Horses Through Time

Book Description

The book examines in laymen's terms the development of the lineage of horses through the paleontological record, the domestication of horses based on the archaeological record, the history of the interplay between humans and horses, the lively history of equestrian sports, and advances in equine veterinary medicine.

The Horse & the Iron Ball: A Journey Through Time, Space, and Technology

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The Horse & the Iron Ball: A Journey Through Time, Space, and Technology
Jerry Allan , and Georgiana Allan
Manufacturer: Carolrhoda Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 082252158X

Horse Show. Horses in Art from Ancient Times to the Present Day. November 19, 1932 through January 1, 1933.

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Horse Show. Horses in Art from Ancient Times to the Present Day. November 19, 1932 through January 1, 1933.
M. H. de Young Memorial Museum.
Manufacturer: San Francisco:
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IUCU1O

Book Description

Orkney and Shetland's history goes back over 5000 years creating the richest legacy of archaeological remains in the British Isles; with stunning coastal scenery and unique flora and fauna, the islands are a spectacular and unspoilt destination for visitors. This definitive guide to the islands gives information on their history and culture, ferries and flights, finding accommodation for all budgets, local crafts and music, prehistoric sites and monuments, nature and wildlife, and outdoor pursuits including fishing, sailing and diving.
Take the shortest scheduled flight in the world - Book a bed in a lighthouse or a castle - Find the lochs with the largest trout - Identify the call of the world's smallest seabird - Find the best of the islands' traditional folk music - Recognise the graffiti carved by Viking raiders - Find the best-preserved Stone Age village in Europe - Cruise in a replica of a Viking longship - See whales, seals, dolphins, porpoises and otters - Watch merlins, skuas, puffins, razorbills, gannets, kittiwakes and fulmars.

Customer Reviews:

Good on sites, unreliable on practicalities.......2005-07-25

I bought this in my local bookstore and tried to use it to plan a weeklong trip to Orkney. Unfortunately, while it helped me decide where to go and what to see, it failed me once I tried to make concrete plans. Many of the B&Bs had changed hands and were no longer accepting guests and those that were had often TRIPLED their prices. Save your money and visit the websites of VisitScotland and Historic Scotland which will do a better job on trip planning for free.

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Shetland (Pevensey Island Guides)
Norman S. Newton
Manufacturer: David & Charles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0907115888

Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Scotland: Includes Shetland Islands, Scapa Flow, and the Hebrides (Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef)

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Well Organized info and lots of photos!

Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Scotland: Includes Shetland Islands, Scapa Flow, and the Hebrides (Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef)
Lawson Wood
Manufacturer: Pisces Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Book Description

31 dive sites in Scotland, including Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands and Scapa Flow, Outer Hebrides and Northwest Coast, Inner Hebrides West Coast and East Coast. Dive highlights: One of the top wreck diving areas of the world, including HMS Royal Oak, Inverlane and Brummer. Rugged, spectacular diving.

Customer Reviews:

Well Organized info and lots of photos!.......2005-02-20

There are great photos and the contents are divided up nicely: overview of scotland, diving in scotland, diving along the east coast, scapa flow, shetland islands, outer hebrides, NW coast, etc...and a chapter on scotish marine life. The appendices have valuable info on Dive Centers and Services as well as, Emergency Information. There is specific info on Depth and Visability, required diving experts, bottom terrain, currents, marine life, safety tips, local dive shops and charters, accommodations and transportation. The dive sites and difficulty ratings of the site are shown on convenient color maps. It's a nice guide for anyone considering diving in Scotland or for the diving enthusiast. The photos alone make this a nice addition to any collection of diving material.

