Book Description
The legend of Faust grew up in the sixteenth century, a time of transition between medieval and modern culture in Germany. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) adopted the story of the wandering conjuror who accepts Mephistopheles's offer of a pact, selling his soul for the devil's greater knowledge; over a period of 60 years he produced one of the greatest dramatic and poetic masterpieces of European literature. David Luke's recent translation, specially commissioned for The World's Classics series, has all the virtues of previous classic translations of Faust, and none of their shortcomings. Cast in rhymed verse, following the original, it preserves the essence of Goethe's meaning without sacrifice to archaism or over-modern idiom. It is as near an `equivalent' rendering of the German as has been achieved.
Customer Reviews:
Great Read!.......2007-09-21
Very beautifuly written book!!! If you like Byronism, Gothic novels, and the regency dandy, you will love this book. I will admit that if you are new to this style of literature, it may be a little tough to read, but very worth it!!! The more you read the easier it gets to understand. If your interested give it a shot, you won't regret it!
A beautiful work about a soul's damnation........2007-02-17
This is definitely Goethe's masterwork, and it is beautifully written. Everyone knows about the man who sold his soul to the devil, but everyone should read this poem in order to experience the beautiful words and images that Goethe created. This is a true tragedy, and we watch helpless as the pre-ordained conclusion is revealed. I am glad that I took the time to read this.
Readable Translation and helpful, extensive notes.......2005-01-18
Hearing about Goethe's Faust for many years I thought it was about time I read it. Though I am glad I did the story was not as exciting or insightful as I thought it would be. Perhaps some of art to be found in the writing is lost in translation, and what would have been considered to be a tantalizing tale to a person living in the 18th or 19th centuries is not so exciting today.
The accompanying introduction and notes to the text, which are quite extensive, are helpful though the introduction could be organized better. David Luke undoubtedly is very knowledgeable about the text, but his long introduction is daunting, and seems to assume quite a bit of familiarity of the text by the reader. In fact the reader cannot understand a lot of what Luke writes in the introduction without having read the text already. If there is to be a new edition of this book Luke should edit the introduction making it much shorter, and more targeted to the general reader. The more specialized detail about the text, such as what part of 'Faust' was written at what point of Goethe's life, should go into an addendum at the back of the book.
Still David Luke produced a very readable translation of Goethe's 'Faust', and though one has to 'wade through' the introduction, the general reader will appreciate having ambiguous parts of the text well explained, and the student of German literature in general and of Goethe's writing in particular, will appreciate Luke's in-depth analysis of Goethe's work.
the very best of the english translations.......2004-06-25
David Luke has given us an oustanding translation of this very important piece of literature. His Grimm Bros. translation is also excellent, as are his wonderful scholarly essays. For years, I've intended to write Luke to share my appreciation and gratitude for his always excellent work.
This is the best English translation of Faust ever.
Well Worth Reading - especially the extra notes!.......2004-03-22
I am very glad to have been exposed to this classic and am definitely pleased to have read this particular translation of it. Though the rhythm was occasionally jarring (see review below), Luke's EXTENSIVE introduction (50 pages or so!) and explanatory notes helped me get so much out of this piece. I received glimpses of insight on German history, the Germanic culture, witchcraft, superstition, how 18th century "geniuses" viewed Shakespeare, traditional church customs, etc.
For those who don't know, the basic premise of this story is based on a German folk legend. In that legend from the 16th century, a learned man named Faust sold his soul to the Devil in order to gain more knowledge and understanding. As that legend grew and became incorporated in the Germanic culture, so did its appeal to many artists. There have been apparently many writers and such who have used this legend as a foundation for their works.
However, of all the Faust tales, Goethe's appears to be the preeminent one today. Why? Well, for one thing, he worked on this intermittantly from 1770 to 1808 with 3 main versions cited. Goethe became quite famous for many of his other works, and this one apparently gives great insight to his personal philosophies at different stages. Thus, many find it worth studying.
Also, as Goethe was a central figure in Germany's emergence from the Enlightenment era into the Romantic era, his work - and especially this piece - was celebrated by those trying to usher in a new way. While the number of submovements is slightly tricky to keep track of, the main thrust is that the young intellectuals idolized Goethe and championed his cause. His version of Faust became the source for many plays and even an opera which I think is still performed today.
But what about the tale itself? Goethe certainly has a genius and it blooms in a novel way in this piece. Though he left the Christian faith early on in life, he realized that the concepts of good, evil, sin, temptation, condemnation to hell, hedonism, etc. all had a dramatic weight to them that was irresistable to his as an artist. Thus, as he developed this piece, he leaned heavily on the faith, superstition and legends of his day in order to weave this tale. As such, you get a wonderful, power tale that gives you a great - though somewhat twisted - picture of the Germanic culture of his time.
