This book is full of wonderful plays that give insight into Irish history. The collection of plays helps one to understand what the revolution was about and the events that caused it.

This is one of the only comprehensive texts for teaching the history of Irish drama on the market today. There should be a collection of contemporary Irish plays this good. Oh, and thank you to the reader below for the table of contents! One correction, however: "Cathleen Ni Houlihan" and "On Baile's Strand" are both Yeats plays... there is no playwright Cathleen Ni Houlihan. She's a symbol for a free and romanticized Ireland.

I'm writing this review to provide others who're considering purchasing this book an outline of content as I became incredibly frustrated when I couldn't find any such details quickly. ... Complete texts of 12 plays by 8 Irish playwrights: Cathleen Ni Hourlihan's "On Baile's Strand", W.B. Yeat's "Purgatory", Lady Gregory's "Spreading the News" and "The Rising of the Moon", J.M. Synge's "Riders to the Sea" and "Playboy of the Western World", G.B. Shaw's "John Bull's Other Island, Sean O'Casey's "Juno and the Paycock", Brendan Behan's "The Quare Fellow", Samuel Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tape", and "Translations" by Brian Friel. Texts are fully annotated with explanatory notes on Anglo-Irish usage, place names, historical figures and literary allusions. Backgrounds, criticism, memoirs, prefaces, chronology and bibliography are also included. Hope this helped!!

Knox's fine Classical Literature really deserves four and a half stars; I just can't figure out how to put on that extra half a star. Truly, this is a superb piece of editing-- Knox has chosen wisely , including well-known classical works, Homer, Aeschylus, Euripides, as well as more obscure works. The book runs the whole gamut of Greek and Roman literature, giving a tantalizing taste of each. Often the lesser-known works are the most interesting. I was fascinated. Knox also gives details about the lives and times of the authors that are interesting and engaging. Also, I appreciated Knox's interest in providing the most reader-friendly versions of the pieces. Sometimes he alternates translators to show how different people have read the great works, and in some cases, Propertius in particular, he offers great literary translations (such as one by Ezra Pound) alongside a more faithful translation. There is so much to say for this book. You will want to read more. There is one cause for frustration though, and that is in Knox's approach to giving liner notes. He gives all notes up-front in the introduction to each piece where a footnote or endnote might have been more convenient to the reader-- they must go back to the intro if they've forgotten what something meant. Other than smoe confusion with editorial notes, this book is wonderful and well worth your time.

This anthology stands head and shoulders above the competition, such as the Portable Greek and Roman readers for a number of reasons, not the least of which are the fresh, modern translations of these very well-chosen ancient works. Others include its size (ca. 850 large pages) and high quality as a book, and, of course, its contents, which range from Homer to Augustine.

About 2/3 of the volume is devoted to Greek literature, with about 200 pages of that being Homer and Hesiod. Early poets are well represented from Sappho to the obscure. A complete translation of "Antigone" is included, as well as a generous sampling of other plays by Aechylus, Euripides, etc. Herodotus, Thucidides, Plato, Aristotle and many little known Hellenistic items appear. From Rome, Vergil, Lucretius, Marcus Aurelius, and various poetic and theatrical works.

The book does leave you wanting more. Fortunately, after reading this, you will have a much better idea about what you want more of!

A wide-ranging and cunningly chosen set of texts and translations and a generous set of elegantly written introductions make this a first-rate anthology. I am not very widely read in the classics, but I showed the book to a friend who is, and he was delighted to find many selections with which he was unfamiliar. Reading this book made we want to run out and get another whole shelf-full of complete works.

The story of Emperor Norton feels like it should be fiction, but this really is his biography. I believe I ran into him as a character first in an issue of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics. According to an interview I read later, Drury's book was one of his references.

