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 Customer Reviews
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy. i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it! About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read. A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead... Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
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Customer Reviews
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy. i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it! About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read. A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead... Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
A A A-mazing, 27 Oct 2007
I achieved an A grade using this guide, so I will firstly state that is guide is a fantastic resource for revsion.
I like the language within the guide, as it was not too simple or too complex which usually puts me off revising.
The guide is easy to digest and the interpretations within the guide gain higher grades for the user within the exam, as it is interpretations that the examiner looks for.
I like the size of the guide, as the small size meant that I could easily pop it in my tote bag while travelling meaning that if I had a few minutes spare, I could revise from the guide.
I also liked the techniques that advised the reader what to do within the book, which I found useful as I often found that teacher jargon was too vauge.
I would highly reccomend this guide to anyone studying GCSE English Litrature and "An Inspector Calls".
:)
Fantastic, 14 Jul 2006
This was a superb aid for my GCSE English Literature exam. I had both this and the York Notes version for this text, but found the Letts one to be better in terms of chapter commentaries - it also had a lot of sophisticated phrases that you can use in your own essay! It is in full colour, making it easy to read; there are also notes regarding the historical context and about the author. The only drawback was the limited amount of notes on themes; there was just a paragraph each for six themes which I did not find to be enough. The best solution is to buy as many notes and revision aids as possible, then construct your own revision notes from a variety of sources.
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Customer Reviews
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy. i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it! About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read. A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead... Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
A A A-mazing, 27 Oct 2007
I achieved an A grade using this guide, so I will firstly state that is guide is a fantastic resource for revsion.
I like the language within the guide, as it was not too simple or too complex which usually puts me off revising.
The guide is easy to digest and the interpretations within the guide gain higher grades for the user within the exam, as it is interpretations that the examiner looks for.
I like the size of the guide, as the small size meant that I could easily pop it in my tote bag while travelling meaning that if I had a few minutes spare, I could revise from the guide.
I also liked the techniques that advised the reader what to do within the book, which I found useful as I often found that teacher jargon was too vauge.
I would highly reccomend this guide to anyone studying GCSE English Litrature and "An Inspector Calls".
:)
Fantastic, 14 Jul 2006
This was a superb aid for my GCSE English Literature exam. I had both this and the York Notes version for this text, but found the Letts one to be better in terms of chapter commentaries - it also had a lot of sophisticated phrases that you can use in your own essay! It is in full colour, making it easy to read; there are also notes regarding the historical context and about the author. The only drawback was the limited amount of notes on themes; there was just a paragraph each for six themes which I did not find to be enough. The best solution is to buy as many notes and revision aids as possible, then construct your own revision notes from a variety of sources.
Patrick Hamilton - Hangover Square , 12 Sep 2008
Super! It's rare that I just pick up a book while browsing at random - normally I have very fixed ideas of what I wish to buy - but I bought this on a whim, grabbed by the synopsis, and I don't regret it a bit. Hangover Square is a wonderful read, a dark, comic tale of loneliness, obsession, schizophrenia and drunkeness. George Harvey Bone is obsessed with Netta Longdon, a beautiful, enigmatic woman, and, to be frank, a right bitch. She manipulates him and takes him for whatever she can, perfectly aware of his infatuation with her. Her and her coterie of similarly selfish friends treat kindly George as a mug, letting him dance attendance on them, a tolerated hanger on in their lifestyle of daytime drinking, smoking and general looseness. Bits of the book remind me of my own life (in more ways than one), which was certainly a striking experience! This was partly why the book was so fascinating to me, and the synopsis grabbed me so in the first place.
While it's a dark book, and one justly wants to give Netta a lot more than a good slap for the cruel way she goes about her business, it's also a very funny one, with a great sense of black humour. It's great fun to read, and one really hopes George will be able to release himself from the girl's grasp. The plot moves briskly, and there's not a dull page as a host of fascinating people dip in and out of things. Possibly the greatest achievement of the book is the underlying levels of compassion that Hamilton has for George, the saddening way the character's real loneliness is conveyed. Hangover Square is dark and funny and fascinating, but, come it's final few pages, it is also very, very sad. It's a book that should be far more widely read than it is.