HOWEVER, Goethe does some really odd things as well. For instance, as he added to this piece over the years, he often didn't change much of the former material. Therefore, in the piece there are many internal contradictions and dangling references. In addition, he tended to throw in verses he developed for other purposes - such as one of the prologues and the "Walpurgis Night Dream" scenario - which don't technically have anything to do with the storyline. Even his whole focus on Gretchen - while generally the focus of most plays and operas - actually wasn't a part of the original Faust legened. And yet, it all worked together somehow and was a delight to read.
All in all, I think reading this short, weighty classic was well worth the time. It helped add a piece of understanding about Euporean thought and culture 200 years ago as well as speak some to my own life.
Average customer rating:
- You can't go wrong with Faust
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Faust, Part One
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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German
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Goethe, Johann Wolfgang
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Jarrell, Randall
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Candide (Bantam Classics)
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Faust: Part Two (Oxford World's Classics)
ASIN: 0374164770 |
Book Description
Randall Jarrell's translation of Goethe's classic, illustrated with extraordinary new drawings by Peter Sis
Randall Jarrell's translation of Faust is one of his most important achievements. In 1957 he inscribed Goethe's motto on the first page of his notebook: "Ohne Hast aber ohne Rast" ("Without haste but without rest"), and from then until his death in 1965 he worked on the masterpiece of his "own favorite daemon, dear good great Goethe." His intent was to make the German poetry free, unrhymed poetry in English. He all but finished the job before he died, and the few lines that remained untouched--Gretchen's Spinning Song--were rendered into English by Robert Lowell.
This elegant new edition features numerous beautiful line drawings by the renowned Czech artist, Peter Sis, author of the award-winning books The Starry Messenger and Tibet: Through the Red Box.
Customer Reviews:
You can't go wrong with Faust.......2001-01-29
Johann's words are weaved into an intricate design that gives one a real peek into the life of Faust. With startling insights and a clear focused writing style, Johann has created a book that is easy to read, informative, and a must for your bookshelf.
Customer Reviews:
Book description.......2007-01-07
Enduring legend of the old philosopher who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power.
Translated in a performing version by Robert David MacDonald
Cover painting by Peter Farmer
The story of the philosopher-scientist who, in order to pierce the only mysteries unknown to him, sells his soul to the devil for a period of total knowledge and absolute power, is one of the most potent myths of our civilisation.
Goethe's gigantic epic poem, the greatest dramatic work in German literature, has not attained the same degree of acceptance outside of Germany that such a masterpiece deserves.
Now, at last, in a brilliant new translation, specifically made for, and already successfully produced in the theatre, the narrative sweep, shorn of metaphysical digressions and diversions is made accessible to both the reader and the playgoer...
This translation is excellent!.......2001-07-30
This is an excellent translation of an amazing book.
Not only does Greenberg's translation rhyme (as opposed to the free-verse versions of lesser translators), but it's a great deal more intelligible to modern American readers than the other translations I've read. Nothing has been dumbed down, this book radiates the same brilliance and wit as the German original.
I highly recommend it.
A masterful translation.......1999-12-27
After comparing most of the major English translations of Faust (Luke, Kaufmann, Arndt, Wayne) I found Martin Greenberg's to be the most beautiful and accessible of them all. Greenberg does an excellent job of suiting the tenor of the verse to the dramatic occasion, ranging from low comical to sublime lyric. Whereas the majority of previous English translations tend (mistakenly) strive for a uniformly "elevated" tone, Greenberg's translation gets the nuances right. A central idea running throughout Goethe's works is that in any comprehensive formulation of life, extremes must be united. The range of poetic styles in Faust--from high to low, comic to tragic, beautiful to sublime, "volk" slang to epic vaunt--also follows this general rule, and again Greenberg's sensativity to this range is wonderful. While the other translations are not bad, if you really want to experience the fantastic emotional-intellectual rollercoaster ride of Faust, this translation does it best.
Avoid this translation like the plague!!!.......1999-06-13
Disregard this warning at your own risk! Martin Greenberg believes that everything should be translated according to Wordsworth's dictum that poetry should be in the "ordinary speech used by men"--regardless of the language of the original. Could you imagine Shakespeare's sonnets being translated into common, slang-filled, modern-day say French or Spanish??? Well, that is what this absurdly dumbed-down version of Faust manages to do. By all means, read either the Oxford World's Classics paperback version by David Luke (easily the best) or the Stuart Atkins version in Princeton's Collected Works series. This book is trash, pure and simple!
