Product Description
Yusuf is on Death Row for murder. Adrian had a lucky escape years earlier when he survived Yusuf's murderous assault during an afternoon of casual sex. The story contrasts their different experiences of a divided pre-Mandela country during its attempts at reconciliation. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Leon has fled not only South Africa, but also Judaism and the gay scene, settling in London and marrying an English schoolteacher. Living on a diet of booze and drugs he finally meets another white South African and is forced into a world more wild than any he has ever known. ... Read more

Product Description
Anthony Sher's mesmerizing performance as Richard III, for which he won the Standard Award for Best Actor of 1985, was warmly received by both critics and audiences. This book records the making of this historic theatrical event. It follows the events of a year in the life of Anthony Sher, both as the character and himself. The text is interspersed with the author's own personal sketches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An excellent text for actors
South-African born actor/diarist Anthony Sher writes the book on the physical process of character development with his excellent memoir on the evolution of his character for the title role in William Shakespeare's "Richard III".

Sher drew upon the natural terrain in the Western Cape region of southern africa to inform the physicality of his character and to create one of the most memorable interpretations of Richard in Stratford history.

This book is an invaluable source for working actors as well as for non-actors who wish to better understand and appreciate the intuitive actions of the artist in search of excellence.

Antony Sher's other books include the memoirs Woza Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus in South Africa, with Gregory Doran (1997), Beside Myself (2002), Characters (1990), and Primo Time (2005); the novels, Cheap Lives (1995), The Indoor Boy (1996), Middlepost (1989), and The Feast (1999); and the play "ID" (2003).

The actor's process, clear and personal
"Year of the King" is a fine opportunity to watch an actor prepare for a role.In this case, the actor, Antony Sher, on the verge of leaving the Royal Shakespeare Company, is offered Richard III, one of Shakespeare's most complex and twisted characters.The book is Sher's journal, filled with a mixture of backstage anecdotes, evocative illustrations by Sher, and moments when the acting process becomes clear, inspired, and thought-provoking. Sher opens his life to the reader, taking us from the initial speculation ("Will they ask me to play Richard?") to the rehearsal processes and character work to the performances.Sher's writing is compelling, honest, and comfortably readable, without even the tiniest bit of ego that so often plagues this kind of journal. It is a glimpse into the process, both artistic and personal, that an actor endures in pursuit of a character.I have used "Year of the King" as a textbook in an acting class, as an example of how one can use a journal, and as a foundation for a course in theatre criticism. I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in theatre and classical acting. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Sher's a master
This makes every book on acting that Antony Sher has written that I've read. Though YEAR OF THE KING probably wins for sheer excitement and instructional value, PRIMO is also very valuable, and compulsively readable. Sher's voice, unpretentious, but in no way dumbed down guides us through the unique experience of a one man show, from it's penning through it's performance.

My only quibble is that this is obviously a first printing. Typos are frequent and occasionally absurd ("Previ Levi"?). In no way a comment on Sher, only on the publishing house and copy editor.

A wonderful book. ... Read more

Product Description
"This is the most wonderfully authentic account of the experience of creating a performance. It's full of delicate and sometimes moving observation; full of striking information...; full of the frustration and tedium and occasional tears of the unequal struggle of any of us flawed thespians with ourselves and a great role; and full of his own astonishing and unforgettable drawings. Images, images. What images!" -Simon Callow, The Sunday Times (London)Amazon.com Review
Actor Antony Sher has had an impressive career on the London stage and in a variety of highly visible character roles in film (including a lauded portrayal as Disraeli in 1997's Mrs. Brown). In this highly entertaining journal, he chronicles the months of preparation for one of the most critically acclaimed Shakespearean performances in the 20th century, his 1984 portrayal of Richard III, which he played on a pair of custom-made crutches that transformed the Bard's villainous king into a poisonous, scuttling spider. His preparations include attempts to get into the mental territory of a sociopath and discussions with doctors, patients, and physical therapists about the physical realities of playing a hunchback. Along the way we get insights into his South African heritage, discussions of the life of a working actor, and an often funny and always illuminating portrait of a year working in the Royal Shakespeare Company--all illustrated with numerous sketches and cartoons from this multitalented author. Year of the King is a grand tour of the inner workings of one of the world's greatest theaters, by an actor at the height of his creative powers. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An Actor's Delight
If you are an actor or want to know what it takes to become a great actor, this book is a must read. I have not found any book on acting that has kept me interested and intrigued as this book. It is a wounderful read for allseriously interested in acting.

