attytheresa's review against another edition
5.0
This beautiful perfectly crafted short novel about life on Catfish Row in Charleston in the first quarter of the 20th Century illuminates the tragedy/comedy mask of the Greeks. It is utterly timeless as well.
It centers on Porgy, a crippled beggar, who lives in one of the rooms at ground level. Porgy is alone yet part of a community. He has a gift for gambling which eventually has him crossing paths with the brutal murderous Crown and his addiction prone woman, Bess. Over the course of one summer, these 3 and the other residents of Catfish Row see tragedy and comedy play out to a conclusion as inevitable as anything written by Euripedes or Shakespeare.
The writing sings, it is poetry as prose, it is absolutely remorseless and terrifying when needed. I think the description of the hurricane alone will haunt me. It is no wonder it inspired the Gershwins to create a great American opera. How brilliant of them also to have the author of the original work participate in writing the libretto, a rare event in opera, or theater or film for that matter.
It centers on Porgy, a crippled beggar, who lives in one of the rooms at ground level. Porgy is alone yet part of a community. He has a gift for gambling which eventually has him crossing paths with the brutal murderous Crown and his addiction prone woman, Bess. Over the course of one summer, these 3 and the other residents of Catfish Row see tragedy and comedy play out to a conclusion as inevitable as anything written by Euripedes or Shakespeare.
The writing sings, it is poetry as prose, it is absolutely remorseless and terrifying when needed. I think the description of the hurricane alone will haunt me. It is no wonder it inspired the Gershwins to create a great American opera. How brilliant of them also to have the author of the original work participate in writing the libretto, a rare event in opera, or theater or film for that matter.
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