The Irish Writers: George Bernard Shaw: A Biography

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was a prolific dramatist,\r\ncritic, essayist, pamphleteer and social reformer. The shy, idealistic Irishman\r\nseparated himself from his opinionated public persona, G. B. S., and his\r\neccentric alter ego and his work were the vehicles for his social and political\r\nideals. He was a member of the socialist Fabian Society from its founding and\r\nedited Fabian Essays. Most of his early plays were banned because of their political\r\ncontent. His outspokenness made him unpopular in England for a time but his\r\nspreading worldwide fame made it easier for him to voice his views. \r\n\r\n\r\nPlays, such as Mrs Warrens Profession, Arms and the Man, Man and Superman, Major Barbara, Pygmalion and St Joan, his essays and letters, his\r\noutspoken opinions, great wit and charisma made him a celebrity and his name\r\nhas even passed into the English language in the word Shavian. He received the Nobel Prize for\r\nLiterature in 1925.\r\n\r\n\r\nAuthor David Ross has written a biography of Shaw that is exceptionally\r\nreadable and entertaining. The life, wit and prolific achievements of this\r\nIrish icon are conveyed with insight and understanding.