The Book of Air and Shadows

Average customer rating:

Better read the REAL Shakespeare

Intriguing thriller

Disappointed

Two thumbs up!

Delightful reading

The Book of Air and Shadows
Michael Gruber
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Christine Falls: A Novel

ASIN: 0060874465
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

A distinguished Shakespearean scholar found tortured to death . . .

A lost manuscript and its secrets buried for centuries . . .

An encrypted map that leads to incalculable wealth . . .

The Washington Post called Michael Gruber's previous work "a miracle of intelligent fiction and among the essential novels of recent years." Now comes his most intellectually provocative and compulsively readable novel yet.

Tap-tapping the keys and out come the words on this little screen, and who will read them I hardly know. I could be dead by the time anyone actually gets to read them, as dead as, say, Tolstoy. Or Shakespeare. Does it matter, when you read, if the person who wrote still lives?

These are the words of Jake Mishkin, whose seemingly innocent job as an intellectual property lawyer has put him at the center of a deadly conspiracy and a chase to find a priceless treasure involving William Shakespeare. As he awaits a killer—or killers—unknown, Jake writes an account of the events that led to this deadly endgame, a frantic chase that began when a fire in an antiquarian bookstore revealed the hiding place of letters containing a shocking secret, concealed for four hundred years. In a frantic race from New York to England and Switzerland, Jake finds himself matching wits with a shadowy figure who seems to anticipate his every move. What at first seems like a thrilling puzzle waiting to be deciphered soon turns into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, where no one—not family, not friends, not lovers—is to be trusted.

Moving between twenty-first-century America and seventeenth-century England, The Book of Air and Shadows is a modern thriller that brilliantly re-creates William Shakespeare's life at the turn of the seventeenth century and combines an ingenious and intricately layered plot with a devastating portrait of a contemporary man on the brink of self-discovery . . . or self-destruction.

Customer Reviews:

Better read the REAL Shakespeare.......2007-10-13

I picked up this book because I like books and I like Shakespeare. It turns out I should have read a work of Shakespeare then.

I didn't like this book for the following reasons:
1. Language. Just for your information, English is not my native language. Still I can tell that this book is written more like a freshman's essay about his pet than a work of literature. Even the parts in renaissance English sound as ridiculous and deep as a fancy shop owner calling his place 'Ye Auld Booke Shoppe'.

2. Credibility. The story of the narrator being an olympic weight-lifter alone is a laugh.

3. Tempo. The author drones on and on about side stories of the narrator's live that are way too long and of no interest at all. Add to this the fact that he is supposedly writing this in great danger and under a lot of pressure and it's just too much to bear.

4. Enough is enough. I stopped reading the book in the low 100's when nothing had happened yet and the narrator tells us how he had sex with every (ex-)wife of his best friend. "Louise and I had a single long afternoon about two weeks before she got married. She said she loved him ... but simply could not bear the thought of never doing it with another man and she said she always had a sneaker for me ... and wanted to see what it was like before the gate clanged shut." This sounds like one of these erotic stories one can read in an adult magazine. Honestly, his best friend and I both hope the bad guys will get to him in the end.

I don't know if this will happen as I haven't finished the book. I usually finish every book I start reading but this one just was too much.

Intriguing thriller.......2007-10-09

This is an extremely well-written book that keeps the reader guesing until the very end. There are a myriad of disparate characters, and all of them are well developed. The plot line involves an old manuscript that may or may not lead to an unknown play by Shakespeare, and it is very difficult to discern who are the "good Guys" and who are the "bad guys". Even by the end of the book I was still a bit confused as to what really happened, and whether or not the manuscript was genuine. If you like literary thrillers, and puzzles to figure out, you will certainly enjoy this book.

Disappointed.......2007-10-08

Although I like thrillers, including those with literary themes, I didn't finish this one. I just didn't care enough about most of the characters to warrent further reading. An Olympic weight-lifting lawyer...an ex-con priest...these just didn't work at all for me.

Two thumbs up!.......2007-09-30

Having read Gruber's first two books Tropic of Night and Valley of Bones I wasn't sure I was ready for a third. The first two having left me a bit nonplussed. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy books and movies that take a detour around reality but those two books made a right angle turn somewhere and I'm not sure I'm over them yet!

TBoAAS is a whole other beast. Slow moving, tedious at times, it none-the-less hooked me and drew me in until I could not walk away. I felt that that the first 2/3's of the book moved at a glacial pace. Which is great if you want to fully involve youself in the characters and the plot. At some point, which I can't precisely pin down, the pace picked up and hauled me, open-mouthed, to the final pages.

Honestly, who would have thought combining a self-absorbed, womanizing lawyer (a heavy lifter, literally, to boot) with a dreamy young man who believes life is literally determined by the movies and setting them on what may or may not be a wild goose chase for an unknown Shakespearean manuscript could prove to be so entertaining?