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A Guide to Prehistoric Shetland
Noel Fojut
Manufacturer: Shetland Times Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Ancient | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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A Guide to Shetland's Breeding Birds
Bobby Tulloch
Manufacturer: Shetland Times
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

A Naturalist's Shetland (A Volume in the Poyser Natural History Series)

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A Naturalist's Shetland (A Volume in the Poyser Natural History Series)
J. Laughton Johnston
Manufacturer: T. & A. D. Poyser Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Scotland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0856611050

Book Description

This book is only the second to describe all the wildlife of the Shetland Islands and the first to comprehensively cover their history since the last Ice Age, as well as the human impacts of the Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Age cultures and the Norse influences from Scandinavia. In addition to describing the wildlife in all its forms, the book pays attention to the recent effects of commercial fishing, oil production, and the inevitable clash of traditional and newer industries. It critically observes the costs and benefits of a modern economy, both to the people and the natural scene. Written for the general reader and keen naturalist, this book is lavishly illustrated with photographs, maps, and diagrams and graced with evocative sketches by John Busby.

Book Description

Julie Braverman is the coolest person Julie Prodsky has ever met. During their freshman year (1981-1982) at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, the previously unexplored world of flirting, freedom, and fashion is revealed to Julie P. through the eyes of her new best friend. Learning the secret to Julie B.'s collection of Fiorucci jeans—shoplifting — only makes Julie P. admire her more. Before long Julie P. has her own closet full of stolen clothing, and a new boyfriend. Then Julie P.'s conscience catches up with her. She wants to stop shoplifting, but Julie B. doesn't.Without stealing, can this friendship survive?

Customer Reviews:

I re lived my teen years reading this book.......2006-11-09

I grew up in the 80's and had the best time reading this book. I was just meaning to check it out for a gift for my neice, who's 13. But I got hooked and read the whole thing. Jenny Pollack has a knack for getting all the details just right. I was completely transported to that time in my life, growing up in NYC. I think moms in their 30's will enjoy sharing this book with young adult readers. Check it out for yourself!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-11-08

Julie Prodsky is absolutely thrilled, yet anxious, to start at the famed High School of the Performing Arts in New York City. Julie feels like such a loser compared to all the talented and smart students in her freshman class, not to mention the upperclassmen. She worries about fitting in, and can't believe her luck when popular, pretty Julie Braverman notices her in the crowd and invites her to hang out at school.

The Julies' friendship starts to intensify, which thrills Julie P. because she hates hanging around her apartment with her dad, her overbearing mother, and annoying older sister. Julie P. is totally impressed with Julie B.'s fantastic wardrobe - the girl always has the latest jeans and the best brands. At first, Julie P. can't understand how she can afford everything, and then she learns the truth - Julie B. loves to shoplift. And she wants Julie P. to join in the fun.

What starts out as a harmless adventure begins to turn into an obsession for both the girls. The risks carry over into their social lives, too. Worried about being too good and too nice, Julie P. begins to smoke and drink with Julie B. at parties thrown for upperclassmen. She is determined to get her first kiss - and even more if she can.

Just when Julie P. thinks her life is about as good as it can get, the bubble bursts. How she handles this sudden crisis is about to change her life forever. All she knows is that her parents do not trust her, her friends are dropping her, and she can't make any relationship work out.

Jenny Pollack brings the 1980's back with her debut novel set in New York City. Pop culture references are everywhere and the retro tone will appeal to teen readers. Regardless of the time setting, teens will relate to Julie P.'s desire to fit in and how hard it is to resist peer pressure.

Give KLEPTO a try - it's definitely addicting.

Reviewed by: Samantha G.

A Wonderful Book.......2006-10-20

"Oh my god, I'm gonna have a brand-new pair of Fiorucci jeans for free!" Said Julie Prodsky, as she was about to steal for the first time. In this novel, Julie Braverman introduces Julie Prodsky, the main character, to shoplifting. Julie P. and Julie B. became best friends, and they eventually started to do everything together-even stealing. Julie and Julie also (as they were known around school) met on the first day of school and they noticed that they rode the same bus. The Julies sat together on the bus, hung out after school, and went to get things together. Julie P. started to examine her stealing habits when both girls named Julie and a Jennifer got caught. She thought she was a kleptomaniac because she couldn't stop stealing. Julie P. decided to ask her mother if she could see their psychologist to talk about her stealing issues. When Julie P. told Julie B. about not stealing anymore J.B. got upset and they lost their friendship. With the help of the "shrink" she tackled the issue of stealing, and she got her friend back. I liked Klepto because it interested me to the point where I couldn't put it down.

