You have discovered a perishable treasure; and it is imperative to share it with other people before it fades... You have only one chance to get it right; while the impression is still fresh...If critics often disagree among themselves over the merits of a given work; this is nothing compared to the wider argument about what the critics role should be - Objective judge? Consumer guide? Provocateur? - and whether or not those practising criticism are living up to their duty to the perishable treasures on which they pronounce. In Theatre Criticism; first published in 1992; Irving Wardle sets out to define the credentials and aims of this vexed profession. Tracing its origins to Dryden and the Grub Street writers of Georgian London; Wardle goes on to examine the prejudices; questions and practices of modern reviewing; drawing on three decades worth of his own experience.
#805904 in eBooks 2013-06-04 2013-06-04File Name: B00ALBR6HS
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. TOO much analytical and philosophical analysis!By EdIf you are looking for a good book rel. Liberace....DO NOT purchase this book. The author spends too much time with his own analysis...page after page....that does NOTHING to help reader understand anything. There are so many footnotes; that one can hardly turn a page (using touch to right side of page)...because you will immediately be taken to a footnote page....causing you to then spend mucho time trying to get back to where you were reading.There are a number of other interesting books rel. Liberace...but this is not one of them! SAVE YOUR MONEY!11 of 13 people found the following review helpful. The DEFINITIVE Liberace BiographyBy Paige TurnerCarefully researched and well written; this extensive volume details the life of Liberace; peeling away the layers and layers of half-truths; deceptions; and publicity machine myths. A well-loved and talented entertainer; Liberace lived a double life protecting his public image with a fierceness that caused much private agony. Liberace could not even tell the truth in his own biography; lest he be labeled as a liar and countersued by publications he had sued when they reported he was gay. This book details his relationships with friends; family and lovers. Pyron also gives wonderful detail on how Liberace got his start; tracing his career from his start in sleezy Wisconsin dives to his lavish Las Vegas productions. Liberace was smart enough to know his limitations and to exploit his strengths. This books gives a balanced view of the man and the entertainer; in addition; the author gives a detailed historical/sociological background about the lives of gay men in general; which provides an informative backdrop and better understanding of how and why Liberace functioned the way he did. The book may seem rather monotous and dry at times; but that is the authors style; this is a serious; intelligent book; not some gossipy tell-all. Unlike many biographers who write about celebrities; Pyron has great regard and respect for his subject. A must for all Liberace fans and for those interested in the lives of famous gay entertainers.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Reads like a good work of fiction.By Ann F.Honestly could not put it down. It is as much a study of war era (WWI - Vietnam) United States as it is a study of Liberace. Will check out footnotes for reference to more info.