As a mark of how well done the book is, I shed a few tears at the end, not because it was sad but because the story was over. To date only two other writers have affected me that way.

You don't have to be a literary, artsy type to get into this story, btw. You DO need to persevere long enough to let the story get hold of you. Then you're stuck. Happily so, I might add.

Delightful reading.......2007-09-28

What a wonderful, amusing book. It reminded me of Saul Bellow's Herzog combined with a much smarter version of The Davinci Code. It gets a wee bit confusing at the end as layers of intrigue are peeled away, but still a delightful, fresh voice.

World of Shakespeare: The Complete Plays and Sonnets of William Shakespeare (38 Volume Library)

Average customer rating:

Almost perfect deal
Super deal! Great investment.
The Value Purchase of the Year
GREAT value.
Glad I Bought These Volumes

World of Shakespeare: The Complete Plays and Sonnets of William Shakespeare (38 Volume Library)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0143104802

Book Description

The World of Shakespeare: The Complete Plays and Sonnets of William Shakespeare (38 Volume Library) By William Shakespeare Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmiller, General Editors

Amazon.com Exclusive

The Pelican Shakespeare is available in hardcover for the first time in one complete collection only at Amazon.com.

For anyone with an abiding love of the Bard and his to all of Shakepeares singular contributiOn to English literature, this complete library combines enduring beauty with the scholarship and authority demanded by modern readers. Easier to read and enjoy than massive, single-volume editions, these individual volumes feature authori tative text, essays on how the plays would have been performed in Shakespeare's day, and notes valuable for general readers, teachers, students, and theater professionals. Here, in 38 truly stunning heirloom volumes, are William Shakespeare's classic plays and sonnets in the only complete, individually-bound set of Shakespeare's works currently available. The tragedies, comedies, histories, and poetry, so beloved by millions of readers and theater-goers, are reproduced here in luxurious, linen-bound hardcovers, enhanced by silver stamping on the covers and spines, and sewn-in, satin ribbon markers.

The distinguished Pelican Shakespeare editions have sold five million copies. Since the series debuted more than forty years ago, developments in scholarship have revolutionized our understanding of William Shakespeare, his time, and his works. The general editors of the Pelican Shakespeare, Stephen Orgel of Stanford University and A. R. Braunmiller of UCLA, have assembled a team of six eminent scholars who, along with the general editors themselves, have prepared new introductions and note * Authoritative and meticulously researched texts * Illuminating new introductions and notes by distinguished authors * Essays on Shakespeare's life, the theatrical world of his time, and the selection of texts * A handsome new design inside and out * Deluxe packaging, including a full-linen case with silver stamping, ribbon marker, printed endpapers, and acid-free paper * Line numbers marking every tenth line and footnote references * Both glossorial and explanatory notes appearing conveniently at the foot of the page

Included are:

Tragedies

Antony and Cleopatra

Coriolanus

Hamlet

Julius Caesar

King Lear

Macbeth

Othello

Romeo and Juliet

Timon of Athens

Titus Andronicus

Histories

Henry IV, Part I

Henry IV, Part II

Henry V

Henry VI, Part I

Henry VI, Part II

Henry VI, Part III

Henry VIII

King John

Richard II

Richard III

Comedies

All's Well That Ends Well

As You Like It

The Comedy of Errors

Cymbeline

Love's Labor's Lost

Measure for Measure

The Merry Wives of Windsor

The Merchant of Venice

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Much Ado About Nothing

Pericles

The Taming of the Shrew

The Tempest

Troilus and Cressida

Twelfth Night

Two Gentlemen of Verona

The Winter's Tale

Poetry

The Sonnets

Customer Reviews:

Almost perfect deal.......2007-10-03

Should I judge this collection by price or quality? I'll try to blend them. At the time of this writing, I ordered it from Amazon for $89.70, which was marked down from $299. Sounds hard to believe, and after owning it, it still is. At this price, this is, without doubt, a major, total, complete deal. However, I give it four stars instead of five because it is 99% of Shakespeare's complete works. Why not include the rest? Why, why, why? It'd take two more volumes, one for his non-sonnet poems and one for THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN, which is now officially part of the Shakespeare canon. It's very easy to get these works, but they wouldn't match your 38-volume set. Still, at anything less than $100, this set is a steal, especially considering that buying all these plays even as used paperbacks would probably cost more, and these are new, 8.5" by 5.5" hardcovers. Call me a nitpicker, but I just don't get why this collection didn't go that extra half-yard. Still, I bought it anyway and am very happy with it.
As for supplements, each book has a basic intro and meanings of archaic words and phrases printed at the bottom of each page.

Super deal! Great investment........2007-09-02

I read the other reviews about this being a great deal for what you're getting. Took a chance....and they were right. After visiting London this summer and realizing I'm literary-deficient, my goal was to read all of Shakespeare's plays once I got home. So I needed a starter set. For $90, I have just that. And much easier to manage that a huge compilation book that I was considering. The book covers are simple, but elegant. Just the right size--easy to carry in my bag to work. I'm very happy with the set--it is a good investment.