Klepto was a great book because it dealt with an issue that some teens face today. In Klepto, by Jenny Pollack both Julies stole from the local department stores, and they were caught. Julie Braverman always thought of stealing as something you could do anytime, but Julie Prodsky always felt bad about it but did it anyway. A lot of the kids in their high school stole on a regular basis, and Julie always followed Julie B. so she stole too. I liked that in the end both Julies solved their stealing problems, and I think this book helped other teens deal with their stealing problems if they had one.

I also liked Klepto because it showed that it takes a good follower to be a good leader. Julie Prodsky looked up to Julie B. as a role model. Julie Braverman was everything Julie P. wanted to be she was popular, had a perfect figure, and was confident. Julie wanted to be excepted by her so she did whatever she thought would make Julie B. happy. One day before she started seeing her psychologist, she decided that she wasn't going to steal anymore, but she ended up taking it anyway. She then told Julie B. that she was having doubts but she said not to worry about it, but Julie finally leaded for a change and told her she wouldn't steal. That ended up wrecking their friendship for a month.

Klepto was a good book because it shows that the person who resists peer pressure will be better off in the long run. At a party that the Julies went to everyone was off doing things that weren't age appropriate. Julie Braverman was doing all of these age inappropriate things while Julie P. sat around and seemed like a stick in the mud. Julie Prodsky felt sad at first because she didn't drink and nobody thought of her as cool, but in the long run she felt good because she didn't have to be a part of the crowd. Julie also had a boyfriend that she was pressured to be with, and he ended up going out with another girl at the same time. If she had resisted the pressure, then she wouldn't have been hurt so badly.

I really liked Klepto and the way the characters were portrayed. I always like a book with a happy ending, and this book fit that description exactly. The Julies became friends again, and they stayed friends forever. Julie P. decided to go back out with her old boyfriend that wronged her. Julie P. also started to be her own person, and didn't let Julie B. control her life. Klepto is one of the best books I have ever read.

By S.Moore

KLEPTO IS AMAZING.......2006-09-20

I loved this book. It talks about things that actually happen to teens that parents like to ignore and pretend dont happen. I just loved this book and can realte to it not becuase i steal but becuase of the friedship problems and other issues in the book.

Steal This Book.......2006-09-13

This book was a rare find for my family. I enjoyed it very much, especially the details about NYC and theater school. My wife loved it, probably because she's a shopaholic (please don't tell her I said that) AND she's a complete freak for any and all things 80's related, which is charming until you're forced to watch reruns of Charles in Charge (a lot).

But we particularly love this book because, Bethany, our 13-year-old, loves it. She reads it repeatedly. And it has been tough finding good books that all three of us can enjoy. I don't particularly like the sci-fi, fantasy, warlock genres so it narrows our choices greatly when it comes to finding books that all three of us are going to read, and read to each other.

For that purpose, KLEPTO is a goldmine.

As for references in the novel to alcohol and pot use "without consequences." I would only say that parents should decide what's appropriate for your own children, based on their social developement and maturity. Our Bethany is aware of the consequences of such vices, probably because her Mom and I taught her the consequences of such vices. And fortunately for us, our daughter thinks of pot and alcohol as substances that, first and foremost, make people "laugh at things that just aren't FUNNY. Which is SO STUPID!" Her words, not mine.

Now if I could just get it through her head that The Backstreet Boys didn't "invent" pop music at the turn of the century. That's right. She thinks The Backstreet Boys are "cool" and "retro." Sigh. She got THAT from her mother's side, no doubt.

