Shakespeare (DK Eyewitness Books)

Chrisp, Peter

ISBN 10: 0756607221 ISBN 13: 9780756607227

Publisher: DK Children, 2004

Synopsis

Presents the life and work of the English playwright William Shakespeare and provides information about the theater of sixteenth-century London.

About this title

Review

William Shakespeare was born into an utterly fascinating time and place: 16th-century England. Eyewitness Books brings this era alive in the spectacular, modestly titled Shakespeare. Crammed with vivid photos of replicas and actual items from Shakespeare's time, the oversized volume shares with readers everything they ever wanted to know (and some things they probably didn't want to know) about the Bard, from details of his birthplace to descriptions of Queen Elizabeth's court (and clothing) to an explanation of how actors portrayed beheaded characters on stage. Curious readers will spend hour upon hour perusing this densely packed volume, and come away with a head full of knowledge about apple wives, the Globe Theatre, "nipping a bung" (purse snatching), the plague, bizarre face lotions, toothless bears, and religious conflict, not to mention a bit about Shakespeare's plays. Eyewitness: Shakespeare joins stacks of other fine Eyewitness titles, including Ancient Greece, Presidents, and Time & Space. (Ages 10 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-10-A look at a variety of topics pertaining to Elizabethan society in general and to Shakespeare's life in particular. Each spread sports a short introduction accompanied by numerous captioned photos and reproductions of places, people, and objects. Text and illustrations combine to enable readers to acquire a quick understanding of many interesting details that might be either overlooked or lost in a more standard prose text. For example, there are close-up photos of beautifully embroidered gloves and intricate carvings on a child's chair, items owned by wealthy Elizabethans. In addition, there is information that is sure to appeal to readers who might mistakenly regard Elizabethans as "stuffy," such as the fact that they "kicked footballs made from inflated pigs' bladders" or that "coneycatchers" (gamblers who cheated) were commonplace. The text and illustrations are superb, and the thorough index makes the material readily accessible. However, some may find that the order of topics isn't always logical. For instance, the spread on "Science and superstition" seems out of place between the explanations of Shakespeare's plays and a discussion of his return to Stratford. Nevertheless, the overall usefulness of the title, both for browsing as well as for reference purposes, outweighs this minor problem. A good companion to Shakespeare's plays and to standard nonfiction works, this title will also be of interest to those who, having read novels such as Gary Blackwood's Shakespeare's Scribe (Dutton, 2000), wish to learn more about the Bard's life and times.
Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: DK Children
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0756607221
• ISBN 13: 9780756607227
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 72