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Major Barbara Paperback – November 8, 2020

by George Bernard Shaw (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 105 ratings
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Major Barbara, a play by George Bernard Shaw published in 1905, follows the story of Major Barbara Undershaft, a young woman who joins the Salvation Army in London in order to help the impoverished. She soon discovers that her father, Andrew Undershaft, is a wealthy armaments manufacturer and realizes that he is the very source of the problems she is trying to solve. Barbara is forced to grapple with the moral implications of her father's business and her own ideals, ultimately coming to the conclusion that money and power are the greatest forces of good in society.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was a renowned Irish playwright, critic, and political activist. He was born in Dublin on July 26, 1856 and is best known for his witty and provocative plays such as Pygmalion, Saint Joan, and Major Barbara. He was a co-founder of the London School of Economics, a member of the Fabian Society, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925. Throughout his life, Shaw was committed to causes such as universal suffrage, women's rights, and socialism. His plays often satirized social customs, and his political and social views are reflected in his works. He also wrote numerous articles and essays, as well as several books on politics, music, and literature. Shaw is often referred to as one of the greatest dramatists in English literature. His works are known for their sharp wit, clever wordplay, and criticism of social issues. Some of his most famous plays include Arms and the Man, Man and Superman, and Candida. He also wrote a number of musicals, such as The Chocolate Soldier and The Apple Cart. Shaw died in 1950 at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of great works and social activism. He is remembered for his thought-provoking plays, his commitment to progressive causes, and his indomitable spirit. He remains one of the most influential playwrights in English literature, and his works are still widely studied and performed today.
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  1. Print length
    106 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 8, 2020
  4. Dimensions
    5 x 0.27 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-13
    979-8560952457
  6. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08MWXRMR3
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (November 8, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 106 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8560952457
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.27 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 105 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
105 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

The Smiling Stallion Inn
5.0 out of 5 stars Salvation Army
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2013
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Major Barbara is a key player in her local chapter of the Salvation Army, but she really has a lot to deal with as the daughter of a major arms manufacturer and billionaire. Can she save the soul of her wayward father, as well as the other souls under her care? Or will her father show her that there is another way to life, even in a factory of death? At what price is salvation?
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2014
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Great book. very pleased with this transaction
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Fine Chocolate
3.0 out of 5 stars Good play but horrendous typesetting
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2008
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The Penguin Classics '01 paperback edition is laden with typographic errors. The spacing between individual letters is inconsistent on numerous occasions, which can be rather jarring to the eyes when "it" becomes "i t" whereas the rest of the line is densely packed. The typesetter even got the most brilliant idea by turning "flourish" into "∫'tourish". Although I enjoyed reading the play, my experience was marred by these misprints.
One person found this helpful
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Goddess of Blah Book Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars sharp wit and a great plot Comedy gold
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2014
Satire, subtle (and not so subtle) digs, sharp wit and a great plot

Comedy gold.
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Rashad J.
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, Enjoyed it more than I anticipated
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2013
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I brought this for my required reading in an upper level Economics course and I was thoroughly surprised by how much I actually enjoyed reading it. It's a quick and easy read with a lot of humor. There will be clear favorites among the characters although some of them you will ask yourself why you like them so much. On paper Undershaft is more of an antagonist than anything else but you will find yourself liking him anyways. All in all the themes and issues presented by Shaw's characters are done brilliantly and it's worth more than just one read.
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Max A. Lebow
5.0 out of 5 stars Gun-Running has Changed but not that Much
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2006
"Major Barbara" is a morality tale of a young woman, a Major in the Salvation Army, who finds her work supported by an arms dealer. Surprisingly, the arms dealer in the play, Undershaft, is witty, urbane, generous, industrious, and ruthless. He has some of the same rationalizations for what he does that contemporary arms dealers still use. He does not kill anyone. He does not start wars. He is in business. He creates jobs. If he did not do it, someone else would. Everyone does it, including governments. Poverty is the crime. Industry, including making armaaments, is the cure.

So, not much has changed. The world of the play is a complex web of moral ambiguity, hiding the most murderous of crimes. Or, are they really crimes at all? You be the judge.

This is a play worth reading. But if you are interested in the morals, or lack of them, in gun-running, and don't like reading plays, try "Lord of War," the film with Nicholas Cage.
5 people found this helpful
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Tariq Hussain
1.0 out of 5 stars The description was misleading.
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2010
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The title states that it has the Preface but the preface for Maor Barber is over 50 pages long and this book only had about 9 pages of the preface. It has the whole play but if your taking a class that requires you to read the preface you will be screwed like I was.
3 people found this helpful
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Ken Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars comedic masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2001
The playwright uncovers the debate about war and pacifism. Shaw also illuminates the poverty industry, and shows that all money is tainted. The play is a vehicle for a debate on philosophies, the burning issues of the day. Shaw shows that the audience can laugh and think, in the same play. Probably Britain's best known playwright, after Shakespeare, Shaw shines in Major Barbara
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Wardleone
5.0 out of 5 stars Still a subject for discussion
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2021
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This play, although written around 1905 is still a subject for talking. Would your charity accept donations from an arm's manufacture or many others?
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RGL
1.0 out of 5 stars Essay NOT included.
Reviewed in Germany on February 25, 2020
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I bought this version because of the essay that is promised on the text on Amazon.
Well, it is NOT included.
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Khormaksar
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2018
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Ideal copy
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M. F. Kelland
4.0 out of 5 stars Period Piece
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2012
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Shaw writes of an Edwardian Britain in which the saintly qualities of the central character are complicated by the fact that she is of noble birth and supported by her estranged father's munitions business. Enter an impoverished greek scholar with flexible scruples, and the scenario is complete and romance flourishes as the plot extends to include the two widely diverse families of her home life and that of the Salvation Army shelter in the East End of London.
I had seen the 1940 film version of this story before reading the play, but found myself understanding the longer philosophical speeches better in the written form, so gained new enjoyment from Shaw's(sometimes rather long-winded)writing.
Twenty first century readers should not be put off by the writers Victorian style, there is much food for thought in the underlying messages of this play.
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Margaret Hopkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, interesting thought provoking entertaining.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2015
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One of my favorite Shaw plays. Enjoyed re reading it.
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