1057a

William Shakespeare's sinister history of a king who murders his way to the throne.

1048

In effect Shakespeare's last full length and for many his greatest play and the most esoteric of all his works.

1027

How can a play have language as its main character? Here the Master explores the many meanings of ‘love’. And the dangers of playing with that major force!

1028

A pound of human flesh as opposed to the quality of mercy! The vengeful Shylock against the merciful Portia. Mercy is more potent than Justice! Shakespeare beautifully proves this.

1029

A Duke in love with being in love. Separated identical twins, cross-dressing and mistaken identity. Huge if poignant fun.

1080

Shaw's play emerged in 1912 and was packaged as a romantic comedy. It is much more a sharp lampoon on the rigid class structure of English society. Come and meet the first Eliza Doolittle and her mentor Professor Higgins, long before 'My Fair Lady' was ever thought of.

1036

Nevil Shute's wonderful study of the different facets of courage. Set in Malaya and Australia, Shute's novel provides us with a heroine we can never forget.

1044

The American dustbowl and an epic drama of the migrant push West to an illusory prosperity. John Steinbeck was there to watch the broken dreams! ‘I’m writing history while it is happening, and I’ve got to get it right!’ And he does.

1044a

One of the most famous studies of the opposites that lurk within us all. Stevenson's small book has generated over 100 films, none of which are true to the original.

1085

Abraham Lincoln thought that this was the book that started the American Civil War. It was the first American novel to become an international best seller. But, from being celebrated as a defence of human rights, it has become hugely controversial.

1044b

Thomas's most famous poem was first broadcast as a radio play in 1954, just a month before the poet's death.

1063

Leo Tolstoy's huge epic novel about Napoleon's invasion of Russia has been compared in its scope to the 'Iliad'.