Shakespeare Books

the product came soon after i orderd it and it was still in the original packaging. Yippee!

Shakespeare in 1599 provides not only an in detail account of Shakespear at this time, but a complete overview of the political, social and artistic happenings

Macbeth was a good book to read. It had plenty of action, interesting characters, and adventure. I also enjoyed it because it had good verses evil, witches and betrayal. Anyone would enjoy this book. I know I did.

Macbeth is about a Scotish nobleman who is also a warrior. While coming home from a battle. He runs into three witches. They tell him some predictions. One of the predictions is that Macbeth will become king. Long story short, the predictions come true, but not without cost. Macbeth and his wife start with killing the king, and taking the throne. From there on out, Macbeth tells many lies, and has many killed. Even close friends. Eventually, however, everything comes back around and Macbeth loses everything he took by evil ways.

Fortunately, the good guys win, and the rightful heir regains the throne.

I did like this book because it helped me to understand Shakespeare's play. I would not have been able to understand the oringinal writing. The play was a little dark with all the magic and killing, but it reminded me that getting things in the wrong way with lies is never good. To bad Macbeth never learned this.

I would give this book *****'s

By: Wyatt Age 11
Bothell, WA

I am a fan of Bruce Cook (Bruce Alexander) having read all his titles in the Chico Cervantes and Sir John Fielding series. My copy of Young Will: The Confessions of William Shakespeare arrived this week and I quickly finished it. A timeless tale of adultery, betrayal and murder, Young Will is all the more riveting because the central character is one of the greatest artists of all time. Whether or not you are a Shakespeare fan, you will be informed, entertained and on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages. The story is rich in historical depictions, as are all of the author's works. By beginning the story with "young Will", Cook shares with his readers the backdrop against which Shakespeare honed his craft. I knew Shakespeare by his works, and as a timeless poet and playright. Cook considers life for young Will as he may have struggled with manhood and the enormous difficulties of 17th century London.

Was a gift for my daughter who rarely reads and she loves it. Read it through in a couple of days.

I though Angela's Ashes was a good memoir of a family during World War II. My favorite character was Frank because it was fun to see him grow up, and see how he changed over the course of this book. I thought that Angela did as much as she could to try and get her family through World War II, and I thought she did a good job, considering the help she was receiving. My least favorite character was Malachy. Malachy was always drunk, and he would always waste away the family's money. I felt that he only thought about himself. Unfortunately, most people who are addicted to drugs only think out for themselves, because all they are thinking of is getting drugs for them. I would definitely recommend this book, and give it four stars. I would recommend Angela's Ashes to high school students because it does cover a serious issue and the humor might not be appropriate for younger students. Overall I think the book is a winner!

A great read of mind candy and truth. Mr McCourt has great courage in telling all of the embarasing and private moments of his adolescence. The same types of things that happened to many of us but we'll never disclose.
READ THIS BOOK. I could not put it down and read it in one evening and then went out and bought the 2 sequals Tis and Teacher Man and could not put them down either.

Frank McCourt has a way with words! His memoir of growing up poor in Ireland, with a drunk for a father and lazy, shiftless mother is written without malice. He and his brothers are left to their own devices to keep themselves fed, warm and clothed when Frank, the oldest is not even four years old. They live in a house where the main floor floods every year and they have to wade through the sewage to live in the remaining room upstairs until the water recedes. They grow so cold that they resort to tearing the walls apart for firewood. And yet his mother needs her cigarettes and his father needs his drink.

Frank's tenacity and humor in the midst of such misery is his salvation. And it is what makes this memoir so poignant. His own parents and grandparents, neighbors and the Catholic church leave Frank and his brothers to their own devices for survival. And they survive! And go to America. And it's a true story.

Frank McCourt chronicles the story of his life in the streets of Ireland, his family living a life of poverty and hard luck. Somehow, he is able to make what should be a bleak story uplifting with his wit, humor and straight-forward approach to telling a story. Sometimes he gives you TOO much of the story, things you would rather not have heard--but I guess this is because it is a memoir. There is a certain amount of haphazardness to his writings...there are many times where you have no clue where this is going. But, at other times, there is an effort to be sentimental about the few things he has in life, or the hope of better days ahead.