Wake Up George!, 12 Jun 2008
I discovered this book almost by chance, it just seemed to be screaming at me from the shelf in the bookstore, I flipped through it and thought it was one of those arty books, but I gave it a go anyway.
I got home after work and picked it up, I was instantly hooked. There's something indescribable about this book, I just wanted to grab George by the shoulders and tell him that Netta wasn't worth all this pain and agony! I will say that at times it is a little depressing but definitely a classic that has sadly been forgotten.
I nearly cried at the end because of George's ending, the sad thing is though, there is people like that still in this world who are being taken advantage of at every possible stage.
Please give this book a go as it is truly breathtaking.
Sex, Madness and Utter Moral Failure, 15 Apr 2008
It's arguable, but I think this is Hamilton's masterpiece. The reason I say this is the way he creates such a plausible and compelling account of a descent into madness and links it so effortlessly to the moral collapse of Neville Chamberlains England.
I have read this book many times, and Hamilton is so skilled at playing the readers hopes that each time I root for George and hope he will make the two or three simple choices that will save him (one may have the same feelings about England when reading Churchill on the lead up to World War 2). But he never does- the tragedy unfolds from its seeds on the first few pages and is always terrible.
In Netta he has surely also created one of the finest and most repulsive femmes fatale ever.
If you have ever been unhappily in love and been led a merry dance, you will find George Harvey Bone in yourself and be both moved, afraid and grateful that you escaped.
If you have ever lived in a country busy being sold down the river by weak leaders, then the same applies.
Buy this book!
Strangely compelling and really quite touching, 20 Mar 2008
I bought this as a holiday read and was expecting it to be a dour struggle to get through. However, it actually turned out to be really quite compelling. It's easy to identify with the lead character. He doesn't have any real friends most of the time and those that he thinks are his friends treat him badly and make him feel sad. He's kind to his cat and really he's just a lost soul. The final scene where images of happier, innocent, times come back to him is extremely touching and will stay with you for ever probably.
Extraordinary Book, 17 Feb 2008
Georage Henry Bone has two problems in his life. He is hopelessly infatuated with the cruel and scheming Netta, and he suffers from periodic "dead moods" which the book intimates are a form of schizophrenia. Through a world of smoky pubs, their inhabitant lowlives, and endless drinking we see the development of both George's infatuation and his illness. All this against a background of approaching WW2.
What makes this book so extraordinary is the total authenticity of the characters. It doesn't deal in great universal truths, other than unfulfilled potential and unrequited love, but it does deal in the minutiae of ordinary everyday life, and does so brilliantly. Netta is a quite stupendoulsy hateful villain, but is also a fully realised, 3 dimensional and believable character. Likewise, her willing victim, the hapless George is heartbreakingly credible.
Hamilton doesn't just give us believeable characters, he also provides a world for them to inhabit, the pubs, bars and drinking dens of pre-war London and Brighton are evocatively portrayed.
Definitely very highly recommended.
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Customer Reviews
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy. i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it! About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read. A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead... Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
A A A-mazing, 27 Oct 2007
I achieved an A grade using this guide, so I will firstly state that is guide is a fantastic resource for revsion.
I like the language within the guide, as it was not too simple or too complex which usually puts me off revising.
The guide is easy to digest and the interpretations within the guide gain higher grades for the user within the exam, as it is interpretations that the examiner looks for.
I like the size of the guide, as the small size meant that I could easily pop it in my tote bag while travelling meaning that if I had a few minutes spare, I could revise from the guide.
I also liked the techniques that advised the reader what to do within the book, which I found useful as I often found that teacher jargon was too vauge.
I would highly reccomend this guide to anyone studying GCSE English Litrature and "An Inspector Calls".
:)
Fantastic, 14 Jul 2006
This was a superb aid for my GCSE English Literature exam. I had both this and the York Notes version for this text, but found the Letts one to be better in terms of chapter commentaries - it also had a lot of sophisticated phrases that you can use in your own essay! It is in full colour, making it easy to read; there are also notes regarding the historical context and about the author. The only drawback was the limited amount of notes on themes; there was just a paragraph each for six themes which I did not find to be enough. The best solution is to buy as many notes and revision aids as possible, then construct your own revision notes from a variety of sources.
