William King Books

This review is not so much about the play (in which Prince Hal reaches glorious and majestic maturity) as about the presentation of the material..."No Fear Shakespeare" continues to be one of the best ways for the casual reader to read and study the Bard...Original text on the lefthand page, updated modern language on the righthand page...the best of both worlds...Twice as much for the price, two for one, the old and the new side-by-side.

One comment about Shakespeare's work in this play..use of the opening prologue to each scene makes this easy to understand and to visualize...nice touch, by the world's greatest writer and observer of the human condition.

I've taught with this series in small classes of teens and find it useful. First, the page layout is good: ample margins, notes in a separate column alongside the text so they are easy to refer to, and a font that is not too small.

Second, the helps are good:
clear side notes,
illustrations,
photos from various productions,
front material includes good synopsis, character descriptions,
and in the back of the book are Plutarch excerpts, good exam and discussion questions, and background notes.

"Henry V" and "Richard III" seem to be Shakespeare's most popular and famous history plays. But I myself have always leaned towards this one. The play starts with the wedding of King Henry VI and Queen Margaret. At this point in the game, France has gained the upper hand. But England still controls Calais, Anjou, Maine, Normady, and some areas around Bordeaux. Well, th virtuous Gloucester (and only remaining son of King Henry IV) is shocked along with some others that Anjou and Maine will have to be returned to France as well. This angers York and he thinks Henry VI's questionable marriage amongst other things is just cause to aim for the crown. (In history, Richard was actually VERY loyal to King Henry VI, even when situations practically invited him to seize the crown. Eventually, he was forced somewhat by Margaret's actions to take up arms.) Later, we see that Gloucester's wife has her eyes on the crown as well. Meanwhile, Margaret is growing weary of King Henry VI, and her affair with Suffolk is becoming more prevalent. Act one ends with a dramatic scene of Pagan Prophecies and Lady Gloucester's arrest. Act 2 begins with the comical scene of someone claiming a false miracle. Though the comedy breaks when Gloucester learns of his wife's treason. York gathers his allies Salisbury and Warwick and plans his move to seize the crown. In one of his stronger moments, King Henry VI orders the execution of those who plotted against him. Though he is smart and knows that the virtuous Gloucester's wife must be treated a bit more gently. So he makes her do public penance and banishes her. Gloucester bids a sorrowful farewell to his banished wife, and must stand trial himself. We also learn that all of England's French territory is lost. (Though this is not 100 % true. England still held Calais, and would continue to do so through the reigns of Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Edward VI.) Moving on, York, Somerset, the Cardinal, Suffolk, and Queen Margaret all work to bring Gloucester down. He defends himself with dignity, but is arrested. Soon afterwards, Glouceter is pronounced dead. True King Henry VI is often rebuked for fainting here, but he actually displays one of his finer moments. He banishes the vile Suffolk for the murder and does not back down even when Margaret in a deceptive manner says Suffolk is innocent. Perhaps one of the greatest scenes is 3.3 where the Cardinal goes insane (quite possibly guilt over Gloucester). In this brief scene, the cardinal's insanity fills us with horror, and the scene where Henry VI forgives him is actually very touching: 'Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.' Act 4 is dominated mostly by the rebel Jack Cade. He has launched an uprising against the king, and he is actually quite theatrical and offers some comical moments. Well, he gets quite far, but is finally defeated by Buckingham and Clifford. Cade tries to escape, but is killed by Iden. Onto the final act. having left for Ireland, York returns in arms, but decides to back off for the time being, when Buckingham insists that Henry VI has met York's demand and imprisoned Somerset. This proves not to be, and Yort takes up arms. His sons (the eventual King Edward IV and King Richard III) appear and the war begins. York does gain the advantage here, but things are far from over. King Henry VI and Margaret escape, and the scene where Young Clifford discovers his father (killed By York) and gives his soliloquy of revenge is a scene that combines sorrow, rage, hate, and beauty ever so well.