This volume is the actual history of a San Francisco eccentric in the mid 19th century. The writing is so well done that pages and chapters fly by with ease, so much so that you may want to pace yourself to prolong your enjoyment. Besides the sheer pleasure of the story, this book will give you great insight into both the everyday life of mid-nineteenth century California and the mind-set of a culture in which Mark Twain thrived as a writer and newspaper reporter. This is the sort of book one could use to instill a love for history and a lesson in tolerance in a child!

Emperor Norton is truly one of the unknown legends of America.
Drury has done a fantastic job at capturing the life of this enegmatic character in all of his glory, and his weakness. Was Joshua Norton mad, or was he truly inspired? Did he put one over on the people of San Fransisco, or the other way around? Drury lets you draw your own conclusions of this totally true character.

This book has the great advantage of presenting such a difficult subject just like a personal teacher would do. It's written in a clear way and explains some important concepts about the 8086 processor.My advice is:if you want to learn assembler here's a good book to start with (even if it seems a little dated!)

I've read this book, and I really liked it. It is great. It teaches assembly language in a simple a versatile way. If you want lo learn Assembly language, this is a MUST-READ.

Norton and Socha's authority makes this book a must to every "beginner" assembly programmer. This book presents basic items such as binary numbers, registers & basic arithmetic inside the 8086 family processors into part 1. The contents of the book becomes closely related with DSKPATCH - a real program written in assembly - so the reader has a UNIQUE opportunity to see how real programmers (and here Norton is a PC guru) use step-wise refinements techniques and modular projects in a real world. The 2nd edition is based in MASM 5/5.1, Borland TASM and OPTASM features. Maybe we must wait for MASM 6.1 update... then it'll become a rating 10...

Though she is most noted for her science-fiction/fantasy books such as the Wich World series, SHADOW HAWK by Andre Norton is a work of historical fiction based on actual events which occurred in ancient Egypt. The story concerns the captain Rahotep, son of the viceroy of the pharaoh and heir to the nomarchy of the Hawk Nome in the southern provinces. The story takes place during the Hyksos occupation, thus Rahotep is given the nickname Shadow Hawk, as his nome is a shadow of its former being. Rahotep intercepts a message from the pharaoh Sekenenre in Thebes to the north, a plea for military assistance to once again unite the Two Lands. Rahotep, along with the commander Methen, faithful friend Kheti, and 10 Nubian archers, travel north to serve their pharaoh. When they arrive, the group is assigned to the eldest prince Kamose. Rahotep and company prove their worth on a raid with Kamose's younger brother Ahmose and are assigned to the personal guard of pharaoh himself. While serving this honorable but unexciting duty, Rahotep is framed as perpetrator in an attempt of pharaoh's life. He is arrested and severely punished but, with the aid of his friends, manages to escape. After proving his loyalty to the crown, he is taken in by Kamose, now pharaoh following the death of his father by the hands of scheming countrymen. Kamose, Ahmose, and Rahotep then plot to overthrow the Hyksos outpost Neferusi. The last part of the book concerns the attempt to capture the town, an event that would mark a turning point in the battle with the invading Hyksos to bring about a reversal of Egypt's fortunes. The book is basically an adventure story set in ancient Egypt. Norton has done her homework as the details smack of authenticity. The larger events outlined in the book actually took place. Kamose and his "troops of Medja-Nubians" (according to his stela) fell upon the nest of Asiatics at Nefrusy (just north of Khmun, the modern-day Ashmunein), his "brave army in front of me like a breath of fire . . . I overthrew him, I razed his wall, I slew his people . . ." Nefrusy was at the southern limit of the influence of Apophis, just north of the kingdom of Kamose in the area of Beni Hasan. Thus was the tide turned and Kamose and his brother Ahmose restored the glory of Egypt

The book is about a young officer/archer in th Egyptian military. It takes place sometime in ancient times. He is the son of a noblemen. Many things happen to him and those he commands.
I thought this book was very good. It was exciting and entertaining. From the very beginning it captures your attention. There really wasn't much bad with the book except some confusing names.
I would like to recommend this book to anyone that likes war books because it has exciting battles and that sort of thing.

