Lecturer Leslie Dunton-Downer has an abundance of awards and accolades to her credit. Her Parisian bookshelves are piled high with books on the bard alongside some of her own which have been read the world over. Brazilian-born Alan Riding makes a living out of waxing lyrical about Shakespeare. He regularly contributes his interpretations on the much-loved playwright to national and international press. Together, they make a formidable Shakespearean team!
"attractive and user-friendly". Sunday Telegraph (Review) Good Times 06/04 "a stunning work of reference". "I REALLY enjoyed the book. It's an inventive, entertaining and exciting guide for ANYONE studying Shakespeare." Deborah Warner, acclaimed theatre and opera director "This is an excellent guide to a country called Shakespeare that can't fail to add to the knowledge and enjoyment to be derived from visiting it." Richard Eyre, Director of the National Theatre, London, 1988-1997 "This book, however, really is something different. Beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched! The clear layout and enchanting photography make this a valuable resource for any English teacher." Teachers Magazine. "this treasure chest which can only be described as the definitive guide book to the Bard, his work, his life and all that he represented." Amateur Stage
"attractive and user-friendly". Sunday Telegraph (Review) Good Times 06/04 "a stunning work of reference". "I REALLY enjoyed the book. It's an inventive, entertaining and exciting guide for ANYONE studying Shakespeare." Deborah Warner, acclaimed theatre and opera director "This is an excellent guide to a country called Shakespeare that can't fail to add to the knowledge and enjoyment to be derived from visiting it." Richard Eyre, Director of the National Theatre, London, 1988-1997 "This book, however, really is something different. Beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched! The clear layout and enchanting photography make this a valuable resource for any English teacher." Teachers Magazine. "this treasure chest which can only be described as the definitive guide book to the Bard, his work, his life and all that he represented." Amateur Stage
Gr 7 Up-Organized according to the categories of plays and including a section on his nondramatic poetry, this is an excellent basic tool for gaining insight into the Bard's poetic genius. Each of the categories-histories, comedies, tragedies, and romances-commences with a well-written essay that explains the nature of the genre (and the place of Shakespeare's works within it) and discusses the themes and ideas that lay behind the poet's words. A more in-depth analysis of each play follows: a look at the sources that inspired it, an act-by-act plot outline (with relevant quotes), an annotated list of the dramatis personae, ideas to ponder when reading/seeing the play, and, finally, a discussion of issues associated with the play and/or its productions. Each treatment is liberally peppered with informative sidebars, as well as with clear, color photos of relevant people and places. For the poems, similarly organized information is offered. A number of useful discussions help put the pieces into their full literary context. A biography of the playwright, an essay on Elizabethan society and the theater it spawned, a discussion of the overall canon, and an explanation of Shakespeare's language and poetic meters round out the text. This volume is not meant to take the place of more comprehensive reference works, such as Michael Dobson and Stanley Wells's The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare (Oxford, 2001), but it is an informative, visually enticing introduction to the world's most famous dramatist.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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