Patrick Hamilton - Hangover Square , 12 Sep 2008
Super! It's rare that I just pick up a book while browsing at random - normally I have very fixed ideas of what I wish to buy - but I bought this on a whim, grabbed by the synopsis, and I don't regret it a bit. Hangover Square is a wonderful read, a dark, comic tale of loneliness, obsession, schizophrenia and drunkeness. George Harvey Bone is obsessed with Netta Longdon, a beautiful, enigmatic woman, and, to be frank, a right bitch. She manipulates him and takes him for whatever she can, perfectly aware of his infatuation with her. Her and her coterie of similarly selfish friends treat kindly George as a mug, letting him dance attendance on them, a tolerated hanger on in their lifestyle of daytime drinking, smoking and general looseness. Bits of the book remind me of my own life (in more ways than one), which was certainly a striking experience! This was partly why the book was so fascinating to me, and the synopsis grabbed me so in the first place.
While it's a dark book, and one justly wants to give Netta a lot more than a good slap for the cruel way she goes about her business, it's also a very funny one, with a great sense of black humour. It's great fun to read, and one really hopes George will be able to release himself from the girl's grasp. The plot moves briskly, and there's not a dull page as a host of fascinating people dip in and out of things. Possibly the greatest achievement of the book is the underlying levels of compassion that Hamilton has for George, the saddening way the character's real loneliness is conveyed. Hangover Square is dark and funny and fascinating, but, come it's final few pages, it is also very, very sad. It's a book that should be far more widely read than it is.
Wake Up George!, 12 Jun 2008
I discovered this book almost by chance, it just seemed to be screaming at me from the shelf in the bookstore, I flipped through it and thought it was one of those arty books, but I gave it a go anyway.
I got home after work and picked it up, I was instantly hooked. There's something indescribable about this book, I just wanted to grab George by the shoulders and tell him that Netta wasn't worth all this pain and agony! I will say that at times it is a little depressing but definitely a classic that has sadly been forgotten.
I nearly cried at the end because of George's ending, the sad thing is though, there is people like that still in this world who are being taken advantage of at every possible stage.
Please give this book a go as it is truly breathtaking.
Sex, Madness and Utter Moral Failure, 15 Apr 2008
It's arguable, but I think this is Hamilton's masterpiece. The reason I say this is the way he creates such a plausible and compelling account of a descent into madness and links it so effortlessly to the moral collapse of Neville Chamberlains England.
I have read this book many times, and Hamilton is so skilled at playing the readers hopes that each time I root for George and hope he will make the two or three simple choices that will save him (one may have the same feelings about England when reading Churchill on the lead up to World War 2). But he never does- the tragedy unfolds from its seeds on the first few pages and is always terrible.
In Netta he has surely also created one of the finest and most repulsive femmes fatale ever.
If you have ever been unhappily in love and been led a merry dance, you will find George Harvey Bone in yourself and be both moved, afraid and grateful that you escaped.
If you have ever lived in a country busy being sold down the river by weak leaders, then the same applies.
Buy this book!
Strangely compelling and really quite touching, 20 Mar 2008
I bought this as a holiday read and was expecting it to be a dour struggle to get through. However, it actually turned out to be really quite compelling. It's easy to identify with the lead character. He doesn't have any real friends most of the time and those that he thinks are his friends treat him badly and make him feel sad. He's kind to his cat and really he's just a lost soul. The final scene where images of happier, innocent, times come back to him is extremely touching and will stay with you for ever probably.
Extraordinary Book, 17 Feb 2008
Georage Henry Bone has two problems in his life. He is hopelessly infatuated with the cruel and scheming Netta, and he suffers from periodic "dead moods" which the book intimates are a form of schizophrenia. Through a world of smoky pubs, their inhabitant lowlives, and endless drinking we see the development of both George's infatuation and his illness. All this against a background of approaching WW2.
What makes this book so extraordinary is the total authenticity of the characters. It doesn't deal in great universal truths, other than unfulfilled potential and unrequited love, but it does deal in the minutiae of ordinary everyday life, and does so brilliantly. Netta is a quite stupendoulsy hateful villain, but is also a fully realised, 3 dimensional and believable character. Likewise, her willing victim, the hapless George is heartbreakingly credible.
Hamilton doesn't just give us believeable characters, he also provides a world for them to inhabit, the pubs, bars and drinking dens of pre-war London and Brighton are evocatively portrayed.
