Life of Galileo [Paperback]

Bertolt Brecht (Author), John Willett (Author), Ralph Manheim (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1559702540 | ISBN-13: 978-1559702546 | Publication Date: August 1, 1994 | Edition: 1st Arcade pbk. ed

Straight from London's National Theatre to L.A. Theatre Works! Unrelenting in his search for ""simple truth"" Galileo Galilei shatters beliefs held sacred for two thousand years. But, under threat of torture by the Holy Inquisition, his scientific and personal integrity are put to the test as he argues for his very life in a passionate debate over science, politics, religion and ethics that resonates to this day. This American premier, translated by David Hare and directed by Martin Jarvis, stars Stacy Keach and features an interview with Dr. E.C. Krupp, Director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Neil Dickson, Roy Dotrice, Jeannie Elias, Jill Gascoine, Stacy Keach, Peter Lavin, Robert Machray, Christopher Neame, Moira Quirk, Darren Richardson, Alan Shearman, Simon Templeman, Joanne Whalley, Matthew Wolf

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

About the Author

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) is acknowledged as one of the great dramatists whose plays, work with the Berliner Ensemble and writing have had a considerable influence on the theatre. His landmark plays include The Threepenny Opera and, while exiled from Germany and living in the USA, such masterpieces as The Life of Galileo, Mother Courage and The Caucasian Chalk Circle. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Arcade Publishing; 1st Arcade pbk. ed edition (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559702540
• ISBN-13: 978-1559702546
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #541,934 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eating the apple from the tree of knowledge., October 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Brecht Collected Plays: Life of Galileo : Part 1 (Hardcover)

In a pleasant and intertaining discription of the life of Galileo, Bertolt Brecht explores not only the advancement of our knowledge of the earth but more important the role of the church during the time period.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great Social/Political Satire..., October 5, 2005

By 

Christopher J. Sugar "1L Law Student" (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life of Galileo (Paperback)

Bertolt Brecht's "the Life of Galileo" is perhaps one of his best known plays which came to define the Epic Drama genre of the 20th century. Written in America after Brecht fled the Nazi uprising in Germany, "the Life of Galileo" takes a bold stance about science and scientific discovery in a time when Atomic Theory and the development of an Atomic Bomb were making people consider what may happen when something good (atomic energy) are made into something bad (atomic bombs).

Though this version is the revised edition to the play (Brecht had written two previous versions that he changed) it still captures the spirit of Epic drama and the social/political issues can be deduced by Brecht's portrayl of Galileo.

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing but the Sun, September 15, 2011

By 

Thanthon - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Life of Galileo (Modern Plays) (Hardcover)

Galileo's story is well known. Brecht writing decades ago in the shadow of WWII realizes the human frailties implicit in ignorance,
bias, exercise of power and misplaced religious belief in this short and vivid work. Galileo plays several roles in Brecht's view, but none more important than that of surviving in order that his ideas could survive. I am reminded of John Ciardi's observation: "To sing, one must hide in the world one sings from."