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Klepto (Sidestreets)
Lori Weber
Manufacturer: Lorimer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1550288369
Release Date: 2004-05-01

Book Description

It seems like Kat's parents have done little but prepare for her sister Hannah's return since she was sent away to a home for troubled teens. Everyone is determined to find out what went wrong with Hannah and make things right again -- everyone except Kat, that is.
Kat dreads going back to a life dominated by her sister's tantrums and rule-breaking. The only place she feels in control these days is at the mall, where everything she wants is at her fingertips and no one is better at the art of stealing. As the time of Hannah's return approaches, Kat's shoplifting escalates into a full-blown addiction. Klepto is a powerful story from a talented new writer for teens.

Roman a klepto: a gadfly's predatory-lending potboiler.(City Lit)(Book Review) : An article from: City Limits

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Roman a klepto: a gadfly's predatory-lending potboiler.(City Lit)(Book Review) : An article from: City Limits
Matt Pacenza
Manufacturer: City Limits Community Information Service, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from City Limits, published by City Limits Community Information Service, Inc. on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1478 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Roman a klepto: a gadfly's predatory-lending potboiler.(City Lit)(Book Review)
Author: Matt Pacenza
Publication: City Limits (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: City Limits Community Information Service, Inc.
Volume: 29 Issue: 8 Page: 32(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

-- Ecoscience

The Cambrian radiation was the explosive evolution of marine life that started 550,000,000 years ago. It ranks as one of the most important episodes in Earth history. This key event in the history of life on our planet changed the marine biosphere and its sedimentary environment forever, requiring a complex interplay of wide-ranging biologic and nonbiologic processes.

The Ecology of the Cambrian Radiation offers a comprehensive and surprising picture of the Earth at that ancient time. The book contains contributions from thirty-three authors hailing from ten countries and will be of interest to paleontologists, geologists, biologists, and other researchers interested in the global Earth-life system.

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The Ecology of the Cambrian Radiation
Andrey; Riding, Robert Zhuravlev
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPKO9S

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The Ecology of the Cambrian Radiation
A. Iu (Edt)/ Zhuravlev, Andre Zhuravlev
Manufacturer: Columbia Univ Pr 01/1//2001
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N5QFME

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The Ecology of the Cambrian Radiation
A. Iu (Editor) Zhuravlev
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPKNNU

Book Description

This book is dedicated to gas-phase thermal reactions which take place in engines, burners, and industrial reactors for the production of mechanical or thermal energy, for the incineration of pollutants, or for the manufacture of chemicals. It also studies their effect on the environment: fires, explosions, tropospheric pollution, the greenhouse effect, and holes in the ozone layer.
After a short reminder of the concepts and laws of thermodynamics, and of chemical and physical kinetics, the book suggests a methodology for the kinetic modelling of these reactions: generation and reduction of reaction mechanisms, estimation of kinetic data of elementary reactions, estimation of the thermodynamic data and transport data of molecules and free radicals, and analysis and validation of mechanisms by comparison of calculated results with the experimental results obtained using laboratory reactors. The models thus generated carry all the information necessary to allow them to be incorporated into computer programs for the calculation of reactors or of the fluid dynamics of reacting gases.
Tables of numerical data and a list of computer programs and URLs complete the book.

Book Description

The book is the second volume of the series, Advances in Mathematical Economics, which was launched in 1999. Each volume does not to have volume title like each volume of usual journal. This volume consists of only invited and refereed papers to keep high standard of this series.

Book Description

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a man of extreme passions and a playwright of immense talent, is the most important of Shakespeare's contempories. This edition offers his five major plays, which show the radicalism and vitality of his writing in the few years before his violent death. Tamburlaine Part One and Part Two deal with the rise to world prominence of the great Scythian shepherd-robber; The Jew of Malta is a drama of villainy and revenge; Edward II was to influence Shakespeare's Richard II. Doctor Faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its A- and its B- text, showing the enormous and fascinating differences between the two. Under the General Editorship of Dr Michael Cordner of the University of York, the texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and punctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly introduction and detailed annotation.

