Showing posts with label Shakespeare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shakespeare. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

New and Novel: Shakespeare

The phrase "there is nothing new under the sun" comes from the Bible, but if it didn't, it might have come from the brain of William Shakespeare (or whomever you believe wrote Shakespeare's works) - he coined many words we use today and the plays are a minefield of turns of phrase that you'll recognize from other sources, because everybody quotes Shakespeare!

At any rate, there are some new things under the sun, because there are new books about Shakespeare and his world to be found in the library catalog, as well as some recent DVDs about his plays and/or performances of his works.  In April 2016, there will be a tribute to the poet and playwright on the event of his 400th death anniversary - interesting, in light of the fact that many prestigious U.S. universities no longer require English majors to study the Bard's works.

What do you think of Shakespeare? Do you have a favorite play, or sonnet? Does Shakespeare still deserve all the veneration he was once given?

Read

The Shakespeare Book edited by Stanley Wells

Whether you are new to the poetry and prose of Shakespeare, and in need of a guide through the complex plots and unfamiliar language, or looking for a fresh perspective on his much-loved plays and sonnets, this book will shed light on the work of one of world literature's greatest figures.  The Science of Shakespeare: A New Look at the Playwright's Universe by Dan Falk   William Shakespeare lived at a remarkable time--a period we now recognize as the first phase of the Scientific Revolution. New ideas were transforming Western thought, the medieval was giving way to the modern, and the work of a few key figures hinted at the brave new world to come: The methodical and rational Galileo, the skeptical Montaigne, and--as Falk convincingly argues--Shakespeare, who observed human nature just as intently as the astronomers who studied the night sky.  The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer  ... this popular history explores daily life in Queen Elizabeth's England, taking us inside the homes and minds of ordinary citizens as well as luminaries of the period, including Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Sir Francis Drake. Organized as a travel guide for the time-hopping tourist, Mortimer relates in delightful (and occasionally disturbing) detail everything from the sounds and smells of sixteenth-century England to the complex and contradictory Elizabethan attitudes toward violence, class, sex, and religion. Shakespeare's Restless World: A Portrait of an Era in Twenty Objects by Neil MacGregor  In this work of historical reconstruction Neil MacGregor and his team at the British Museum, working together in a landmark collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the BBC, bring us twenty objects that capture the essence of Shakespeare's universe and the Tudor era of Elizabeth I. How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig Outlines an engaging way to instill an understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare's classic works in children, outlining a family-friendly method that incorporates the history of Shakespearean theater and society.  Ideas of Order: A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Sonnets by Neil L. Rudenstine  An approachable and indispensable guide to Shakespeare's sonnets Shakespeare's sonnets are the greatest single work of lyric poetry in English, as passionate, daring, intimate, and moving as any love poems we may encounter.Along with his expert critical narrative, Ideas of Order includes all of Shakespeare's sonnets. This enlightening book is an invaluable companion for Shakespeare neophytes and experienced readers alike.   Shakespeare Insult Generator: Mix and Match More Than 150,000 Insults in the Bard's Own Words by Barry Kraft      Watch   Shakespeare Uncovered, Season 1 and Season 2  Romeo & Juliet   Cymbeline  The Hollow Crown   Much Ado About Nothing  Coriolanus   *all descriptions are taken from the library catalog   

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Featured Series: Fools' Guild


Jesters. Jugglers. Singers. Acrobats.

Fools.

More than they seem?

Alan Gordon's Fools' Guild series presents a fascinating premise: what if medieval jesters, Fools, were not just entertainers but actually members of a widespread organization dedicated to manipulating world events?

They were present in every court, were often privy to secrets and intrigues, and sometimes had the ear of the nobility -- in prime position to collect information or influence the ruling class. Or even, at need, perform a bit of assassination...

Steeped in Shakespeare lore (as the title suggests, the first book, Thirteenth Night, is an extension of the events in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", and An Antic Disposition is a retelling of "Hamlet"), rich in period detail and featuring such real events as the siege of Constantinople, the Fools' Guild series offers both the mystery reader and the history buff an involving experience full of wordplay, swordplay, intrigue, and all manner of jesterly antics. 

1. Thirteenth Night (1999)
2. Jester Leaps In (2000)
3. A Death in the Venetian Quarter (2002)
4. The Widow of Jerusalem (2003)
5. An Antic Disposition (2004)
6. The Lark's Lament (2007)
7. The Moneylender of Toulouse (2008)
8. The Parisian Prodigal (2010)

Readers may also be interested in these other medieval mysteries
 

Monday, October 25, 2010

Henry V & the Battle of Agincourt

Recently I found myself becoming enamored of the works of William Shakespeare and how they have translated to film and television. Two weeks ago I spent the entire weekend watching five films based on Shakespeare's plays and one of them, Henry V, has an anniversary of sorts today. In 1415 King Henry V defeated the French at Agincourt furthering his advances to reign over France, which finally occurred in 1420. The young king's rousing speech to his troops is mesmerizing to watch and gave us that wonderful first line: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers", which of course became the title of the HBO series Band of Brothers.

Other Shakespeare films that I enjoyed were Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Love's Labour's Lost, and Hamlet. The library does not have a copy of Love's Labour's Lost, but you should be able to obtain one through the Interlibrary Loan system.

I have also prepared myself for the newest Shakespeare movie The Tempest starring Helen Mirren by reading the play in its original form and the No Fear version to fully understand the story. Instead of a male character playing the lead of Prospero, the director Julie Taymor went a different route creatively and Ms. Mirren will be playing the role of Prospera. It should make for a lively film. While Shakespeare is often seen as dull and boring by many, the Bard of Avalon had his finger on the pulse of humanity and all of our foibles, thus making his words as powerful today as they were then.