An inspiring and fascinating book
This is the best book I have ever read on the process of acting.It should be required reading for every actor! It details the process that Antony Sher went through in developing the character of Richard III.It'sa "fast" read because you are so eager to find out what he willdo next.Highly recommended.

Fascinating!
I first read Year of the King 6 years ago while studying in London.I fell in love with the works of Antony Sher on stage and was thrilled to find this book. Its been a source of inspiration and admiration since andhas opened my eyes to what a different world actors live in.I am now thatmuch closer to understanding the intricacies of performance through thewords (and sketches) of Antony Sher.

a fascinating look at both actor and person
What I enjoyed were, in addition to notes on the role,the notes on what it was like to be an actor in England after growing up in apartheid South Africa. Good to meet some of the greats of theatre: "Trevor Nunn", "Chris Hampton" etc as well..

A fascinating look at an actor's obsession!
As a studying actor, I could relate to some of the mental processes that Antony Sher revealed in his book "Year of the King."Through this journal, I was able to see how Sher prepared to play the role of Richard III, his thoughts when confronted with a problem, and in what places he looked to find the answer.This book showed me the importance of keeping a record of my own progress during a production.The only thing I wish from "Year of the King" is that a video had been included to allow us to see Antony Sher's end result! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Smous arrives in the isolated settlement of Middlepost in British South Africa in 1902 to find everyone speaking different languages, worshipping different gods and jostling for space. He stays here for nearly two years, amidst confusion, comedy and catastrophe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Comedy of Errors
This is a book I casually picked up in the bargain bin of the local bookstore. As others have stated, it is funny yet sad.
I would characterize it as kind of a prequel to Seinfeld. In short, if you enjoy the character George Costanza, I'm sure you will enjoy Smouse the Smouse.
What is funny is: the sometimes bizarre decisions made by Smouse, and what is sad is the misinformation upon which these decisions are based. What is also sad--and funny--is that I could identify with these errors, having made sadly similar mistakes in my own past.

Worth the challenge
This is a strange book, both enthralling and repellent, by the wonderful, multi-talented actor Anthony Sher.Having read his memoir, Beside Myself, with pleasure and admiration, and seen him on the stage, ditto, and being a reader of Jewish literature very much interested in colonialism and race as well, I took this up eagerly.It is not an easy book, though the ride is often rollicking; I recommend it for anyone interested in how a contemporary writer deals with the legacy of great writing from the late C19 and early C20--how does one portray the long-lost shtetl, the fears of Jews in anti-semitic Eastern Europe, or the first encounter of Jews with the Boers, Englishmen and natives of South Africa?It's a challenge, and Sher rises to it with great verve and conscience.If his picture is more incoherent than not, this presumably reflects his own difficulty finding a place to stand as a writer on such elusive and huge subjects.The book is a tapestry, in the end, of Boschian wildness, violence and confusion, and leaves one feeling both sympathetic to the victimized shlemiel at its center and hopeless about the human capacity to follow the voice of conscience.Nearly every time Smous's conscience raises its head, he chooses passivity; finally, he is a Jonah spat out by a whale onto a desert he has no power to navigate.Many of us might relate to him.

ggt
Nobel Prize?I don't think so.Mr Sher took what could have been a wonderful story and hid it behind vile vernacular diaglogue that is impossible to read much less follow.Perhaps it would have been easier to understand in an audio version.The written form was horrible.No wonder there are so many used copies being offered for less than $1.00.

A revelation
I can only reiterate what the two previous reviewers said. This is a fantastic novel, by turns wryly funny, shockingly sad and beautifully written. As good an allegory about South Africa as even Koetzee has ever written.

I have never understood why it wasnt a massive success, it's a better read than 'Disgrace', and that won the Booker Prize. If Sher writes another novel, I would buy it in a heartbeat on the basis of this book.