Andre Norton's Shadow Hawk is about the invasion and occupation of ancient Egypt by the Hyksos, a nomadic Asian tribe, which ruled until all vestiges of their reign was permanently obliterated by the victorious Egyptians. It's the story of the Nubian Archers, and their leader, an Egyptian prince known as the Shadow Hawk. He leads the loyal Egyptians in a rebellion against the invaders. Want to find something from that era? Sorry, you can't. No records from that time exist.

The novel Spell of the Withch World was an adventure book that held my intrest most of the way through it. The main Characters in this story were the twins Elys and Elyn. Elys is a witch and Elyn is a warrior. They travel around the countryside to gain back their home land of Wark and come across wierd events. I'm not to interested in these kind of books but I wouldrecommend this book for people who like stories of fantisy lands.

"Dragon Scale Silver" - This is the tale of Elys, and of how a woman obviously of Estcarp's witch blood should happen not only to live in the Dales, but to ride with Jervon, just as clearly of High Hallack ancestry. It isn't long enough to make a full-length novel, but it's longer than the usual short story.

The tale begins with two shipwrecked refugees, obviously of Estcarp blood, being washed ashore at Wark, near Vastdale in High Hallack, in the Year of the Salamander. Although this is before the Invaders' War erupted in High Hallack, remember that Estcarp had been fighting what is called 'the Kolder War' on their side of the ocean for some years at that point.

Almondia, who was a Witch in her former life, opts to lay down her oath and take Truan for her husband, after casting one last spell, ensuring that although she dies after giving birth to twins, she leaves behind a son, Elyn, for Truan and a daughter, Elys, leaving them only the legacy of the dragon scale silver cup created by her last act of magic.

The story follows Elys through the opening years of the Invaders' War, when the people of Wark must flee from their seacoast village and take refuge far inland. (Elyn left Wark to join the Dales' forces as a warrior.) Jervon stumbled across the refugees' new village with his dying lord, the last survivors of one of the early, desperate battles against the Hounds. Elys and Jervon join forces to find and rescue Elyn when the dragon scale silver cup gives warning that Elyn is in mortal danger.

Elys and Jervon encounter Joisan in _Gryphon in Glory_, and also appear in _Gryphon's Eyrie_.

"Dream Smith" - The Dales are full of stories warning of the danger of handling artifacts from those who lived in the Dales before the coming of mortals. Collard, a young smith, was crippled and disfigured in an explosion caused by trying to work a mysterious metal brought out of the Waste. Upon his return to such health as he can now enjoy, he discovers a talent for working the strange metal into lifelike figurines, based on images he now sees in dreams. The Wise Woman Sharvana, who nursed Collard back to life after the accident, brings him into contact with the invalid Lady Jacinda, exiled to her father's country estate to get her out of her stepmother's household. Can either of them hope for a life with more than dreams?

"Amber Out of Quayth" - In the years after the Invaders' War, life in the Dales entered a time of flux. Many lords, together with their heirs and most of their fighting men, were lost in the early stages of the war, when the Hounds still had the Kolders' support to draw on (the Hounds had access to Kolder tanks, the Dales had swords and crossbows). After the war, women outnumbered men, especially nobleborn women, and few Dales were prosperous enough to provide adequate dowries.

Ysmay, the sister of the lord of Uppsdale, acted as chatelaine during the Invaders' War; in her brother's absence, she ruled the dale in his place. After the war ended and her brother brought home a bride, Ysmay's duties were transferred to the new lady, except for those involving her talents with herbs. Ysmay's only dowry is an amber mine which can no longer be worked after being blocked by a cave-in years before, so she has no prospects of escaping through marriage (and she refuses to be pushed off into a convent).

Enter Hylle, Lord of Quayth (an obscure hold bordering on the Waste west of High Hallack). Hylle has brought with him to the fair near Uppsdale a great wealth of amber, including a great deal of finished, fine jewelry; in fact, his products are so fine that the local nobility expect that he will have trouble finding buyers in the post-war Dales who can pay him a fair price. Oddly enough, though, Hylle's prices can be afforded even by Uppsdale's lord (if only for one bracelet). Is Hylle trying to build up a market slowly, sacrificing immediate profit in favor of long-range plans for trade?

