Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

My Patrick is so smart. I’d told him about what I had in my reading queue, and he suggested that if I wanted to, I could put Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead* by Tom Stoppard in there. Just to keep in the same vein, you know. A few — more than a few? several? — years back, when he (Patrick) was teaching a literature class, he taught Hamlet* followed by R&GAD for good reason… obviously. Reading them in that order worked out well for me, too.

So I’ll recommend it to you! Read Hamlet followed by R&GAD. Then watch the movie directed by Tom Stoppard and starring Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, and Richard Dreyfus.* (It’s available watch instantly on Netflix … today (12/4/2012), anyway.)

Stoppard does such an excellent job with this tragicomedy. Here’s a little telling treat: “What are you playing at?” “Words. That’s all we’ve got.” It seems so simple, but isn’t. Not really. You read these simple exchanges and go deeper. It’s really cool.

If you’re interested, you could read the description on the back of the book (or on amazon) for a hint about something you’ll be hearing about from me very soon. Not that I’m trying to be like Patrick or anything. Oh wait. Sure I am. Everybody should.