Jon Glatfelter
  • About
  • Top Books
  • Archives
  • Reading List
  • Contact

THE BROWNING VERSION

9/11/2018

Comments

 
Picture
"'God from afar looks graciously upon a gentle master.' It comes from a speech of Agamemnon's to Clytemnestra."

— Terence Rattigan, The Browning Version

This 50-page, one-act play hit me even harder than The Winslow Boy. Terence Rattigan's ability to both plot and stylize his worlds and characters with such concise care and understated romance is incredible.

Andrew Crocker-Harris, a retiring classics professor is unpopular with his students, disrespected by his employer and colleagues, and unloved by his wife. And yet, there is so much good in him, just under the surface, which in part he hides and others don't look. Rattigan's simple situation grows in complexity as he paints the characters around the professor and their particular estimations of him with a deliberate, breaking of expectations. The result is a partial, yet powerful grail of redemption. 

I loved once again experiencing in The Browning Version what I loved in The Winslow Boy and Harlequinnade—the world-changing capacities of small, personal gestures. [JG]
​
Picture
WHO IS TERENCE RATTIGAN?
Terence Rattigan was a 20th Century playwright, whose best-known works include The Winslow Boy, After the Dance and The Deep Blue Sea. I'll be reporting back after I've read them and some others. From the little biographical information I've read, he was influenced by Shaw, Chekhov, Galsworthy, and Barrie. This quote of his struck me for his focus on content over style, which I appreciate: "A play isn't well made if you think about how well made it is, if you see the wheels turning."
​

​
Picture
"He doesn't seem to like people to like him--but in spite of that, I do--very much."

— Taplow, The Browning Version
​

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Picture
THE WINSLOW BOY

Terence Rattigan

Picture
THE MIRACLE WORKER

William Gibson
Picture
THE EAGLET

Edmond Rostand
​
Picture
TWELVE ANGRY MEN

Reginald Rose
Comments
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    SAVE OUR SOULS
    An Interview
    with artist Cyril Rolando
    ​

    Picture
    ANTHEM
    Ayn Rand

    Picture
    EXTREME OWNERSHIP
    Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
    ​

    Picture
    TOP BOOKS 2016
    My 10 favorite
    (re)reads of 2016
    ​

    Picture
    AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF BAD ARGUMENTS
    Ali Almossawi
    ​

    Picture
    BOOKS OF HUCKBERRY
    Summer 2016
    ​
    Picture
    Zorro: The Complete Pulp Adventures
    Johnston McCulley
    ​
    Picture
    MEDITATIONS
    Marcus Aurelius
    ​

    Picture
    DRAGON TEETH
    Michael Crichton
    ​

    Picture
    CHANTECLER
    Edmond Rostand
    Picture
Reading List
Top Books
Archives

I've been reading a book a week for 15+ years. On here, I share my favorites, fiction and nonfiction alike, as well as interviews with authors, artists, and entrepreneurs I admire. If you'd like to join a family of 5,000+ creatives, subscribe for the Reading List, a monthly email round-up for plenty of leads on your next read.