Customer Reviews:

WOW.......2005-10-06

HAVING BEING A SIXTH GRADE STUDENT WHO WAS ASSINGED TO DO A BOOK REPORT ABOUT A CLASSIC NOVEL OR SHORT STORY.I DECIDED TO CHOOSE AN UNCONVENTIONAL NOVEL .I CHOSE THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY DISTURBING BUT AMAZING AS WELL IT IS ONE OF THE BEST IF NOT THE BEST NOVEL EVER WRITTEN. MOVE OVER SHAKESPHERE MARLOWE IS COMING FOR YOR CROWN YOU MAY NO LONGER BE THE GREATEST WRITER WHO HAS EVER LIVED ONCE WORD OF THIS REVIEW GETS OUT.

Yes, the English Renaissance CAN be humorous!.......2000-08-28

Christopher Marlowe is a genius. This thorough, Oxfordiancompilation of his best known plays contains Tamburlaine the Great parts one and two, the Tragical History of Doctor Faustus in its original A-text and its later B-text, The Jew of Malta, and Edward II. The beauty of these dramas lies in the fact that they're short but powerful reading pieces. In five acts Marlowe was able to generate a story complete with action, classical allusions, and a bawdy humor one might not expect from otherwise generally classified stuffy English Renaissance drama. This book contains an exhaustive introduction that explains many details of the publication dates of the plays and the differences between versions (Faustus). It also contains a thorough section for notes that further explain the texts. Finally, it contains a glossary of the commonly used words from the texts. The bottom line? This book is a great read--it's funny (I can't begin to stress that enough), and you will appreciate Marlowe's wit and talent just as much as William Shakespeare did. Buy it today!

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Enjoyable and a must read!
Read the man who inspired William Shakespeare
The Price of Fame....
Marlowe's Masterpiece.
"This word damnation terrifies not him"

Doctor Faustus (Longman Study Texts)
Christopher Marlowe , Linda Cookson , and Jan Kott
Manufacturer: Longman Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0582353904

Book Description

New Mermaids are modernized and fully-annotated editions of classic English plays. Each volume includes:

• The playtext, in modern spelling, edited to the highest bibliographical and textual standards
• Textual notes recording significant changes to the copytext and variant readings
• Glossing notes explaining obscure words and word-play
• Critical, contextual and staging notes
• Photographs of productions where applicable
• A full introduction which provides a critical account of the play, the staging conventions of the time and recent stage history; discusses authorship, date, sources and the text; and gives guidance for further reading.

Edited and updated by leading scholars and printed in a clear, easy-to-use format, New Mermaids offer invaluable guidance for actor, student, and theatre-goer alike.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable and a must read!.......2007-07-26

By his untimely death at 29 Christopher Marlowe had written this and other plays (including The Jew of Malta) which inspired a beginning William Shakespeare to sharpen his craft.

Though the version we have was not recorded until about a decade after Marlowe's death (and therefore shows signs of later adulterations by other writers) you can still observe the genius of Marlowe at work.

The plot of this play is about a well-learnt man, Dr. Faustus, who believing that he has attained all the knowledge there is to learn (knowledge beyond the point of 'this far and no further'), turns to magic.

During one of his rituals he calls upon the underworld to aid him - Mephistopheles duly comes to Faustus' beckoning as any good demon would in their relentless search for souls; however Faustus, in his naive pride, believes that Mephistopheles is there as a result of his conjuring - demons are at his beck and call!

Mephistopheles plays it whatever way Faustus wants it, to ensure capturing his soul. They strike a pact - 24 glorious years of fame and fortune for Faustus, with Mephistopheles as his servant, after which his soul belongs to Lucifer. To make the contract binding Faustus writes out the pact and signs in blood. However, Mephistopheles is portrayed as a figure of sorrow and tries to warn Faustus about what he is getting himself into. But Faustus is unreceptive to the truth and ignores Mephistopheles' warning.