And why is a man so wealthy in amber bargaining for Ysmay's hand in marriage, a woman he has never met? Even though his skills in alchemy (e.g., in brewing explosives) allow the mine to be reopened, why should he be interested in the ordinary amber produced by Uppsdale's mine when he obviously has so much of his own?

"Amber Out of Quayth" has a few overtones of the old story of Bluebeard; a young woman married to a stranger, and finding that he seems to be hiding a sinister secret. "Dragon Scale Silver" is roughly in the same vein as some other major love stories in the Witch World - Kerovan and Joisan (_The Crystal Gryphon_), Gillian and Herrel (_Year of the Unicorn_). Although each differs considerably from the others in terms of the actual events that befall the protagonists, if you like one you'll probably like the others.

"Dragon Scale Silver" also occupies an interesting point in the history of the Invaders' War - during the first devastating defeats of the Dale forces, long before the lords made pact with the Were Riders.

IRRELEVANT NOTE: The cover paintings for the 2 editions of _Spell of the Witch World_ with which I am most familiar are both drawn from the first story, "Dragon Scale Silver." The edition that may be the most well-known has a Michael Whelan cover painting whose centerpiece is a woman (either Almondia or Elys) holding the dragon scale silver cup.

I have always enjoyed shorts that follow a constant theme...and she always seems to have them flesh out WW while at the same time well able to stand on their own...not only her own works, but those of others she chooses as well.

I had to read Lamb by Bernard Mac Laverty as a school projet. At first I was really un-keen as it wasn't my kind of book , but by the second chapter I was totally hooked. the only thing better than this book is the film.

Lamb is a book about a priest (Brother Sebastian aka. Michael Lamb)who runs away from a cold, uncaring children's Home in Ireland with a young boy whom he feels sorry for. They then try to start a new life in England and try to forget their bleak past. Lamb is trying to come to terms with his fading belief in his religion and is at conflict within himself throughout the book. Lamb's teacher - pupil relationship with the boy changes to a father - son relationship and this strengthens his actions at the end of the novel.

Bernard MacLaverty's short novel LAMB is a great example of things going terribly wrong for someone who has the 'best of intentions'. The writing is flowing but intense, drawing the reader inexorably into the story ' it makes this a hard book to lay aside, even for the night. I was tempted to stay up 'too late' to finish it.

Brother Sebastian (née Michael Lamb) is a member of the Christian Brothers, assigned to a bleak reformatory where parents bring boys they can no longer control ' it is a way station on the road to troubled adult lives, although it is seen by the parents and the administration as a place of rehabilitation. Unfortunately for the boys, the 'rehabilitation' practiced by the headmaster and his staff in mostly made up of beatings and other forms of cruelty. The headmaster ' Brother Benedict ' at one point refers to the institution as 'a finishing school for the Idle Poor', a telling remark that shows his contempt for those to which he supposedly ministers. Sometimes beatings are administered to boys the headmaster knows in innocent of the transgression at hand, simply as an example to the population in general. It's a depressing atmosphere, and it weighs heavily upon the already fragile character and emotions of Brother Sebastian.

There is one boy for whom Brother Sebastian feels a special, deep affinity ' young Owen Kane, small for his age, quiet, and, as we learn, an epileptic. The boy is plagued by episodes of bedwetting, and his stubborn demeanor singles him out for especially violent 'lessons' from the headmaster. Sebastian determines that the only way to save Owen is to take him away. He plots this action only skeletally, acting as he is on his emotions, with his intellectual abilities taking the back seat ' and this comes back to haunt the two of them as they steal away from the school and take off on the road to London. Sebastian honestly loves and cares for the boy ' this is not a story of sexual abuse by a church figure ' but his increased depression, which he doesn't recognize as such causes them to be in increased danger of discovery, leading to the inevitable and very disturbing conclusion.

