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arjohnson5623's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible. I consumed this book via audiobook, mostly driven by the desire to have Adam Driver speak to me for five and a half hours, but it quickly became more than that. This memoir combines deeply personal stories of the human condition with excerpts of Greek tragedies, and it is masterful. More than once I found myself tearing up, moved by the author’s explanation of concepts such as “fate versus free will,” or of catharsis. In the same way that you feel a little bit better after crying your heart out at a sad movie, this book provides a clarity and hopefulness that I think cannot be overstated.
judyapneeb's review against another edition
This was an amazing and haunting book.
Get the audiobook with Adam Driver's narration.
Get the audiobook with Adam Driver's narration.
albionscastle's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not going to lie...I initially ordered this audiobook for the narration of Adam Driver. That being said, by the end of the first chapter I was hooked. I couldn't stop listening. I certainly had never thought to look at Greek tragedy this way...insteac chalking it up to a not so fondly remembered semester at High School and University, never to be spoken of again.
Thanks to this author I am dusting off the old texts and plan to read them again with this new viewpoint. The stories the author used to illustrate his points and efforts in this endeavor moved me to tears several times. particulary the military aspects, including the discussion on human rights at Gitmo, as the military and its personnel are a particular interest of mine.
As a stand alone this book is worth the read, imbued with enough emotion to make it compelling but not so much as to detract from the seriousness of the subject matter.
I am not an audiobook fan by any means but the choice of narrator for this one made all the difference. The narration was impassioned and the performance of the tragedies within the text by Driver really added something to the overall feel of the book...something I feel I would have missed had I been simply reading the words with my previous prejudice against the poor Greeks.
All in all I would recommend the audiobook as well as the hard copy (which I just ordered) to anyone.
Thanks to this author I am dusting off the old texts and plan to read them again with this new viewpoint. The stories the author used to illustrate his points and efforts in this endeavor moved me to tears several times. particulary the military aspects, including the discussion on human rights at Gitmo, as the military and its personnel are a particular interest of mine.
As a stand alone this book is worth the read, imbued with enough emotion to make it compelling but not so much as to detract from the seriousness of the subject matter.
I am not an audiobook fan by any means but the choice of narrator for this one made all the difference. The narration was impassioned and the performance of the tragedies within the text by Driver really added something to the overall feel of the book...something I feel I would have missed had I been simply reading the words with my previous prejudice against the poor Greeks.
All in all I would recommend the audiobook as well as the hard copy (which I just ordered) to anyone.
the_yellowed_pages's review against another edition
5.0
I think, this book just articulated what I cannot when it comes to pain, death, suffering, and mental health. I recommend this book to people who do not know how to cope with theirs or for those who want to be able to articulate them.
ca_mouse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
makenziewho's review against another edition
5.0
A powerful and important read! I have only a passing interest in Greek Tragedies, and I was not familiar with any of the plays mentioned by Doerries. But the main takeaway for me was the timeless healing power of storytelling for our society, which is something I’m very passionate about.
Doerries describes his theater company’s work with three main groups- Veterans and active duty military, corrections officers and prisoners, and hospice care nurses. The stories and anecdotes from the audience members were the most impactful for me. The audio version is wonderful- Adam Driver does emotion-filled dramatic readings of the play excerpts which really add to the narrative. There is some pretty heavy content, so you may want to look up content warnings, but I highly recommend it.
Doerries describes his theater company’s work with three main groups- Veterans and active duty military, corrections officers and prisoners, and hospice care nurses. The stories and anecdotes from the audience members were the most impactful for me. The audio version is wonderful- Adam Driver does emotion-filled dramatic readings of the play excerpts which really add to the narrative. There is some pretty heavy content, so you may want to look up content warnings, but I highly recommend it.
silent_layla's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. First off, please listen to this book. There are many excerpts from Bryan Doerries' translation of ancient greek plays which are performed, not merely read, by the narrator Adam Driver. The audiobook also gives you the opportunity to hear the emotion behind each experience shared throughout this book. Mr. Driver's voice has such intensity and passion, possibly from having worked with Theatre of War himself, that the reading holds the weight this book deserves. I found myself on the edge of tears more times that I can count.
Going into this book, I knew absolutely nothing about it. The farther I listened the more understanding, empathy, and amazement I experienced. This book taught me a lot about what veterans, and other people dealing with fall out from extreme experiences, have to go through. I, at this time in my life, could never truly understand these people's experiences, but with this book I began to empathize and learn how complex and misunderstood certain systems within our society are.
And get this: this whole book is about ancient greek tragedies. Which sounds boring, but Doerries so eloquently explains just how crucial these tragedies can be to the correct audience. It was inspiring how powerful and healing theatre can be. This book has made me want to get involved to try and better understand and help heal others through performance.
Going into this book, I knew absolutely nothing about it. The farther I listened the more understanding, empathy, and amazement I experienced. This book taught me a lot about what veterans, and other people dealing with fall out from extreme experiences, have to go through. I, at this time in my life, could never truly understand these people's experiences, but with this book I began to empathize and learn how complex and misunderstood certain systems within our society are.
And get this: this whole book is about ancient greek tragedies. Which sounds boring, but Doerries so eloquently explains just how crucial these tragedies can be to the correct audience. It was inspiring how powerful and healing theatre can be. This book has made me want to get involved to try and better understand and help heal others through performance.
cdwright's review against another edition
5.0
A book I keep coming back to!! Throughly enjoyed this start to finish. The audiobook only magnifies this, thanks to Adam Driver. His experience in both military and theatre almost makes it feel like he could have been the author as well (no discredit to Mr Doerries!!)
sydneymh's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I picked this up because I'm interested in theatre history and community-based theatre productions but the book offered so much more than that. Its insight on death and mourning was deeply moving to me and I would honestly recommend the book to people who have no deep connection to Greek Tragedies. The bit about the doctor who works in palliative care was so insightful. I got more out of the health/healthcare-oriented segments than the military segments but Doerries really highlights the benefit of being in conversation with the military and prison systems and not in a way that promotes or excuses the military industrial complex.
I thought it was a deeply insightful read and I would genuinely recommend this book to anyone who thinks they don't care about theatre, but who does care about how we as a society handle death, loss, health, and end of life care.
I thought it was a deeply insightful read and I would genuinely recommend this book to anyone who thinks they don't care about theatre, but who does care about how we as a society handle death, loss, health, and end of life care.
nomadicreader's review against another edition
5.0
I am surprised by how much I liked this book. When I started I found the subject matter, as described in the blurb, mildly interesting - but Greek Tragedies are not something I know a lot about. Similarly I am undereducated in issues surrounding the needs of veterans or correctional staff. (I do have a bit more familiarity with palliative care issues.)
I ended up being totally immersed in this. The way that story, in the form of ancient dramas, caused connection and self reflection is something I'm highly interested in and this book delivers on that idea.
This is one where I'm going to recommend the audio book over a physical copy - the way Adam Driver performs the play excerpts adds immensely to the immersive experience.
I now have an actual desire to read these plays, rather than just a feeling of educational obligation to get to them someday.
I ended up being totally immersed in this. The way that story, in the form of ancient dramas, caused connection and self reflection is something I'm highly interested in and this book delivers on that idea.
This is one where I'm going to recommend the audio book over a physical copy - the way Adam Driver performs the play excerpts adds immensely to the immersive experience.
I now have an actual desire to read these plays, rather than just a feeling of educational obligation to get to them someday.