The Value Purchase of the Year.......2007-09-01

This is an excellent edition, the volumes are extremely nice to read: larger and clearer than paperbacks; handier, lighter and much easier to handle than one-volume editions. It's the buy of the year. You'll never forgive yourself if you let this slip away. It's a cliche, but true in the case: I would have bought it at twice this price and considered myself lucky.

GREAT value. .......2007-08-08

I bought this as a gift for my partner as a graduation present. It is a REALLY great deal: I can't believe how cheap it is for what you get.

The quality of the books is really high, the paper is lovely stock and the binding is excellent. All in all, this is a really wonderful product and definetely worth forking out the cash for. When you think about it, it's an absolute steal.

Do it!

ps. it arrived REALLY quickly. I am in Australia and it was here within 7 working days (i paid for the mid range postal option, whatever it is called).

Glad I Bought These Volumes.......2007-05-15

The reviews encouraged me to buy this series, and I'm very glad I did. I've read a number of different Shakespeare editions; my favorite had been the Folger. But these books are luxurious, and comparing one to a Folger proves the quality of the paper and the clear, easy-to-read text. At the $89 price - and even higher - these volumes are a rare bargain.

Shakespeare and Co.: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the Other Players in His Story

Average customer rating:

Shakespeare & Co.
Shakespeare and Co: Marlow, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the other Players in His Story

Shakespeare and Co.: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the Other Players in His Story
Stanley Wells
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375424946
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

From one of our most distinguished Shakespeare scholars, here is a fascinating, lively, anecdotal work of forensic biography that firmly places Shakespeare within the hectic, exhilarating world in which he lived and wrote.

Theater in Shakespeare's day was a burgeoning “growth industry." Everyone knew everyone else, and they all sought to learn, borrow or steal from one another. As Stanley Wells suggests: "To see Shakespeare as one among a great company is only to enhance our sense of what made him unique.”

Wells explores Elizabethan and Jacobean theater, both behind the scenes and in front of the curtain. He examines how the great actors of the time influenced Shakespeare's work. He writes about the lives and works of the other major writers of Shakespeare’s day and discusses Shakespeare’s relationships—sometimes collaborative—with each of them. And throughout, Wells shares his vast knowledge of the period, re-creating and celebrating the sheer richness and variety of Shakespeare's social and cultural milieus.

Shakespeare and Co. gives us a new understanding of how the Bard achieved unparalleled singularity as the greatest writer in the language.

Customer Reviews:

Shakespeare & Co........2007-07-16

Stanley Wells is one of the great Shakespeare scholars of this, or any other, generation. His work on the Oxford edition of the Complete Works, the Textual Companion, the Dictionary of Shakespeare and, if I can mention a personal favorite, Shakespeare for All Time, assure his enduring reputation. It was with keen anticipation I picked up this book, then, and I was not disappointed. The book is not groundbreaking, by any means, but is pleasant, erudite, and consistently interesting. It is the best introduction I know to placing Shakespeare in the theatrical currents of his time and tracing his interactions, such as they can be known, with his less famous, though greatly gifted, contemporaries Marlowe, Jonson, Dekker, Middleton, Fletcher, Webster and the rest.

In an age such as ours where otherwise serious people can become preoccupied with crank, dilettantish ideas like the Oxford wrote Shakespeare nonsense so much in circulation, how likely is it those same serious people have taken the time to read Shakespeare's less well known fellows? They have, perhaps, read Dr. Faustus in an English lit survey class, and know about Marlowe because, after all, HE might, just maybe, be the one who really wrote at least some of Shakespeare's plays, but certainly they have not read either part of Tamburlaine, or A Trick To Catch The Old One, or The Shoemakers Holiday. Need enough, then, that a thoroughgoing, popular introduction to the lives and masterpieces of some of Shakespeare's contemporaries deserves a home on our bulging Shakespeare bookshelves.

The first sentence of the Preface says "This book attempts to place Shakespeare in relation to the actors and other writers, mainly playwrights, of his time in an accessible and where possible entertaining manner" (ix). And so it does, with, speaking for myself, at least, emphasis on "entertaining." I found the book enormously likable. If you are familiar with the period and the authors being treated, you will find nothing new, but a non-specialists book surveying a rather broad field does not attempt to present novel interpretations, but rather can be relied on to deliver the state-of-the-art scholarly understanding of these authors and their works in a pleasant style. Wells's scholarly status guarantees the most dependable understanding of the times and writers, and his gifts as a writer makes reading a joy.

Shakespeare and Co: Marlow, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the other Players in His Story.......2007-05-24

A fun, fast read...If your looking for who wrote Shakespeare other the Shakespeare you will be disappointed...Prof. Wells though speculates on who may have collaborated with Shakespeare on some plays a little more freely the other academics might but don't look for a smoking gun...the best passage in the book in my opinion is Prof. Wells description of the death of Marlow, it is vivid and would make a great story for any High School Lit. teacher to use to spice up her/his Jr. Eng. Lit. class.

