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A review by mxd
The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio by Emma Smith
4.0
The edition of the First Folio I've seen has always left me in awe, because it feels like Shakespeare could have disappeared into obscurity so easily were it not for the existence of all his works bound together, and those people who would later take inspiration from him and bring him back into the spotlight in a way he wouldn't have been even in his own time (Smith comments on how his death was barely commented on, in comparison to Burbage who acted in his plays and was eulogised by many).
What Emma Smith's book does is, it takes us through all the layers of what went into the creation of the First Folio. How were the plays collected? Who financed the folio? Why use the folio format? What was left out and why? Who else might have had a hand in writing some of the plays? What was the printing process like, and how did it contribute to some of the oddities in the editions of the First Folio? Many many questions addressed, and many personalities mentioned along the way.
If you're studying Shakespeare, or interested in rare books, this is a must read. Chock full of information and a fairly digestible read.
What Emma Smith's book does is, it takes us through all the layers of what went into the creation of the First Folio. How were the plays collected? Who financed the folio? Why use the folio format? What was left out and why? Who else might have had a hand in writing some of the plays? What was the printing process like, and how did it contribute to some of the oddities in the editions of the First Folio? Many many questions addressed, and many personalities mentioned along the way.
If you're studying Shakespeare, or interested in rare books, this is a must read. Chock full of information and a fairly digestible read.