Bill Bryson’s bestselling biography of William Shakespeare takes the reader on an enthralling tour through Elizabethan England and the eccentricities of Shakespearean scholarship—updated with a new introduction by the author to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death William Shakespeare, the most celebrated poet in the English language, left behind nearly a million words of text, but his biography has long been a thicket of...

A profile of Shakespeare and the political, intellectual, and religious world in which he lived draws on recently discovered sources including police torture records to show how the violence and plots of the era inform his work

"From leading Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro, a timely and insightful examination of what the world's greatest dramatist can teach us about life in an America riven by conflict. The United States has always been divided, but Americans from all walks of life have also always shared a deep affinity for the plays William Shakespeare, even if their meaning has been fiercely contested. For well over two centuries now, Americans of all stripes--presidents...

This clear guide demystifies Shakespeare for the beginning reader. An essential reference resource of ideas and approaches, it is fully illustrated with examples from some of the most frequently studied plays

Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human is an analysis of the central work of the Western canon, and of the playwright who not only invented the English language, but also, as Bloom argues, created human nature as we know it today. Before Shakespeare there was characterization; after Shakespeare, there were characters, men and women capable of change, with highly individual personalities. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human is a companion to Shakespeare's...

"Shakespeare: Staging the World presents an extraordinary collection of objects that evoke London in 1612, bringing to life not only Shakespeare the man, but also the characters, places, and events--real and imagined--featured in his plays."--Jacket.

"What is a Bum-Bailey? Who saved Arion from the pirates? How do you know if you're Hilding for a Livery? Who leads Apes in Hell?" "It is said that England and America are two nations separated by a common language, and nowhere is that more true than in our dealings with the Bard. Rife with arcane references, unfamiliar expressions, and even made-up words, Shakespeare's texts can intimidate even the most learned reader. Here in one comprehensive volume,...