If you are into Shakespeare I think you will find "Shakespeare & Co.:..." a great read.

William Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Deluxe Edition

Average customer rating:

Nice for the price
Works of William Shakespeare
Excellent
Excellent Quality for the price
Excelent

William Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Deluxe Edition
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

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ASIN: 0517053616
Release Date: 1990-09-08

Book Description

This complete and unabridged edition contains every word that Shakespeare wrote — all 37 tragedies, comedies, and histories, plus the sonnets. You’ll find such classics as The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew. This Library of Literary Classics edition is bound in padded leather with luxurious gold-stamping on the front and spine, satin ribbon marker and gilded edges. Other titles in this series include: Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels; Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works; Mark Twain: Selected Works; Charles Dickens: Four Complete Novels; Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works; and Jane Austen: The Complete Novels.

Customer Reviews:

Nice for the price.......2007-07-29

Let's face it, there are better editions of Shakespeare out there. You get what you pay for. This is not a top of the line leather edition. For the price, though, you can't beat it. It is what it is, a reasonably priced leather edition of his complete works. No household should be without one.

Works of William Shakespeare.......2007-01-21

This was a gift for our son, who appreciated having all of Shakespeare's works in one attractive volume.

Excellent.......2007-01-09

This is a great compilation of Shakespeare's work. This beautifully bound tome has proven to be a great resource for me, a future English major.

Excellent Quality for the price.......2006-08-13

Very nice edition, highly quality finish and binding. The pages are standard re-production for Shakespeare issues - but overall it is excellent value for money and is attractively bound. For those who want 'notes' and 'critiques' - look elsewhere. It is as described - a leather bound edition of the complete works of Shakespeare. I love it! Thank you Amazon USA, you cant get this edition in the UK.

Excelent.......2006-07-10

What can I say? Shakespeare is the man. For any of you who love shakespeare, or just need a good reference for class; this book is amazing... not only that but you will look really intelligent if you have a thick leather bound shakespeare book on your bookshelf haha

A Midsummer Night's Dream (New Folger Library Shakespeare)

Average customer rating:

What we needed
"The course of love never did run smooth."
The dream of romance is lighthearted laughter
Ill met by moonlight, proud reader?
Shakespeare at his absolute best

A Midsummer Night's Dream (New Folger Library Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743477545

Book Description

Each edition includes:

• Freshly edited text based on the best early

printed version of the play

• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

• Scene-by-scene plot summaries

• A key to famous lines and phrases

• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essay by Catherine Belsey

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs.

Customer Reviews:

What we needed.......2007-08-29

My daughter needed this for a school assignment. It worked out well for her, good price.

"The course of love never did run smooth.".......2007-06-26

I recently re-read A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1552-1616) produced this romantic comedy between 1595 or 1596 and published it in the First Folio in 1623. It follows the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of amateur actors under the influence of fairies who inhabit a moonlit forest. The play is Shakespeare's most popular and is widely performed across the world.

It play tells three stories connected by the wedding celebration of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazonian queen Hippolyta. In the opening scene, Hermia rejects her father Egeus's request that she marry Demetrius. Rather than facing death or lifelong chastity as a nun, Hermia and her lover Lysander decide to elope. Hermia tells her best friend Helena of her plan. Helena, who has been recently rejected by Demetrius, tells him of Hermia's plan to elope. Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius all escape into the forest where they become romantically entangled under the influence of fairies.

Oberon (King of the Fairies), and his queen, Titania, arrive in the same forest. Oberon enlists the mischievous Puck (aka "Hobgoblin" and "Robin Goodfellow") to apply the magical juice from a flower to Titania's eyes while she is sleeping. The juice makes the victim fall in love with the first living thing he or she sees upon awakening. Oberon also instructs Puck to spread some juice on Demetrius's eyes. Instead, Puck puts the juice on Lysander's eyes, causing him to fall in love with Helena. To correct the error, Oberon then orders Puck to apply the juice to Demetrius's eyes, causing him to also fall in love with Helena, much to her confusion (now having two suitors).

Meanwhile, in a subplot, a band of "rude mechanicals" have been preparing a play in the forest about Pyramus and Thisbe for Theseus' wedding. Puck transforms the head of one actor, Nick Bottom, into that of an ass. When Titania is awakened by Bottom's singing, she immediately falls in love with him. Puck eventually restores Bottom's head, and lifts the spell from Lysander, but leaves Demetrius in love with Helena. The lovers conclude the night's events must have been a dream. Puck ends the play with a soliloquy.