Worthy of the Nobel Prize for Literature
Anthony Sher is to my mind a genius in every sense, as an actor, as an author and now as an artist.Please read this book. We need more from this author. ... Read more

Product Description
BRAND NEW 2001 HARDBACK EDITION. SOME SHELFWEAR MARKS, SMALL CREASE ON DUST JACKET. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Stud poker is any of a number of poker variants in which each player receives a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple betting rounds. Stud games are also typically non-positional games, meaning that the player who bets first on each round may change from round to round (it is usually the player whose face-up cards make the best hand for the game being played). The cards dealt face down to each individual player are called hole cards (which gave rise to the common English expression ace in the hole, which suggests that one has something valuable that is not apparent to others). Stud poker variants using 3 cards were popular as of the American Revolutionary War. Five-card stud first appeared during the American Civil War when the game was much played among soldiers on both sides, and became very popular. In recent years, Seven-card stud has become more common, both in casinos and in home games. These two games form the basis of most modern stud poker variations. The number of betting rounds in a game influences how well the game plays with different betting structures. Games with four or fewer betting rounds, such as five-card stud and Mississippi stud (described below), play well with any structure, and are especially well suited to no limit and pot limit play. Games with more betting rounds are more suited to fixed limit or spread limit. It is common (and recommended) for later betting rounds to have higher limits than earlier ones. For example, a "$5/$10 Seven-card Stud" game in a Nevada casino allows $5 bets for the first two rounds and $10 bets for subsequent rounds. Also common is to make the final round even higher: a "$5/$10/$20" game would allow $20 bets on the last round only. Another common rule is to allow the large... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=23729041 ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Oswald Mosley, Edward Marsh, Brian Desmond Hurst, Beryl Markham, Paul Burrell, Antony Sher, George Adamson, Gerald Brenan, Mary Scharlieb, Geoffrey Household, Rees Howell Gronow, Jacob Nagle, Susan Travers, Joan Wyndham, Chris Stewart, Monica Baldwin, Daisy, Princess of Pless, Elisabeth Furse, Harriette Wilson, Elizabeth Nel, Michael Astor, Judith Hare, Countess of Listowel, Shelina Zahra Janmohamed, Anna Blundy, Anton Rippon, George Augustus Addison, Peter Hill. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 110. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 3 December 1980) was a British politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists. He was a member of Parliament for Harrow from 1918 to 1923 and for Smethwick from 1926 to 1931. Mosley was the eldest of three sons of Sir Oswald Mosley, 5th Baronet of Ancoats (18741928), and his wife Katharine Maud Edwards-Heathcote (18741950), the second child of Captain Justinian Edwards-Heathcote, of Market Drayton, Shropshire. Mosley's family were Anglo-Irish but his branch were prosperous landowners in Staffordshire. Mosley was born at Rolleston Hall, near Burton-on-Trent. When his parents separated he was brought up by his mother, who initially went to live at Betton Hall near Market Drayton, and his paternal grandfather, Sir Oswald Mosley, 4th Baronet of Ancoats. Within the family and among intimate friends, he was always called "Tom". He lived for many years at Apedale Hall near Newcastle-under-Lyme. He was educated at West Downs School and Winchester College. In January 1914 he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst but was expelled in June for a "riotous act of retaliation" against a fellow student. During World War I he was commissioned in the 16th The Queen's La...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=69236 ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Antony Sher, Janet Suzman, Natalia Da Rocha, Taliep Petersen, Taubie Kushlick, Kessie Govender, Daphney Hlomuka, Brian Murray, Siegfried Mynhardt, Clinton Marius, Yvonne Bryceland, Joyce Grant, Joan Brickhill, Waseem Shaikh. Excerpt:Antony Sher Sir Antony Sher , KBE (born 14 June 1949) is a South African -born actor , writer , theatre director and painter . Early years Sher was born into a Lithuanian Jewish family in Cape Town, South Africa , the son of Margery and Emmanuel Sher, who worked in business. He grew up in the suburb of Sea Point (his cousin is Ronald Harwood ), but he has worked mainly in the United Kingdom and is now a British citizen. In 1968, after completing his compulsory military service, he left for London to audition at the Central School of Speech and Drama , but was unsuccessful. Instead, he studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art from 1969 to 1971. After training, and some early performances with the theatre group Gay Sweatshop, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982. Career In the 1970s Sher was part of an astonishing group of young actors and writers working at the Liverpool Everyman . It consisted of the likes of writers Willy Russell and Alan Bleasdale and fellow actors Bernard Hill , Julie Walters , Trevor Eve and Jonathan Pryce . The work performed was highly regarded (two successes being John, Paul, George, Ringo ... Read more

Product Description
This is a collection of the "best of the Bard" as chosen by readers of Classic FM Magazine. An introduction and music of the period places each piece in context, and the selection includes famous speeches and scenes from the plays and a top ten of scenes, speeches or sonnets. ... Read more