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    Book Recommendations

     

     

    The World of Shakespeare (World of Shakespeare Series)

    by Anna Claybourne, Rebecca Treays

    This is an introduction to the life and work of William Shakespeare. The book covers every aspect of the genius of Shakespeare, revealing the world he lived in, examining his controversial life, exploring his rich and varied works, and meeting his fascinating characters. A description is given of how Shakespeare's plays were performed when he was alive, and a look behind the scenes is given as a modern drama company prepares to stage a new production. A reference section contains plot summaries, glossaries and a Shakespeare quiz. The book is highly illustrated with Elizabethan drawings, reproductions of historical manuscripts, designs and posters.

    All of Shakespeare
    by Maurice Charney
    A series of "mini-lectures" by a prominent Shakespearean scholar.  Geared towards self exploration and learning of the works of Shakespeare.

     

     

    Naughty Shakespeare : The Lascivious Lines, Offensive Oaths, and Politically Incorrect Notions from the Baddest Bard of Them All
    by Michael MacRone, Tom Lulevitch (Illustrator)

    Here are the lascivious lines, cuckolded characters, and politically incorrect notions of the baddest bard of all. Author Michael Macrone plumbs the depths of William Shakespeare's various and conflicted views on race, religion, government, culture, sex, and sexuality in concise, clear and hilariously scandalous explanations.

     

    The First Folio Speeches for Women (Oberon Books)
    Patrick Tucker(Editor) / Paperback / Published 1998)

    A Guide to Scenes & Monologues from Shakespeare and His Contemporaries
    Kurt Daw, Julia Matthews / Paperback / Published 1998

     

     

     

    Orson Welles, Shakespeare,and Popular Culture (Film and Culture)
    Michael Anderegg / Hardcover / Published 1998

    Scenes for Women from the Plays of Shakespeare
    Marion P. Robinson / Paperback / Published 1967

    Scenes from Shakespeare/Cassette
    Paul Rogers / Audio Cassette / Published 1960

    Shakespeare Soliloquies and Scenes for Actors : Hamlet, MacBeth, Othelli/Cassette
    Hilton Edwards, Michael MacLiemour / Audio Cassette / Published 1986

    Shakespeare Soliloquies and Scenes for Actors : Julius Caesar, Kinglear/Cassette
    Hilton Edwards, Michael MacLiemour / Audio Cassette / Published 1986

    Discovering Shakespeare's Language : 150 Stimulating Activity Sheets for Student Work (Cambridge School Shakespeare Series)
    by Rex Gibson (Editor), Janet Field-Pickering (Editor)

    This collection of photocopiable activity sheets will enable teachers to construct a course in Shakespearean language. Guidance is provided for the simple units, but there is also scope for more in-depth extension work. The help provided is based on examples from the whole range of the plays, including all those studied in high school.

    Teaching Shakespeare (Cambridge School Shakespeare Series)
    by Rex Gibson

     

     

     

    Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare

    by Isaac Asimov, Rafael Palacios (Illustrator)
     

    An amazingly interesting text by one of this century's most influential authors on the work of one of this millennium's most influential authors.  Contains synopses of all the plays, scene-by-scene analysis, and much more. Well worth a look. This book has over 1500 pages!!!

     

    Big-Time Shakespeare
    by Michael D. Bristol
    Ever read a book that ties together the Bard and Calvin and Hobbes?  Well, here it is. Quirky, but well worth the effort.

    Discovering Shakespeare's Meaning : An Introduction to the Study of Shakespeare's Dramatic Structures
    by Leah Scragg
    Probably best as a teacher resource or for the tertiary (college/university) level student.

     

     

    Improvising Shakespeare : Reading for the Stage
    by Thomas S. Turgeon
    A series of practical exercises for exploring the dynamic process of moving a written text to the stage. Eight Shakespearean scenes are analysed and translated to the stage.

    Making Trifles of Terrors : Redistributing Complicities in Shakespeare
    by Peter Erickson (Editor), Harry Berger Jr.
    A very modern (maybe post-modern) analysis of many of the conflicts and intrigues contained in the plays of Shakespeare.

