Whew! I finally finished my self-indulgent, annotated Top Ten List of Shakespeare's Plays. Of course, it's completely subjective -- as those pesky Top Ten Lists always are. Still, its fun to carefully examine one's opinions and try to determine which literary works connects the most.

And, as often happens on such a list, there are some plays that are left out, perhaps unfairly. For example, Julius Caesar didn't make the cut. Neither did one of critic Harold Bloom's favorites: As You Like It.

As I mentioned in the last blog, the immortal Hamlet - bane of so many reluctant high school students -- captured the number two spot. Read onward to discover which Shakespearean work ranks as the Bard's finest achievement according to my not-so-humble opinion. Of course, to get a more detailed analysis of the Bard's life and work, you'll want to visit our Lee Jamieson's Guidesite to all things Shakespeare.

(And by all means, leave a comment and share your favorite plays by William Shakespeare.)

Last month, a friend asked me to name my "Desert Island Showtunes", and after coming up with my all-time favorite musicals I have moved on to other Top Ten lists. Being the literature nerd that I am, I have recently been pondering about "Desert Island Shakespeare." If I were stuck on an island, and could bring along five of Shakespeare's plays, which ones would I take? What would I leave behind? (FYI - I would also make certain that I brought an enormous dictionary.)

I am still fine tuning my list, but I have placed Hamlet in the Number Two Spot. It's one of my favorite plays not only because of its philosophical and psychological complexity, but also because it is the Bard at his most personal. Learn more about how Hamlet provides the most insight into the inner thoughts of the mysterious playwright we call Shakespeare.

Are modern day American women happy? Are their lives more fulfilling than that of women who lived before the Equal Rights Amendment? Have the expectations of stereotypical gender roles faded away? Is society still dominated by a patriarchal "boy's club"?

Wendy Wasserstein considers these questions in her Pulitzer Prize winning play, The Heidi Chronicles. Although it was written over twenty years ago, this drama still mirrors the emotional trials many of us (women and men) experience as we try to figure out the big question: What should we do with our lives?

Read more about the themes and characters in Wasserstein's most beloved play.

In case you haven't heard, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's epic musical Les Miserables is finally being turned into a film. There has been a movie in the making since the show's premiere -- it has been in pre-production several times, only to be brought to a halt. I'm guessing the producers probably wanted to wait a quarter of a century, so that it could dominate the theaters of every continent. (Did they ever do an all penguin production of Les Miz?)

Most fans seem to be pleased with the casting of Hugh Jackman (who was in musicals long before he donned Wolverine's claws) as Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert. I have noticed lots of internet rumblings (some positive, some negative) about the choice of Anne Hathaway as Fantine. And now, apparently, Taylor Swift has reportedly been offered the role of Eponine.

I'm sure there will be more buzz and gossip to come, so you might want to keep tabs on the Official Les Miserable Website to avoid those pesky Hollywood rumor mills. Are you pleased with the casting selections so far? Leav a comment and share your opinions.