Pros: superb design/organization of subject matter, archival photos of live performances, wealth of information
Cons: so much information on one page you don't know where to start!
The Bottom Line: Lively, entertaining, well-researched compendium of Shakespeare's work, with detailed illustrations and great photos of stage performances. Great present for a youngster interested in exploring the world of the Bard.
jc_hall's Full Review: Anna Claybourne, Felicity Brooks, Rebecca Treays, ...
The edition that I’m reviewing is the older version without the ‘internet-linked’ function. It has a different cover from the one illustrated above. Details can be found at the bottom of this review.
This lively compendium of Shakespeare’s work is a very slim volume of only 64 oversize pages, but is beautifully designed and masterfully organized, deftly balancing text with illustrations and photos to give the reader a wealth of information in different media.
Beginning with a faux-period title page that includes a ‘Catalogue of the severall parts contained in this volume’ (index), exhorts the ‘most excellent skill’ of the illustrators, and acknowledges the ‘gracious aide of …wise counsellors’, The World of Shakespeare is ‘presented, according to a cunning arrangement, by the designer, Mistress Mary Cartwright’, as a series of two-page spreads that tackle various aspects of the life and work of the Bard.
Topics covered vary from the identity of William Shakespeare, his life in Stratford and London, to Elizabethan theatre in general and the Globe Theatre in particular. The tragedies, comedies, problem plays, romances, as well as the earlier and later history plays are covered with examples from each (and dealt with in surprising detail considering the space). Shakespeare’s poems and songs, his language, issues in his work, acting and directing styles, and performance are also touched upon.
There’s even a list of Who’s Who in the World of Shakespeare, listing (with a short note on each) the historical characters (such as Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, John Fletcher) as well as playwrights, critics, actors and directors associated with Shakespeare’s work.
Then there are 3 glossaries, the first a Glossary of Terms and Phrases (e.g. iambic pentameter, bad quarto, sonnet) with a short explanation of each, then a Glossary of Shakespearean Words (e.g. bodkin, perchance, incarnadine) with a short definition of each, and lastly a Glossary of Shakespearean Characters, with a note on who they are and in which play they appear.
Then comes a page of Important Dates (including the putative dates of the plays and poems). Next to this is a Shakespeare Quiz in which the reader attempts to match up characters to their disguises, pair off lovers, figure out which insult/food comes from which play, and so on. Last of all is a handy index and answers to the quiz.
The World of Shakespeare appears to be aimed at a younger market, with its eye-catching design of multiple illustrations and many, many wonderful photos, and its bite-sized portions of text that would engage the shortest attention span. But though, at first glance, the text seems to take second place to the other design elements, when you cease to be distracted by the other elements enough to actually read the text, you realise just how much relevant information is contained within these bite-sized chunks of text.
A lot of research into the background of the times as well as the plays themselves (both in and of themselves, as well as their performances throughout history) allow the writers to engage both the young reader and the mature reader with some knowledge of the plays. There is so much going on in each two-page spread it just has to be seen to be believed. I’ve had this book for several years now, and I can still turn to a two-page spread and discover something I’ve missed on first (or second or third reading).
The World of Shakespeare is an oyster of a book, harbouring a wealth of relevant information, cunningly and beautifully presented. A most worthy addition to the bookshelf of any Bard aficionado. Highly recommended.
URL : http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0746024541/202-6529096-9833454?v=glance&n=266239
Authors : Anna Claybourne and Rebecca Treays
ISBN : 0746024541
Date Published : 1996
Number of Pages : 64
Available Formats : paperback
Illustrator : David Cuzik and Cecco Mariniello
Editor :Felicity Brooks
Publisher : Usborne Publishing
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