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The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America
One-hit Wonder
My Lies, Your Lies
Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization
The Prisoner's Wife: based on an inspiring true story
Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots
The Secret Seaside Escape: The most heart-warming, feel-good romance of 2020, from the Sunday Times
The Mirror and the Light
Vengeance
Play description ACT I Scene 1. Orlando, the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys, has been kept “rustically at home” by his older brother, Oliver; he has been denied his inheritance and any formal education. When Orlando demands his birthright, the brothers come to blows. Charles the wrestler describes how the old Duke has been banished by his younger brother Frederick and has gone to live in the Forest of Arden. His daughter Rosalind has stayed at court with Celia, Frederick’s daughter. Hearing that Charles and Orlando are to wrestle the following day, Oliver lies to Charles, claiming that Orlando intends, if necessary, to resort to foul play in order to win the fight. Scene 2. The courtier Le Beau urges Rosalind and Celia to watch the wrestling. They try to persuade the youthful Orlando not to fight, but he is determined to go ahead and succeeds in beating Charles. Frederick congratulates the victor but is displeased to learn of his parentage. Le Beau suggests that, the Duke being so unpredictable, Orlando would be wise to leave the court. Orlando, who has fallen for the “heavenly Rosalind,” follows his advice.
Show moreACT IV Scene 1. At the Tower, Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of York, and Anne, now Richard’s wife, are prevented from visiting the young princes by Brakenbury, who acts under orders from “the king.” They are horrified when Anne is summoned to Westminster to be crowned Richard’s queen. Scene 2. Richard is suspicious when Buckingham fails to condone immediately the suggested murder of the young princes. He hires Tyrrel to organize the assassination and plans to consolidate his position further by marrying King Edward’s daughter Elizabeth. When Buckingham reminds Richard that he has promised him the earldom of Hereford, he is rebuffed. Alarmed, Buckingham flees to Wales. Scene 3. The princes and Anne are dead, Clarence’s son has been imprisoned, his daughter safely married and Richard determines to go to Elizabeth “a jolly thriving wooer.” Ratcliffe announces that Buckingham is gathering Welsh forces.
Show morePlay description Act I Scene 1. Orsino, Duke of Illyria, is in love with Olivia, a wealthy noblewoman. She, however, is in mourning for her brother and rejects him. Scene 2. A young woman, Viola, has been shipwrecked on the Illyrian coast, having been separated from her twin brother Sebastian, whom she fears dead. A Captain tells her about the lovelorn Duke and she decides to dress as a boy and seek employment with him. Scene 3. Olivia’s uncle, Sir Toby Belch, does not approve of her prolonged mourning. Her maid Maria warns him that Olivia is displeased with his debauched behavior. Maria is also critical of Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a foolish but wealthy knight whom Sir Toby supports as a candidate for his niece’s hand in marriage. Scene 4. The Duke urges Viola (now disguised as Cesario), to woo Olivia in his name. Viola, however, reveals in an aside that “Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.” Scene 5. Olivia is with her clown Feste and her steward, the dour Malvolio, when Viola/Cesario is announced. Olivia tells Maria to dismiss the Duke’s envoy, but Viola persists and Olivia agrees to see him. Olivia rejects the Duke’s suit, but is so charmed by the youth that she invents an excuse for giving him her ring.
Show morePlay description ACT I Chorus. The poet Gower tells of King Antiochus’s incestuous relationship with his daughter. He has prevented his daughter from marrying by presenting all her suitors with a riddle which they must either solve or die. Scene 1. Pericles, Prince of Tyre, comes to try his luck with the daughter of Antiochus. Having read the riddle, however, he guesses the King’s guilty secret. Once Antiochus realizes that he has been found out, he is determined to be rid of Pericles and instructs Thaliard to kill him. Pericles flees and Thaliard pledges to pursue him. Scene 2. Fearful of Antiochus’s revenge, Pericles leaves secretly for Tharsus, leaving Helicanus as his deputy. Scene 3. Thaliard arrives in Tyre only to find Pericles gone. Scene 4. Cleon, the Governor of Tharsus, and his wife, Dionyza, bemoan the terrible famine that afflicts their city. When word arrives that ships have been sighted offshore, Cleon assumes that some foreign power has come intending to take advantage of their weakness. His fears prove groundless – the ships belong to Pericles and are full of corn for his people.