An interesting style McCourt uses to write the book, where he virtually uses no punctuation during the many dialogue scenes. He also has many, many run-on, wordy, and obtuse sentences that would probably have one of his master's in school up in arms. It took me awhile to get used to this "rambling" kind of style, and, as an English major, it almost had ME up in arms, but actually, after reading the book, the pace of book quickens because of this style. There was enough of a compelling and engaging story to care too much about punctuation, or lack thereof.

As far as content itself, McCourt's story was highly entertaining and somewhat touching. While the young Frank is at school, he meets one strict school master after another, and he deals with the peer pressure from some of his classmates. The young Frank tries to keep all of the disappointments and failures and embarrassments behind him by reminding himself that one day things will change for him in America. There are times when Frank goes to the library to escape the world, knowing that he can escape into a story: "It's lovely to know that the world can't interfere with the inside of your head." Frank also experiences some time in the hospital with fever and eye problems, and in his first visit he meets Patricia, a girl who teaches him poetry. When he gets separated from her for talking to her, it is one of Frank's saddest moments: "Nurses and nuns never think you know what they're talking about...You can't ask questions. You can't show you understand what the nurse said about Patricia Madigan, that she's going to die, and you can't show you want to cry over this girl who taught you a lovely poem which the nun says is bad." Frank also deals with the trials of being in a family with an alcoholic father who rarely comes up, spends up the family's earnings, and some other dysfunctional relatives. He keeps hope that one day things will change for the better.

While the story is highly engaging, one thing that irked me was the abruptness of the ending. Without giving too much away, the memoir just seemingly ends without any deep moment or thought. The incident with Frank and the woman--- is that suppose to be some momentous or life-changing event? It seemed kind of stupid to end the book right there. It also made the book seem a little uneven; after all, here is Frank preaching about how he wants to help his family in the future, and then what does he go and do in the book's conclusion?

Criticism aside, this is an enjoyable read, which I honestly didn't think would be possible based on what I had heard about the story. McCourt is able to intertwine humor and heart-break in a way I've never seen done before.

I had never read this book before, but it is awesome! I really enjoyed it and would suggest it to anyone interested in a captivating read.

This is my all time favorite book, wonderful on so many levels. At the end I cried for the loss of the characters in my life. Simply extraordinary.

Must have been the times in which it was first released because this book did nothing for me. I just don't get why people rave about this book. This is one of those rare cases where you should watch the movie and forget the book.

The novel is simply amazing! An amazing storyline to go along with a tremendous theme in human equality and rights. A must read for everyone who grew up in the south....actually a must read for every American period!!

Jean Louise Finch, better known as Scout, narrates this tale that covers roughly 2 years of her childhood starting from shortly before she started the 1st grade. The story is a mixture of many elements including a mysterious neighbor named Boo Radley, various coming of age issues regarding Scout and her brother Jem, and her father, Atticus, defending a black man accused of raping a white woman. As the story is set in Alabama in the 1930s, the rape case is particularly incendiary.

To Kill a Mockingbird is such a classic piece of American literature that most people read it in high school. I somehow missed that experience and curiosity prompted me to pick it up and give it a try. While there were a few descriptions of rural southern life that ran on a bit long for my taste, the novel was well worth reading. For sheer entertainment value, I enjoyed the Boo Radley subplot the most as it is both mildly suspenseful and immensely interesting.

Of course, the novel is most famous for the rape trial and this is also compelling in a fairly horrifying and very sad way. Harper Lee paints a vivid portrait of the extent to which African Americans were relegated to a status far below even second class in that place and time. Atticus Finch does a masterful job of defending the accused, but he knows that the all-white jury has practically cast their votes before ever entering the courtyard. The author uses the narrative voice of the children to highlight the blatant injustices and the outrage that any decent person would feel as a result. The technique is highly effective if not exactly subtle.

To Kill a Mockingbird is easy to recommend. The story is interesting, the characters substantial, and the subject is still relevant today. It's a shame that Harper Lee has not published a second novel but this single book is likely to ensure that her voice will continue to be heard fro many years to come.

