Shakespeare A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Plays, His Poems, His Life and Times, and More

by Charles Boyce, David Allen White (Editorial Consultant)

Nearly 1,000 entries provide information on Shakespeare's life and works

Genres: Shakespeare, Reference, Nonfiction, Plays, Literature, History, Theatre

752 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1990

Reviews

[Sadia Mansoor]

The A to Z about Shakespeare is just a click away :)
http://npu.edu.ua/!e-book/book/djvu/A...

[Rozonda]

I owe this book more than I'll ever be able to repay. It helped me to love and enjoy Shakespeare even more , and it also helped me to get better marks in my university career (and some fo my friends' too- it was often borrowed) In fact it led such a harsh life I had to throw the tattered copy away and buy a new one, which I lined this time. (now I have an e-copy)Even if sometimes it is a bit snobbish (not including Kenneth Branagh, for example, who is despectively alluded to in the Henry V entry) and repetitive, it remains a highly valuable tool for students and Shakespeare lovers. Plays, characters, actors and actresses, theatres, productions, critics- everything is here.

[David]

I've consulted it many times over 33 years but only now read it through. Lots of interesting information. Probably overdue for a revised edition by now.

[Kristina]

Indispensable....

[Mcowbookstoreguy]

One of the best reference books I own. It gives a short summary of every scene of every play and provides concise, fascinating commentary. 740 pages. Sadly out of print!

[Zachary Waltz]

This is an encyclopedia resource. As with any encyclopedia, entries are mostly condensed; one gets access to a large array of topics on Shakespeare. This book does provide some extensive information on each plays, namely, a scene by scene summary, an analysis, a list of its sources, and a history of its production. The value of this work depends on how much reference you need to investigate and also how much you can find better elsewhere.

[Jessica]

I find this especially helpful if I'm going to re-read a play.It helps me remember names, etc., so that I can get more out of the nth read.

[Jessica]

A fantastic Shakespeare resource. Very useful.

[Kim]

Great resource!