Classic Plays

The Game of Life and How to Play It, published in 1925, teaches the philosophies of its author, Florence Scovel Shinn. The book holds that ignorance of, or carelessness, with the application of various 'Laws of Metaphysics' can bring about undesirable life events.

Petruchio arrives in Padua determined to gain his fortune by marrying the volatile Katherina. Their tempestuous meeting and marriage leads to a great love affair. This is perhaps the most famous play ever written about the battle of the sexes. (A full-cast production.)

Now, for the first time in audio, Blackstone presents seven great plays in one volume: Euripides' Medea, Shakespeare's The Tempest, Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid, Dumas' Camille, Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, Shaw's Arms and the Man, and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. These productions illustrate the development of European drama from ancient times to the threshold of the modern theater.

The war at Troy did not end when the city fell. For the Greeks who sailed home, and the women they carried off as slaves, the worst was still to come — and it is the tragedians, not Homer, who tell that story. Twenty-five centuries ago, in the open-air theater on the slope of the Athenian Acropolis, three poets created an art form that has never been surpassed. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides took the old stories of gods and heroes — the house of Atreus, the fall of Troy, the curse of Oedipus, the fury of Medea — and turned them into something the world had never seen: tragedy. ...

Hamlet is one of the great classics, if not the greatest, of English drama. Set in Denmark, the play recounts how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father, the King, and then taken the throne and married Gertrude, Hamlet's mother.

A book that contains another book — a fictional play in two acts whose second act drives every reader insane. The play does not exist. Robert W. Chambers never wrote it. What he wrote instead, in 1895, was one of the most audacious works of horror fiction in the English language. This Erato Press critical edition reads The King in Yellow as the structurally radical and genuinely disturbing book it has always been. Published at the height of the decadent movement — the same moment that produced Oscar Wilde's trial and The Yellow Book — Chambers drew on his years as an art student in ...

The dead do not sleep in Denmark. Thrice the vision of the suddenly departed king has haunted the night watchmen. Upon seeing his own son, prince Hamlet, the ghost calls him away to divulge most nefarious secret. This most noble king was murdered by his own brother, Hamlet's uncle, who now wears his crown and beds his bride. To the prince he charges with the unholy quest to avenge his death and kill his murderer. Young Hamlet, shocked and amazed, swears to do the bloody deed. Thus begins one of the greatest works by the greatest English author - William Shakespeare.

Othello by Jeanette Vigon, part of the Simple Shakespeare series, translates Shakespeare's tragedy into contemporary prose while maintaining the original's dramatic structure and psychological complexity. This adaptation renders the complete play in modern English, removing the linguistic barrier of Early Modern English while preserving the five-act structure and the intricate character dynamics that drive the tragedy. Unlike simplified versions for children, this translation maintains the full scope of Shakespeare's exploration of jealousy, racism, manipulation, and the destruction of ...

Jeanette Vigon's adaptation of Macbeth in the Simple Shakespeare series translates Shakespeare's darkest tragedy into contemporary English, making the story of ambition, guilt, and fate accessible without diminishing its power. This retelling preserves the psychological complexity of Shakespeare's characters—Macbeth's descent from honored warrior to murderous tyrant, Lady Macbeth's ruthless ambition and eventual breakdown, and the witches' cryptic prophecies that set catastrophe in motion. Vigon captures the moral conflicts and paranoia that drive the narrative while presenting them in ...

In this contemporary reinterpretation of "The Comedy of Errors," William Shakespeare's farce of mistaken identities unfolds in a modern setting, delivering confusion and chaos at every turn. Set in the sun-drenched coastal town of Ephesus, the narrative follows two sets of identical twins separated at birth. When Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio arrive in town, they remain unaware that their long-lost brothers—Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant Dromio—already live there. The result: a cascade of mistaken identities, comic confrontations, and bewildering encounters. As ...

In the 1880's, an American senator observes, with some perplexity, English country life and all of its social echelons. To add some spice along the way, we follow the romances and intrigues of the flirtatious Arabella Trefoil.

This anthology is a thorough introduction to classic literature for those who have not yet experienced these literary masterworks. For those who have known and loved these works in the past, this is an invitation to reunite with old friends in a fresh new format. From Shakespeare's finesse to Oscar Wilde's wit, this unique collection brings together works as diverse and influential as The Pilgrim's Progress and Othello. As an anthology that invites listeners to immerse themselves in the masterpieces of the literary giants, it is must-have addition to any library.

This modern adaptation renders Shakespeare's Hamlet in contemporary English, making the play's exploration of grief, revenge, and moral ambiguity immediately accessible. Prince Hamlet's struggle with his father's death, his mother's remarriage, and the ghost's demand for vengeance unfolds in clear, direct language that preserves the psychological complexity and philosophical depth of the original. Key features: Accessible language: Shakespeare's intricate plot and existential questions presented in modern English without footnotes or glossaries Faithful adaptation: Preserves the narrative ...

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time...

This annotated edition includes: • A 16,000-word critical study of Sophocles and tragedy • All seven surviving plays — everything that came down to us • The complete Theban cycle: Oedipus the King, Colonus, Antigone • A life of Sophocles (c. 497–406 BCE) • The Campbell verse translation, public domain worldwide A king hunts the murderer whose crime has plagued his city, swearing to bring him to justice — and discovers, scene by scene, that the man he is hunting is himself. Oedipus the King is the play on which Aristotle built the theory of tragedy, the play Freud reached for...

Master the art of slow, strategic chess with Classical Chess Made Simple—a complete guide designed to help you think deeper, play smarter, and win more consistently. Whether you're a beginner looking to build a strong foundation or an intermediate player aiming to level up, this book breaks down complex chess concepts into clear, practical lessons you can apply immediately. What You’ll Learn How to think like a classical chess player Proven opening principles without memorization Middlegame strategies and planning techniques How to calculate accurately and avoid blunders Endgame ...

This compact edition of Florence Scovel Shinn's classic The Game of Life and How to Play It reveals the true you. Your words and thought images are a metaphysical power that, combined with your natural intuitive insights, can bring you prosperity, love, health, and every good thing in life.

Everything Agatha Christie would become begins in these thirteen books. This annotated collection includes: • A 15,000-word critical study of the author's first decade • A full life of the author, from wartime dispenser to Queen of Crime • An introduction: how to read the early work • A Note on the Texts and their United States public-domain status • Thirteen complete works, 1920–1930, in one volume Everything the world's best-selling novelist would become begins in these thirteen books. Between 1920 and 1930 an unknown Englishwoman published the novels that invented modern ...

The inspiration for the Play It Loud exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art "Every guitar player will want to read this book twice. And even the casual music fan will find a thrilling narrative that weaves together cultural history, musical history, race, politics, business case studies...

Twelfth Night by Jeanette Vigon, part of the Simple Shakespeare series, translates Shakespeare's comedy into contemporary prose while preserving the original's plot structure and thematic complexity. Unlike adaptations that simplify content for younger readers, this version maintains the full scope of Shakespeare's play—including its exploration of gender, desire, social hierarchy, and self-deception—while rendering the language in modern English. The five-act structure remains intact, allowing readers to experience how Shakespeare constructed his comedic narratives without navigating ...