Caution: Not to be read by graduate students or untenured faculty who need to stay wedded to one particular ideology in the turf wars of literary criticism. (But a solace to those who enjoy maintaining their senses of humor about those who contend they are *the objective thinkers*.)

Pechter stays, if not *above* then at least remarkably non-attached to the ideological wars into which he provides insights. For the informed outsider, his wit and insight make for an enjoyable safari into the minds (and even emotions) of those professionally involved in lit crit. and theory. What a delight to see gibes with affection instead of venom, as when Pechter refers to Richard Levin as enjoying a "richly deserved and entirely honorable reputation for stirring up trouble..." or remarks on the irony of how at the end of an acrimonious conference, *everyone* seems to express a sentiment similar to Gayle Greene's "If you really want to know, I feel beset from all sides."

Pechter's final analysis is upbeat about the possibility of actual light being shed during the heat of Theory's ideology wars. Unfortunately, the very absence of personal attacks and diatribes may leave his insights largely unread by the warring factions. For students who afford to entertain a broader perspective on Critical Practice (not feeling pressed to join a 'side' in order to succeed at the academe) Pechter offers a breath of fresh (though not sanitized) air. Enjoy!

Knight's theories have become commonplaces. The idea that Hamlet is a bad guy? The theories the Duke of Measure for Measure and Timon of Athens are Christ figures? All those are propounded for (as far as I know) the first time in this eloquent book. Aside from having famous theories, Knight supports his claims, which at first can seem absurd, with mountains of evidence gathered from a fine-toothed reading of the text. He never makes obvious points or fallacious arguments; he starts out by noticing fine details in the text and then draws these into a coherent, convincing whole. I don't agree with every word he's ever written, but all his words are brilliant. Knight is the best literary critic I have ever read, by a wide margin, and this may be his best book.

G. Wilson Knight's book, The Wheel of Fire, examines Shakespeare's later tragedies in the light of what Knight calls "spatial" correspondences. Through the examination of such works as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear and others, Knight shows that the themes considered in the plays are worked out not merely in the plot, but spatially as well, that is in the relationship of the characters to their background. This is to say that the characters and plot alone do not construct the theme, but the setting and other circumstances surrounding the chain of events of the story are also key to an understanding of the play's meaning. As Knight says, the idea is not to see the plays as realities but rather as artworks, which is to see them as expanded metaphors. Therefore all things contained within contribute to the overarching theme, and not the plot and characters alone. Knight suspects that this is what Aristotle means when he refers to the "unity of idea," where all elements hinge on their relation to the whole. Any serious study of Shakespearian tragedy ought to contain a reading of this classic scholarly work.

Organized in a natural accumulation of chapters, Will Power! uses the lessons learned in Shakespeare's great works to illuminate our personal behaviors as well as the behaviors of others. In addition to illuminating, authors Dr. George Weinberg and Dianne Rowe offer tips in the form of bulleted lists on how we can better improve our behavior to acheive the results we desire--results from better communication to more aggressive control of our lives. Will Power! leaves the reader feeling enpowered and more in control of their lives. Above and beyond any other self-help book, Will Power! uses Shakespeare to help us remember what we've learned and practice what we we've been taught. Will Power! is a must for anyone who wants to better and more effectively interact with employees, friends, family, and associates

This children's book is a must for Shakespeare lovers. It is the story of Willoughby Waddle, a country goose who wants to see the world and travels to "Londontown." While waddling through the busy streets, he experiences a typical day in Elizabethan London. Students of Shakespeare will recongnize many of the items and activities seen by Willoughby on his awe-inspiring and sometimes fearful trip. He eventually meets another "Will," and in true "Forrest Gump" or "Shakespeare in Love" fashion profoundly affects the fate of literary history! This is an adorable book filled with historically accurate allusions, Elizabethan language, and beautiful pictures on every page.

I just finished reading this book, and I have learned so much about Shakespeare that I did not know before. I've come away with a deeper understanding of the man who was so gifted that there has never been anyone his equal among poets & playwrites, yet I long to know more about him. The author has a deep appreciation of his subject and the reader is caught up in this enthusiasm. This is a book that was hard to put down and made we want to re-read Shakespeare's plays, enlightened now with a deeper understanding of the poet. The material in the book cast new light on the plays by giving me a perspective of historical events & cultural background of Shakespeare's times that are reflected in his writings. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in Shakespeare.

What an eye opener this little book is!

My secretary was typing the manuscript of this book for Dr. Thomas until she went on vacation. Not being familar with computers, Dr. Thomas was at a standstill until I stepped in to make corrections and amendments to his manuscript. I thought it would be a boring inconvenience, but I was very mistaken.

Helping Dr. Thomas on this book enabled me to be one of the first to read the book, and it forever altered my view of the man of the millennium. I found each page illuminating and informative.

Some doubt that Wm. Shakespeare authored those works he is famous for. However, I am convinced that all but the most intransigeant will be forever convinced by this book, written by a man who has been a lifelong student of the Puritans.

As well, I cannot imagine a teacher of English literature dealing with the works of Shakespeare after reading this resource without addressing the issues brought up in it.

If you know a lover of English, and a lover of English literature, this is a book you will want to give to that friend.

John S. Waldrip

As always we see the "Love at first sight" theme. The nice change is the character Don John, who seems to merely have been placed into the story. The reader gets no explaination of his past, but we can conclude that he is determined to ruin the lives of the other characters. This allows the story to make many unfessable turns making it a great comedy

I bought this book to use with my fifth grade class, and I'm very pleased with it. One of the main objections to this play is that Shakespeare was long on words and short on action. Mr. Coville retells the story without the political intrigue, without sacrificing the charm of the story. I also loved Ruth Sanderson's illustrations.