I had the privilege of reading the first ever copy of The Best of Radio Free Bubba as it came from Pat"Bubba"Jobe's computer. This book had me rolling in a hurricane of laughter for two solid hours. I finally had to stop while the second half of the book printed, and I was afraid that if I didn't go to the bathroom soon, I would wet myself! I recommend this book to anyone who can read, including teens like myself. :)

This book is a joy and delight. Of course it helps to be able to identify somewhat with down-home Southern culture, but most readers will be able to relate to the writers' wisdom and humor no matter where they're from.

Finally, the world can get to know some real "Bubbas." With the publication of "The Best of Radio Free Bubba" by the Hub City Writers Project, the South has unleashed a powerful force and sent it out to create havoc among the prejudiced. For those of us who have been listening for years to "Radio Free Bubba" on WNCW in Spindale, N.C., the book holds no surprises, just 170 pages of some of the best essays we've already heard by four writers who believe in people. Meg Barnhouse, Pat Jobe, Kim Taylor and Gary Phillips share their thoughts on everything from blister packs to making lists. The book's philosophy is summed up by a bumper sticker: "It's Not Up To Somebody Else." Here in the South, we know that "Bubba" is short for "Brother," or rather it's the sound small children make when they call to that older sibling who looks out for them, protects them and teases them. Bubba is the real "good ol' boy" who will haul your furniture in her pickup, pull your car out of the ditch with his tractor, take care of your children in times of distress, and pray for your body and soul.

This book is a wonder. And I mean just that. It's about people who have second or third or fourth homes on an island that has been purposefully developed to house them in privacy and various definitions of splendour. Not exactly appealing to all, right? But this book IS appealing, it's the embodiment of the capitalist dream: get the money and THEN what do you do with it? Build or buy a house on Mustique. BEST is the text, a well-written account of how this all happened. And the PHOTOGRAPHS are lovely, chosen to evoke the mood. Yes, the book is expensive (no where nearly as the real estate!), but it's worth every penny. May not be my dream, but it a serious chronicle of some important other dreams in the late 20th/early 21st century.

This is an excellently written book about one of the world's most expensive "developments," a scrub island turned into a multi-millionaires' paradise. Mr. Vaughan has done a masterful job of capturing the whimsy and the vision (albeit sometimes slightly cock-eyed) of the man who dreamed this all up, as well as bits of the lives of those who are now availing themselves of the private, secure, and demonstrably exquisitely beautiful end result. The photographs are lovely, this is an altogether great book to have lying around on any cofee table; it's sure to spark conversation ("is that really Mick Jagger?" et cetera).

I think this book captures the true essence of the island of Mustique. It shown all the wonderful beaches and the beautiful water. I believe that the photos of the people that live on the island and the photos of their town make Mustique a place I would want to visit for years to come.

William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion

Though billed as a companion to "The Norton Shakespeare, Based on the Oxford Edition," "William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion" is a superb reference for any reader of Shakespeare's plays. The book gives the editorial principles and the explanations of editorial decisions made by the editors of the Oxford Shakespeare. The Textual Companion deals with the plays and poems is a systematic basis. This book will deepen anyone's appricaition for the Oxford editors' solutions to textual problems. The real value of this book goes is that it goes beyond just being an explanation of one edition. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the textual problem that any reader of Shakespeare should be aware of.

An example good editing comes from "The Merry Wives of Windsor" 1.4.88-9. The line appears "Ile doe yoe your/ Master what good I can:" in the 1623 folio. John Jowett who edited the play says that the "yoe" is suspicious and goes on the give his reasons. He belives it is a miscorrection. "Yoe" was intended for correction, but instead the compositor inserted "your" and left the "yoe" as is. The line printed in the Oxford edition is "I'll do your master what good/I can". I agree with Jowett's reasons and his correction.

Even though this book goes a long way in presenting textual problems and editorial solutions there are some editorial problems which have not been resolved. For example in "The Tempest" 4.1.123 we read this "So rare a wondered father and a wise". Tthe Oxford edition has "wise" but in the note to this line on page 616 they follow Jeanne Addison Roberts' 1978 article and say the word was "wife" in the first folio. Whether the word was "wife" or "wise" is not yet a settled question. Blayney in his introduction to the Norton Facsimile 2nd Edition (p. xxxi) takes issue with Roberts's conclusions, and for now this does remain an open question.

