her powered some of his strongest poems. Reading these letters you get a marvellous feel for the strength of the woman and her respect and love for the poet, despite turning down many marriage proposals.

Maud Gonne was much more than the woman beloved of Yeats, she was also a political activist, a woman convinced of the need for Irish nationalism and prepared to work for the benefit of the Irish people. This comes through in her letters to Yeats through her mention of meetings and rallies.

I can almost forgive her destruction of almost all the letters she received from Yeats, which explains the one sided nature of this volume, almost all the letters are from Gonne to Yeats with only a few from him to her.

This volume is a superb addition to the library of anyone who enjoys Yeats. It is also gives a remarkable understanding of Maud Gonne, a major element in the Irish history of the early 20th century. It loses a star because of the shortage of Yeats letters.

A feminist and a poet
First off, let me tell you I love reading letters so this book has definite appeal to me. And of course, Yeats was Yeats and Gonne, as you may or may not know, was a famous feminist in Ireland. That the relationship continued for so many years despite her contunual refusals to marry him says olumes about the personalities of these two people.
If you're interested in what made Yeats tick or how a feminist conducted herself without major media support, read this book.


Soups (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library)
Published in Hardcover by Time Life (1999)
Authors: Norman Kolpas, Chuck Williams, Allan Rosenberg, and Laurie Wertz
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Great Cookbook
This book is a great collection of different soups for different moods. They also all incorporate several similar ingrediants, but stick to a great variety. My only complaint is the lack of calorie, fat, protein and carb counts. That would be helpful.

This is one GREAT soup cookbook!!!!!!!
I've had this cookbook for a while now and have used it to make soups over the past two winters. Many of the recipes within it have become family favorites that we make over and over. The split pea soup with ham and French onion soup gratinee can't be beat! Other favorites include: black bean soup with sausage, avgolemono and lamb and chickpea soup. Overall a great cookbook that will bring many hours of cooking and eating pleasure!


Why the North Won the Civil War
Published in Paperback by Touchstone Books (1996)
Authors: Henry Steele Commager, Richard N. Current, T. Harry Williams, Norman A. Graebner, David Herbert Donald, and David M. Potter
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Review
The book is good for anyone who wants a quick understanding of certain possibilities of why the North won. However, some of the essays(this is no reflection of the actual book) are not that well justified in my opinion.

modest size, MAXIMUM intellect
Reissue of a classic collection of essays from the 60's...Currents's "God and the Strongest Battalions" is alone worth the price!...Economic, political, social, etc., aspects are all considering by the "big-gun" historians of 40 years past...Scholarly enough for the serious student, yet very reader-friendly for the novitiate...recommended in the strongest possible terms!

A must have for anyone writing a paper on the Civil War
This is an excellent book which contains six essays on the various economic, miliary, diplomatic, social, and politiical reasons why the Confederacy lost and the Union won the Civil War. This book saved my butt


Shakespeare in Charge: The Bard's Guide to Leading and Succeeding on the Business Stage
Published in Hardcover by Hyperion (1999)
Authors: Norman R. Augustine and Kenneth L. Adelman
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What I Learned from the Shakespeare's Five Plays
If you want how many books about Shakespeare already released, please press index this site. Then you may surprise after this. Literary category for Shakespeare has been overflowed compare to others'. But you think about "What on earth is he talking about in the field of business and management?". Let's take a look at book with interest. This book consists of five parts the same as Shakespeare's five famous play. Mr. Norman insists us to read between the line from Shakespeare's various characters and picks their strong and advantage points up from them as follows.

1. Preparation in advance 2. Risk turns opportunity to challenge 3. Successful turn-over 4. Acceptance of risk 5. Useful information managing

The writer emphasized that both of outstanding CEO and second-rate manager should have strong risk management to be chance to new area. Namely, the important points of business administration of all industries are arrangement, risk acceptance, effective information management, Concentration with confidence. These factors can be able to more competitive among the various companies, in spite of temporary difficulties. That means this is the safest way to improve company benefit over a long period.

You've heard it before but probably not quite like this!
What do you get when you cross to leaders-one in business (Augustine), the other in government (Adelman)-with arguably the most influential bard in history? A fun and informative look at business, life, and, of course, Shakespeare.

Augustine and Adelman have modeled Shakespeare in Charge, appropriately, after a typical Shakespeare play. The authors use the prologue and epilogue to make a case for learning present day lessons from very old plays and applying those lessons to life-not just business. If you read nothing but these two sections, you'll be better for it.

