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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Bill does it again! I just love everything I've read from him.
It's such an informative book about how little we actually know about William Shakespeare, or Will, as Bill endearingly refers to him as.
I loved learning about the chaos of the late 1500s/early 1600s that Bill shares with us, from politics to plagues and lots of controversies in between.
I loved that Bill balances the immense contribution that Shakespeare has made to our language and culture, with his potentially less desireable traits, for example his tax evasion and our uncertainty regarding his relationship with his family, particularly in light of his will. The chapter on "Claimants" was also fascinating to me as I wasn't aware of the speculation that what we now accept to be the surviving work of Shakespeare may in fact have been the work of others.
The book made me realise how much of what critics and commentators have written about Shakespeare is pure speculation. Bill's playful tongue-in-cheek approach to sharing some of their work is delightful.
It's such an informative book about how little we actually know about William Shakespeare, or Will, as Bill endearingly refers to him as.
I loved learning about the chaos of the late 1500s/early 1600s that Bill shares with us, from politics to plagues and lots of controversies in between.
I loved that Bill balances the immense contribution that Shakespeare has made to our language and culture, with his potentially less desireable traits, for example his tax evasion and our uncertainty regarding his relationship with his family, particularly in light of his will. The chapter on "Claimants" was also fascinating to me as I wasn't aware of the speculation that what we now accept to be the surviving work of Shakespeare may in fact have been the work of others.
The book made me realise how much of what critics and commentators have written about Shakespeare is pure speculation. Bill's playful tongue-in-cheek approach to sharing some of their work is delightful.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
William Shakespeare is, truly, a household name. Whether you appreciate his works or not, it's hard to avoid him either because you are forced to read his plays in your English class or because you use his own phrases in your daily language. In this book, Bill Bryson has attempted to consolidate all that we actually know about William Shakespeare and his time period. While there are probably millions of actual pages written about the man and his history and his literature, this is more of a giant overview, a look not at theories but at actual evidence - what does the historical record actually say and how does that compare to the "common knowledge" that has been thrown around about him for centuries?What are the controversies surrounding the Bard and how can we take a side using as much factual information as is available?
If you are not already a fan of Shakespeare, then this probably is not the book for you. It is not a particularly humorous book (although he's so good that there is still some), a departure from other of Bryson's more popular works. However, it is incredibly interesting and well-researched. I feel like I not only learned a lot but also unlearned some things that I have heard that are not actually true. It's full of historical names that I stopped worrying about keeping straight but don't let that deter you if you are a fan - it's super readable (well, I listened because I love his narrative voice, it's a quick listen). I wish I'd read it before my visit to the recreated Globe last fall but at least it's all in my brain now.
If you are not already a fan of Shakespeare, then this probably is not the book for you. It is not a particularly humorous book (although he's so good that there is still some), a departure from other of Bryson's more popular works. However, it is incredibly interesting and well-researched. I feel like I not only learned a lot but also unlearned some things that I have heard that are not actually true. It's full of historical names that I stopped worrying about keeping straight but don't let that deter you if you are a fan - it's super readable (well, I listened because I love his narrative voice, it's a quick listen). I wish I'd read it before my visit to the recreated Globe last fall but at least it's all in my brain now.
I’m a big fan of Bill Bryson’s works, because I always learn something, and I’m usually learning in an entertaining way. This book continues the streak. I’m a major Shakespeare buff, and have read numerous books and articles on Shakespeare and his world. Yet Bryson gives me even more detail, despite a dearth of material, and makes it fun. I’d make this required reading for any theater/lit person who’s going to brush up against Elizabethan drama.
You’ll have ample ammo to blast away any person who brings up the zombie meme of “Shakespeare didn’t write those plays.” You’ll marvel at how much we have of the man’s work, yet how absolutely little we know about him. You’ll go along as Bryson tracks down clues and tosses off nuggets of info in breezy fashion.
So yes, yes, yes, highly recommended, both for material and presentation.
Side-note: In this vein, a shoutout here to author Dan Simmons, who also goes into painstaking detail about Shakespeare on his website, despite that he primarily writes solid fiction.