This book is one of the great books of Shakespearian scholarship. Though I do not agree in every detail, I can say that my appriciation and admiration for the Oxford edition of Shakespeare has increased because of this book. No critical reader of Shakespeare should go without this book.

This book accompanies the ground-breaking Oxford Complete Works of Shakespeare (1986) and explains the choices made by the editors in their selection of early printed texts and in their correction of errors in the earliest editions. Additionally, this provides the most recent thorough examination of the problems of editing Shakespeare, of establishing which plays he wrote and the order in which he wrote them, and the relation between the solitary reading experience and the social theatrical experience. If you need answers to questions like "how many quartos of Hamlet were published in Shakespeare's lifetime?" and "which one best represents the play as performed?", this book is the place to look for a thorough scholarly exploration of these topics. If you want criticism about Shakespeare's plays and their meaning, this book is not for you.

Keep this in your library - not only does it look good it feels good. You will always have Shakespeare on hand to get in your literary fix. Shakespeare in a serious readers library is a must!

I recommend anyone who is of Native American Indian to get this book for their children. There are many valuable lessons that are sure to leave a positive impact on both children and adults.
This book has positive spiritual/cultural excersices in it also.This is a book for all age groups to benefit from.

Ilike the simpplicity of garys sets & the great results

Required to read Henry for my AP English Language class, I came into the play with a bias. I honestly felt that it would be a boring political play. I was utterly wrong! A huge fan of Shakespeare, I found Henry V to be a formidable match for the Bard's more critically acclaimed plays, such as Hamlet and Macbeth. Henry has it all! Shakespeare's attitude toward Henry the King is certainly one of admiration. By communicating the fact that an effective monarch must have a complete understanding of the common subjects (Pistol and Bardolph and Quickly), Shakespeare sets up Henry to be the ideal Christian king. The controlled language of Henry's speeches, particularly his response to the Dauphin's idiotic insult, also glorifies Henry. I certainly recommend this play to anyone, fan of Shakespeare or not.

Written by Shakespeare for Queen Elizabeth I amidst a time of Irish rebellion, Henry V more than adequately serves its intended purpose of galvanizing nationalistic fervor. It proved itself to be an unwavering and unfaltering impetus of patriotism in Shakespeare's day, during WWII, and still today it continues to resonate and reverberate this provocatively telling tale of the most gloriously revered monarch in English history.

Henry V's stirring orations prior to the victorious battles of Harfleur("Once more unto the breach") and Agincourt("We few, we happy few, we band of brothers") astonish and inspire me every time I read them. Simply amazing. Having read Henry IV Parts I&II beforehand, I was surprised Shakespeare failed to live up to his word in the Epilogue of Part II in which he promised to "continue the story, with Sir John in it." The continuing follies of the conniving Bardolph, Nym, & Pistol and their ignominious thieving prove to be somewhat of a depricating underplot which nevertheless proves to act as a succinct metaphor for King Harry's "taking" of France.

Powerful and vibrant, the character of Henry V evokes passion and unadulterated admiration through his incredible valor & strength of conviction in a time of utter despondency. It is this conviction and passion which transcends time, and moreover, the very pages that Shakespeare's words are written upon. I find it impossible to overstate the absolute and impregnable puissance of Henry V, a play which I undoubtedly rate as the obligatory cream of the crop of Shakespeare's Histories. I recommend reading Henry IV I&II prior to Henry V as well as viewing Kenneth Branagh's masterpiece film subsequent to reading the equally moving work.

On D-Day British officers read Henry's famous words to their men as they approached the beach. When Churchill needed material for his famous "Few" speech, his thoughts turned to the pages of Henry V. From "once more into the breach" to "we happy few, we band of brothers" this play resonates with Shakespeare's paen to England's warrior king. Oh, you'll be a bit confused at the start if you haven't read Henry IV parts 1 and 2, but this is primarily the story of Henry V's victory at Agincourt. Whether the play glorifies war or just Henry you will have to decide. There is much food for thought here for the perceptive reader. But then Shakespeare is always provocative.

Pretty good audio book. Especially enjoyed the poem by S. Wilkins. I would like to see/hear more from him.

i enjoyed these stories as i listened to them at work. it made the day go by at 65 mph!

