The Noël Coward reader
(Book)

The man they called "the master"

"Overture. Beginners

" : the early years. "Personal reminiscence" (verse) ; "The boy actor" (verse) ; "Forbidden fruit" (lyric) ; "When you come home on leave" (lyric) ; excerpts from The Unattainable (play)

The 1920s. "I like America" (lyric) ; "Touring days" (lyric) ; "Red peppers" (one-act play) containing "Has anybody seen our ship?" (lyric) and "Men about town" (lyric) ; "Me and the girls" (short story) ; "Why must the show go on?" (lyric) ; excerpt from The Vortex (play) ; excerpts from Fallen Angels (play) ; excerpts from Easy Virtue (play) ; excerpts from Hay Fever (play) ; "Epitaph for an elderly actress" (verse) ; "Preface to Semi-Monde" ; excerpts from Semi-Monde (play) ; "Green carnation" (lyric) ; "Sail away" (lyric) ; "I travel alone" (lyric) ; "Parisian Pierrot" (lyric) ; "Poor little rich girl" (lyric) ; "Dance. Little lady" (lyric) ; "What is love?" (lyric) ; "If love were all" (lyric) ; "I'll see you again" (lyric) ; "I'll follow my secret heart" (lyric) ; "I am no good at love" (verse) ; "Something very strange" (lyric) ; "A room with a view" (lyric) ; "This is to let you know" (verse) ; "I knew you without enchantment" (verse) ; "Mad about the boy" (lyric) ; "Bronxville darby and Joan" (lyric) ; "Come the wild, wild weather" (lyric)

The 1930s. "Twentieth century blues" (lyric) ; excerpts from Private Lives (play) ; "Someday I'll find you" (lyric) ; "Strictly private lives" (sketch) ; "Mad dogs and Englishmen" (lyric) ; "Mrs. Worthington" (lyric) ; "Social grace" (verse) ; "I've got to go out and be social" (verse) ; "Mrs. Mallory" (verse) ; "The kindness of Mrs. Radcliffe" (short story) ; excerpts from Design for Living (play) ; "Design for rehearsing" (sketch) ; excerpts from Tonight at 8:30 (play sequence) : "Fumed oak" ; "Shadow play" (one-act plays) including "Then" (lyric), "Play, orchestra, play" (lyric) and "You were there" (lyric) ; "What mad pursuit?" (short story) ; "I've been to a marvellous party" (lyric) ; "The stately homes of England" (lyric) ; "I wonder what happened to him?" (lyric)

The 1940s. "Friendship in wartime" (essay) ; "Notes on liaison (verse) ; "News ballad" (verse) ; "Personal note" (verse) ; "London pride" (lyric) ; "London. 1940." (essay) ; "Lie in the dark and listen" (verse) ; excerpt from This Happy Breed (play) ; excerpts from Blithe Spirit (play) ; excerpts from Time Remembered (play) ; "Canton Island" (verse) ; "Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill" (short story) ; excerpts from In Which We Serve (film) ; "I've just come out from England" (verse) "Don't let's be beastly to the Germans" (lyric) ; excerpts from Present Laughter (play) ; "The one man play" (sketch) ; excerpts from Brief Encounter (film) ; "This is a changing world" (lyric) ; "Uncle Harry" (lyric) ; "Alice is at it again" (lyric) ; excerpts from Peace in Our Time (play) ; "Victory?" (essay)

The 1950s. "There are bad times just around the corner" (lyric) ; "Tribute to Marlene Dietrich" (verse) ; "Louisa" (lyric) ; "A bar on the Piccola Marina" (lyric) ; excerpt from Nude with Violin (play) ; "Consider the public : a warning to actors" (essay) ; "Consider the public : a warning to dramatic critics" (essay) ; "Together with music" (lyric) ; "Jamaica" (verse) ; "House guest" (verse) ; "World weary" (lyric)

The 1960s. excerpts from Waiting in the Wings (play) ; "Later than spring" (lyric) ; "Why do the wrong people travel?" (lyric) ; "Useless useful phrases" (lyric) ; excerpt from Pomp and Circumstance (novel) ; "The battle of Britain dinner, New York, 1963" (verse) ; excerpt from Suite in Three Keys ("A song at twilight") (play) ; "How I wonder what you are" (essay) ; excerpt from Star Quality (play) ; excerpt from Age Cannot Wither (play)

Envoi

the 1970s. "The party's over now" (lyric) ; "When I have fears" (verse) ; "I'm here for a short visit only" (verse).