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British Legends: The Life and Legacy of William Shakespeare
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- By: Charles River Editors
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It would be hard if not outright impossible to overstate the impact Roman Emperor Constantine I had on the history of Christianity, Ancient Rome, and Europe as a whole. Best known as Constantine the Great, the kind of moniker only earned by rulers who have distinguished themselves in battle and conquest, Constantine remains an influential and controversial figure to this day. He achieved enduring fame by being the first Roman emperor to personally convert to Christianity.
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The Greatest Battles in History: The Peloponnesian War
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The Peloponnesian War, as the great historian Thucydides wrote in the introduction to his eponymous book, which has become one of the greatest historical treatises of antiquity, was an event of such calamitous magnitude that Greece had never witnessed its like in all of recorded history. Not the Trojan War, not the Dorian Invasion, not even the recent Persian invasions could compare to the scale of the devastation that engulfed all of Greece for almost three decades, causing the deaths of tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands.
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Cosa Nostra: The Notorious History and Legacy of the Sicilian Mafia
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Over the course of the 19th century, the people of Sicily found themselves at the center of a struggle for freedom, one that ended up being long and often very bloody. It was during these crucial years of struggle that the Sicilian mafia, La Cosa Nostra ("Our Thing"), started to take shape. Cosa Nostra: The Notorious History and Legacy of the Sicilian Mafia examines how the world’s most famous mob formed, its inner workings, and the events that made it feared around the world.
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American Legends: The Life of Geronimo
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 4
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The name "Geronimo" evokes a number of different emotions. Those who believed in 19th century America's "Manifest Destiny" viewed Geronimo and all Native Americans as impediments to God's will for the nation. Descendants of people killed by "hostile" Natives certainly considered warriors like Geronimo to be murderers and thieves whose cultures and societies held no redeeming values.
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Captain James Cook
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 7
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"To boldly go where no man has gone before" was a phrase made popular by Gene Rodenberry in a science fiction setting, but it was certainly the creed of countless explorers during the Age of Discovery and afterwards. In fact, as recently as the mid-18th century, a young sailor named James Cook determined to go "farther than any man has been before me, but as far as I think it is possible for a man to go." And unlike so many others who tried, he did just that.
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Michelangelo Buonarroti
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
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The ingenious artist we know as Michelangelo lived during the Renaissance in Northern Italy, and you could say that he was indeed a Renaissance man - he was a painter, sculptor, poet, and engineer all rolled up into one. Even though it has been some 450 years since his passing, his legacy remains one of the strongest on record. If the burgeoning art student of today wishes to learn from the best, he takes his notes directly from Michelangelo.
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Legends of the Ancient World: The Life and Legacy of Constantine the Great
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 8
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Performance3 out of 5 stars 8
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It would be hard if not outright impossible to overstate the impact Roman Emperor Constantine I had on the history of Christianity, Ancient Rome, and Europe as a whole. Best known as Constantine the Great, the kind of moniker only earned by rulers who have distinguished themselves in battle and conquest, Constantine remains an influential and controversial figure to this day. He achieved enduring fame by being the first Roman emperor to personally convert to Christianity.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The Greatest Battles in History: The Peloponnesian War
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Doron Alon
- Length: 1 hr and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4
The Peloponnesian War, as the great historian Thucydides wrote in the introduction to his eponymous book, which has become one of the greatest historical treatises of antiquity, was an event of such calamitous magnitude that Greece had never witnessed its like in all of recorded history. Not the Trojan War, not the Dorian Invasion, not even the recent Persian invasions could compare to the scale of the devastation that engulfed all of Greece for almost three decades, causing the deaths of tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands.
-
Cosa Nostra: The Notorious History and Legacy of the Sicilian Mafia
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Jim D. Johnston
- Length: 1 hr and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Over the course of the 19th century, the people of Sicily found themselves at the center of a struggle for freedom, one that ended up being long and often very bloody. It was during these crucial years of struggle that the Sicilian mafia, La Cosa Nostra ("Our Thing"), started to take shape. Cosa Nostra: The Notorious History and Legacy of the Sicilian Mafia examines how the world’s most famous mob formed, its inner workings, and the events that made it feared around the world.