The lighter scenes, in which Brother Sebastian manages to bring some rare joy into the childhood of his young charge ' and as a result into his own dark life as well ' are very moving. They give the reader hope that somehow, in some way, the Brother is successful in starting a new life with the boy, living in peace somewhere with him, as father and son. His intentions, as I mentioned, are completely loving and honorable ' the darkness in the book is not in those intentions. There is darkness in the system that allows such a place as the school depicted here to exist in the first place, and to be 'managed' in the manner of a prison for incorrigible criminals rather than an institution that would truly give troubled boys a 'second chance'.

What can you say about a fiction anthology that a teacher actually used for a college class? Well, for one thing, you can say that it is probably one of the best representations of contemporary fiction that you can buy at a reasonable price.

There are so many great authors on here, that I don't know where to begin. The editors basically took every great short fiction author, and popped one of their best short stories into this anthology. I've read the whole book cover to cover a couple of times, and it still manages to inspire.

The editors did a good job of selecting stories that represent a broad range of literary styles. Carver's minimalism is represented here, as well as stories from a countless number of his contemporaries. A well rounded collection over all. I think it still might be a little pricey for its size, but it may be well worth it for the present content, regardles.

Contray to what one review said this book is not dull and boring but autual fun and interesting. I recomened this book to people.

This 550-page anthology provides the best introduction to modern short fiction writing available to readers. This is "the textbook" for short story writing.

This valuable collection is not only comprehensive, but also off the beaten track. It contains an amazing variety of short stories, including some of the well-known masterpieces. My favorites in this collection are "The swimmer" (an outstanding example of the grotesque), as well as the thrilling story about "The baby in the ice-box" (sheer captivating story-telling). Rarely had so much fun reading a short story. There are many less funny stories here as well, if you prefer. And you meet many famous writers in little-known stories, which are quite characteristic. Even O Henry is present with a true masterpiece.

College instructors like me tend to find the same stories anthologized over and again in countless textbooks. My decision to offer the Prescott volume in a recent class provided me and my students access to stories we wouldn't ordinarily see in books specifically intended to be read in literature classes. For every familiar piece, like Walker's "Everyday Use," one finds a relatively obscure treasure, like Loos' "Liquor Makes You Smart." Sure, the standard, canonized authors are here, but instead of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," we get "Wash"; we also get Hughes' "Slave on the Block," Lardner's "Champion," Cather's "Paul's Case," and other works not often the predictable choices for textbook editors. This collection would have been a treat to read for fun, but I consider it an interesting, challenging textbook for class, as well. I wish only that it would be more representative of American ethnic diversity--a shortcoming I overcame by assigning an additional short story collection for my students. Still, Prescott's anthology contains many enjoyable works; in my opinion, Elkin's "A Poetics for Bullies" alone should make any reader glad to have picked up this book.

American story collections abound, but this one's definitely a cut above. The editor manages to include a lot of the well-known selections that I want and expect in a good overview, but the book is also full of entertaining surprises. I'd never heard of Mark Twain's funny and irreverent "The Facts Concerning the Recent Carnival of Crime In Connecticut," but it's a much better choice than the over-anthologized "Jumping Frog." I was glad to find Conrad Aiken's chilling (no pun intended) "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" and to discover Ellen Gilchrist's wonderfully subtle "Victory Over Japan".

The format is truly worthy of a personal library, with nice creamy paper, instead of the thin show-through paper I usually associate with Norton, and a sun-filled (yes, really!) Edward Hopper painting adorning an attractive cover.

This was the very first science fiction book I read in my life, at age 10 or 11 or so. I still have it and pull it out every few years to get some easy to read classic sci fi, and a feeling of nostalgia. Nice simple, straightforward story.

