Impressive.

This is, in my experience, THE Shakespeare reference for the non-expert. Descriptions of the plays, how they were understood and experienced (each, one by one) in Shakespeare's time, as well as over the centuries. Breakdowns of character, plot, cultural relevance, controversy, errata, and... well... more!

I can honestly say that this quite likely contains everything you ever wanted to know about Shakespeare and then a generous helping of more.

As I said, this is an impressive, far-reaching, incredibly inclusive work. ( )

A nonfiction book that surveys Shakespeare's entire cannon, along with his life, his historical context, his impact on literature, and the many spinoffs and versions of his stories that continue to be created to this day. The book begins with some background on Shakespeare and his time period, addresses the controversies that circle him (including his verified authorship) and the conspiracy theories that have followed in his wake, and humorously covers other odds and ends associated with the man. The content then turns to his work, breaking the plays up by their broader categories: history, comedies, problem plays, tragedies, and romances. For each section, the author provides a brief description of the types of plays assigned to those categories, summarizes the major plays represented therein, provides several articles of interest pertaining to those types of plays, offers the reactions of professionals (such as actors, critics, and so on) to these plays, and incorporates small essays that don't fit elsewhere. The poems are also briefly addressed in this area. The book then concludes with a review of how Shakespeare has been reproduced over the centuries, from the stage to the movie screen, from parodies to faithful and complete renderings, and everything in between.

The author employs a light and jesting tone throughout the book, establishing intimate terms with the reader, and giving assurances that this book is accessible to anyone. The text was very readable, despite its size of over 500 pages. I was a bit daunted when I first cracked it open to accompany my project of reading through Shakespeare's complete works and Harold Bloom's critical essays on the esteemed writer, but it was easy to slip into the reading and cover large quantities of the book in a single reading. The focus here is certainly broad but shallow, covering a wide range of interesting topics but not offering depth on any of them. For those looking for a critical approach to Shakespeare's plays or poetry, look elsewhere. However, if a person is interested in a vast amount of Shakespeare trivia, this is the book to read. It also offers a nice change of pace from Bloom's more rigorous writing and theories. ( )

Group C1