The QPB Companion to Shakespeare

by Brandon Geist (Editor)

Will the real William Shakespeare please stand up? With this exclusive QPB Companion to Shakespeare, we've created a truly unique compendium of intriguing essays and little-known facts that shine a light on the man behind the myth. Inside, you'll find compelling perspectives on everything from the enduring debate over authorship to what Shakespeare read to whether or not the Bard was gay. Critics Harold Bloom and George Bernard Shaw duke it out over the lasting legacy of Shakespeare, while Norrie Epstein dispenses the good word on some of the most colorful examples of Shakespearean sexual slang and Bernard Levin reveals how often Bard-talk still crops up in everyday conversation. Plus, you'll have a chance to sharpen up your won quill for some Elizabethan-flavored crossword puzzles and Shakespearean madlibs. It's all you'll need to "awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth," and celebrate the way Shakespeare continues to enchant and move us.

Genres: Nonfiction, Shakespeare

94 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Harrison Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This "companion" to Shakespeare contains four sections: Shakespeare the Man; The Words; The Critics; and Fun and Games, as well as an thoughtful Introduction setting forth the purpose of the book. The first two sections of the book work well for those who have a basic knowledge of Shakespeare, while "The Critics" requires more in-depth knowledge of the works themselves, and as a result, makes for a tedious read. I particularly enjoyed the discussions of his biography, the debate involving authorship, and an interesting discussion of the books that Shakespeare would have read and been exposed to.

Oddly, the only "work" actually included in the book is the 12-page "A Funeral Elegy" which is included to show a work that had previously been attributed to Shakespeare, but has now been fairly determined to not be his authorship. In a book of less than 100 pages, devoting more than 10% of the book to this poem seems a waste of the reader's time. Nevertheless, I learned more in this short book than I did in most of my academic exposure to Shakespeare.