Definitely very highly recommended.
Absolubtely lovely, charming book., 26 Jan 2001
This is an exquisite adorable tale of a theatre troupe travelling England in the first half of the twentieth century. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a soppy sentimental book, what I mean by my adjectives is merely that each character is so beautifully carved that they leap off the page and into your heart the instant you read of them. Again that sounds far more hideous than it is, in reality this is a nice book, one in which you truly wish each and every character well, and hold your breath in case anything nasty should befall them, but don't worry as in the best theatre traditions it'll all be alright on the night. Although very long I'm sure by the last page you will be wishing it was twice the length. In my opinion this book was Priestley's finest hour.
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Customer Reviews
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy. i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it! About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read. A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead... Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
A A A-mazing, 27 Oct 2007
I achieved an A grade using this guide, so I will firstly state that is guide is a fantastic resource for revsion.
I like the language within the guide, as it was not too simple or too complex which usually puts me off revising.
The guide is easy to digest and the interpretations within the guide gain higher grades for the user within the exam, as it is interpretations that the examiner looks for.
I like the size of the guide, as the small size meant that I could easily pop it in my tote bag while travelling meaning that if I had a few minutes spare, I could revise from the guide.
I also liked the techniques that advised the reader what to do within the book, which I found useful as I often found that teacher jargon was too vauge.
I would highly reccomend this guide to anyone studying GCSE English Litrature and "An Inspector Calls".
:)
Fantastic, 14 Jul 2006
This was a superb aid for my GCSE English Literature exam. I had both this and the York Notes version for this text, but found the Letts one to be better in terms of chapter commentaries - it also had a lot of sophisticated phrases that you can use in your own essay! It is in full colour, making it easy to read; there are also notes regarding the historical context and about the author. The only drawback was the limited amount of notes on themes; there was just a paragraph each for six themes which I did not find to be enough. The best solution is to buy as many notes and revision aids as possible, then construct your own revision notes from a variety of sources.
Patrick Hamilton - Hangover Square , 12 Sep 2008
Super! It's rare that I just pick up a book while browsing at random - normally I have very fixed ideas of what I wish to buy - but I bought this on a whim, grabbed by the synopsis, and I don't regret it a bit. Hangover Square is a wonderful read, a dark, comic tale of loneliness, obsession, schizophrenia and drunkeness. George Harvey Bone is obsessed with Netta Longdon, a beautiful, enigmatic woman, and, to be frank, a right bitch. She manipulates him and takes him for whatever she can, perfectly aware of his infatuation with her. Her and her coterie of similarly selfish friends treat kindly George as a mug, letting him dance attendance on them, a tolerated hanger on in their lifestyle of daytime drinking, smoking and general looseness. Bits of the book remind me of my own life (in more ways than one), which was certainly a striking experience! This was partly why the book was so fascinating to me, and the synopsis grabbed me so in the first place.
While it's a dark book, and one justly wants to give Netta a lot more than a good slap for the cruel way she goes about her business, it's also a very funny one, with a great sense of black humour. It's great fun to read, and one really hopes George will be able to release himself from the girl's grasp. The plot moves briskly, and there's not a dull page as a host of fascinating people dip in and out of things. Possibly the greatest achievement of the book is the underlying levels of compassion that Hamilton has for George, the saddening way the character's real loneliness is conveyed. Hangover Square is dark and funny and fascinating, but, come it's final few pages, it is also very, very sad. It's a book that should be far more widely read than it is.
Wake Up George!, 12 Jun 2008
I discovered this book almost by chance, it just seemed to be screaming at me from the shelf in the bookstore, I flipped through it and thought it was one of those arty books, but I gave it a go anyway.
I got home after work and picked it up, I was instantly hooked. There's something indescribable about this book, I just wanted to grab George by the shoulders and tell him that Netta wasn't worth all this pain and agony! I will say that at times it is a little depressing but definitely a classic that has sadly been forgotten.
I nearly cried at the end because of George's ending, the sad thing is though, there is people like that still in this world who are being taken advantage of at every possible stage.
Please give this book a go as it is truly breathtaking.