There is the good and bad angel that appear to Dr. Faustus several times. The good angel repeats over and over to Dr. Faustus that he can repent at any time and come back into good graces, while the bad angel keeps on telling him it's too late. The bad angel prevails.

A number of scenes are depicted - the main one being at the Vatican. Faustus is invisible and steals food and wine from under the Pope's nose, followed by putting to sleep a couple of Cardinals and stealing their clothes, and he frees Bruno who is to be put to death for impersonating the pope.

So the story develops - Faustus is the guest at the tables of the figureheads of Europe where he further increases his reputation by bringing to life such people as Helen of Troy. He is introduced to the Seven Deadly sins - Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth and Lechery.

After twenty four years of fame Faustus' time is drawing to a close and he cannot postpone the inevitable. Mephistopheles, Lucifer and Beelzebub appear to collect their payment - the soul of Faustus. At the midnight hour they open the gates of hell. Faustus tries to repent but it's too late and his implorations to God are halfhearted. The devils rip his body apart before casting it aside - it has no use for them - their only currency is the soul.

In the 3rd and 4th acts, Faustus seems to let go of his quest for knowledge (for the most part) and indulges in practical jokes of an evil nature. There are some who feel that the 3rd and 4th acts are way too silly and that they drag the play down.

The 5th act begins, and Faustus has one final chance to avoid his fate, but he resigns himself to damnation if he can 'enjoy' Helen of Troy. The devil always tempts us with sexual fantasies, mankind's ultimate weakness!

The final scene where Faustus realizes that it is too late and hell awaits, is a scene of pure terror almost unparalleled in literature. He moves from requests that cannot be granted to the most imaginative escapes. The play ends with an appropriate warning to stay behind the line of 'this far and no further.'

Christopher Marlow's life is a bit of a mystery. Some historians believe that he might have been a spy. Not surprisingly, one of the groups of people who Marlowe is rumored to have spied on were Catholics intent on overthrowing what they saw as England's Protestant government. The first thing Dr. Faustus does when he makes his famous bargain is to play a practical joke on the Pope.

Marlowe was killed in a bar fight over an unpaid bill, but it seems highly likely that he was murdered because he was a spy.

Read the man who inspired William Shakespeare.......2006-11-24

By his untimely death at 29 Christopher Marlowe had written this and other plays (including The Jew of Malta) which inspired a beginning William Shakespeare to sharpen his craft.

As regards this play, Marlowe was sort of the Pete Best of the era doing his version of the Hey Joe of the era. To continue musical metaphors he didn't invent but merely sampled the Faustus tale and in so doing gave it his own unique spin.

Though the version we have was not recorded until about a decade after Marlowe's death (and therefore shows signs of later adulterations by other writers) you can still observe the genuis of Marlowe at work. By likening his character to the Greek methological story of Dedalus, Marlowe imparts that sense of doom so connected with the potential arrogance of human ambition. As a reminder, Dedalus was affixed wings with wax by his father Icarus only to lose them and fall when Dedalus flew too high and had them melted by the light of the sun.

Similarly Faustus is -- in almost Christmas Carol type fashion -- visited by the personified seven deadly sins and Lucifer himself...itself then a unique device uniquely and effectively executed.

Throughout Marlowe makes us witness to Faustus' growing sense of doom at the irrevocability of his contract with Lucifer.

Sadly, to the modern reader much of the horror of his Faustian bargain is lost to us. For the most part, we moderns don't have the immediate fear of Lucifer that our forebears had. For us today, evil does not lurk in the shadows but is rather all too much before us as we proceed through our days and take note of current events.

Still the same the play was a landmark piece and an inspiration to Shakespeare who had before him an example of the genuis he had to compete with and the standard he had to maintain.

The Price of Fame...........2006-09-29

Tells the tale of the unfortunate Doctor John Faustus - who in return for 24 years of fame and fortune sells his soul to Lucifer. Faustus is a learned gentleman, his pride tells him that he can learn no more from books and the limit of knowledge that they contain. He needs to escape the bounds of the known world and so turns to the world of magic.