My mother, Lane Taylor, was one of the writers of this book. So I listened to it and I thought it was pretty neat!

In contrast to some of the other editions of the complete works of Shakespeare, this book really is value for money. All plays (and poems, etcetera) are printed in a lavishly, pleasing way, very easy to the eye (one of the biggest drawbacks of some editions is that they use a very small font to keep the number of pages to a minimum). As others have commented, not much can and should be commented on the works themselves, they have stood the test of time, and the (normal) spelling that is used in this edition makes each reading an enjoyable experience. All the plays are given a brief (and somewhat succinct) introduction, which is, at best, okay. The strange things, in this book, are, for example, the order of the plays, the way King Lear is printed in two versions (that differ only in small details), and the inclusion of fragments that are attributed to Shakespeare (a bit controversial to say the least). Still, if you want to buy a good, thorough, and well-researched edition of the complete works of Shakespeare, you will not go far wrong with this book.

Pretty much any edition of Shakespeare deserves 5 stars for content. I think the question most people must have is "Which edition?"

I purchased "The Complete Pelican Shakespeare" because I wanted a relatively portable, high-quality book featuring text that benefits from modern scholarship (including brief notes and glossary). I wanted an edition to read and to treasure.

I should say that I didn't need extensive commentary with the text (as in the Arden paperbacks). That bulks it up considerably, can be had in other places, and can be left behind once one has read a play once or twice.

While I'm no Shakespearean scholar myself, this edition seems to meet the editorial criteria quite well. The text appears to benefit from modern, authoritative editorship, the introductions are brief but useful, and archaic terms and phrases are defined on the page where they occur.

The binding is high quality, as is the paper.

This is the most portable of the modern hard-cover editions I've found, with the possible exception of the Oxford edition, which is thicker, but smaller in the other two dimensions. I decided against the Oxford because the binding is of lesser quality and Oxford has a relatively idiosyncratic editorial policy with which I don't entirely agree.

Sadly, this is still a pretty big book, just small enough for a good-sized person to hold up and read in bed, and too much for an airplane or trip to the park. I wish someone would make a truly portable version! There is no reason that the entire thing couldn't be compressed into the space of a smallish bible (for those with the eyes for it!).

This weighty tome brings together authoritative versions of the complete works of Shakespeare. The excellent and informative introduction provides the historical context for the plays, the author and the folios. It also explains well how the plays tended to evolve with re-writes and performances. I have not read all of the plays and sonnets, but of the Shakespeare works Henry V and Hamlet, for example, provide high drama with stories that are compelling and language that is unique, beautiful and powerful. While the Taming of the Shrew and a Midsummers Night Dream provide humor, and other plays provide tragedy and pathos. A thousand phrases from these great plays and sonnets have probably carried into modern usuage. Shakespeare is best enjoyed first as a play by fine actors, such as those of the Royal Shakespeare company, that can give life to the often archaic and unfamiliar words, phrases and language constructs that come late 1500s. Once you have been captivated by a good live performance, reading the text becomes a joy and the strange language an exquisit pleasure. Some movies based on Shakespeare are more interesting than others (Kenneth Branagh has been quite successful, while Mel Gibson and Sir Lawrence Olivier were less so to my mind) but a live theater performance is far better and the written word is probably a close second. If you are interested in Shakespeare then this is a wonderful book - the only one you need really. If you have children then you really should get this and encourage them to read it. I have started reading selected passages with my 5 year old son and he loves it, he is absolutely enthralled with the language -- be bold, try it.