Sex, Madness and Utter Moral Failure, 15 Apr 2008
It's arguable, but I think this is Hamilton's masterpiece. The reason I say this is the way he creates such a plausible and compelling account of a descent into madness and links it so effortlessly to the moral collapse of Neville Chamberlains England.
I have read this book many times, and Hamilton is so skilled at playing the readers hopes that each time I root for George and hope he will make the two or three simple choices that will save him (one may have the same feelings about England when reading Churchill on the lead up to World War 2). But he never does- the tragedy unfolds from its seeds on the first few pages and is always terrible.
In Netta he has surely also created one of the finest and most repulsive femmes fatale ever.
If you have ever been unhappily in love and been led a merry dance, you will find George Harvey Bone in yourself and be both moved, afraid and grateful that you escaped.
If you have ever lived in a country busy being sold down the river by weak leaders, then the same applies.
Buy this book!
Strangely compelling and really quite touching, 20 Mar 2008
I bought this as a holiday read and was expecting it to be a dour struggle to get through. However, it actually turned out to be really quite compelling. It's easy to identify with the lead character. He doesn't have any real friends most of the time and those that he thinks are his friends treat him badly and make him feel sad. He's kind to his cat and really he's just a lost soul. The final scene where images of happier, innocent, times come back to him is extremely touching and will stay with you for ever probably.
Extraordinary Book, 17 Feb 2008
Georage Henry Bone has two problems in his life. He is hopelessly infatuated with the cruel and scheming Netta, and he suffers from periodic "dead moods" which the book intimates are a form of schizophrenia. Through a world of smoky pubs, their inhabitant lowlives, and endless drinking we see the development of both George's infatuation and his illness. All this against a background of approaching WW2.
What makes this book so extraordinary is the total authenticity of the characters. It doesn't deal in great universal truths, other than unfulfilled potential and unrequited love, but it does deal in the minutiae of ordinary everyday life, and does so brilliantly. Netta is a quite stupendoulsy hateful villain, but is also a fully realised, 3 dimensional and believable character. Likewise, her willing victim, the hapless George is heartbreakingly credible.
Hamilton doesn't just give us believeable characters, he also provides a world for them to inhabit, the pubs, bars and drinking dens of pre-war London and Brighton are evocatively portrayed.
Definitely very highly recommended.
Absolubtely lovely, charming book., 26 Jan 2001
This is an exquisite adorable tale of a theatre troupe travelling England in the first half of the twentieth century. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a soppy sentimental book, what I mean by my adjectives is merely that each character is so beautifully carved that they leap off the page and into your heart the instant you read of them. Again that sounds far more hideous than it is, in reality this is a nice book, one in which you truly wish each and every character well, and hold your breath in case anything nasty should befall them, but don't worry as in the best theatre traditions it'll all be alright on the night. Although very long I'm sure by the last page you will be wishing it was twice the length. In my opinion this book was Priestley's finest hour.
Stands the test of time, 03 May 2007
My parents had an old book club edition of 'Bright Day' which I enjoyed reading in my teens. At that time I liked it because it's written from the viewpoint of a clever but rather lonely young Yorkshireman and would-be writer (Gregory), who is beguiled by a charismatic family - a situation which echoed my own life at the time of reading it. The story of Gregory's youth ends with tragedy but is interwoven with a more hopeful theme of the (now middle-aged) Gregory, who has become a successful Hollywood scriptwriter, solving some of the mysteries surrounding past events and also looking forward to helping change society through film. Coming back to the book 3 decades later, I'm fascinated by the descriptions of bygone Yorkshire life and society. The 'modern' section of the book, in which Gregory looks to a better future in social-realist film-making, is itself now a historical curiosity. I also appreciate the humour in the book much more than before. The new hardback edition, with photos and explanatory material about Priestley and the novel itself, is nicely produced and the photos of the area where the story is set definitely add to the experience. Unfortunately the additional material is full of typos which is such a pity in an otherwise laudable effort to bring this neglected classic to a new audience.
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Customer Reviews
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy. i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it! About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read. A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead... Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
A A A-mazing, 27 Oct 2007
I achieved an A grade using this guide, so I will firstly state that is guide is a fantastic resource for revsion.
I like the language within the guide, as it was not too simple or too complex which usually puts me off revising.