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American Legends: The Life of Geronimo
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Mark Norman
- Length: 1 hr and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
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Story3 out of 5 stars 4
The name "Geronimo" evokes a number of different emotions. Those who believed in 19th century America's "Manifest Destiny" viewed Geronimo and all Native Americans as impediments to God's will for the nation. Descendants of people killed by "hostile" Natives certainly considered warriors like Geronimo to be murderers and thieves whose cultures and societies held no redeeming values.
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Captain James Cook
- The Life and Legacy of the Legendary British Explorer Who Discovered Hawaii
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Jim D. Johnston
- Length: 1 hr and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 7
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 6
"To boldly go where no man has gone before" was a phrase made popular by Gene Rodenberry in a science fiction setting, but it was certainly the creed of countless explorers during the Age of Discovery and afterwards. In fact, as recently as the mid-18th century, a young sailor named James Cook determined to go "farther than any man has been before me, but as far as I think it is possible for a man to go." And unlike so many others who tried, he did just that.
-
Michelangelo Buonarroti
- A Life rom Beginning to End: Biographies of Painters, Book 3
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Mike Nelson
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2
The ingenious artist we know as Michelangelo lived during the Renaissance in Northern Italy, and you could say that he was indeed a Renaissance man - he was a painter, sculptor, poet, and engineer all rolled up into one. Even though it has been some 450 years since his passing, his legacy remains one of the strongest on record. If the burgeoning art student of today wishes to learn from the best, he takes his notes directly from Michelangelo.
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The Collapse of the Soviet Union: The History of the USSR Under Mikhail Gorbachev
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman
- Length: 2 hrs
- Unabridged
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Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
The Cold War moved into one of its most dangerous phases after Brezhnev’s death as both sides deployed nuclear weapons within alarming proximity in Europe. A NATO exercise, “Operation Able Archer”, almost led to a Soviet miscalculation, and when the Soviets shot down a South Korean airliner in September 1983, claiming it had strayed into Soviet airspace, the Cold War became very tense indeed.
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American Legends: The Life of Franklin D. Roosevelt
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: David Otey
- Length: 1 hr and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Franklin Delano Roosevelt might be America's greatest 20th century president, but there's no question that he was the most unique. A well-connected relative of Theodore Roosevelt, FDR was groomed for greatness until he was struck down by polio. Nevertheless, he persevered, rising through New York politics to reach the White House just as the country faced its greatest challenge since the Civil War, beginning his presidency with one of the most iconic lines ever spoken during an inaugural address.
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American Legends: The Life of Brigham Young
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Michael Gilboe
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
Next to Joseph Smith, Brigham Young is one of the best known Mormon leaders and perhaps the most important. After Smith's death, it was Young who led Mormon pioneers westward in a journey that the Latter Day Saints often likened to the Exodus, and Young became popular as "American Moses". At the same time, Young and his group were involved in a seemingly never ending list of controversies, both of their own making and the misconceptions of so many Americans who were unfamiliar with the religion.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting and Complete
- By MYRON MN on 05-24-19
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The Soviet Union During the Brezhnev Era
- The History of the USSR Under Leonid Brezhnev
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Stalin had ruled with an iron fist for nearly 30 years before his death in 1953, just as Stalin was preparing to conduct another purge. With his death, Soviet strongman and long-time Stalinist Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971), became the Soviet premier...Khrushchev made his most audacious and ultimately costly decision by attempting to place nuclear warheads at advanced, offensive bases located in Cuba...the Cuban Missile Crisis would show the Kennedy Administration’s resolve, force Khrushchev to back down, and ultimately sow the seeds of Khrushchev’s fall from power.
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French Legends: The Life and Legacy of Cardinal Richelieu
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
- Length: 1 hr and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2
In an age where it was difficult to steer clear of a king's wrath and keep one's head for their entire life, Armand Jean du Plessis managed to become the power behind a king. The royal courts of 17th and 18th century France were famed for powerful and versatile Ministers like Talleyrand and the Comte de Vergennes, yet none have held as much sway like the man best known to the world today as Cardinal Richelieu.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Timeline of Cardinal Richelieu
- By Teresa on 07-10-15
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The March to Antietam
- The History of the Confederate Invasion of Maryland Before the Bloodiest Day of the Civil War
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Scott Clem
- Length: 1 hr and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Antietam is remembered as one of the major turning points of the Civil War, but it is often overlooked that the bloody battle only represented the climactic culmination of a 3-week campaign that saw George McClellan cautiously pull a fragmented Union army together and begin tracking Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army into Maryland.
