- Paperback: 84 pages
- Publisher: Samuel French Ltd (Feb 1990)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0573113742
- ISBN-13: 978-0573113741
- Product Dimensions: 21 x 13.4 x 0.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
1,443,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8 in Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Hobbies & Games > Gambling > Baccarat
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This play is set at a time where honour is an important thing to a gentleman. Gossip is good and adultery is good to gossip about, but only when there is no scandal. So if you're a serial adulterer you can earn kudos as a lover of woman just as long as everyone is too afraid of the consequences. On the other hand cheating at cards is such a heinous crime that it can end up in a court trial (well a cheat is a fraudster hence a thief). So what happens when a cuckold takes advantage of a situation when the adulterer has been accused of cheating to pursue vengeance? The result is a situation where the adulterer will either be exposed as an adulterer or as a cheat in a liable case.
The play is well written and the stage directions set a atmosphere of a crucified person looking back at the events that lead to his ostracism form society, flicking between telling the story to his daughter and the past where his thoughts are mostly occupied. Act I does a excellent job of setting up all key events that will lead to a dramatic court case, covering motivation and the attempt to prevent the tragedy of a scandal that would involve the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII). Act II is an intense courtroom drama, the case going one way and then the other, comebacks on both sides when all seems lost and the tension of the adulterous secrete that stands to be exposed. I think this would be great play to see on stage.
The play is well written and the stage directions set a atmosphere of a crucified person looking back at the events that lead to his ostracism form society, flicking between telling the story to his daughter and the past where his thoughts are mostly occupied. Act I does a excellent job of setting up all key events that will lead to a dramatic court case, covering motivation and the attempt to prevent the tragedy of a scandal that would involve the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII). Act II is an intense courtroom drama, the case going one way and then the other, comebacks on both sides when all seems lost and the tension of the adulterous secrete that stands to be exposed. I think this would be great play to see on stage.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Compelling reading with many modern day parallels.
28 May 1999
Format:Hardcover
I could barely put this book down. It pieces together the events in a celebrated libel action brought in England in 1891. What is at stake? Simply a gentelman's honour, which may not mean much these days. However, for me the whole book was a gripping if sad commentary on human nature and personal motivation, further magnified by the English class system. The plaintiff in the case, a highly decorated soldier, has been accused of cheating in an illegal game of cards. Was he or wasn't he? He simply wishes to clear his name, but other issues are in play - notably that his friend, the Prince of Wales and heir to the English throne, was also (scandalously) playing. The authors skillfully piece together the events of the weekend of the fateful card games before carefully examining the subsequent trial, including brilliant cross examinations, revelations of prejudice among the witnesses and apparent prejudice on the part of England's most senior judge. Why should anybody care about all of this upper class cheek slapping? Perhaps because it contains parallels in today's world at every turn, from the desire of society's lever-pushers to supress a scandal to the way in which people run for cover once the lid is blown off. You don't need to be a lawyer or a historian to read and enjoy this book. It is extremely well researched and written. In fact the only thing I didn't like was the jury's verdict........
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