A lot of fairly dry computer books have touching, emotional, wonderful introductions. Shaw's prefaces are usually longer and more interesting than the plays the

A lot of fairly dry computer books have touching, emotional, wonderful introductions. Shaw's prefaces are usually longer and more interesting than the plays they precede. G.K. Chesterton wrote a book on Shaw, a close friend, to which this was the entire introduction: MOST people either say that they agree with Bernard Shaw or that they do not understand him. I am the only person who understands him, and I do not agree with him. G. K. C. My favourite preface is to Théophile Gautier's Mademoiselle de Maupin, which is savagely funny, categorizing the types of critic and introducing art for art's sake to combat the 'utilitarian critic' who complains of art not being useful.