A lot of people knock this play because Shakespeare presents Joan of Arc as a villain. Well, the truth of the matter is that she was in fact burned as a witch. She was to be cannonized and become a saint, BUT NOT UNTIL 1920! (OVER 300 YEARS AFTER WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIED!) In a sense, it is flat out laughable to criticize the play based on the fact that a saint is made to be a villain. Well, to the play itself. King Henry V (who conquered France) lies dead. His son Henry VI is but a child, and for now it is King Henry V's surviving brothers Glouceter and Bedford who are in charge. Joan of Arc comes into play and tells Charles of France that with her help, France can still come out on top. This is followed by the comical dispute between Glouceter and his uncle (who is Bishop of Winchester). Throughout the story, Winchester is somewhat of a comical villain. He does no real damage, and his disputes with the virtuous Glouceter offer some badly needed comical moments. We then meet the heroic, but just a little too brave Talbot. He is England's champion here, and he finds he can not defeat Joan. Towards the end of Act 2, there is a dramatic and well drawn scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses. We also meet Richard Plantagenet (the eventual Duke of York). Act 2 concludes with him offering what comfort he can to his imprisoned and dying uncle. In Part 2, York will be more of a villain, but in Part 1, he seems to serve the king with loyalty. In 3.1, we finally meet the young King Henry VI. He makes Richard Duke of York. (Side note. Richard's father was executed for treason against King Henry V.) Soon afterwards, Bedford despite his failing health manages to support the English as they defeat Joan of Arc in one battle. (Very unlike his back stabbing move in "2 Henry IV," he displays courage, honor, and dignity here.) And we are permitted sympathy as he dies with grace and dignity. But Joan of Arc is far from finished. She wins over Burgundy to France's side and makes it clear that the game is not over. Well, onto Act 4. King Henry VI is crowned. While many people fail to see any strength In King Henry VI, he does show some strong points here. His actions against Fastolf and Burgundy show that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. He is often rebuked for having rivals Somerset and York work together, but more than once, people have launched enemies against a foreign foe. And a reasonable person would have at least considered it. Well, sadly this is one case where it did not work, and civil dissension between York and Somerset turns the tide in France's favor, and even worse causes the death of Talbot and his son. (The death of Talbot and his son is one of Shakespeare's greatest scenes of tragic beauty.) One more thing I should point out is that, internal complications are one of the best things you can use to prevent a war scenario from becoming trite and boring. Good job Shakespeare! The death of Talbot breaks England's spirit, and peace is contemplated. But there is one more battle to be fought. York is able to do what Talbot could not do. He defeats Joan of Arc and prevents (at least for now) England's total loss. (Perhaps Shakespeare was preparing York to have more power than we might want him to have in Part 2. It's not unheard of. At first, someone displays unusual strength, and we are happy until that strength turns against us.) Despite the heavy losses, England still controls Calais, Normandy, Maine, Anjou, and some areas around Bordeaux. We also meet Margaret (who will have a major role in "2 Henry VI" and "3 Henry VI.") She will have a smaller, but still significant part in "Richard III." Well, peace is discussed. But Suffolk hints that there is more to come. He intends to use Margaret to control the king, but that's the next story. This may be one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, but it certainly reflects the greatness that was to come.

I don't understand why more people don't read Shakespeare's history plays because they are some of his best work, especially the Henry VI trilogy. Shakespeare's interpretation and manipulation of history drive this trilogy forward and create unique opportunities to judge his skill against the "facts." I loved this trilogy! Not only is it an expert study in human nature (which is Shakespeare's trademark), it is action-packed with never a boring moment. Read it!

Tom Pendleton's collection of essays on Shakespeare's "Henry VI" plays provides interesting and helpful commentary on texts unfamiliar to most readers and audiences. Pendleton's introduction offers perceptive discussion of the plays, their place in Shakespeare's canon, their significance in the Elizabethan period, and their critical fortunes over the centuries. The essays that follow examine the plays from a variety of perspectives, perhaps most interestingly in terms of performance, including Pendleton's own interview with a contemporary actor who performed recently in productions of these plays at the New York Shakespeare Festival. But there is also interesting coverage of filmed versions of the plays and of various critical issues surrounding these earliest of Shakespeare's works.

Set in American in 1944, The Hermit King is a novel about two prankster children in Alabama, captivated by the legend of a mysterious, one-eyed black hermit living in the swamps and carrying a bullwhip as long as five men. Their irresistible curiosity leads them into terrible danger, in this sober story about being forced to grow up all too soon. Now in a new edition revised by the author, accompanied by five short stories, and with a foreword by Bert Hitchcock offering perspective upon how the novel fits into author Cobb's works, The Hermit King is a vivid peek into the heart of America sixty years ago.

This book contains much about Sumer and Akkad that is not neccessarily found in any other source. LW King gives credit to the many scholars of his time that contributed to the known history of Sumer. I believe that it is a great and beneficial source for any anceint history buff.

Prescott's 19th century book is a highly readable, enjoyable account of 16th century Spain. Philip II is not the primary focus of the book, but the events that took place in and around Spain during his rule. I especially appreciate the detailed history that this book provides on the Morisco rebellion in and around Las Alpujarras (near Granada) following Philip's 1567 decree forbidding much of Morisco culture. Some of the linguistic quips are a little dated, but the pre-P.C. writing (such as referring to the Inquisition's "maw") is often entertaining.

In the U.S., we often hear about Columbus sailing in 1492. If we visit Andalucia, we might read about the 1492 defeat of the Nasrids buy Fernando and Isabel the Catholics, but the 16th century really comes alive in Prescott's work in a manner that is eerily reminiscent of certain conflicts in our own time.

If you like to entertain, this book has a large
selection of dishes for any party. I tried several
of the recipes, and love the results. One of the
so many Williams-Sonoma cookboooks in my collection.