In this comedy/drama about American politics, Mr. Linney creates a wide variety of well drawn characters, while he examines the tensions between the personal and the public lives of the Washington elite during the time of Ulysses S. Grant. The characterizations are all well thought out, the roles being developed in Chekhovian fashion, and the dramatic structure is impeccable. The final confrontation between a strong-willed Washington widow and an ambitious Senator builds to a climactic moment that grips the audience. This is a play that should become part of the established canon of American theatre.

Have you read a bit of Irish Apocrypha? Or the Hungarian "folk Bible"? or the religious tales at the end of the Grimm Brothers? Romulus Linney has taken the folk tales of Jesus and breathed new life into them. Like their sources, the tales are delightfully irreverently reverent - a wonderful counterbalance to the overly serious search for the historical Jesus that is in vogue with Bible scholars of our day. Unbutton your shirt, kick off your shoes and have a bit of fun with this delightful book.

Romulus Linney exploded into the theatre world with this historical drama, his first major play, on the life of Frederick the Great of Prussia. A decade and a half later he was the recipient of his first OBIE award. This work is a clear example of the justification for such high honors.

It is not enough for a playwright to do extensive research into his subject, as Linney had clearly done before composing this piece; he must also have a basic understanding of human nature and human frailty. Linney's portrayal of this young, famous, dynamic, and even legendary ruler is not focused on the mere history of his life and exploits - nor does it explore only the contacts Frederick had with such luminaries as Voltaire (a sometimes comic character in the play), whose friendship was apparently important to the King. It focuses on the human qualities of the legendary figure -- on his struggle to overcome his personal sense of inadequacy, his preference for music over rulership, and on the role he is forced to play by fate.

Linney uses the stage with clear confidence and imagination. The style in which the play is presented seems almost dreamlike, flowing through time shifts almost effortlessly. The stage can be as simply or as elaborately dressed as a given theatre can afford, without the play losing any of its beauty, power, or fascination. This is a play worth reading and worth staging.

Master storyteller and social critic, Charles Dickens, turns this social treatise on shortcomings of Victorian society into an entertaining and heartwarming Christmas ghost story which has charmed generations and become an icon of Christmas traditions. Who, in the Western world has not heard, "Bah, Humbug!" And who can forget the now almost hackneyed line of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!" or his cheerfully poignant observation, that he did not mind the stares of strangers in church, for he might thus serve as a reminder of He who made the lame, walk and the blind, see. Several movie versions: musical, animated, updated, or standard; as well as stage productions (I recall the Cleveland Playhouse and McCarter Theatre`s with fondess.) have brought the wonderful characterizations to the screen, as well as to life. This story of the redemption of the bitter and spiritually poor miser, and the book itself; however, is a timeless treasure whose richness, like Mrs Cratchit`s Christmas pudding, is one that no production can hope to fully capture.

It's hard to think of a literary work that has been filmed and staged in more imaginative variations than Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"--there's the excellent George C. Scott version, the delightful Muppet version, the charming Mr. Magoo version, etc., etc. But ultimately true "Carol" lovers should go back to Dickens' original text, which remains a great read.

"Carol" tells the story of cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises the Christmas holiday and scorns all who celebrate it. But a visit from a series of supernatural beings forces him to reevaluate his attitude--and his life.

With this simple plot Dickens has created one of the enduring triumphs of world literature. It's a robust mix of humor, horror, and (most of all) hope, all leavened with a healthy dash of progressive social criticism. One thing I love about this book is that while it has a focus on a Christian holiday, Dickens puts forth a message that is truly universal; I can imagine this story resonating with people of any religious background, and also with more secular-oriented people.

This is a tale of greed, selfishness, regret, redemption, family, and community, and is enlivened by some of the most memorable characters ever created for English literature. Even if Dickens had never written another word, "A Christmas Carol" would still have, I believe, secured his place as one of the great figures of world literature.

Charles Dickens writes this story in such detail that you almost believe you have just enjoyed Christmas dinner at the Cratchits home. The characters have so much depth. The made for t.v. or movie screen renditions do not truly depict what Ebenezer Scrooge witnesses with the three spirits that causes such a change in his outlook on life. Such as Scrooge's emotions being quickened by the past heartache in his childhood; seeing how his bad choices caused the hardening of his heart and how deeply it cost him in the end; seeing what could have been his to enjoy and then thinking it could still be his with the Spirit of Christmas Present only to find out the future does not hold any love or joy for him by the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come and instead his actions leave him robbed at death and no one left to grieve for him. Read the book to hear how this story was really written. Even if you have seen every Christmas Carol movie every made, the book will offer so many gold nuggets that you will think you are hearing it for the very first time. Pictures are beautifully detailed throughout the book. Excellent!!!