G. Merritt

The dream of romance is lighthearted laughter .......2006-01-24

The spirit of one of Shakespeare's richest plays is lighthearted laughter. The great impressario of the proceedings is Puck who in giving the 'love potion' to the wrong person, sets up the chaos of both Demetrius and Lysander loving Helena. There are numerous networks of parallel and contrast through the work , between the worlds of the royal humans, the fairies, and the craftsmen. The motif of dreaming and imagination play a strong part in the play. And the resolution in all the couples finding themselves in love and harmony at last is a supreme happy ending.
This is one of Shakespeare's most delightful and amusing works, one of the richest comically in all the world of theater.

Ill met by moonlight, proud reader?.......2005-12-29

I must say that until I saw a simple, highschool play of this particular work, I was deathly afraid of SHakespeare, thinking it boring and only something for people over fifty to discuss and teach. WEll, i was wrong.
This particular story brings in classical characters from Greek Mythology, such as Theseus and Hyppolita (sorry if I butcher her name...lol) as well as the regal Titania and Oberon, and of course, the humorous and jovial puck and bottom.
Books like this are presented in the media to be boring but they truly are intersting and worthwhile reads. Without titles such as this, I highly doubt many writers of fantasy and romance would be the same today.
Very highly recommend as a start to Shakespeares works, though seeing it is even better!

Shakespeare at his absolute best.......2005-09-07

Midsummer Night's Dream is the bards most fantasical play in the true sense of the word. The language is absolutely beautiful and the plot is so creative and wonderful. This is a play that can be enjoyed over and over again for a lifetime. In some respects this is the perfect play to introduce young people to Shakespeare and hopefully inspire a lifelong love of his work.

Average customer rating:

Utter Tripe
Methinks it is like a weasel.
Best Shakespearen Play Ever!
it's settled.
Teachers and General Public

Hamlet (Folger Shakespeare Library)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 074347712X

Customer Reviews:

Utter Tripe.......2007-10-18

What kind of idiot writes this tripe? This is allegedly a "Play" by some long-dead "Master".

Well, let me tell, you: it's boring and derivative. It's about this Prince who doesn't get his father's throne, and feels all depressed about it for a while, and fights back against his uncle (who took the throne and married the prince's mother), to show everyone that it was actually the uncle who killed his father the king.

Excuse me? Haven't we heard this before?

Yep: Disney's "The Lion King".

This is "The Lion King" dressed up in period clothes. Instead of "Simba", we've got "Hamlet". Instead of "Scar", we've got "Claudius". Instead of "Nala", we've got "Ophelia".

And it's in "Denmark", instead of the African Plains. Denmark? Is that even a real country anymore? Anyways, it's called Europe, now; That's a part of London.

And don't get me started on the language this writer used! It's all like it's from the Bible and stuff. Get rid of that, and use real words: Take a lesson from someone like Stephen King.

Don't waste your time with this; watch "The Lion King", and you'll get it. And while you're at it, there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'm selling.

Methinks it is like a weasel........2007-09-22

I'm going to take some hits for this (by rabid Shakespeare fans mostly), but this play, whether read in a straightforward manner, or analyzed to the hilt, is just somewhat better than mediocre.
Most folks who would read this work know that Shakespeare's plays are broken down, at the top, into two groups: tragedies and comedies. Hamlet is a tragedy -- the limited humor that one finds herein is pretty darn subtle, (e.g., the comment about Englishmen all being mad). I do not criticise "Hamlet" for that actuality, in fact, I prefer the tragedies. However, the play, as plays go, is simply just so-so. I think folks get 'caught up' in the fact that this is SHAKESPEARE, and therefore, they are SUPPOSED to like it if they have an ounce of culture.
For people who wish to delve into ecclectic classic works (of all genres), "Hamlet" is difficult to read (unless you're a genius, you sort of have to stumble along and concentrate on what has been said), due mostly to the archaic language. I think, to be a fan of Shakespeare, one must assidiously STUDY Shakespeare... and for those folks who just want 'to read some Shakespeare,' I think that "Julius Caesar" is a much better place to begin.
The story about Hamlet is essentially a good tale, if a bit drawn out, but some of the details are what make it most interesting. Also, I like any story where madness is a facet of the discussion (I LOVED "The Brothers Karamazov," Dostoyevsky!)
But to assert that this work is a wonderful read just because it's Shakespeare, is why I say: Methinks it is [just a bit] like a weasel.

Best Shakespearen Play Ever!.......2007-08-27

Hamlet is a must read...end of review.
No, seriously who can't pass up...
"to be or not to be that is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outragous fortune or to take on a sea of troubles and by opposing end them. To die to sleep..."
You'll have to read the play to find out the rest.

it's settled........2007-08-25

oh yeah. what the world needs is my opinion on "hamlet," by william shakespeare. seems that the jury is still out on whether this is a good book or not. well, here it is: my seal of approval. great stuff mr shakespeare. i hope that i helped your writing career with this review. you go, guy.

