"Long may he continue to divert us," said The New York Times Book Review in its review of Davies's international bestseller The Cunning Man. And even Davies's mourned death soon afterward could not thwart that wish. For here, on the heels of his acclaimed posthumous work, The Merry Heart, come another 33 pieces that resonate with his vast erudition, warm wisdom, and rascally wit. The happy alchemy in this delightful book transforms subjects ranging from Greek drama and 18th century farce to contemporary set design, from the trouble with Hamlet as opera to the sheer delight of Lewis Carroll and "Dickens and Music." The editors have produced tantalising quotes from his private diaries to help introduce each of the book's essays. Davies disciples, theatre buffs, and music lovers alike will find in Happy Alchemy a rare treat.