Show morePlay description ACT I Induction 1. Christopher Sly, a beggar, is found asleep drunk outside an alehouse by a Lord returning from hunting with his men. The Lord amuses himself by taking Sly back to his house andhaving him dressed in sumptuous clothes. Induction 2. When Sly awakes, the Lord and his servants convince him that he is a nobleman returning to sanity after years of lunacy. A group of players arrives to entertain him, and what follows is the play they perform. Scene 1. Lucentio, son of Vincentio, a rich Pisan merchant, has come to Padua eager to study. His servant Tranio cautions him that “No profit grows where is no pleasure ta’en.” They overhear the wealthy Baptista announcing that he will not give his daughter Bianca in marriage until he has married off her older sister, Kate, whose bad temper and scolding tongue are famous. Rival suitors Gremio and Hortensio agree that they will try to find a husband for Kate, thus clearing their way to Bianca. Meanwhile, Lucentio has fallen in love with Bianca himself. Tranio suggests that Lucentio disguise himself as a schoolmaster in order to gain access to her. To avoid raising suspicions in the town, they exchange roles: Tranio becoming the master, Lucentio, his servant. Scene 2. When Petruchio and his servant Grumio arrive in Padua, Petruchio tells Hortensio that he wants a rich wife. Hearing of Kate, he resolves to win her, despite her reputation as a shrew. Hortensio also decides to enter Baptista’s house disguised as a schoolmaster so as to gain access to Bianca. Gremio and Hortensio agree to share the cost of Petruchio’s courtship. Tranio, posing as Lucentio, arrives and announces that he, too, intends to woo Bianca.
Show morePlay description ACT I Scene 1. The young King of Navarre has vowed to turn his court into “a little academe,” by dedicating himself to study and shunning the company of women for three years. The lords Dumain, Longaville and Berowne have sworn the same oath, though Berowne remains skeptical as to its value. Amusement will be provided by Don Adriano de Armado, a fantastical Spaniard, and Costard the clown. Costard is brought before the King by Constable Dull, who has arrested him for being with a woman. Costard is sentenced to a week of fasting with bran and water. Scene 2. Armado quips with Moth, his page, before confessing that he is in love. The object of his passion is the very same Jaquenetta with whom Costard was apprehended.
Show morePlay description ACT I Scene 1. Duke Vincentio prepares to leave Vienna and appoints Angelo as his deputy and Escalus as his advisor. Scene 2. Mistress Overdone tells Lucio how Angelo has decreed that all brothels in the suburbs of Vienna be demolished. Claudio passes by on his way to prison where, within three days, he is to be executed; his fault—that he has made his lover Juliet pregnant. Having explained that he is the victim of Angelo’s reforming zeal, he asks Lucio to find his sister Isabella, and to enlist her help in appealing for mercy from the deputy. Scene 3. The Duke reveals to Friar Thomas that he has invented a trip to Poland as an excuse for putting Angelo in power. He hopes that his righteous deputy will reform the loose morals of the populace. He plans to monitor events, disguised as a friar. Scene 4. Lucio finds Isabella at the convent she is about to enter as a novice, and tells her of her brother’s arrest; he begs her to approach Angelo.
Show morePlay description ACT I Scene 1. The Duke of Norfolk tells the Duke of Buckingham and his son-in-law, Lord Abergavenny, of the recent sumptuous meeting between King Henry and Francis I of France. They are, however, unimpressed and speak bitterly of the arrogance and ambition of the Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, who brokered the French alliance. Buckingham is arrested for high treason. Scene 2. As Henry waits to hear the case against Buckingham, Queen Katherine enters and makes a plea for a reduction of the high taxes imposed by Wolsey upon the country’s clothiers. This is granted, though Wolsey ensures that he is credited for the dispensation. Buckingham’s surveyor claims that the Duke desires the crown for himself. Katherine reminds the King that the surveyor was dismissed by Buckingham, but Henry remains convinced by the allegations. Scene 3. Chamberlain, Sandys and Lovell discuss the French fashions that have swept through the court. They set off together for dinner with Wolsey. Scene 4. At Wolsey’s banquet, Henry is smitten with Anne Bullen.