Teachers and General Public.......2007-07-29

Despite its setting, Hamlet speaks to the average individual in ways that Julius Caesar or Macbeth do not, although they are obviously also very worthy in different ways. If you are either a teacher of disenfranchised (girls, in particular, but also boys) students or someone who has felt the hand of opression, this can be a very liberating text--not because of what actually happens, but due to the rich discussions/contemplations that it provokes around how *not* to end up like either Ophelia or Hamlet. Free or extremely inexpensive texts are available on-line; however, I have found the Folger edition particularly useful in helping me and my students understand some of the finer points.

Romeo and Juliet (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Average customer rating:

A rightful classic
A good introduction to the tragedies.
Romeo & Juliet summary by fernando f.
romeo and juliet version. mo student review by mahed m.
stupid student review by gabriel c

Romeo and Juliet (Folger Shakespeare Library)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743477111

Book Description

Each edition includes:

Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
Scene-by-scene plot summaries
A key to famous lines and phrases
An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language
An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Customer Reviews:

A rightful classic.......2007-08-08

This was my first Shakespeare and it certainly won't be my last. While some people dislike this book for the "love at first sight" "stupidity" of the two, I think you need to try to get past that. I definitely agree that Romeo and Juliet are morons, but it makes for a nice story. Would you really want to watch a play about two people who court each other for years, get married to the happiness of their families, and have prosperous children? I sure wouldn't.

So what if know in their right mind would ever act like? The play is written beautifully and it doesn't lag.

A good introduction to the tragedies........2007-05-25

Romeo and Juliet is a beautiful story, and it is a marvellous play to introduce young people to the beauty of Shakespeare. Who doesn't like to read or hear about star-crossed lovers? Who hasn't already heard the legend? The play is easy to read as the plot moves along rapidly, and it's beautifully written. Romeo and Juliet are so tragic in their love, and the silly feud between their two families is so destructive and senseless. Read it for the story, but enjoy it for the beautiful prose.

Romeo & Juliet summary by fernando f........2007-02-20

Romeo and Juliet was an epic story the meaning of the story to me was two lovers with parents keeping them away from each other. I personally really liked the book because it tells people how you can't hide true love because then it would just make things worse for the both. What I don't like in the story how they have to argue over stupid reasons if there in love then there in love let it be forget about all those problems you used to have and think about how good the future could be. Then again why did the families start arguing in the first place to start of with? Both of the families are alike they got money and they also have many family members looking after them but they get in things there not suppose to. The whole theme of the story took place in Verona Italy that's were the two lovers grew up and have been there most of there lives. So therefore both of them end up seeing each other all they want is there family to just get along and they wont have to worry about them having to sneak out to see each other in the middle of the night so if I had to rate this story I would give it a 10 because it teaches you to never hide your love for some one and I agree with that.

romeo and juliet version. mo student review by mahed m........2007-02-20

The story is about 2 young people who are in love. And there parents hate each other, and that effect show much time spend together, I personally think that your parents have an effect on how u live. But I guess in Verona that's not how it works. But I personally think the movie is better than the book. Because it is shorter and I don't have to pay attention on it.the setting takes place in Verona.

stupid student review by gabriel c.......2007-02-20

Romeo and Juliet is a story about to lovers that meet at first sight. The biggest problem they have together is that both of the families have been fighting and hate each other since they both have been born. It all started when Romeo been depressed ever day moping around and feeling sad all of the time because he loved Rosaline and she did not love him back. So one day Romeos cousin told him about this party and that Rosaline would be there so they left and Romeo saw Juliet there and followed her to her house and both exchanged thoughts about each other and decided that they will get married but secretly. So they had to come up with a plan to pretend that Juliet was died so the can get married and the planned failed and they both ended up killing themselves. Play was very stupid it sucks no one should read it because there is no point of reading this because all this play is taking up your time.

The Complete Pelican Shakespeare (Pelican Shakespeare)

Average customer rating:

The most readable edition
Complete
Stick to this one
Best Ever
The Complete Pelican Shakespeare

The Complete Pelican Shakespeare (Pelican Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0141000589

Book Description

THE CLASSIC ONE-VOLUME SHAKESPEARE,
INCLUDING ALL THE PLAYS AND POEMS,
NOW COMPLETELY REVISED AND UPDATED

The distinguished Pelican Shakespeare series has sold five million copies. Now Penguin is proud to offer this fully revised new hardcover edition of The Complete Pelican Shakespeare.

Since the series debuted more than forty years ago, developments in scholarship have revolutionized our understanding of William Shakespeare, his time, and his works. With new editors who have incorporated the most up-to-date research and debate, this revised edition of The Complete Pelican Shakespeare will be the premier choice for students, professors, and general readers for decades to come.

The general editors of the series-world-renowned Shakespeareans Stephen Orgel of Stanford University and A. R. Braunmuller of UCLA - devoted seven years to preparing introductions and notes with a team of eminent scholars to the forty volumes of Shakespeare's plays and poems. Now, the new series is complete and available in one lavish and complete edition.