The guide is easy to digest and the interpretations within the guide gain higher grades for the user within the exam, as it is interpretations that the examiner looks for.
I like the size of the guide, as the small size meant that I could easily pop it in my tote bag while travelling meaning that if I had a few minutes spare, I could revise from the guide.
I also liked the techniques that advised the reader what to do within the book, which I found useful as I often found that teacher jargon was too vauge.
I would highly reccomend this guide to anyone studying GCSE English Litrature and "An Inspector Calls".
:)
Fantastic, 14 Jul 2006
This was a superb aid for my GCSE English Literature exam. I had both this and the York Notes version for this text, but found the Letts one to be better in terms of chapter commentaries - it also had a lot of sophisticated phrases that you can use in your own essay! It is in full colour, making it easy to read; there are also notes regarding the historical context and about the author. The only drawback was the limited amount of notes on themes; there was just a paragraph each for six themes which I did not find to be enough. The best solution is to buy as many notes and revision aids as possible, then construct your own revision notes from a variety of sources.
Patrick Hamilton - Hangover Square , 12 Sep 2008
Super! It's rare that I just pick up a book while browsing at random - normally I have very fixed ideas of what I wish to buy - but I bought this on a whim, grabbed by the synopsis, and I don't regret it a bit. Hangover Square is a wonderful read, a dark, comic tale of loneliness, obsession, schizophrenia and drunkeness. George Harvey Bone is obsessed with Netta Longdon, a beautiful, enigmatic woman, and, to be frank, a right bitch. She manipulates him and takes him for whatever she can, perfectly aware of his infatuation with her. Her and her coterie of similarly selfish friends treat kindly George as a mug, letting him dance attendance on them, a tolerated hanger on in their lifestyle of daytime drinking, smoking and general looseness. Bits of the book remind me of my own life (in more ways than one), which was certainly a striking experience! This was partly why the book was so fascinating to me, and the synopsis grabbed me so in the first place.
While it's a dark book, and one justly wants to give Netta a lot more than a good slap for the cruel way she goes about her business, it's also a very funny one, with a great sense of black humour. It's great fun to read, and one really hopes George will be able to release himself from the girl's grasp. The plot moves briskly, and there's not a dull page as a host of fascinating people dip in and out of things. Possibly the greatest achievement of the book is the underlying levels of compassion that Hamilton has for George, the saddening way the character's real loneliness is conveyed. Hangover Square is dark and funny and fascinating, but, come it's final few pages, it is also very, very sad. It's a book that should be far more widely read than it is.
Wake Up George!, 12 Jun 2008
I discovered this book almost by chance, it just seemed to be screaming at me from the shelf in the bookstore, I flipped through it and thought it was one of those arty books, but I gave it a go anyway.
I got home after work and picked it up, I was instantly hooked. There's something indescribable about this book, I just wanted to grab George by the shoulders and tell him that Netta wasn't worth all this pain and agony! I will say that at times it is a little depressing but definitely a classic that has sadly been forgotten.
I nearly cried at the end because of George's ending, the sad thing is though, there is people like that still in this world who are being taken advantage of at every possible stage.
Please give this book a go as it is truly breathtaking.
Sex, Madness and Utter Moral Failure, 15 Apr 2008
It's arguable, but I think this is Hamilton's masterpiece. The reason I say this is the way he creates such a plausible and compelling account of a descent into madness and links it so effortlessly to the moral collapse of Neville Chamberlains England.
I have read this book many times, and Hamilton is so skilled at playing the readers hopes that each time I root for George and hope he will make the two or three simple choices that will save him (one may have the same feelings about England when reading Churchill on the lead up to World War 2). But he never does- the tragedy unfolds from its seeds on the first few pages and is always terrible.
In Netta he has surely also created one of the finest and most repulsive femmes fatale ever.
If you have ever been unhappily in love and been led a merry dance, you will find George Harvey Bone in yourself and be both moved, afraid and grateful that you escaped.
If you have ever lived in a country busy being sold down the river by weak leaders, then the same applies.
Buy this book!
Strangely compelling and really quite touching, 20 Mar 2008
I bought this as a holiday read and was expecting it to be a dour struggle to get through. However, it actually turned out to be really quite compelling. It's easy to identify with the lead character. He doesn't have any real friends most of the time and those that he thinks are his friends treat him badly and make him feel sad. He's kind to his cat and really he's just a lost soul. The final scene where images of happier, innocent, times come back to him is extremely touching and will stay with you for ever probably.
