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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 809
EAN: 9780061673696
ISBN: 0061673692
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 208
Publication Date: 2008-10
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Studio: Harper Perennial

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:


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 wild supposition arranged around scant facts. With a steady hand and his trademark wit, Bill Bryson sorts through this colorful muddle to reveal the man himself. His Shakespeare is like no one else's—the beneficiary of Bryson's genial nature, his engaging skepticism, and a gift for storytelling unrivaled in our time.






Rating: - Provides factual perspective
The author has written a slim and cautionary book concerning what is factually known about William Shakespeare, including a critical look at opinions regarding various aspects of his life that have been perpetrated based on either questionable extrapolations or, worse, wishful or agenda-driven thinking. Only church documents, legal proceedings, and a few mentions by contemporaries give small hints as to his affairs. There are not even unambiguous details concerning his appearance. As the author states, ... Read More

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Rating: - makes you appreciate Shakespeare more, even if you don't think that's possible.
Bill Bryson's biography of Shakespeare has the perfect subtitle. Not just because it is so fitting for Shakespeare, but--as Bryson shows--it is a necessity when looking at the greatest genius of all humanity. Bryson cuts through the speculation and goes to what we actually know about Shakespeare the man, which is next to nothing. And yet, Bryson writes a wonderful book filled with his compellingly trademark style that engages and engrosses the reader. He focuses on the world of Shakespeare and what little ... Read More

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Rating: - Bryson never fails to entertain
Shakespeare:The World as Stage (eminent Lives) by Bill Bryson

I have always found Bill Bryson"s books filled with just the right kind of humor and information. I was surprsed to see this title. This has to be the best bio on Shakespeare I've ever read and I have read alot of them. As Bryson points out, there isn't alot to tell. Somehow he manages to give you just about everything known about the man but conveys it in ways that are just plain funny. But don't think Bryson hasn't done his homework. ... Read More

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Rating: - Crafted, concise, and fun to read
Bill Bryson's concise biography of Shakespeare is brilliantly written, humorously insightful, and entirely delightful. The prose is a well-crafted and playful presentation of the dozen odd facts known about Shakespeare and many of the suppositions, inferences, and wild speculations about the man and his work. This Shakespeare primer can be easily understood by any high-school level reader and no prior knowledge about Shakespeare is required--Bryson even helpfully informs the reader that "William Shakespeare ... Read More

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Rating: - Something for everyone
I really enjoyed this quick read. I knew virtually nothing about Shakespeare; never having read much of his work, nor any explanation of his existence. I learned a good bit, stayed entertained and walked away with a much better appreciation of Shakespeare's impact on the world.

I still can't watch Laurence Olivier's Hamlet however.....

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