* Authoritative and meticulously researched texts
* Illuminating new introductions and notes by distinguished authors
* Essays on Shakespeare's life, the theatrical world of his time, and the selection of texts
* A handsome new design inside and out * Deluxe packaging, including a full-linen case, ribbon marker, Smyth-sewn binding, printed endpapers, acid-free paper, and illustrations throughout
* Photos and drawings reflecting Shakespeare's theatrical legacy
* Line numbers marking every tenth line and footnote references
* Both glossorial and explanatory notes appearing conveniently at the foot of the page

Customer Reviews:

The most readable edition.......2007-08-05

I have several complete Shakespeare editions, and the Pelican stands out as the most readable I own. The book is, of course, large and thick, but the paper is not see-through, and the type is large enough for those of us with aging eyes. The text is in two columns with footnotes at the bottom of each column, making it easy to skip from words to notes and back again.

Best of all, as an owner of the Arkangel Shakespeare on CD, the Pelican is the text they use for these recordings, so following the text in print when listening to those excellent audio versions is perfect with this edition. While there is not a lot of critical apparatus - any Shakesperean worth his or her salt already has several books analyzing the plays - this volume offers a great readability for its cost. A must-have.

Complete.......2007-03-11

works really well if you are taking multiple classes with Shakespeare as required reading or if you just love Shakespeare in general

Stick to this one.......2007-01-21

After reading the Pelican edition of The Merchant of Venice, I knew this was the Complete Shakespeare edition I wanted to buy. The footnotes are excellent and the essays are a great introduction to the plays, especially to the beginner Shakespeare reader. For a deeper and more detailed review of each book, I would recommend Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare.

Best Ever.......2006-11-15

I have three different Complete Works of Shakespeare and this one is the best. It has great footnotes and intoductions. The cover does get damaged pretty fast, which is the only draw back I see. It doesn't break, but gets dirty. I'm not sure why, but everyone in my class has dirty books.

The Complete Pelican Shakespeare.......2006-11-06

This is the most complete and most helpful book of Shakespeare I have encountered. Foot notes are excellent.. I will never read Shakespeare from another publisher.

Masters of Deception: Escher, Dali & the Artists of Optical Illusion

Average customer rating:

Something everyone would find interesting
SPECTACULAR VISUAL DELIGHT
my new coffee table book
Fascinating imagery
Wonderful family book

Masters of Deception: Escher, Dali & the Artists of Optical Illusion
Al Seckel
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1402705778

Book Description

Astonishing creations by masters of the art, such as Escher, Dali, and Archimbolo; amazing visual trickery; and an illuminating foreword by the Pulitzer Prize--winning author Douglas R. Hofstadter make this 320-page, breathtaking collection the definitive book of optical illusions.

Rings of seahorses that seem to rotate on the page. Butterflies that transform right before your eyes into two warriors with their horses. A mosaic portrait of oceanographer Jacques Cousteau made from seashells. These dazzling and often playful artistic creations manipulate perspective so cleverly that they simply outwit our brains: we can’t just take a quick glance and turn away. They compel us to look once, twice, and over and over again, as we try to figure out exactly how the delightful trickery manages to fool our perceptions so completely. Of course, first and foremost, every piece is beautiful on the surface, but each one offers us so much more. Some, including Sandro del Prete’s charming “Window Gazing,” construct illusionary worlds where normal conceptions of up, down, forward, and back simply have no meaning anymore. Others, such as Jos De Mey’s sly “Ceci n’est pas un Magritte,” create visual puns on earlier work. From Escher’s famous and elaborate “Waterfall” to Shigeo Fukuda’s “Mary Poppins,” where a heap of bottles, glasses, shakers, and openers somehow turn into the image of a Belle Epoque woman when the spotlight hits them, these works of genius will provide endless enjoyment and food for thought.

Customer Reviews:

Something everyone would find interesting.......2007-08-06

I teach high school freshmen, and I keep this book on my shelf for students to look through on their own time. It is easily one of the most popular books, and after only three years the wear is beginning to prove this. I don't know how many times I have dropped it off at a student's table because they were bored, and dared them to not find something interesting in the book. Without fail, a students will be engrossed in the book within minutes.

One of the best features about this book compared to other books of its kind is that it contains dozens of examples of dozens of various types of art. Beyond the typical optical illusions, it features trompe d'loeil murals, artwork created with hair or chocolate syrup, artwork that can only be viewed with a reflective cylinder, and much more. As I mentioned before, nearly everyone will find something fascinating in this book.