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American Legends: The Life of Woodrow Wilson
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Bill Hare
- Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance1 out of 5 stars 1
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Story3 out of 5 stars 1
As one of the most influential men of the 20th century, there is no shortage of adjectives to use when describing Woodrow Wilson's two terms as president of the United States. Wilson was a pioneer of the Progressive movement both before and during his presidency, becoming a populist champion a generation before Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal.
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Flat Earth: A History of Strange Tales, Bizarre Beliefs, and Conspiracy Theories About the Earth’s Surface
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Jim Johnston
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1
The world is filled with mysteries, and even in the modern age, much of the planet remains unexplored. The depths of the oceans and the intricate and extensive cave systems that honeycomb some parts of the Earth are still largely unknown. Thus, it should come as no surprise that when it comes to this terra incognita, people have projected all sorts of ideas. Tales of sunken cities or lost civilizations are just some of the fanciful theories, and those could even be considered tame in comparison to the idea that Earth is flat.
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The Siege of Masada
- A Historical Drama of the Famous Battle Between the Jews and Romans
- By: Kosta Kafarakis
- Narrated by: Scott Clem
- Length: 1 hr and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 14
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 12
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 14
What made Masada qualitatively different from most of the battles Rome fought was not just the difficulty the Legions had in retaking control of it with incredibly disproportionate military equipment and numbers, but also the actions of the Judean defenders. In the final hours of the battle, just as the Romans were about to breach the walls of the city, the defenders gathered together and committed mass suicide, rather than being killed or taken captive by the Romans.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Rather well done in its way
- By Jan on 06-14-17
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Ancient Israel: A Captivating Guide to the Ancient Israelites, Starting from Their Entry into Canaan Until the Jewish Rebellions Against the Romans
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: David Patton
- Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 15
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Story4 out of 5 stars 16
Unlike many other ancient peoples, the culture and beliefs of the Israelites exist in modern society. They managed to survive through wars, persecution, and numerous revisions and adaptations caused by new invaders or internal rebellions. Because of their significance in contemporary society, it’s important to learn more about the Israelites in order to fully understand how they developed and managed to contribute so heavily to the current culture of the Western world.
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4 out of 5 stars
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worst narrator
- By Glenn on 08-05-19
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Leon Trotsky
- A Life From Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Matt Haynes
- Length: 1 hr and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 9
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
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Story4 out of 5 stars 8
The man that history came to know by the name of Trotsky has the well-established legacy of being one of the most mysterious of all the cast and characters involved with the Russian Revolution. If the Russian Revolution was a Shakespearean tragedy, Trotsky would undoubtedly be cast into the role of an Othello or King Lear type figure who means well but seems to hamstring himself with his never-ending ideological speculation and theorizing.
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The Crusades: A History From Beginning to End
- By: Hourly History
- Narrated by: Jimmy Kieffer
- Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 8
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 6
The Crusades are the prototype and epitome of the Holy War. The fight to take control of the city of Jerusalem, believed to be the most sacred Holy City to two distinct religions of Christianity and Islam, has lasted far longer than the two centuries of the Crusades, and its reach has extended far further than Europe and the Middle East.
Publisher's Summary
"Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads. And recks not his own rede." - Ophelia in Hamlet
Actor. Dramatist. Poet. Husband. Father. Producer. Businessman. Servant of the Crown. All of the above can be applied to William Shakespeare. Certainly England's greatest playwright, he is still considered to be the most influential writer in the English language. Leaving behind a nearly unprecedented body of work to his credit, he addressed the full spectrum of the human condition and achieved what few other writers have in becoming a part of a global consciousness. Shakespeare is so renowned and respected that the time period in which he lived is often known as the Age of Shakespeare. Indeed, his genius is questioned only by those who doubt the authenticity of his authorship of timeless classics like Romeo and Juliet. As Ben Jonson once put it, "He was not of an age, but for all time." No other writer, in English or in any other language, can rival the appeal that Shakespeare has enjoyed around the world. And nobody's had a bigger influence.
The "Bard of Avon" has a catalogue full of the best known plays and poetry in history. His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.