    Shakespeare and the Popular Tradition in the Theater : Studies in the Social Dimension of Dramatic Form and Function
    by Robert Weimann, Robert Schwartz (Editor)
    Published by John Hopkins University Press. This book takes a scholarly look at dramatic structure and purpose in a social context.

    Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance (Options for Teaching, 14)
    by Milla Cozart Riggio (Editor)
    Subjects: Shakespeare, William,; 1564-1616; Study and teaching; Dramatic production; Stage history; Secondary School Creative And Manual Arts; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616; Higher; Education / Teaching; Education; Teaching Methods & Materials - Language Arts; Shakespeare; Secondary; Drama Also available in paperback

    Shakespeare the Playwright : A Companion to the Complete Tragedies, Histories, Comedies, and Romances
    by Victor L. Cahn
    The author has approached the works of Shakespeare in such a way as to make them approachable for anyone, from the newcomer to the die-hard defender. A well regarded and often recommended text.

    Shakespeare - The Theater and the Book
    by Robert S. Knapp
    Buy it if you know it. (Amazon.com are still looking for reviews of this book.)

    Shakespeare's Insults : Educating Your Wit
    by William Shakespeare, Wayne F. Hill (Contributor), Cynthia J. Ottchen (Contributor)

    The sharpest stings ever to snap from the tip of an English-speaking tongue are here at hand, ready to be directed at the knaves, villains, and coxcombs of the reader's choice. Culled from 38 plays, here are the best 5,000 examples of Shakespeare's glorious invective, arranged by play, in order of appearance, with helpful act and line numbers for easy reference, along with an index of topical scorn appropriate to particular characters and occasions.

     

    The Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare (Complete Idiot's Guides)
     by Alpha Group (Editor), Laurie E. Rozakis, Charles Boyce

    The famous playwrite won't be a mystery with this guide that explains the meanings behind his sonnets and plays and the history of his life in easy terms. Supplemented with a character list.

     

     

    All the World's a Stage : An Anthology of Shakespearian Speeches Performed by the World's Leading Actors (BBC Radio Presents)
    William Shakespeare, et al / Audio Cassette / Published 1995

     

     

     

    Shakescenes : Shakespeare for Two (Applause Acting Series)
    John Russell Brown(Editor), William Shakespeare / Paperback / Published 1992

    Soliloquy! the Shakespeare Monologues Women (Applause Acting Series)
    Michael Earley(Editor), et al / Paperback / Published 1989

    Scenes from Shakespeare : Fifteen Cuttings for the Classroom
    William Shakespeare, et al / Paperback / Published 1993

    Shakespeare and the Musical Stage : A Guide to Sources, Studies, and First Performances
    Edward R. Hotaling / Hardcover / Published 1990

    Shakespeare Observed : Studies in Performance on Stage and Screen
    Samuel Crowl / Hardcover / Published 1993

    Shakespeare's Monologues for Women
    Dick Dotterer(Editor) / Paperback / Published 1990

     

     

     

    Soliloquy! the Shakespeare Monologues Women (Applause Acting Series)
    Michael Earley(Editor), et al / Paperback / Published 1989

    The Actor and the Text (The Applause Acting Series)
    Cicely Berry, Trevor Nunn / Paperback / Published 1992

    Auditions and Scenes from Shakespeare
    Richard O. Bell, Joan K. Bell / Paperback / Published 1994

    Shakespeare: A Life in Drama
    by Stanley Wells
    An investigation of the man that is revealed behind the texts of Shakespeare's plays and poems.A scholarly work that is accessible to everyone.  Also available in paperback Considering the playwright and his work, the author theorizes that Shakespeare's elusive personality is a result of his supremacy as a dramatist--that he submerged his identity in his characters-- and assesses evolving meanings of the plays and poems.

     

    Freeing Shakespeare's Voice : The Actor's Guide to Talking the Text
    Kristin Linklater / Paperback / Published 1992

     

     

     

    More Shakespeare Without the Boring Bits
    by Humpherey Carpenter

     

     

     

    Shakespeare For Dummies®
    by John Doyle, Ray Lischner, Judi Dench

    If you?re like most of us, you probably think that Shakespeare's plays and poems are too difficult to understand or that they are only for scholars. Well, that notion is simply much ado about nothing -- especially when you have Shakespeare For Dummies to rescue you. As authors John Doyle and Ray Lischner prove in this very accessible guide, Shakespeare is not only the greatest writer who ever lived, but he?s also a great entertainer -- after you get a handle on his wild plots and witty wordplay.