Terrans of the future may only leave planet as mercenaries for contract on other planets. Archs primitive weapons or Mechs modern weapons Swordsman third class Kana finds himself on a planet on such a mission with the Arch Legion only to find themselves fighting against a rebel legion of Mechs where the fate of the whole human race hanging on the outcome. classic Norton

Star Guard is the second novel in the Central Control series, but the first in internal chronology. When Terrans learned to travel the space lanes, Central Control assigned them to a special role that suited their aggressive temperament and also provided a safety valve for all other belligerents among the great confederacy. The Terrans became the mercenaries of the Galaxy. Arch Hordes served on the relatively primitive worlds and Mech Legions served on the relatively advanced worlds. However, even the Mechs weapons were less advanced than those available to the Galactic Patrol. Three hundred years passed before any challenge arose to this system.

In this novel, Kana Karr, newly graduated Arch Swordsman Third Class, comes to Prime to receive his first assignment. Waiting in the hiring hall, he hears rumors of lost legions and refused assignments. Then, a senior Combatant, accompanied by a Galactic Agent, announces that the troubles on Nevers have been fully investigated, with the assistance of Central Control, and certified that the defeat there was due to local problems and that the rumors concerning this episode are not to be repeated by any of the Corps. Naturally, this stirs up even more rumors.

Shortly thereafter, Karr is offered a position with Yorke's Horde and accepts the assignment. He is told to report to Dock Five at seventeen hours, so he goes to the transients' mess to eat. While there, he hears still more rumors. Then he goes to an information booth to learn the languages of Fronn, the planet where he is to serve, as well as any other facts available. When he returns the record-pak, he notices that a Mech scoops it up before the return belt can load it back into the machine.

On the journey to Fronn, he bunks with Trig Hansu, a very experienced Swordtan. In fact, all the men headed to Yorke's Horde, except himself, are very experienced and, when they reach Secundus, he only finds two other S-Threes in the Horde. Although most of the man seem to be amiable, the other S-Threes warn him to avoid Zapan Bogate. However, when they reach Fronn, Bogate and one of his buddies, Sim, decides to crowd Karr a little. When Karr chops a clutching hand, Sim slaps him in formal challenge. Karr, however, has the choice of weapons and chooses bat sticks. Although Sim proves to be an expert swordsman, he is confused by the relative lightness of the stick. Furthermore, he uses it as a rapier, but Karr waits until he can draw it across Sim's forearm, so that the pain forces Sim to drop the stick, thereby conceding the duel. Of course, Sim is furious, but the other veterans rather respect Karr for using his knowledge of the planet in this manner.

After a week of intensive drill to shake out any lingering effects of the space travel, they move out with their employer. As Karr is marching on point, they overtake a caravan of Venturi and he notices that one of the figures walks differently. His team reports his suspicions and keeps the caravan under observation until a troop of Llor cavalry flushes the suspicious wayfarer from the caravan, straight toward them. The troopers lasso the fugitive, but he sits up and fires a flamer at them. Immediately, the Combatants fire at the shooter. The robed figure proves to be a Llor, who had no business possessing a flamer, which are reserved for the Patrol. After seven Fronn days, they meet the forces of the enemy and are called to parlay, but the enemy ambush their employer and capture his men. When the Combatants talk to the enemy leader, they are told that the Terran way does not apply to Fronn.

Now that their employer is dead, they head to an auxiliary starport in the hills to get off world. The port is Venturi, but these natives soon leave to go back to their islands, leaving the building to the Terrans. They are forced indoors by a cariolis storm, but find an unusual sight after the storm: a wrecked crawler with a Vegan onboard and boxes of flamers as cargo. Then they find a downed Patrol ship in a rocky valley with bodies in Patrol uniforms laid out as for inspection.

This novel is an early Norton SF work. It has some of the signature images, including the Zacathans who crop up everywhere in the authors SF. However, in many ways it more resembles The Stars Are Ours, with Central Control as the repressive force. Nevertheless, it ends on a note of hope.

Recommended for Norton fans and anyone who enjoys alien planets and peoples as well as competent young people coping with disaster.