Before I begin my criticisms, I will mention that my focus of this review is not on my personal preferences regarding characterizations, settings, themes, authors, etc. I understand that I cannot expect all authors to write a story that I personally enjoy and can relate to. Even if the subject matter of Of Mice and Men had interested me, I still would have given the novel a one star rating because of my criticism that I will explain in this review.

I am giving this novel a one star rating because it has a lot of vulgar dialogue. There is an average of about 4 profanities per page.

Secondly, even if I were to set aside my moral views of this novel, I still would choose to give this novel a one star rating. In my opinion, the plot structure is not all that good. The climax and resolution could have followed directly after the first 1/3 of the novel. There are too many conversations that seem to fill up space with unnecessary dialogue which describes the backgrounds of characters and personalities that do not play a significant role (if even a role at all) in the outcome of the story.

Furthermore, Of Mice and Men has too many characters for its very simple plot. In my opinion, the advantage to having a lot of characters is to create intricate subplots which play a significant role in the outcome of the story

I do not insist on reading action-packed stories. In fact, I sometimes prefer stories that are mainly comprised of dialogue. However, I do always want to see that there is a CLEAR DIRECTION in the conversations that progressively leads to the climax. In my opinion, the dialogue in Of Mice and Men did not meet these criteria. In fact, mid-way through the novel, I really felt as though the story was approaching a dead-end, and I think that John Steinbeck probably felt the same way. Therefore, he made the climax take a sharp turn off course just so the plot would not slam into a wall.

Due to the offensive content and weak plot structure, I do not recommend Of Mice and Men.

"I'm finding Steinbeck to be just a really reliable author. I've enjoyed everything that I've read of his. This short novel was engaging and meaningful - I especially enjoyed the richness of the characters and the themes of companionship, dreams, and dissapointment."

The book, Of Mice and Men, has to be one of the good books I've read in a long time. The good parts about it are at the start, you get to meet the characters on how they act and the way they get along. Of course, there are some bad parts in books. One of them is when one of the bunk mates picks a fight with Lennie, because he is taller than him!
Of Mice and Men, Lennie Small and George Milton take a bus, after getting chased by a mob, to a new job. After a couple hours and a lot of walking, they get to the job only to get the job, get in a fight for no reason, and work for good money. About the characters, George and Lennie, George is a quick-witted man that became friends with Lennie back when they were younger. Lennie was told to go with George to get a job by his aunt Clara. They both have a dream of a ranch, where their friends can stay, and people they don't know can leave. Lennie dreams of tending the rabbits. After a while, George and Lennie meet Candy, a nice old man that said he would help in the dream ranch. The dream ranch may work out; they have most of the money, but somewhere along the way someone messes it up, and it falls back to the way it was. Do you think they get the dream ranch? Read the book to find out what all happens.

Of Mice and Men is a novel based on the lives of two men, Lennie and George, who travel together. Lennie is a mentally unstable grown man, who acts like a child but has amazing strength-which inadvertantly gets him into trouble. After a misinterperated mishap in Weed, Lennie and George escape to avoid being lynched. They are left a long distance from their work after the driver of the bus on which they were travelling tells them that the distance is not far. Here is where we learn about Lennie's dream of living in their own house... which, at this point, is only a made up story to keep Lennie busy. The next morning, they travel to a working ranch, where they meet Slim, who is not the boss but seems to have the upper hand among the men, Candy, an old worker, Crooks, who works and is forced to live in the stables, and is mistreated because of the color of his skin, and Curley, a pugnacious character who also happens to be the boss's son. After a while, George begins to believe that the dream of owning a house could be possible, seeing how Candy offers to help to avoid being canned. Also, George confides in lim, telling him the story of himself and Lennie. As the story progresses, another mishap causes anger among the men, and forces George to make an important decision...

This is again one of those great American classics that deserve to be read by reluctant high schoolers. Sorry. I may have only given this three stars, but that does not mean by any means that this is a lousy book. This is a harsh look at the challenges to the Great American Dream, told through the eyes of a few ordinary people. Steinbeck's writing is sparse, but as usual he tells a fantastic, soul-stirring story that is, yes, tragic. But the symbolism and the meaning of it plus everything else makes this a worthy classic.