    The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies
    by Stanley W. Wells
    Typical of the quality texts that we have come to expect from this renowned academic publisher.

     

     

     

    The Shakespeare Dictionary
    by Sandra Clark (Editor) and Christopher Naylor
    Following an in-depth introductory essay are over 1000 entries on the Bard's plays and characters.A useful investment for any dedicated teacher or student of Shakespeare.

    Travel and Drama in Shakespeare's Time
    by Jean-Pierre Maquerlot (Editor), Michele Willems (Editor)
    A very interesting text exploring the construction and cultural expression of various 'travel' and 'journey' narratives contained in the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

    Teaching Shakespeare, Yes You Can! : Fun and Easy Activities for Teaching Any Play
    by Lorraine Hopping Egan, L. O. Egan

    The words of the world's greatest playwright come alive with these fun, student-centered activities. Creative ideas help students explore plot and character and develop an appreciation for Shakespeare's language. Includes a poster of famous Shakespeare quotes, plus Internet links, a mini-glossary, and reproducibles.

     

    Baby Shakespeare (Video & Book) (2000)

    The fourth "video board book" from the Baby Einstein folks is their most engaging product yet. Aimed at slightly older audiences (ages 1 to 4), Baby Shakespeare combines poetry with the usual mix of festive classical music, bright objects, and happy thoughts designed to stimulate young minds. This video is aimed at exposing little tykes to the language context. Twelve words (grass, tree, etc.) are explored in pictures and poem form with plenty of playful stops for kids singing their ABC's and close-ups of brightly colored toys in action. Older kids can follow the poetry in a beautiful enclosed picture book of poem text and sharp outdoor photography. We even meet Baby Einstein's first host: a dragon puppet named Bard, who (along with his friends) playfully participates in the action. He deserves a repeat performance. --Doug Thomas

    From Shakespeare With Love - Scenes and Elzabethan Tunes

     

     

     

    Shakespeare's Music

     

     

     

    Shakespeare A to Z : The Essential Reference to His Plays, His Poems, His Life and Times, and More
    by Charles Boyce, David Allen White

    What famous essayist insisted that Shakespeare's play were unfit for performance? Which two plays center on the Hundred Years' War? In which scene of Romeo and Juliet does the nurse report--falsely--that Juliet is dead and thus seal Romeo's tragic fate? The answers are easily found in Shakespeare A to Z, the only single-volume reference to virtually everything one needs--or wants--to know about the Bard. Wonderfully informative, this comprehensive work includes 3,000 entries and 50 illustrations.

    Teaching Shakespeare into the Twenty-First Century
    by Ronald E. Salomone (Editor), James E. Davis (Editor)
    A brand new text with some innovating thinking about dealing with the Bard in the modern classroom.

     

     

    Shakespeare's Insults for Teachers
    by William Shakespeare, Cynthia J. Ottchen (Contributor), Wayne F. Hill

    Having a problem with a lazy student? Forget detention--tell him how you really feel: "Your brains are useless, boil'd within thy skull." Tired of your teacher's boring, pointless lectures? Raise your hand and comment that "Your reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff: you seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the search." Full of schoolroom slings, digs, and retorts, Shakespeare's Insults for Teachers is better ammunition than a spitball--and hey, you're learning something!

    Thy Father Is a Gorbellied Codpiece : Create over 100,000 of Your Own Shakespearean Insults
     by Barry Kraft, Barry Craft

     

     

     

    Brush Up Your Shakespeare!
     by Michael Macrone

    An amazing collection of the Bard's best work annotated and explained by Mr Macrone.

     

     


    Master Poets Collection, The: William Shakespeare - A Poet For All Time (1997) VIDEO

     

     

     

    Shakespeare Country (1995)

     

     

     

    Understanding Shakespeare: Macbeth (1993)

     

     

     


    Othello

    Hamlet

    Romeo and Juliet

     
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