William Shakespeare Books

Have been trying to get this book for a long time, so I am highly satisfied.

Would not hesitate to use this bookselling team. They are courteous, caring and quick.

This is easily the best biography of Shakespeare ever published.The Cardinal paperback contains the same photo section in its' center as the hardback edition.
Rowse portrays a man whose life was acted in conservative counterpoint to his work.Shakespeare kept careful accounts.He purchased property,on mortgages that were strictly repaid.He took the byzantine steps required to acquire a coat-of-arms for his family name,securing it an air of respectability.Certainly Shakespeare frequented the Mermaid Tavern,where he found friends like Ben Johnson and much good cheer. it was an easy,convivial place;but a man with his eye strained for the main chance would have also noted the Mermaid's success.Sure enough,its' owner's name became attached to Shakeseare's on a title.
I don't want to over-emphasize these facts, that I find interesting.They are only a dimension of the discoveries that await the reader of this work; nothing should distract he/she from an awareness that Rowse's scholarship of the Bard's canon is sensitive as a tuning fork.When he catches Shakespeare's voice as an individual in a turn of phrase,the reader is thrilled.

NotePods are detailed audio and text summaries of books and plays by Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen and other required authors that can be played on a student's iPod, MP3 player or computer

William Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth" was performed at the Globe Theater in 1605-06. The "Scottish" play was a calculated to be pleasing to James I, who took the throne of England after the death of Elizabeth Tudor in 1603. It was not simply that the play was set in the homeland of the Stuarts, but also that when Banquo's royal descendants are envisioned the last of them is the new King. (Note: Shakespeare does a similar sort of tribute to Queen Elizabeth when in the final act of "Henry VIII" the the Archbishop prophesizes great things for the infant Elizabeth. However, not only is there doubt that Shakespeare was the sole author of that particular history, it was not produced until 1612-13, ten years after Elizabeth's death.)

The play chronicles Macbeth's seizing the Scottish throne and his subsequent downfall, both aspects the result of blind ambition. However, one of the interesting aspects of "Macbeth" for me has always been its take on prophecy, which is decidedly different from the classical tradition. In the Greek myths there is no escaping your fate; in fact, one of the points of the story of Oedipus as told by Sophocles is that trying to resist your fate only makes things worse (the original prophecy was that Oedipus would slay his father; it was only after Jocasta sought to have her son killed to save her husband that the prophecy given Oedipus was that he would slay his father and marry his mother). In the Norse tradition prophecy is simply fate and manhood demands you simply resign yourself to what must happen.

But in "Macbeth" there is a different notion of prophecy that is compatible with what is found in the Bible: specifically, the idea that human beings simply cannot understand God's predictions. This is the case both with those who failed to understand the prophecies that foretold the birth of the Christ but also the book of Revelations, where the fate of the world is detailed in complex and essentially uncomprehensible symbolism. When Macbeth is presented with the first set of prophecies by the three witches, he is understandably dubious: he will become thane of Cawdor and then King, while Banquo will beget kings. However, when the first prophecy comes true, Macbeth begins to believe that the rest of the prophecy may come true. His fatal error, at least in the Greek tradition, is that he does not allow fate to bring him the crown, he takes active steps by slaying King Duncan. He compounds this error by projecting his ambitions onto Banquo; although Macbeth has Banquo killed, his son escapes to keep the prophecy intact.

Now the witches's prophecies are deceptively clear: no man born of woman may harm him and he is secure until trees start walking. Macbeth, who now believes in the inevitability of prophecy, fails to understand the fatal concept of loopholes. Thus, the nature of prophecy becomes an integral part of the play's dynamic.

If you are interested in Shakespeare, this is one book you should not miss. Written by someone who has clearly put his life into his study, it is a superb companion to the plays.

This edition of The Winter's Tale far surpasses any other I have ever encountered. Cliff's lush prose take you in and you are engulfed by a sea of language. Does anyone know where I could find a list of Mr. Cliff's literary awards? I am in the process of researching him for a paper entitled, "Cliff: America's Best Author."

Compiled and written by Doug Copsey, "With Our Good Will: 30 Years Of Shakespeare In Idaho" is a profusely illustrated history of performances of Shakespeare's comedies and tragedies in the theatres of Idaho. In addition to photos of performers and performances, this compendium details Shakespearean productions arranged chronologically beginning with 'The Downtown Years' of 1977 to1980; 'The Plantation Years' of 1981 to1983; 'The Parkcenter Years' of 1984 to1997; and 'New Beginnings' from 1998 to 2006. Concluding with a chapter on 'What the Future Holds', "With Our Good Will" is enhanced with the further inclusion of Acknowledgments, Appendix, Index, and '30 Years of Posters'. A unique and welcome contribution to American Theatrical History reference collections, "With Our Good Will" would also serve as an excellent template for other regional and statewide theatre histories.

This wonderful book is about a boy who creates a dragon during winter to protect him from the shadows and the cold. It is also about letting go of something if by letting it go you can give it a better life. The end is tiged with sadness, but the boy is stronger for it and now is unafraid.

This book is a great reference tool. You can find out more about what those in Shakespeare's time thought of beasts including harpies (Much Ado About Nothing!), Basilisks, Griffins, and more! Great for students of Shakespeare.