If you're a reader of leadership books, you've probably heard all the lessons before: have a clear mission, be a decisive leader, stick to core competencies, manage by walking around, be flexible, have corporate succession plans, make back up plans, and keep business meetings brief. But I bet you haven't heard them quite like this!

As in Shakespeare's plays, the heart of the book is broken into five Acts. Each Act is a study of a character from one of the bard's plays and is followed by "Acting Lessons" which draw on scores of present day business examples to further illuminate the points made. The characters examined are:
·Henry V (Henry V, leadership);
·Petruchio (Taming of the Shrew, change);
·Ceaser, Cassius, Brutus, & Antony (Julius Ceaser, "making your play in business");
·Portia (Merchant of Venice, risk management);
·and Claudius (Hamlet, crisis management).
I was pleasantly surprised by the characters they chose, particularly by bringing light to the important role of Portia and, more surprisingly, by drawing important lessons from Hamlet's usurping uncle Claudius. While each Act has a primary character, the authors borrow freely from other plays and some sonnets.

You certainly don't need to be a Shakespearean scholar (or even a Shakespearean student!) to understand, appreciate, and enjoy the lessons to be learned. Augustine and Adelman do an incredible job giving enough background and quotations to make you feel at home.

Shakespeare in Charge cites dozens of real-life business examples some as well known as Amazon.com, Southwest Airlines, and Coca-Cola; and less known ones such as Half Price Books, Mine Safety Appliances Company, and Rachel's Bus Company. A product of the time it was published, they even praise the leadership of Enron.

Having earned my MA in Organizational Leadership, I've read many books on leadership. It was obvious to me that the authors had leadership experience because they mixed "subordinate buy-in" and "consulting advisors" with "decisive leadership" and the importance of a "single leader." Many tend to stress either participation and teamwork or strong individual leadership. They do a great job of advising both.

Shakespeare in Charge doth serve its proposed purpose. Methinks this dost make a fine tome!

CONTENTS:
Prologue
Act I: On Leadership
Act II: Confronting Change
Act III: Making Your Play in Business
Act IV: Risk Management
Act V: Crisis Management
Epilogue

A fast moving, innovative and contempary twist on management
Shakespeare in Charge is a must-read for every executive or aspiring exec. The lessons Adelman & Augustine impart are real examples of dillemas and challenges today's business leaders face today. Yet, they incorporate the wisdom of Shakespeare in a refreshingly modern take on the playwrite's words. I never knew Shakespeare could be so timely and enjoyable! I loved how Cleopatra met the internet and the other clever comparisons this book drew between business, leadership and the Bard. I am going to give copies to my friends for the holidays! A great read!


To Die in Provence
Published in Audio Cassette by John Curley & Assoc (1999)
Authors: Norman Bogner and William Roberts
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Should have died in Provence
Bogner's writing smacks of the forced sexual indulgence of the '60's. The construct is poor, the metaphors are absurd, and whole resembles the stylized rantings of a troubled teenager. I do not understand how it can have been given good reviews.

Great!!! Words can't deswcribe how good this is
Former porno star Boy has left America to travel to Provence, France in order to join his girl friend Maddie Gold, daughter of a very successful TV producer. However, Boy is nothing like his name as he is a vicious person, who wrecks havoc wherever he is. While in France, Boy has brutally murdered two visiting Americans and has become a noted serial killer.

Adam has hired Jennifer Bowen to keep his daughter out of trouble, however, Maddie wants nothing to do except rejoin her beloved Boy and she will do whatever it takes to accomplish that feat. Meanwhile, suspended police officer Michael Danton tries to ferret out the identity of the evil killer, who has frightened the entire countryside before the death count is raised even higher.

TO DIE IN PROVENCE is the frightening sequel to Norman Bogner's brilliant SEVENTH AVENUE and like its predecessor, this novel is a great, but scary tale. The story line is typical serial killer fare except that the aud! ience knows almost from the beginning who the killer is. However, it is the characters, especially the seemingly angelic first impressions of the evil Boy, who turn this novel into a first rate and refreshing sub-genre entry. Readers will welcome Mr. Bogner's triumphant return to fiction after a three decade self-imposed exile with his two Danton novels.

