Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk - Hardcover

Sutcliffe, Jane

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1580896383 ISBN 13: 9781580896382

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2016

Synopsis

When Jane Sutcliffe sets out to write a book about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, in her own words, she runs into a problem: Will's words keep popping up all over the place! What's an author to do? After all, Will is responsible for such familiar phrases as "what's done is done" and "too much of a good thing." He even helped turn "household words" into household words.
 
But, Jane embraces her dilemma, writing about Shakespeare, his plays, and his famous phrases with glee. After all, what better words are there to use to write about the greatest writer in the English language than his very own?  As readers will discover, "the long and the short of it" is this: Will changed the English language forever.
 
Backmatter includes an author’s note, a bibliography, and a timeline.

About this title

About the Author:

JANE SUTCLIFFE is author of Stone Giant: Michelangelo’s David and How He Came to Be, The White House Is Burning: August 24, 1814, and more than two dozen other books for children. Jane lives in Tolland, Connecticut.

JOHN SHELLEY grew up near Shakespeare’s birthplace at Stratfordupon-Avon. He has illustrated more than forty children’s books, including Stone Giant: Michelangelo’s David and How He Came to Be and Family Reminders. John lives in Norwich, England.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Dear Reader: 
We have to talk. I have failed you. I set out to write a book about the Globe Theatre and its great storyteller, William Shakespeare. About how the man was an absolute genius with words and wove those words into the most brilliant and moving plays ever written 
But that’s just the trouble. You see, I wanted to tell you the story in my own words. But Will Shakespeare’s words are there, too, popping up all over the place. 
It’s not my fault. Really. Will’s words are everywhere. They’re bumping into our words all the time, and we don’t even know it. So how could I help it, for goodness’ sake?
There, you see what I mean? Those are Will’s words, all mixed in with mine. People just love his plays, and they’ve kept on loving them for hundreds of years-hundreds! And the more they love his plays, the more they use his words. Now his words and sayings are everywhere, ending up in the stuff we say and write every day. I couldn’t avoid them if I tried—and I did try. 
Well, I suppose what’s done is done. 
Oh. Right. Maybe I’ll just stop now and let you read the book.
Yours truly, 
The Author

About this edition

• Publisher: Charlesbridge
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1580896383
• ISBN 13: 9781580896382
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Shelley John