Considered the high point of Gogols writing for the stage and a masterpiece of dramatic satire; The Inspector General skewers the stupidity; greed; and venality of Russian provincial officials. When it is announced that the Inspector General is coming to visit incognito; Anton; the chief of police; hastens to clean up the town before his arrival. Local officials scurry to hide evidence of bribe-taking and other misdeeds; setting the stage for the arrival from St. Petersburg of Ivan; a penurious gambler and rake who is promptly taken by the townspeople to be the dreaded Inspector General. Ivan; and his servant; Osip; soon take advantage of the situation with hilarious results. First performed in 1836; the play transcends regional and national boundaries to offer a biting; highly entertaining glimpse of universal human foibles and failings.
#332336 in eBooks 2013-03-21 2013-03-21File Name: B00A44YCNI
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Risley Rocks...By FHG...and Schodt rocks too! This book will enchant you beyond belief. Its the kind of book you need to tumble across; because you would never look for it since it would never occur to you that such a story is out there. Late 1900s: an American acrobat/businessman/crook decides that it is time for San Franciscans to be exposed to Japanese acrobatics....and unleashes a world-wide fad for Japanese circus; creates global celebrities; wins it all; loses it all...where is the Hollywood movie??? Schodt really has an unusual gift for telling a meticulously researched piece of forgotten history in a jargon-free narrative that is funny; enlightening; and leaves you to crave for more. Highly recommended; for anyone interested in Japans early encounters with the West; the Wests early encounters with Japan; the history of American pop-culture; or just about anyone interested in a darn good read!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Historical connections aboundBy User #17Who would have thought that a troupe of circus performers could shape history. Schodts book traces the many interconnected facets of Japanese culture and their effect on Western popular entertainment. Interesting stuff.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Lively; smart entertainmentBy DavidStarring a globe-trotting; Victorian show business adventurer; this is a story of East meeting West; and of America meeting and challenging the world. Richard Risley Carlisle; known professionally as ldquo;Professor Risleyrdquo;; was a bona fide show business superstar in the 1800rsquo;s. As a professional acrobat; Risley performed an act that would still astound and entertain today. His physical prowess; daring and showmanship brought him the acclaim of the public; and his artistry earned him the esteem of the well-mannered upper crust.A great story by itself; but; for me; the real fun of the book is in the story of how he brought a troupe of Japanese acrobats; jugglers and magicians to America and Europe; at a time when Japan had been in self-imposed isolation from the world for over 200 years. The historical facts of the storymdash;the physical hardships of travel; the often cutthroat business practices; the racism of the publicmdash;make a fascinating backdrop to a tale of entertainment celebrity that often felt eerily familiar. One could easily imagine the troupersquo;s star acrobat; Hamaikari Umekichi (dubbed ldquo;Little All Rightrdquo; by the American press) as a YouTube sensation today. This is the kind of historical book I really lovemdash;a fun; little-known story that puts history in a different perspective. Mr. Schodt has done a terrific job of turning a meticulously researched story into an entertainingmdash;and thought provokingmdash;tale.