Extraordinary Book, 17 Feb 2008
Georage Henry Bone has two problems in his life. He is hopelessly infatuated with the cruel and scheming Netta, and he suffers from periodic "dead moods" which the book intimates are a form of schizophrenia. Through a world of smoky pubs, their inhabitant lowlives, and endless drinking we see the development of both George's infatuation and his illness. All this against a background of approaching WW2.
What makes this book so extraordinary is the total authenticity of the characters. It doesn't deal in great universal truths, other than unfulfilled potential and unrequited love, but it does deal in the minutiae of ordinary everyday life, and does so brilliantly. Netta is a quite stupendoulsy hateful villain, but is also a fully realised, 3 dimensional and believable character. Likewise, her willing victim, the hapless George is heartbreakingly credible.
Hamilton doesn't just give us believeable characters, he also provides a world for them to inhabit, the pubs, bars and drinking dens of pre-war London and Brighton are evocatively portrayed.
Definitely very highly recommended.
Absolubtely lovely, charming book., 26 Jan 2001
This is an exquisite adorable tale of a theatre troupe travelling England in the first half of the twentieth century. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a soppy sentimental book, what I mean by my adjectives is merely that each character is so beautifully carved that they leap off the page and into your heart the instant you read of them. Again that sounds far more hideous than it is, in reality this is a nice book, one in which you truly wish each and every character well, and hold your breath in case anything nasty should befall them, but don't worry as in the best theatre traditions it'll all be alright on the night. Although very long I'm sure by the last page you will be wishing it was twice the length. In my opinion this book was Priestley's finest hour.
Stands the test of time, 03 May 2007
My parents had an old book club edition of 'Bright Day' which I enjoyed reading in my teens. At that time I liked it because it's written from the viewpoint of a clever but rather lonely young Yorkshireman and would-be writer (Gregory), who is beguiled by a charismatic family - a situation which echoed my own life at the time of reading it. The story of Gregory's youth ends with tragedy but is interwoven with a more hopeful theme of the (now middle-aged) Gregory, who has become a successful Hollywood scriptwriter, solving some of the mysteries surrounding past events and also looking forward to helping change society through film. Coming back to the book 3 decades later, I'm fascinated by the descriptions of bygone Yorkshire life and society. The 'modern' section of the book, in which Gregory looks to a better future in social-realist film-making, is itself now a historical curiosity. I also appreciate the humour in the book much more than before. The new hardback edition, with photos and explanatory material about Priestley and the novel itself, is nicely produced and the photos of the area where the story is set definitely add to the experience. Unfortunately the additional material is full of typos which is such a pity in an otherwise laudable effort to bring this neglected classic to a new audience.
Great play.., 31 Aug 2008
Didn't read this copy, but I have read the play and it's great. Although fairly old-fashioned, it's very easy to keep up with for young readers. Also came in perfect condition.
Recommended buy.
i am reading this for gcse its really good , 15 Mar 2007
i am reading this in my class for gcse english it has got such a twist in it its fab i love the character eric i am a little bit squiffy! the inspector is such a good character how he is so aburpt and stern and makes nearly all of them regret there actions the play preformed on stage is also amazing i would reconmend this to anyone who loves a good moral mystery murder well suicide and to have all there ideas how they thought the play would end out of the window
read it!
About An Inspector Calls, 11 Jun 2006
Some consider this play to be a murder mystery or whodunit but in the ending of the play the form of moral tale is added as the inspector makes the audiece think about their moral responsiblity and how they collectively killed an innocent woman Eva Smith. An inspector calls is a very well-written play and of course contains the three unites of time place and action. These are all constant throughout the play and so allows the audience to focus of the dialogue. Priestley's socialist view point are put across clearly and many feel after reading or seeing this play they are better people and live a more socialist life. Priestley's use of languge, hints puns and suggests a different meaning to the names Goole and Eva Smith. A good play and a must read.
A brilliant read, 15 Nov 2005
This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead...
Relevent Then, Relevent Now, 04 Jun 2004
I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read. When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today. It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state. The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.
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Let the People Sing
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