SPECTACULAR VISUAL DELIGHT.......2007-06-08

For anyone with eyes, I recommend this book. I purchased for my girlfriend and she loved it. Dali and Echer are particular noteworthy in this collection of illusioins. It will renew your sense of wonder about how your brain works.

my new coffee table book.......2007-01-30

Wow - I chose this based on the chorus of 5 star reviews, submitted by others who seem much more knowledgeable in this field than I, and I am NOT disappointed! This is a great looking book - big, hardcover, suitable for your coffee table. As stated in other reviews, the book has a nice sampling of well known artists, plus an array of fun illusions, and EXPLANATIONS, which is something I had not seen in other books of illusions. This is just a very nice book, meeting the hype, and worthy of your coffee table or anybody else's for that matter .. definitely gift-worthy.

Fascinating imagery.......2007-01-19

Overall this is a fascinating book, interesting to read and fun to look through the pictures. My only complaint is with a few of the images which are too small to appreciate. 2 x 4 inches is not sufficient to enjoy Escher's detailed graphics, and I found myself using a magnifying glass at times. Thankfully this is the exception, and many images are almost full-page size. Even if you know nothing about art, this is an enjoyable book, because you will find yourself amazed by the clever images.

Wonderful family book.......2007-01-16

I purchased this book for my teenage son for Christmas. It was a big hit with everyone in the family, and with our friends who stopped by that day. And even after the holidays, I saw my son (an avid video gamer who refuses to read books) pick it up several times, and even share it with a friend.
The information about the different artists is fascinating, and the artwork is fun, inspiring and amazing.

The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare: 38 Fully-Dramatized Plays (Arkangel Shakespeare)

Average customer rating:

Great value!
Great Collection
An immaculate collection.
A Wonderful Indulgence for Lovers of the Bard
Shakespeare in Wisconsin

The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare: 38 Fully-Dramatized Plays (Arkangel Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: The Audio Partners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1932219005

Book Description

For the first time in audio publishing history, all of Shakespeare's plays are available in one extraordinary, definitive collection. Based on The Complete Pelican Shakespeare, here are all of the master's 38 plays, complete and unabridged, fully dramatized on CDs with an original score and sound design for each play. A monumental project that spanned five years and cost $3 million, The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare represents the collective vision of four people: Shakespeare scholar Tom Treadwell, film producer Bill Shepherd, BBC director Clive Brill, and composer Dominique Le Gendre. Together they have assembled the 400 great actors of the British theater and produced a landmark digital recording with a sophisticated layering of sound that immerses the listener in Shakespeare's world.

Customer Reviews:

Great value!.......2007-07-06

The Arkangel Shakespeare is one of the best investments I've ever made. Both the dramatic and technical quality of the recordings are excellent. Buy the collection yourself and discover why listening to Shakespeare is so much more rewarding than merely reading Shakespeare.

Great Collection.......2007-06-22

It's great to listen to each of these cds with lots of well-known artists. I have now listened to 36 and loved each. If you're a Shakespeare fan, this is a must!

An immaculate collection........2007-05-10

I can't say enough about this collection. This is an absolutely astounding collection of all of Shakespeare's play, uncut and unabridged, performed by some of England's most talented actors an actresses, as some of the other descriptions and reviews speak of.

What I have found invaluably rewarding as a Shakespeare devotee and as a actor is to follow along to Shakespeare's text while listening to these incredible recordings. I did this for a Shakespeare course in college. We'd be assigned a play to read within a week, and within 2 hours, I'd have it all read, while hearing it performed on these amazing recordings. To hear Shakespeare's words spoken as they would have been originally heard nearly 400 years allows for a greater understanding of the composition and the rhythm of the dialogue and verse. It simply does not get any better than this.

I'd highly recommend this collection. The producers of the Arkangel Shakespeare have obviously taken great care in preserving the text of the play and by employing the best of classically trained actors, the greatest works of English literature, filled with characters and words will blossom in your mind's eye. I cannot imagine any library being complete without this collection, and it is nothing short of a delight to have for your own personal library.

Do not hesitate to consider purchasing this collection for your public or collegiate library, or for yourself. It is a hallmark in the canon of comtemporary presentations of Shakespeare's complete works.

A Wonderful Indulgence for Lovers of the Bard.......2007-01-13

This was my Christmas present this year, and I can't stop looking at it. It's almost overwhelming to decide which play to grab and listen to in the car on my drive to work. These are wonderful productions with clear, crisp sound and excellent actors. The classical training is obvious, and many will recognize the names of actors, espcially fans of BBC television. Ciaran Hinds as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra is wonderful. He's also in The Winter's Tale. For any fan of Shakespeare this is a terrific investment. For teachers of British literature it is also a wonderful classroom resource.

Shakespeare in Wisconsin.......2006-08-09

This is a gorgeous production that is indeed a treasure. I listen with a Creative Zen Vision player and every word is delicious. I have enjoyed the first seven plays, thru Hamlet, and every nuance, every word, every inflection, pause, sound, background music theme and all the audio panorama makes every minute an absolute delight. I am now in a quandary about whether to continue listening thru the series or begin again to search among the endless audio treasures for gems I might have missed. This Arkangle series is a gift from the gods and worth many times its price. This kind of talent, dedication and flawless performance beggars description.

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