This book takes place in the American South in the 1940's. A young black man, in the wrong place at the wrong time, was accused of murdering a white shopkeeper. Although he was innocent, the all-white jury sentanced him to the electric chair. Grant, a black teacher, has been asked to help the doomed man know that he is a man, despite the fact that the white men called him a hog.

This is a moving story of honor, racism, and what it means to be a hero. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I gave it only 3 1/2 stars (rounded up to four), however, because I found parts of it drawn out and painful to read. The convicted black man, Jefferson, is extremely cruel to his loving godmother. I don't feel it was necessary to draw this detail out quite as much. Also, Grant sees racism in every aspect of his life. After a while, the reader begins to say, "Yes I can see you feel this system is unfair, but do you really need to make it as blatantly obvious?" Still, one can only wonder what it was like to be the victem of this racism, and perhaps it is an honest depiction.

I'm an 8th grader and I read A Lesson Before Dying. I read the book while reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. A Lesson Before Dying is set in the South following World War II. In the novel the author, Ernest J. Gaines, deeply explores the relationship between an innocent black man on death row, Jefferson, and Grant, a black man who was sent to teach Jefferson "how to be a man" and "how to die." Gaines writes from Grant's point of view which allows him to show the fluctuation of Grant's sentiment toward Jefferson and how his experience with Jefferson had changed the kind of person he is. I enjoyed the book, and especially how Gaines' style of writing allows the reader to think about the book, the concepts it presents and the racism in post-World War II South and draw conclusions by himself. Despite this, I appreciated how Gaines made his opinion about how strong the racism was very clear. He wrote that Jefferson's court appointed attorney's sole argument was, "I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this." His statement was making the point that it was not justice to kill a black man, fore it was like killing nothing. I found many similarities between this book and To Kill a Mockingbird, including the racist setting and a black community's fight against blatant injustice. The one thing both books made evident was how significant a blemish racism has been on our country's history.

From the very moment I read the first words, to the instant I set the book down, I was amazed. Here I was with my jaw dropped after every intriguing detail, exclaiming, "Wow! This book is extremely powerful." You don't just read this book you become it. You feel what the characters are experiencing. You visualize what the characters are seeing.

" They called my boy a hog, Mr. Henri," Miss Emma said. "I didn't raise no hog, and I don't want no hog to go set in that chair. I want a man to go set in that chair, Mr. Henri."

A Lesson Before Dying is an extraordinarily unique book. Set in Louisiana in the 1940's, this novel shows the struggle of a young black boy wrongly accused of killing a white man. An unwilling teacher helps this boy overcome his approach on death and teaches him to be a proud, strong gentleman. This spellbinding work of fiction left me tearful and transformed. This book is incontrovertibly memorable and tremendously moving.
The peace in opposition to the traditional discrimination of African Americans resonates and forms this perfect book to be cherished for generations.

Linney's take on this classic play is priceless and tasteful. It is an easy read and beautiful on stage. I've had the opportunity to work on this show and love every moment of it!

If you are interested in the early American protestant church, Appalachian history, America in the 1830's, or a good, gripping story with real people, this is a great book. The author reconstructs a bishop's project of building a mission in an area that has forgotten God - folks who's grandparents fled the revolutionary war and became heathens. The story reminds me of "The Education of Little Tree" but with teeth and with a strong message.

talk about boring and pretentious! but then, i could be describing any one of this guy's plays.... they're all the same. linney doesn't know how to craft an argument... his characters are cardboard and lack motivation.

linney hits a single note (over and over) with his position that god is a cruel host who sets up his party of life with one goal in mind: to make people suffer. a priest is torn between his love for god on the one side and his lust on the other. an unbearable predicament, the priest eventually falls into violent action, action for which linney would have us believe there is no alternative. if you are like me and don't believe in playing the victim, if you believe in taking responsibility for yourself, and if you can think of better things to do with your time and spirit than blame god for everything, then you will find this play slightly infuriating--and no matter what your personal outlook, you are sure to find it boring.

Three of the four plays were ok, but the first of the titles-all about al--demonstrated nothing but bombastic stupidity. It was so pathetically adolescent that you did not want to read any further. In fact, all you wanted to do was get your money back. Save yourself the time and don't purchase this nonsense.