During one of his rituals he calls upon the underworld to aid him - Mephistopheles duly comes to Faustus' beckoning as any good demon would in their relentless search for souls (Europe happens to be Mephistopheles stomping ground); however Faustus, in his naive pride, believes that Mephistopheles is there as a result of his conjuering - demons are at his beck and call! Mephistopheles plays it whatever way Fautus wants it, to ensure capturing his soul. They strike a pact - 24 glorious years of fame and fortune for Faustus, with Mephisto as his servent, after which his soul belongs to Lucifer. To make the contract binding Faustus writes out the pact and signs in blood - Mephisto isn't taking any chances.

A number of scenes are depicted - the main one being at the Vatican. Faustus is invisible and steals food and wine from under the Pope's nose, followed by putting to sleep a couple of Cardinals and stealing their clothes, he frees Bruno who is to be put to death for impersonating the pope.

So the story develops - Faustus is the guest at the tables of the figureheads of Europe where he further increases his reputation by bringing to life such people as Helen of Troy. He is introduced to the Seven Deadly sins - Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth & Lechery.

After Twenty and Four years of fame Faustus' time is drawing to a close and he cannot postpone the inevitable. Mephisto, Lucifer and Belzebub appear to collect their payment - the soul of Faustus. At the midnight hour they crack back the gates of hell to reveal his destiny - bodies on endless treadmills, unfortunates being thrown around on pitch forks, souls damned for eternity. Faustus tries to repent but it's too late and his implorations to God are halfhearted. The devils rip his body apart before casting it aside - it has no use for them - their only currency is the soul.

Recommended

Marlowe's Masterpiece. .......2006-07-24

If you saw "Shakespeare In Love," you know this was the play of Marlowe's that was getting so much attention. (For that matter, I found this play better than "Romeo and Juliet," even though "Romeo and Juliet" was to become the big play at the climactic moment.) Moving on, we meet Dr. Faustus, and he decides that the legitimate knowledge of this world is not good enough. So, he decides to cross the line of 'this far and no further' by making an unholy deal. It is interesting that even Mephistophilis (the unholy agent of the devil) is drawn as a figure of sorrow and even tries to warn Faustus about what he is getting himself into. But Faustus is unreceptive to the truth and ignores Mephistophilis's warning. In a scene of shocking horror, Faustus even mocks Mephistophilis for trying to warn him of the dangers involved: "Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude" (1.3.85). Faustus makes an unholy pact and sells his soul for books that will offer knowledge beyond the point of 'this far and no further,' as well as significant magical powers. It is interesting that even after Faustus makes the pact, he is presented with several opportunities to escape his fate. But he can not give up the fruits of the pact. (His powers, having Mephistophilis at his command, etc.) Later, we see meet the 7 deadly sins. And Faustus's delight at them shows us his degeneration. In the 3rd and 4th acts, Faustus seems to let go of his quest for knowledge (for the most part) and indulges in practical jokes of an evil nature. There are some who feel that the 3rd and 4th acts are way too silly and that they drag the play down. But, I don't think this is the case at all. I can not help but think that Marlowe was emphasizing how worthless the fruits of the pact really were. (Nothing we could ask the devil for could equal the soul which Christ gave us.) Furthermore, in my opinion, we shouldn't be so surprised at Faustus's degeneration. He has made a pact with evil, and evil is basically degeneration through the service of one's self, depite how amoral and sick that service may be. It is our good side that encourages us to better ourselves, hopefully at least in part for the sake of others. The 5th act begins, and Faustus has one final chance to avoid his fate, but he resigns himself to damnation if he can 'enjoy' Helen of Troy. If I were a betting man, I would bet that Marlowe is emphasizing that sex often overrides our rational thoughts. (How many romance plays seem to defy reason?) The final scene where Faustus realizes that it is too late and hell awaits, is a scene of pure terror almost unparalled in literature. He moves from requests that can not be granted to the most imaginative escapes. The play ends with an appropriate warning to stay behind the line of 'this far and no further.'

