GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Shaw the faddist, the gadfly, the philanderer, the playwright-philosopher. . . the complete and unexpurgated Shaw in a model of how to deal with a difficult subject by assuming that your audience is intelligent and mature. Sharp, sardonic sequences abound: Shaw's precarious social position as a child, and his indifferent family; his simultaneous, self-serving flirtations; his commitment to his plays, all the firmer because of critial dismissal; his convenient marriage, and the inconvenience of his passion for Mrs. Patrick Campbell; and much more. There's a solid foundation for understanding his political/social principles and brief, incisive analyses of the plays. Fascinating from the outset, and balanced between wit and warmth.