Harriet Klausner

Correct version of previously posted review
Former porno star Boy has left America to travel to Provence, France in order to join his girl friend Maddie Gold, daughter of a very successful TV producer. However, Boy is nothing like his name as he is a vicious person, who wrecks havoc wherever he is. While in France, Boy has brutally murdered two visiting Americans and has become a noted serial killer.

Adam has hired Jennifer Bowen to keep his daughter out of trouble, however, Maddie wants nothing to do except rejoin her beloved Boy and she will do whatever it takes to accomplish that feat. Meanwhile, suspended police officer Michael Danton tries to ferret out the identity of the evil killer, who has frightened the entire countryside before the death count is raised even higher.

TO DIE IN PROVENCE is a frightening novel written by the brilliant Norman Bogner,author of SEVENTH AVENUE. Like its predecessor, this novel is a great, but scary tale. The story line is typical serial killer fare except that the a! udience knows almost from the beginning who the killer is. However, it is the characters, especially the seemingly angelic first impressions of the evil Boy, who turn this novel into a first rate and refreshing sub-genre entry. Readers will welcome Mr. Bogner's triumphant return to fiction after a 10 year self-imposed exile with his latest novel.

Harriet Klausner


Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare for Everyone Series)
Published in Paperback by Silver Burdett Pr (1988)
Authors: William Shakespeare, Jennifer Muhlerin, Jennifer Mulherin, and Norman Bancroft-Hunt
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Ouch!
This play can be read as anti-semitic. In fact, it's pretty hard to defend it from such charges. Shylock is a pretty rotten character and the fact that he is jewish is difficult to overlook (particularly since the other characters mention it on pretty much EVERY page). However, I think it is important to mention that the "heroes" of this play do not necessarily have to be interpreted as heroes. They are by no means perfect and there are many subtle (and some not-so-subtle) instances within the text in which their biases against ANYONE unlike them is illustrated. If one reads the play this way, then Shylock becomes more of a tragic figure rather than an absolutely heartless villain. I don't know. My feelings about this are mixed. There are a few funny parts of this play and the language is, as always, beautiful. The theme of putting a price on human beings is one which has been explored numerous times since. Overall, it is enjoyable, but perhaps not so much so as some of the other comedies. Do not read this play without having read a few others by Shakespeare first. It is an excellent play, but not his best and not his most enjoyable either.

Warm, Witty, Morality Play
This is a wonderful play - and unless you have seen it or read it you don't know it at all. That's because everything the popular culture tells us about this play is false (for example; how many of you think this play is about a merchant named Shylock? ;-)

The Merchant of Venice is a lively and happy morality tale. Good triumphs over bad - charity over greed - love over hate.
There is fine comedy. Portia is one of Shakespeare's greatest women (and he ennobled women more than any playwright in history). There are moments of empathy and pain with all the major characters. There is great humanity and earthiness in this play. These things are what elevate Shakespeare over any other playwright in English history.

Plays should be seen - not read. I recommend you see this play (if you can find a theater with the courage and skill to do it). But if it is not playing in your area this season - buy the book and read it.

Shakespeare- anti-semitic, or trying to prove a point?
After reading most of the other reviews here, I am fully aware that most of the reviewers didn't read carefully enough (or watch carefully enough if they saw the play.) Now, I'm not saying its not open for different interpretations, but there is one thing I would really like to get straight.

I read MoV for a Bar Mitzvah project on Anti-Semitism. Naturally, my sympathies went to Shylock. However, even if i were Christian, i still would've favored Shylock. What many people believe is that Shylock is a cold hearted ruthless person and only wanted to get back at Antonio because Antonio was a Christian.

Not true. Shylock specifically says something along the lines off, "Why should I lend money to you? You spit on me, and call me a Jewish dog!" I'm not saying that Shylock was a good guy, but I am saying that he is not the villain.

In fact, the "Merchant of Venice," in this story is actually Shylock, not Antonio, contrary to popular belief. My thoughts on the story was that Shylock requested a pound of Antonio's flesh because he did not trust Antonio. Who would trust someone that spat on him? The fact is, Antonio doesn't pay him back in the end.

Now, there's always something else we have to put into consideration. Would the judge had given the "spill one ounce of Christian blood" verdict at the end if Shylock were not a Jew?

This is the mark of a great play. A play that really gets you thinking. But I encourage you, I beg of you, that when you read it or see it, please do not hold Shylock up to being a cold hearted villain. Hold Antonio up to that image. (joking, of course, Antonio's not a bad guy, he's just not a good guy.)


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