Show morePlay description ACT 1 Scene 1. At the funeral of Henry V, the Duke of Gloucester and the Bishop of Winchester cannot conceal their enmity. News comes of war and loss of lands in France; the Dauphin has been crowned king and the valiant Talbot has been taken prisoner. Winchester plans secretly to take power through young King Henry. Scene 2. The French are driven back by the English at Orleans. Joan Pucelle, a charismatic shepherdess who claims that the Virgin Mary has ordered her to free her country from the English, is presented to King Charles, who is awestruck. Scene 3. Winchester refuses Gloucester entry to the Tower of London, and their men fight. Scene 4. As the English besiege Orleans, Salisbury is delighted to see the newly ransomed Talbot. Salisbury is shot and as he lies dying, Charles and Pucelle approach. Scene 5. Talbot and Pucelle fight, and she then succeeds in raising the siege of Orleans. Scene 6. The French are jubilant.
Show morePlay description Act I Scene 1. In Verona, the “ancient grudge” between the Montague and Capulet families erupts in a brawl. Prince Escalus decrees that any further violence will be punishable by death. Romeo, the son of Lord Montague, was not involved in the disturbance; he is unrequitedly in love with Rosaline. Scene 2. Capulet gives young Paris permission to woo his daughter, Juliet, and sends a servant out with a guest list for the ball he is holding that night. The servant is intercepted by Romeo, who learns that Rosaline is to be among the guests. Romeo is persuaded by his friends Benvolio and Mercutio to attend the ball. Scene 3. When Lady Capulet finally manages to interrupt the reminiscences of Juliet’s garrulous Nurse, she tells her daughter of the proposed match with Paris. Scene 4. Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio set out for the Capulet ball; all are masked. The mischievous Mercutio teases lovelorn Romeo. Romeo has a feeling of misgiving about the evening ahead. Scene 5. At the ball, Romeo and Juliet fall in love; each is appalled to learn the identity of the other. Juliet’s cousin Tybalt realizes who the masked interloper is; he is only restrained from challenging Romeo by Capulet, who will not let him harm a guest.
Show morePlay description ACT I Scene 1. The Earl of Northumberland learns that his son, Hotspur, has been killed in battle against the King. The royal army, under Prince John of Lancaster and the Earl of Westmoreland, is now advancing against Northumberland who considers joining forces with the Archbishop of York. Scene 2. The Chief Justice reprimands Falstaff for his part in a robbery at Gadshill. He cautions Falstaff to keep his head low and bemoans the fact Prince Hal keeps such unsuitable company. Falstaff is on his way to join Prince John. Scene 3. The Archbishop and others debate the wisdom of going into battle against the King before they are entirely sure of Northumberland’s support. They reason that the King’s forces are weakened by being divided between three campaigns and decide to take the risk and go ahead.
Show morePlay description ACT I Scene 1. The common people of Rome, the plebeians, are on the verge of rebellion due to the lack of grain; they blame the patricians—the Roman nobility—for their plight. They are especially bitter towards Caius Marcius, a patrician and a successful soldier, whom they regard as “the chief enemy to the people.” Menenius tries to persuade them that the patricians are acting in their best interests but when Marcius arrives he makes no attempt to disguise his contempt for the plebeians. When news comes that the Volsces have taken up arms against Rome, Marcius receives it with pleasure, believing their leader Tullus Aufidius to be a noble adversary. Sicinius and Brutus, tribunes appointed to represent the interests of the plebeians, discuss Marcius’s overweening pride. Scene 2. Aufidius prepares to go to war against Rome. Scene 3. Marcius’s mother, Volumnia, urges his wife Virgilia to glory in his warlike prowess. Valeria brings news that Marcius is about to attack the Volsces’ city of Corioles. Scene 4. Marcius curses the fainthearted Roman soldiers and urges them on to attack Corioles. When they refuse, he enters the enemy city single-handed. When the Romans see him alone within the walls of Corioles, they rush in to assist him.
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