This book is amazingly moving and well written. Anyone who is even remotely curious about the life of ordinary Chinese women throughout the 20th century should read this work. It not only describes the stories of three generations of Chinese women, but it transports the reader to world that the author is describing. I definitely recommend this book. Often I will sell biographies after reading them, but this book is a keeper.

A wonderful narrative of the pre-1949 and cultural revolution China told through three generations.

Though Jung is anti-Mao, her book does a great job of providing a relatively unbiased personal account of this pivotal period in Chinese history.

Jung's colorful family history gives her fodder for intriguing anecdotes and the reader a perspective into the life of a "well-to-do"/politically active Chinese family.

Nice review of History of China since world War II. Intersting way of telling story.

Before leaving for my 2004-05 sojourn in China, I naturally sought to acquaint myself with the culture in which I was about to live and work. Of the various books I read (which ranged from Chinese history to essays from American expats to descriptions of "the Asian mind" as applied to Western business people), it turned out that this book was BY FAR the most helpful in my day-to-day interactions -- both social and business -- with my Chinese associates.

Spanning the early 20th Century when author Chang's grandmother was given as a concubine to a warlord general, through mid-century when Chang's parents joyously risked their lives in the Communist takeover, to 1978 when Chang herself left China, WILD SWANS paints a vivid picture of the China of today. I found that the information in this book, told in first-person story form, gave me far more understanding of my Mainland Chinese colleagues than any journalistic writings ever did, or could have.

Since China is already a major force in western economies (especially America's), and will only become more central to the global economy, I consider it useful to share the observation of my personal experience: Understanding the RECENT LIFE EXPERIENCES of a nation's citizens is even important than understanding its customs. The good news is that history--told well--is a fascinating read! And Jung Chang's story is hard to top.

Doni Tamblyn is author of Laugh and Learn: 95 Ways to Use Humor for More Effective Teaching and Training and The Big Book of Humorous Training Games (Big Book of Business Games Series)

The story of this family is not usual. The grandmother was the mistress of a warlord, the mother was a communist revolutionist, and her daughter, the author of the book has escaped form China as a young girl. The thing I respect the most, that the author has only used personal experiences, and only written about things she has seen with her own eyes, or things which has happened with her family, and never used unchecked stories in her descriptions. She never tells a word in her story against the regime, even when she writes about the most shocking events in her family, but leave the reader to create his or her own opinion.

Does anyone know what the title of the movie was that is based on this book?

I love this book. I saw it one day in the bookstore with my 7 year old who is a good reader. I bought it for her as a gift and re-read it first. I enjoyed it again as an adult and she has enjoyed it too. A good read with enough excitement and mystery to keep you turning the pages (but nothing scary).

One of my childhood favorites! I recently went to the Met and just had to purchase and re-read the book!

I think this is one of the best books I read growing up. I can't say enough good things about it. It is a must read!

I absolutely loved this book! I am 23, and can remember reading this book over and over as a pre-teen/young adult and loving it. I currently have it in my library and re-read it every once in a while. I am definitely keeping it for my children to read, and I would recommend it to anyone!

After swearing that they will never marry anyone, let alone each other, two bickering "friends", Beatrice (Emma Thompson) and Benedick (Kenneth Branagh), end up falling in love after each is falsely led to believe that the other is in love with them.

Given the fact that neither of his most recent Shakespearean adaptations have received so much as a DVD release out here (Australia), let alone a cinema release, it is hard to imagine that there was once a time when Kenneth Branagh was hailed as being the next Laurence Olivier. However, back in the 1990's, Kenneth Branagh did manage to produce some of the best Shakespearean adaptations ever made, the best of which being the 4-hour "Hamlet" and this version of "Much Ado About Nothing".

"Much Ado About Nothing" is rare among Shakespeare's comedies in that it is actually funny, thus making it one of Shakespeare's most accessible plays, and Kenneth Branagh has a gift for making Shakespeare understandable to anyone, even someone who has never encountered "the Bard" before. Not all of the actors are up to the same standard as Branagh (Kate Beckinsale, in an early film role, is notably wooden), but this is more than made up for by Branagh and Thompson. Branagh and Thompson are both excellent actors in anything in which they appear, but they are at their best when appearing together. When this film was made, they were married to each other and the chemistry between them is something beautiful. I have always considered it to be a great tragedy that their marriage didn't last.

