Classics, with a Major in Theater

Three Comedies of American Family Life: I Remember Mama (John van Druten), Life with Father (Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse), You Can’t Take It with You (Moss Hart and George S Kaufman). Edited by Joseph Mersand. The other two plays are good, but mainly bought for YCTIWY. After I saw the version with Jason Robards as Grandpa on Showtime, I suddenly knew the play spoke to me on many levels, and to a certain degree I adopted its philosophy about relaxing, with mixed results, I should say. Joyful, is the word I would use to describe it, and its harmless triumph over the Gummint in the end is only the cherry on top for me. Ranking: Essential. File Code: Drama. Anthology. Paperback.

Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand. Translated by Brian Hooker. Bought in the wake of the movie, of course. I remember when Mike and I sat down to watch the movie (at Fleming’s suggestion), Pop was in the room and sneering at its fancy beginning. We tried to hush him so we could hear it. Then when Cyrano came on and insulted the player in much the same terms as he did, I think Pop was kind of won over. At least he subsided into only the occasional remark. Its message of individuality, romance, and the tragedy of loneliness for the physically condemned but spiritually gifted hit home for us uglies. Ranking: Essential. File Code: Drama. Paperback.

Genji Monogatari, by Murasaki Shikibu. Translated by Kencho Suematsu. Part of my Japanese craze, but unread as yet. “The Tale of Genji (源氏物語, Genji monogatari, pronounced [ɡeɲdʑi monoɡaꜜtaɾi]) is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century by the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu … The work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, the son of an ancient Japanese emperor, known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo, and a low-ranking concubine called Kiritsubo Consort. For political reasons, the emperor removes Genji from the line of succession, demoting him to a commoner by giving him the surname Minamoto, and he pursues a career as an imperial officer. The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. It may be the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel, or the first novel still to be considered a classic. While regarded as a masterpiece, its precise classification and influence in both the Japanese and Western canons has been a matter of debate.” -- Wikipedia. Ranking: TBA. File Code: Classic. Novel. Paperback.

The Penguin Dictionary of Saints, by Donald Attwater A pretty battered second-hand copy, with faded pages, but of some interest. Browser. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Reference. Religion. Paperback.

Troilus and Criseyde, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Adapted by Neville Coghill. Penguin. Long Romantic poem by the author of The Canterbury Tales. Cover a little worn. Unread at the moment. Ranking: TBA. File Code: Poetry. Classic. Paperback.

A Celtic Miscellany, Edited by Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson. Poetry and extracts from longer works that showcase the Celtic genius of Ireland and Wales. A Penguin browser, full of culled gems. Ranking: Classic. File Code: Anthology. Extracts. Paperback

Piers the Plowman, by William Langland. Translated by J. F. Goodridge. Bought under the influence of my Middle English class in college. Can’t say I’ve really read it, but I want it in my books. Penguin. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Middle English. Classic. Paperback.

The Frogs and Other Plays, by Aristophanes. Translated by David Barret. Bought because I loved the title play; can’t say I’ve read the others. But “The Frogs” is hilarious. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Drama. Comedy. Classic. Paperback.

A History of the English Church and People, by The Venerable Bede. Translated by Leo Sherley-Price. From the Anglo-Saxon era, Bede stands very near the beginning of English literature. Full of miracles and history. A Penguin book. Once on a time I collected these obsessively if they were even of the slightest interest. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: History. Classic. Paperback.

Egil’s Saga, Translated by Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards. Part of my Norse Saga mania, bought secondhand, and as yet unread. Palsson also translated “Njal’s Saga”. Ranking: TBA. File Code: Saga. Norse. Paperback.

The Travels of Marco Polo, by Marco Polo. Translated by Ronald Latham. Bought in college and still unread. But a medieval classic that must be had. Another Penguin book. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Medieval. Classic. Paperback.

English Mystery Plays, Edited by Peter Happe. From the Middle English. A secondhand Penguin. Largely unread. Selected from the cycles of religious plays put on by the various guilds … but you can look this up elsewhere. More Medieval Mania on my part. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Drama. Classic. Paperback.