Average customer rating:
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Faust (Part One)
Goethe
Manufacturer: Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1963
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O3RWTK |
Average customer rating:
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Faust - Part One (Part 1) (No. L12)
Goethe
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Drama
| Literature & Fiction
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ASIN: B000V15T3G |
Average customer rating:
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FAUST /PART ONE/
GOETHE
Manufacturer: PENGUIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S34P6E |
Average customer rating:
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Das Labor Der Bilder
Holger Bunk
Manufacturer: Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
All German Books
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
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ASIN: 3883753394 |
Average customer rating:
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Holger Bunk: Das Labor Der Bilder
Manufacturer: Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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German
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
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Arts & Photography
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
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Nonfiction
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
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ASIN: 3928738208 |
Average customer rating:
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Small Offset: Preparation and Press
Les Crowhurst
Manufacturer: Graphic Arts Technical Fndtn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
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Desktop Publishing
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
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ASIN: 0883620448 |
Book Description
In the 44-page epic "The Great Painting Robbery," Scrooge reluctantly agrees to loan several rare Picassos to a gallery in Spain. The loan involves transporting the canvases by ship, where they journey together with an even rarer Picasso from a London archive. Alas, the London Picasso is hijacked in Barcelona... and after a baldfaced accusation by detective Jacques Clueless, the onus is on Scrooge to recover it! Next up, Gyro Gearloose "Builds a Better House" in a Carl Barks classic, reprinted for the first time in regular comics since 1967. And then "Tutu Traumatic" tells of how the Beagle Boys pulled a heist and Scrooge foiled it... with all parties embarrassingly costumed as ballerinas!
Average customer rating:
- The only reason to watch the Food Network
- a great guy and a great book
- A fabulous cookbook for everyone!
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Something Tastes Funny
Sean Donnellan
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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Cooking
| Humor
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General
| Humor
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ASIN: 0446673226 |
Customer Reviews:
The only reason to watch the Food Network.......2000-05-27
Fun, simple and unpretentious. That's "Something Tastes Funny" and the television show that spawned it, Food TV's "How to Boil Water." Everything that network no longer is. Sean, we miss ya ... get back into the kitchen!
a great guy and a great book.......1998-12-05
All I can say is that the recipes are great for the beginner and some of the stories I could actually relate to. If you like his show, you will love the book!
A fabulous cookbook for everyone!.......1998-07-18
Although this cookbook doesn't market itself as a vegetarian cookbook, it practically is! There are tons of fast and easy veggie recipies, like Tofu Cacciatore. I highly recommend this book (I took it out of the library and now must own it!)
Average customer rating:
- Cute!
- Rodney Dangerfield meets Joan Rivers
- tasty and funny indeed
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A Taste of Funny
Marjorie Dorfman
Manufacturer: Imprint Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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General
| Gastronomy
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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Cooking
| Humor
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General
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ASIN: 1591094356
Release Date: 2002-10-03 |
Book Description
Humorous and well-researched articles presented on a platter of anecdotal material about your favorite foods and drinks. Learn about the tomato and why it was originally thought to be poisonous and understand why some bottled water may be hazardous to your health. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, it is sometimes said, but in the case of A Taste of Funny, it can only make you look at the culinary cosmos with a new and more discerning eye.
Customer Reviews:
Cute!.......2005-04-01
A Taste of Funny is a fantastic book to breeze through. It's divided into snip-its that are concise, entertaining, and educational. My favorite was the chapter on low-fat substitutes, which goes through the trials and tribulations of trying to decipher nutrition labels. This book would make a delightful hostess gift, stocking stuffer, or party favor for anyone who finds delight in food.
Rodney Dangerfield meets Joan Rivers.......2005-03-12
A Taste of Funny had me chuckling so much in bed that I could hardly go to sleep. If Rodney Dangerfield (RIP) merged with Joan Rivers, a book like this would be the result. Dorfman weaves wisecracks (about vokda: "Hey,Mac, this spud's for you!) with knowledge (potatoes came from Peru,not Ireland--4,500 years ago) in a most entertaining fashion. A fun read; and a good gift, on its own or slipped into a gormet basket. Would make a great hostess gift.
tasty and funny indeed.......2005-02-03
A Taste of Funny is a very enjoyable and fast read that would appeal to "foodies and non-foodies" alike. Not only did I find Ms. Dorfman to have a delightful sense of humor, the book is also filled with interesting and obscure facts regarding various foods. We learn about the "caveat emptor" (buyer beware) when purchasing bottled water. We learn how to avoid crying tears while peeling onions. I laughed out loud while reading the article about the giant lobster.
The conclusion page notes that the articles are meant to amuse and distract from the stress of everyday life. Ms. Dorfman clearly accomplished her goal.
Buy the book...you won't regret it.
Average customer rating:
- review of this taste funny to you?
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This Taste Funny To You?
Ray Owens
Manufacturer: Joke A Day
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Humor
| Business & Culture
| Computers & Internet
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General
| Computers & Internet
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Computers & Internet
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Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
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ASIN: 0965915212 |
Book Description
The much anticipated second book from Joke A Day. More gut busting humor from the original Joke Master. Pages of make you pee in your pants jokes and other humor straight from the world famous website.
Customer Reviews:
review of this taste funny to you?.......2001-02-12
This latest compilation of humor from Ray Owens is one of those books that you cannot put down until you have read every page. Without question, this is one of the funniest books available. If you enjoy laughing until it hurts, this is one book you should not be without.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from U.S. Catholic, published by Claretian Publications on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 343 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Catholic humor painfully un-funny.(Catholic tastes)(Brief Article)
Author: Tara Dix
Publication:
U.S. Catholic (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: Claretian Publications
Volume: 69
Issue: 1
Page: 5(1)
Article Type: Brief Article
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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