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Hedda Gabler. Translated . By Michael Meyer
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About the author
Michael Meyer
236 books94 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Michael Meyer is an American travel writer and the author of In Manchuria: A Village Called Wasteland and the Transformation of Rural China and The Last Days of Old Beijing: Life in the Vanishing Backstreets of a City Transformed. He graduated from University of Wisconsin–Madison. He first went to China in 1995 with the Peace Corps. Following Peace Corps, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied writing under Adam Hochschild and Maxine Hong Kingston.
His work has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Smithsonian, the New York Times Book Review, the Financial Times, Reader’s Digest, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Iowa Review, and on This American Life.
In China, he has represented the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, training China’s UNESCO World Heritage Site managers in preservation practices.
He lives in Singapore and Pittsburgh, where he is an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh, teaching Nonfiction writing.
After a five year clearance delay, his book The Last Days of Old Beijing was published in mainland China.
Michael Meyer is an American travel writer and the author of In Manchuria: A Village Called Wasteland and the Transformation of Rural China and The Last Days of Old Beijing: Life in the Vanishing Backstreets of a City Transformed. He graduated from University of Wisconsin–Madison. He first went to China in 1995 with the Peace Corps. Following Peace Corps, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied writing under Adam Hochschild and Maxine Hong Kingston.
His work has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Smithsonian, the New York Times Book Review, the Financial Times, Reader’s Digest, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Iowa Review, and on This American Life.
In China, he has represented the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, training China’s UNESCO World Heritage Site managers in preservation practices.
He lives in Singapore and Pittsburgh, where he is an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh, teaching Nonfiction writing.
After a five year clearance delay, his book The Last Days of Old Beijing was published in mainland China.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
November 6, 2025
Reading a book for English class, you can’t really know what to expect. You’re prescribed the text, you don’t have a choice, and you know it’s been chosen for analytical purposes and to prepare us rather than for pure enjoyment. As a result, my expectations going into this book was just to appreciate the analytical aspects of the story.
It’s safe to say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. The entire play takes place within roughly 24 hours, which is striking, and Hedda as a character is incredibly creative. She is really manipulative. Her approach is subtle, but the results of her actions are monumental. It feels like a portrayal of manipulation done properly, which I thought was remarkable.
The story is also very engaging. There is a great diversity of characters, and although he was not essential to the plot, Judge Brack is a fantastic side character who adds depth and purpose. It takes real skill to integrate that kind of supporting character into a story so effectively.
I also loved the parallel between Hedda and Mr. Tesman. Mr. Tesman seems simple at first glance, but his true nature is nuanced. His childish demeanor, combined with his academic ambitions, is portrayed remarkably well. As a reader, it feels like this characterization helps the audience perceive Hedda more clearly, because the stark contrast between the two makes her personality even more evident.
Furthermore, the ending was especially interesting to me. As I reached the last few pages, I kept wondering how the story could possibly conclude so quickly. It felt as if a new arc was being set up with Mr. Tesman and Mrs. Elvsted’s determination to recover Lovborg’s work. The dialogue style remained consistent throughout, so it did not feel like the story was nearing its end. Then, in just a few lines, the rising action and climax/resolution arrive very quickly, moving from Hedda’s question to Mr. Tesman’s suggestion to Judge Brack’s affirmation, and finally BOOM to the conclusion. It is not thrown in carelessly to end the story. The reasoning is visible and convincing, yet the reader does not expect it because the ending feels optimistic, determined, and steady in tone. It is a genuine shock, and it would be incredibly powerful in the theatre.
It’s safe to say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. The entire play takes place within roughly 24 hours, which is striking, and Hedda as a character is incredibly creative. She is really manipulative. Her approach is subtle, but the results of her actions are monumental. It feels like a portrayal of manipulation done properly, which I thought was remarkable.
The story is also very engaging. There is a great diversity of characters, and although he was not essential to the plot, Judge Brack is a fantastic side character who adds depth and purpose. It takes real skill to integrate that kind of supporting character into a story so effectively.
I also loved the parallel between Hedda and Mr. Tesman. Mr. Tesman seems simple at first glance, but his true nature is nuanced. His childish demeanor, combined with his academic ambitions, is portrayed remarkably well. As a reader, it feels like this characterization helps the audience perceive Hedda more clearly, because the stark contrast between the two makes her personality even more evident.
Furthermore, the ending was especially interesting to me. As I reached the last few pages, I kept wondering how the story could possibly conclude so quickly. It felt as if a new arc was being set up with Mr. Tesman and Mrs. Elvsted’s determination to recover Lovborg’s work. The dialogue style remained consistent throughout, so it did not feel like the story was nearing its end. Then, in just a few lines, the rising action and climax/resolution arrive very quickly, moving from Hedda’s question to Mr. Tesman’s suggestion to Judge Brack’s affirmation, and finally BOOM to the conclusion. It is not thrown in carelessly to end the story. The reasoning is visible and convincing, yet the reader does not expect it because the ending feels optimistic, determined, and steady in tone. It is a genuine shock, and it would be incredibly powerful in the theatre.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review