Victor L Cahn

The absurdities of contemporary politics and culture are lampooned in this unique and biting novel, composed entirely of media sound bites. Here are the voices of our time: politicians, reporters, pundits, and voters, all clashing amid a senatorial campaign between a young conservative woman and a venerable liberal man. The result is a fast-paced satire filled with sharp dialogue and ironic surprises.

In this witty and ironic novel, Melissa and Dave claim to love each other, but clash as to how the relationship should proceed. Their predicament is complicated by Beth, who brazenly asserts her own amorous intentions. Add a provocative element of mystery, and the result is a subtly subversive comedy about contemporary romance.

Touching viewers and readers with his presentation of social, moral, and political issues, Shakespeare holds ageless and unequaled appeal primarily because of the universal themes at the heart of his dramatic works. Shakespeare scholar Victor Cahn takes a unique approach to exploring the plays by identifying and explicating the themes that recur throughout the canon. Written in lively language, each of the 35 essays explores a core theme or topic...

In this play of letters, a young official in a college alumni office invites a celebrated but reclusive author to the thirty-fifth reunion of his class. When he declines, she charmingly prods him, and thereby begins a witty and revelatory correspondence that becomes part mystery, part memory, and part romance.--Publisher description.

Throughout the twentieth century, artists have become increasingly concerned with the search for meaning in a fragmented, unfathomable world. In the plays of Harold Pinter, that search leads to a struggle for security through the control of territory and of people. By examining many of Pinter's major works, Cahn shows that this struggle often manifests itself in a gender battle, where men dominate the physical arena, but women control the emotional...

This singular book illustrates how to edit a piece of prose to enhance its clarity of thought and felicity of style. The authors first present ten principles of effective composition, and then scrutinize three extended paragraphs, suggesting with remarkable specificity how to improve them. The volume also offers challenging practice questions, as well as two finished essays, one serious and one humorous, that demonstrate how attention to sound mechanics...