Irish Literary Biography, Theater Biography - Playwrights

Bernard Shaw: The One-Volume Definitive Edition

Name: Bernard Shaw: The One-Volume Definitive Edition
Author: Michael Holroyd
ISBN: 9780393327182

by Michael Holroyd

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Overview

"We regard Mr. Holroyd with awe, as a prodigy among biographers."—The New York Times Book Review

In a single-volume format, Michael Holroyd's masterpiece of a biography offers new verve and pace; Shaw's world is more dramatically revealed as Holroyd counterpoints the private and public Shaw with inimitable insight and scholarship.

Synopsis

"We regard Mr. Holroyd with awe, as a prodigy among biographers."—The New York Times Book Review

The New York Times Book Review - Michael Anderson

...Shaw's 50 dramatic works [are] summarized and commented upon, along with his novels, prefaces and pamphlets.

About the Author, Michael Holroyd

Michael Holroyd has written celebrated biographies of Hugh Kingsmill, Augustus John, and Bernard Shaw, as well as the acclaimed Basil Street Blues and Mosaic. He lives in London with his wife.

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Editorials

Michael Anderson

...Shaw's 50 dramatic works [are] summarized and commented upon, along with his novels, prefaces and pamphlets.
— The New York Times Book Review

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

This massive biography, arranged thematically rather than chronologically, discusses Shaw's mariage blanc ; his love affairs via correspondence; the composition and popularity of his plays, including "The Doctor's Dilemma" and "Pygmalion"; and his battles with censorship. ``Contrasted to Shaw's sparkling, energetic style, Holroyd's own contribution seems disappointingly pedestrian,'' said PW.

Library Journal

George Bernard Shaw was both an extraordinary man and an extraordinary playwright, living for almost a full century (1856-1950). Such longevity and talent justify the four-volume biography that Holroyd wrote a decade ago. But, one can argue, while research institutions require that sort of depth, the average person does not. This new one-volume abridgment of the original biography affords a highly readable, interesting, shorter "life" that will benefit both the casual reader and undergraduate student. Since the abridgment has 813 pages of text and a 20-page index, the reader will not feel short-changed. Recommended for all public, college, and school libraries. (Photos not seen.)--Susan L. Peters, Emory Univ. Lib., Atlanta