I consider this to be one of my favorite movies. It's a true chamer that proves that a good play of Shakespeare can be set at any time. The charming game of cat-and-mouse with lovers is only part of the wonder when it comes to the talented set of actors, each one perfect for their role. However, the best performances are demonstrated by Branagh and Emma Thomspon, whom we all know can do just about anything. The setting of the little villa is charming, and the classical score suits the story well. Even if you think Shakespeare is boring, you will adore this fun romp.

This movie has everything!! And in the end weather you want to or not , you're smiling!!

Beautifully photographed and brilliantly executed in the Tuscan sunshine, this film version captures all the energy and charm of Shakespeare's famous comedy. The cast is surprisingly long on Americans-thankfully NOT burdened here with those painfully fake English accents that we so often must endure-but under Branagh's excellent direction, even the unlikely casting of Keanu as the Bad Seed brother of Denzel's Don Pedro is not too hard to swallow (and Michael Keaton's constable is just classic comedy). Dialogue is condensed but true to the meter-and the "meat"-of the original, and retains all the metaphor, pun, double-entendre and wordplay which reveal the Bard's genius. Branagh himself is thoroughly splendid as Benedick; as Beatrice, the always brilliant Emma Thompson has never been more lovely. Even those uninitiated who find Shakespeare incomprehensible will be surprised to be so charmed and entertained by this captivating film.

Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," adapted for film by Kenneth Branagh, is a myriad of quick wit and cheeky humor. Denzel Washington adeptly plays an upright and stately lord while Keanu Reeves was the reason it couldn't reach five stars. In the very beginning there is a shot in which you see the soldiers (Washington, Reeves, and company) riding to Messina, home of Leonato (Richard Briers). Washington leads, looking elegant and impressive, and to his left, Reeves rides exanimate. They are returning from battle and stop at Messina for rest and entertainment. They quickly become involved in love triangles, treachery, and tongue lashings from Leonato's niece Beatrice (Emma Thompson).

While this film holds true to the english of Shakespeare's writing, it is by no means difficult to understand. It is merely english used in a way we as a society are not used to, but are capable of. The humor is timeless as well since love and conniving, not to mention bickering, are parts of life we all laugh about when looking back at it.

This is such a beautiful translation of the story of Beowulf that all others pale by comparison. Seamus Heaney outdoes himself in his choices and combinations of words that convey more than meaning. They convey emotion, imagery, sound. The dragon "rippled down the rock, writhing with anger" and it "hurtled forth in a fiery blaze." Listening to this recording makes the thousand-year-old epic comes alive in all its beauty and terror. This is the ultimate representation of the Beowulf tale. No movie could unleash the powers of the mind like Seamus Heaney's words do. Let this review stand as a powerful fan letter to Seamus Heaney. Call me crazy:I have memorized more than 200 lines of this powerful poem by listening to it and reading it over and over.

I love this translation! I have read the Dover edition (which is fine if you want a cheap edition to get familiar with the story)but the story really comes alive in the Seamus Heaney translation. I am currently using this book to teach a high school class. The kids are getting very involved in the story line. It's also been fun listening to the kids compare what's in the book to what they've seen in the recent Beowulf movie.

Accused by some as the trecherous read and hailed praise by others, I found the Old English to be quite interesting as laid out next to modern day English. I, as well as those to whom I've lent it out to, have very much enjoyed this book.

This was incredible. Why wasn't I assigned to read this in high school? I want to read more like this. This is up there with Homer. This new translation is a very easy-to-read one, I sat down and pretty much read this straight through. I really enjoyed looking back and forth at the old English vs. the contemporary. This was really really great.

I may be one of only a few that somehow made it through high school and college without having to read Beowulf. In fact, I made it all the way to 62. I really don't know at what age I would have begun to appreciate it as much as I did now. If it has been many years since you have read it, you might want to try it again. It is a fantastic epic of honor.

The bilingual portion was lost on me; though it was interesting to look at the Old English alongside of the Heaney translation.

I am anxiously awaiting the movie version Neil Gaiman is working on.