Greek and Roman Theater (World History Series) [Library Binding]

Don Nardo (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up--A well-done study of an aspect of classical culture that is usually given only cursory attention in most history books. The development of theatrical forms and the meaning and importance of performance and poetry to the Greeks are discussed, and biographical information about popular actors and playwrights is provided. Nardo explains that although the Romans had no notable early theater until they began to copy Greek styles, they demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt forms to suit their own tastes and culture. He then covers Late Republican drama and that of the Roman Empire; a follow-up chapter explores the profound influence of the ancient legacy on the art today. Primary and secondary sources are well documented. Numerous black-and-white photographs, charts, and illustrations help to round out this commendable addition. Paula Gaj Sitarz's The Curtain Rises, Vol. 1 (Betterway, 1991) is an interesting and at times amusing title that looks more thoroughly into the history of the theater, and volume two carries it to the present day.

Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukee, OR

Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 112 pages
• Publisher: Lucent Books (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560062495
• ISBN-13: 978-1560062493
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,571,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Don Nardo is a historian and award-winning writer who specializes in the ancient world, especially the civilizations of Greece and Rome. He began as a actor and worked with the National Shakespeare Company before turning to writing screenplays and teleplays and, soon afterward, devoting much of his time to historical research and writing. In the past two decades, he has published nearly two hundred volumes on diverse historical topics. And having earned numerous favorable reviews, he is widely recognized as the country's leading writer of historical works for young adults. He is also versed in various other subjects and as a result is frequently asked by publishers to write books on a number of scientific and literary topics.

Mr. Nardo also composes and arranges orchestral music, having started composing in his early teens. Over the years he has turned out more than eighty musical works, including 2 symphonies, 4 string quartets, several concertos, a film score, incidental music for stage productions, and several commissions, the most recent a double concerto for violin and Portuguese guitar written for two noted musicians. He is also the resident composer and arranger for the Amadis Orchestra, based in Connecticut. For more information, see his official web site at www.nardopublishing.com and his more extensive biography at Wikipedia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Stuff, April 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Greek and Roman Theater (World History Series) (Library Binding)

I am an aspiring actor and love to read about the history of theater. The title of this book caught my eye when I was scanning Amazon's listings for books about theater history, so I got a copy. I have to admit that I didn't know all that much about ancient theater before reading it. It really opened my eyes. It is really a kind of revalation to find out that almost every aspect of modern theater, including playwriting, acting, costumes, and so on were pioneered by the ancient Greeks. According to the author (Don Nardo) they even came up with the idea of theater tickets. It kind of humbles you to think there's really not much new under the sun, as the old saying goes. The sections of the book on Roman theater are REALLY fascinating. I can definitely recomend this book to all theater students or those who admire acting, plays, and movies.