Cultural Selection extends eloquently, the unfortunate hegemony of cultural studies within the literary academy. Though analyses such as those concerning Nixon and the Vietnam Memorial are entertaining, they fail in a way that calls this mode of criticism seriously into question. The theorizing is tertiary, never attaining to explanatory adequacy. Instead, the reader is subjected to what is at times an enormously tedious concatenation of truisms. This is not, though, specific to Taylor's work (as it is among the best of its kind); but rather is endemic to the whole of cultural studies as a "discipline" blithely unaware (willfully?) of its own epistmological assumptions. The presentation of various evolutionary theories is a cheap rhetorical maneuver effected in an attempt to hide a lack of theoretical rigor behind a burlesque of scientific efficacy. If Taylor had really wanted to supply us with a coherent, explanatorily adeqate matrix through which to analyze the literary artifact, he might have considered one more appropriate to its data (for example, recent innovations in generative grammar, along with its literary applications in the work of John Steven Childs). Unfortunately, the fact that the book far surpasses much of what has been done in a similar critical vein underscores Chomsky's assertion of the utter intellectual ineptness of such theorizing ("I am waiting for Mr. Foucault to explain to me how exactly it is that my work is determined by historical and cultural constraints" (Chomsky 14)). In the end, the whole of cultural studies along with its dogmatic and unjustifiable assertions of socio-cultural causation must be categorized as so much academic frosting: a nice diversionary treat ultimately lacking in epistemological substance. Some light reading, perhaps, after one has done the real work of addressing the work of scholars such as Quine, Putnam, Chomsky, or Carnap. One can only hope that the formal elegance of their work (particulary Quine's work in semantics and Chomsky's promising Minimalist revision of x bar) will displace the current intellectual sloppiness of cultural studies.

I found Gary Taylor's grasp of evolutionary thinking to be firm and clear. Students of cultural studies can benefit from his insights on evolutionary patterns and how they can be applied to cultural phenomena. His analysis of representation, its purposes, its nature, and its limitations and its dependence on the role of editors is illuminating. This would be a benefit students of evolution as they forge into the fields of cultural studies looking for orientation in this new environment.

The depth of his familiarity with both western and eastern cultures would be very helpful to people with more hard science training who are still catching up with their humanities education. In this respect his style is approachable and lacks a lot of the pointless elite pretentiousness that I have encountered in other cultural scholars.

Oddly enough, I found no references in his book to some very timely ideas about cultural evolution proposed by both Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennet. Perhaps he is unaware of these recent developments amongst theoretical evolutionists on the other side of the cultural evolution equation. Or perhaps he knows his niche too well, and is aware of the brutal treatment such ideas would recieve at the hands of more elitest cultural scholars. I found Mr. Taylor's work to be well in step with these unspoken ideas.

If you like his book, you may enjoy looking into this other field. It would go far toward finishing the theoretical framework which Mr. Taylor has begun. If you are already immersed in evolutionary thinking, Mr. Taylor's work is a very approachable invitation by a knowlegeable inhabitant of the cultural world.

Gary Taylor brings a vibrant cultural sensibility to the field of cultural evolution. Lately the speculative field of memetics born from seeds planted by biologist Richard Dawkins has "rocked the charts" in efforts to bridge the chasm between biology and culture. I think Gary Taylor brings a balancing culturally well grounded sense to this picture. The history of memory, rather than memes, provides the string which ties this work together. He starts off with Stonehenge and progresses through an exciting array of cultural artifacts, literary, political, artistic etc., which spans both western and eastern culture with a depth of understanding of an accomplished cultural scholar. By the time I finished, I felt as though I had wandered through a spellbinding museum.

His understanding of the nuances of evolution as revealed in the biological sciences proves considerable. His intuitions about analogizing those concepts to cultural artifacts show considerable refinement and understanding. Students of the hard sciences will appreciate the respect that he has for those fields. Thankfully his work emerges free and clear of the pretensions and condescensions which cultural scholars more closely identified with postmodernism have often notoriously displayed in dealing with scientific matters. His presentation also proves very accessible. Anybody with a basic understanding of evolution and layman's enjoyment of fine culture should have no problem understanding and enjoying this book.

For those already familiar with the memetics frame of reference, his elucidation of the role of the editor, the "invisible man" meshes very well with ideas of ideal replication outlined by Susan Blackmore in "The Meme Machine." Here we understand that the truest replication of memories remains far more elusive than simply hitting the button on a photocopier. We must replicate the message (or as Blackmore would say the instructions) rather than just the product, and doing so requires that we consider how much of the message relies on its initial context and how to recreate those same messages in an entirely different context. The truest replications of the message (more than just words, images, or sensations) requires far more work than the recipient will ever appreciate if the editor does the job right. Ironically the editors that we most notice, we usually notice because they lacked in the job of providing that transparency for the replication of the message. Other insights abound in analysis of the various elements of representation, the role of niches and niche behaviors.

This book so far has not received the popular attention which its quality seems to deserve. I think this more reflects the shallowness of our hype driven culture. Discover this book. It is a treat to the intelligent and inquisitive mind that appreciates a depth of understanding.

Very thorough index to works cited at the end.