Well, look at this here book, The Norton Anthology of Drama Shorter Third Edition. Sounds fancy, don’t it? But let me tell ya, it’s just a bunch of plays all crammed together. My grandkids, they read this stuff for school. Me? I just like a good story, don’t care much ’bout all the fancy learnin’ stuff.
This book, they say it’s got a whole heap of plays in it. Thirty-three, they say! That’s a lot of stories, ain’t it? More stories than old Mrs. Henderson down the road can tell, and she talks a blue streak, I tell ya. They even got some new ones in here, four of ’em. Guess they keep makin’ up new plays, even though there’s plenty of old ones that are just fine, if you ask me.
Now, what kinda plays are in here? Well, they got all sorts, I reckon. Some that make ya laugh, some that make ya cry, and some that just make ya scratch your head and wonder what in tarnation is goin’ on. They got them old Greek plays, with all them fellas in togas talkin’ fancy. And then they got them Shakespeare plays, where everyone’s always yellin’ and stabbin’ each other. And then they got them new plays, where folks just sit around talkin’ about their feelings. Lord, have mercy.
- Lots of plays, they say. More’n you can shake a stick at.
- Some old, some new. Just like the chickens in my coop.
- Some funny, some sad. Life’s like that, ain’t it?
This here book, they say it’s for students. Kids learnin’ about drama, whatever that is. Back in my day, we didn’t need no books to learn about drama. We just lived it! But I guess times are different now. Kids gotta read all this stuff to get a good job. Seems like a lot of work to me, but what do I know?
They say this book is well-prepared. That means they got all them fancy words explained and stuff. You know, so folks like me can understand it. But I still get confused sometimes. All them big words and fancy talk, it just makes my head spin. I like a story that’s easy to follow, you know? Like when my grandson tells me about his day at school. That’s a story I can understand.
And they say this book is popular. Lots of folks buyin’ it, I reckon. You can find it in bookstores, they say. Thirty bookstores! That’s a lot of stores sellin’ the same book. And you can even buy it online, on somethin’ called eBay. I don’t know nothin’ ’bout that, but my grandkids are always on it, lookin’ at stuff. Seems like you can buy just about anythin’ on that there internet these days.
This Third Edition, they say it’s got some new stuff in it. Five new plays, they say. And they changed some things around, too. Listenin’ to what them teachers and students had to say, I guess. That’s good, I reckon. Always good to listen to folks and make things better. Even if it’s just a book full of plays.
Now, I ain’t gonna lie, I ain’t read this whole book. Ain’t got the time, and frankly, ain’t got the patience. But I flipped through it, and I seen some things that looked interestin’. And I heard my grandkids talkin’ about some of the plays, and they seemed to like ’em. So, I guess it’s a good book, if you’re into that kinda thing. If you like stories about people doin’ all sorts of crazy things, then this here book might be right up your alley.
And they say it’s got some special “Perspectives” sections too. I don’t know what all that means. But I guess it helps folks understand the plays better. Maybe it tells ya what the writer was thinkin’, or why the characters are doin’ what they’re doin’. I don’t know. I just like to watch the story unfold, like watchin’ a good soap opera on TV.
So, there you have it. The Norton Anthology of Drama Shorter Third Edition. A big ol’ book full of plays. Some old, some new, some funny, some sad. It’s for students, they say, but maybe even an old lady like me could find somethin’ to enjoy in it. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll sit down and read the whole thing. But probably not. I got laundry to do.
Anyway, if you’re lookin’ for a book with a whole heap of plays in it, this one seems like a good bet. Just don’t expect me to understand all them fancy words and big ideas. I’m just a simple woman, and I like a simple story. And that’s the truth, plain and simple.
