More Tales from Shakespeare

by William Shakespeare, Mary Lamb

Part of a series designed to be suitable for students at upper intermediate level, including those preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate examinations. These simplified editions keep within a 2000 word vocabulary, contain exercise material and an introduction to the text.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, School, Novels, English Literature, Shakespeare, Plays

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

Reviews

[Ottavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because my English teacher gave it to me. I actually pretty liked it, and found this reading a very interesting one.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these tales repeatedly as a child, from about the age of 8. I fell in love with the stories, especially The Tempest (naturally, I was Miranda). By the time I saw my first Shakespearean production at the age of 9 (Central Park's Shakespeare in the Park was just starting), I already knew all the stories by heart. Even seeing the title made me feel all nostalgic and happy.

[Purley College · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadia Khochay

It's not the first time I am reading Shakespeare's tales, therefore without a doubt, I can say that the plot of each of Shakespeare's plays I have read is wonderfully entertaining and easy to understand. In addition, it always captivates your curiosity and you can't stop asking yourself "What's next?" or " Will good win over evil?"
This would be an ideal book for people who are passionate about classical fiction and specifically Shakespeare.

[Andre Piucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

"(...) with a deal of such professing stuff, which is easy to counterfeit where there is no real love, only a few fine words delivered with confidence being wanted in that case."

[Moh. Nasiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories based on Shekspear's great plays: The winter's tale , King lear , Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello and Taming of The Shrew simlified in 80 pages good for new English learners.

[Lavie_estbizarre · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[M Reza Moharreri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main purpose of the Lamb family to writing this book is simplifying Shakespeare's complicated tale-form stories into plain text so that children and students can understand. But it seemed to me that they have cut some crucial parts of stories without which the story doesn't have a heart. This problem mostly occurred at the last part or the last paragraphs of the story.

[Marwa Ahmad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that King Lear & Othello will be the most memorable stories because they end up with such a tragic events. I have concerns regarding "The Taming of Shrew".

[So Na · Rating 3 out of 5]

British English (1day) 5 Upper intermediate (2300words) /Classics/

[Norhan Gamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

[Anya Tiann Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well...... I need thus book for I'm going into my first year of High School

[Salma Alya · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a simpler way to read Shakespeare's amazing plays. This book tell some popular plays such like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Othello

[Wasi Rizvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the huge number of modern adaptations, I see a tonne of ideas for new modern stories in this book of concise ideas by the bard. No idea if I will ever execute my ideas though.

[Ibrahim Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good to know a brief about Shakespeare stories but it was kind of short that all the plays felt the same; revolving around love, treason and kings' lives!

[Ashutosh Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖤

[Ahmed Elsayed]

s

[Ritamia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it . I always wanted to read more about Shakespeare novels like Helmet and king Lear and ect... So i really enjoyed it so much. can't wait to read more about his novels.

[Gabriela Escalera · Rating 3 out of 5]

My English teacher gave me like a homework, I really didn't understand, I think that like a A2 it's hard English

[Yasmeen Abdelghany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a single happy ending but somehow I still like these stories.

[Hala SAFFORI · Rating 5 out of 5]

this collection includes stories based on same of shakespeare graetest plays
actaully i Especially meet some of this most famous characters in book like Romeo and juliet
and i was enjoying in every second and in evering time that i was reading this books
and i hope everybody to read it

[Huda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this book if you want to improve your english language, so easy so clear.

[Ahmed Tharwat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I studied some of this series at the preparatory school.

[Enas Ahmed]

I studied it in preparatory school

[Omar El-Shamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

هذا الكتاب درسته في اعدادى كمستوى رفيع وهو ماحببنى في الروايات بشكل كبير

[Yousra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Studied at School

[Mahmoud · Rating 2 out of 5]

الترجمة سيئة جدا

[Mostafa Khalifa · Rating 4 out of 5]

كفاك ان تقول انك تقرأ لشكسبير
برنس

[Antariksa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This served for me as a good introduction to Shakespeare's plays. I can now watch the plays with more understanding.

[Yasmine Ra'fat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it

[Ghadah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absulotly amazing ..
I really enjoyed it and I don't feel like I'm in the stage of judging it but this book simplifies Shakespeare works perfectly especially for English beginners .