Dad of Divas' Reviews: Book Review - Shakespeare Basics for Grown-Ups: Everything You Need to Know About the Bard

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Book Review - Shakespeare Basics for Grown-Ups: Everything You Need to Know About the Bard


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About the Book
From the authors of the international bestseller Homework for Grown-Ups, SHAKESPEARE BASICS FOR GROWN-UPS (a Plume original, on sale June 16, 2016) looks at key works – from comedies to tragedies – and the most important sonnets. For parents having to keep up with their children’s homework, those looking to impress on Jeopardy’s next Shakespeare category or casual theater-goers who want to enhance their enjoyment and understanding of scribe, SHAKESPEARE BASICS FOR GROWN-UPS covers the historical context of his writing, personal life, most famous speeches, quotations, poems and more. Did you know:


  • Shakespeare introduced around 1,700 words to the English language and a multitude of phrases including “Love is blind” and “Good Riddance.”
  • Of the ten plays usually categorized as his Tragedies, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and King Lear are generally considered to be Shakespeare’s true masterpieces, and among the greatest works of art of all time.
  • Antony and Cleopatra has more scenes than any other Shakespeare play.
  • Romeo and Juliet may be one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, but it hasn’t always gone down so well with audiences. Said one critic: “It is a play of itself the worst that I ever heard in my life.”

…And many more amusements about the great literary hero and poet!

Filled with charts, glossaries, and dozens of black and white illustrations, SHAKESPEARE BASICS FOR GROWN-UPS is the perfect gift for high school students and English majors or those looking to learn beyond his most famous plays. It’s Shakespeare decoded!



My Take on the Book
This was an amazingly complete resource for any lover of Shakespeare. You are led through an amazing array of insightful discussions about the plays. While I have read many of the plays of the Bard in the past, this book really takes you much deeper and allows you to delve deeper and explore so much more. This was an amazing resource and so interesting. Any lover of the arts will be completely engrossed by this book!

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