Shakespeare: The World as a Stage

by Bill Bryson

This exquisitely illustrated and updated edition of Bill Bryson's best-selling biography of William Shakespeare takes the reader on an enthralling journey through Elizabethan England and the eccentricities of Shakespearean scholarship. Includes exclusive audio of Shakespeare’s sonnets, read by Sir John Gielgud.

Bill Bryson's biography of William Shakespeare pairs the most celebrated playwright in history with one of the most popular writers in the English language today. In this exquisitely illustrated new edition, the age of Shakespeare is vividly evoked through full-colour paintings, portraits, documents and photographs.

Ever since he took the theatre of Elizabethan London by storm over 400 years ago, Shakespeare has remained centre stage. His fame stems not only from his plays - performed everywhere from school halls to the world's most illustrious theatres - but also from his enigmatic persona. His face is familiar to all, yet in reality very little is known about the man behind the masterpieces.

Taking us on a journey through the streets of Elizabethan and Jacobean England, Bryson examines centuries of myths, half-truths and downright lies surrounding our greatest dramatist. With a steady hand and his trademark wit, he introduces a host of engaging characters, as he celebrates the magic of Shakespeare's language and delights in details of the bard's life, folios, poetry and plays.

An updated preface includes the recent discoveries of the Cobbe portrait and London's first purpose-built theatre in Shoreditch. Shakespeare: The Illustrated Edition is captivating and colourful, as Bryson brings the legend into focus with unmatched clarity and amusement.

Sonnets (audio CD)
Selected and read by Sir John Gielgud, these personal and initimate poems were recorded over a period of six months, on two continents, a few at a time. They are magnificently sensitive readings by the most memorable interpreter of Shakespeare in our time. The text follows the original quarto of 1609.

• ISBN10: 0007325231
• ISBN13: 9780007325238
• Publish Date: 29 October 2009 (first published 3 September 2007)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 20 February 2013
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: HarperPress
• Edition: Illustrated Gift edition
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[celinenyx]

I was a nice, fun, quick read, and I feel smarter afterwards. Mission accomplished.

Strengths:
- Mr Bryson makes a good distinction between fiction and fact. As he clearly notes, there are a lot of scholars that think to know how Shakespeare was as a person, even though no one could ever have that knowledge
- Every chapter there is a nice chunk of background information on the time period. For the history dummies out there, this book makes sure you know what it's talking about
- Bryson has a certain way of storytelling that makes Shakespeare an engaging read
- I appreciate his humour immensely

Weaknesses:
- The names. Oh lord, the names. Really, after a while I just couldn't remember all those similar looking British names
- Just like the people's names, I sometimes had problems with the names of Shakespeare's plays. At one point he starts composing lists of which play had been written when by different theories. He completely lost me by then
- I'm not that big on deciphering Elizabethan sentences, so a translating now and than would have been helpful