"This word damnation terrifies not him".......2006-01-31

Christopher Marlowe is awsone. What other Renaissance writer was a freakin' spy? I mean, I like Shakespeare's plays and all, but as a person he's boring unless he's being played by Joseph Fiennes. I often pit two historical figures against one another in my mind, and I wonder what would happen if these two fought. If Shakespeare and Marlowe fought, Marlowe would bust out his super secret digital watch-that's secretly a laser-and he'd slice Shakespeare in half. Maybe `Speare would have a deadly quill like the Joker had in Batman, but a deadly quill versus a laser? I think we know who would win. I know the digital watch/laser is a bit silly because they didn't have digital watches back then, but at the very least he'd have an hourglass with a secret laser.

Reading Dr. Faustus I realize what a shame it is Marlowe died so early. Marlowe's ability to combine drama and comedy was light years ahead of Shakespeare's. It wasn't until the second half of Shakespeare's career that he started writing dark comedies, but Marlowe was interjecting his humor with a dark twist right away with plays like Dr. Faustus and The Jew of Malta. If Marlowe hadn't dies so early (in a fight over who was going to pay the bill no less-freakin' cool!) then maybe there would have been two playwriting giants in London competing against one another. Just imagine the masterpieces that would have ensued. I bet they would have made King Lear look like A Comedy of Errors.

This is the second time I've read Dr. Faustus, and I had forgotten how anti-Catholic it is. The story takes place mostly in Wittenberg, Germany where Martin Luther wrote his famous 95 theses. The location already sets up the tenuous relationship between Protestants and Catholics. This relationship, obviously biased against Catholics, is further represented in the good angel and bad angel that appear to Dr. Faustus several times. The good angel repeats over and over to Dr. Faustus that he can repent at any time and come back into good graces, while the bad angel keeps on telling him it's too late. The obvious analogy is that the good angel represents the Protestant idea of justification by faith. Not surprisingly, one of the groups of people who Marlowe is rumored to have spied on were Catholics intent on overthrowing what they saw as England's Protestant government. Furthermore, the first thing Dr. Faustus does when he makes his famous bargain is to play a practical joke on the Pope.

Please, if you're Catholic don't let this turn you away from reading this beautifully written play. At times the mixture of slapstick comedy and high brow allusions are a bit uneven, but that was the nature of the beast back then. Marlowe had to play to the peasants as well as royalty.

The trick Marlowe plays on the audience is even greater than the trick played on Faustus. Marlowe actually gets us to care about Faustus by the end of the play. This is either a trick to show us how close every one of us is to making a Faustian bargain, or it's a trick to show us how unfair these religious traditions were. After all, what did Faustus do that was so wrong? He goes into the deal with plans for making himself a despot, and ends up using all of his power to fetch grapes for debutants and summon Helen of Troy so that others may see her beauty. (Dr. Faustus has "phenominal cosmic power," and all he can manage is playing a few practical jokes and impressing people with out of season fruits.) He's never punished for his bad acts, but rather because of who he pledged his allegiance to. Over the course of twenty-four years Faustus has actually become a somewhat better person if only because he recognizes his sins. His greatest crimes are nothing more than playing practical jokes on peasants. He's not perfect, but he's also not deserving of eternal damnation.

I see Dr. Faustus as a critique of religion. Others may find that it only reinforces their beliefs, and that's what makes the text so good. The Faustian bargain finds its way into literature time and again, but it means something different to each author; likewise, Dr. Faustus means something different to each reader.

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Doctor Faustus and Other Plays
Christopher Marlowe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKDLQQ

Doctor Faustus And Other Plays Tamburlaine

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Doctor Faustus And Other Plays Tamburlaine
Christopher Marlowe
Manufacturer: Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K69WF8

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