You’ll have ample ammo to blast away any person who brings up the zombie meme of “Shakespeare didn’t write those plays.” You’ll marvel at how much we have of the man’s work, yet how absolutely little we know about him. You’ll go along as Bryson tracks down clues and tosses off nuggets of info in breezy fashion.
So yes, yes, yes, highly recommended, both for material and presentation.
Side-note: In this vein, a shoutout here to author Dan Simmons, who also goes into painstaking detail about Shakespeare on his website, despite that he primarily writes solid fiction.
This brief book is equally fun and informative. I appreciated Bryson's humor and lack of unfounded speculation about all that we don't know about Shakespeare.
Bill takes on Bill! Bryson looks at the evidence "100 documents relating to William Shakespeare and his immediate family - baptismal records, title deeds, tax certicates, marriage bonds, wris of attachment, court records.." (p. 7), and gives us a take on the man behind the mask.
Subjects range from rule of Elizabeth I/James reign, the Globe, society at the time, and authorship of Shakespeare's works. There is very little comment on Shakespeare's work themselves.
But the real tragedgy is that Bryson's mid-western light-heartedness and dry humor is all but absent. I question the authorship of this novel! Clearly a minor work of Bryson's.
Reading anything on Shakespeare is at least somewhat enjoyable, but this tiny work was a slog and hardly exhaustive.
Subjects range from rule of Elizabeth I/James reign, the Globe, society at the time, and authorship of Shakespeare's works. There is very little comment on Shakespeare's work themselves.
But the real tragedgy is that Bryson's mid-western light-heartedness and dry humor is all but absent. I question the authorship of this novel! Clearly a minor work of Bryson's.
Reading anything on Shakespeare is at least somewhat enjoyable, but this tiny work was a slog and hardly exhaustive.
As part of Harper Collins' "Eminent Lives" series, Bill Bryson took on writing a short, light biography of Shakespeare. The result is odd and a bit disappointing for a fan of both Bryson and Shakespeare, but part of that is certainly to do with the lack of concrete evidence about much of anything in Shakespeare's life. Bryson pads out what we do know about Shakespeare with a lot of context about Elizabethan and Jacobean England, attempting to deduce likelihoods about Shakespeare from what we know generally of the times. Bryson also spends a good chunk of the book on the mechanics of producing the First Folio, and outlining and debunking anti-Stratfordian conspiracy theories. He avoids getting too much into the substance of plays, though discusses ways that some scholars have attempted to read into the plays to illuminate more about Shakespeare's life, often misguidedly. At the end of the day I did feel like I took away some new knowledge about Shakespeare, but maybe more so about Elizabethan England in general. Although the book is short, there were still sections that felt too tangential and caused me to briefly lose interest.
I learned quite a bit about Mr. Shakespeare from reading this, which I'm sure was Bryson's goal. Meant for both Shakespeare aficionados and beginning scholars (like me), Bryson's easy-going style adds to the enjoyment and ease of learning. A true must read for anyone who is interested in learning about (or learning more about) the Bard.
What an unexpectedly wonderful read about Shakespeare and the theatrical environment of the Elizabethan age!
An enjoyable, easy read which tried to fill in more information about Shakespeare. It was informative, funny and concise and I found it so easy to read it was over in no time at all.
It’s a read that takes you into the century Shakespeare lived and how so many academics and others have dedicated their lives to finding out more about him. The impact he has made on literature is clear and there was lots of facts about words and pronunciation and the history of time which was very interesting to read.
It’s a great choice for something a bit different and even though not everything is known about it’s his lasting presence in our lives which makes this read really special.
Any fans of Shakespeare or of Bill Bryson will eat this up.
It’s a read that takes you into the century Shakespeare lived and how so many academics and others have dedicated their lives to finding out more about him. The impact he has made on literature is clear and there was lots of facts about words and pronunciation and the history of time which was very interesting to read.
It’s a great choice for something a bit different and even though not everything is known about it’s his lasting presence in our lives which makes this read really special.
Any fans of Shakespeare or of Bill Bryson will eat this up.