Shakespeare's 100 Greatest Dramatic Images
ISBN: 978-88-95604-01-5
Price: €11.50 | £8.99 | US$12.95
Format: paperback, 160pp, 198 x 129 mm
Available worldwide.
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Synopsis
A seriously entertaining guide to Shakespeare.
This original and exciting approach to Shakespeare is based on 100 of Shakespeare's greatest dramatic images. The quotations, at least one from each play, are introduced through short word games grouped into sections with titles such as “Love and Lust,” “Epiphanies,” and “The Bestiary.” These engaging games are fun and interactive, designed for both novices and experts. The 100 quotations that form the basis of the book have an enormous range and deal with the great subjects of poetry—love, loss, loveliness, despair, resignation, hope, hate, wit, humor and the beauty of the natural world.
The Word Games section is followed by light commentaries, short essays on each play designed for all levels of Shakespearean lore. As the tie that binds the quizzes to the commentaries, the 100 images highlight just what Shakespeare was up to in each play. They provide a unique and enjoyable approach that everyone interested in Shakespeare will enjoy!
The emphasis is on giving a context to the quotations and showing how the language works in terms of drama and poetry. Each commentary offers a window into a play. The structure of the book is versatile: it can be randomly dipped-into for pleasure, or read right through as a short yet complete introduction to Shakespeare’s plays.
An interactive website will accompany the book incorporating images chosen by a variety of Shakespeare enthusiasts—including some famous names. A.S. Byatt, Dame Judi Dench, and Patrick Garland have already chosen their favourite images. The public will be invited to add to the collection.
The perfect book for Shakespeare lovers, theatre goers, literature buffs, teachers and students of English and drama and anyone who wants a reintroduction to Shakespeare in a fun and accessible way. Liven up your next dinner party with a Shakespeare game night!
What people have said about the book
“I can think of no livelier introduction to Shakespeare and his work, and no greater indulgence for dedicated lovers of the plays. Claire and John Saunders lift up exquisite image after image, like morsels from a feast, and in doing so, uncover for us the world of each play—its tensions, its richness and, always, its elementally human concerns. Their short discussions are deft, elegant and highly readable. The word-play is witty and expert. Like the very best scholars, they wear their impressive knowledge lightly. Dabble, dip in or devour in a sitting. Shakespeare's 100 Greatest Dramatic Images is a rare treat.”
Alison MacLeod, author of The Wave Theory of Angels and Fifteen Modern
Tales of Attraction.
“Beautifully and accessibly written …an absolute delight...had me enthralled for days …attempts to do for Shakespeare what Lynne Truss did for Fowler.”
Len Masterman, Senior Research Fellow in Communication and Politics, Liverpool University. Author of Teaching the Media.
“Captures the very best in Shakespeare's language without repeating the well-worn. Fine achievement in sustaining such acute analyses over the entire oeuvre. Close attention to language must be the best way into the plays.”
Hugh Adlington, Lecturer in English at Birmingham University, UK.
“A teach yourself Shakespeare for grown ups...along the same lines as Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves. Like punctuation, Shakespeare is one of those areas where many adults lack confidence.”
Linda Cookson, formerly Director of Quality & Academic Services, Central School of Speech and Drama, London.
“This would be invaluable for students who come to teacher training from non-literature-based degrees and have a fear of Shakespeare.”
Veronica Cutler, PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) Tutor in English at the University of Warwick, UK.
“Very fresh, distinctive and full of insight. Congratulations on the ingenuity of many of the ‘distractors’. How I wish I'd had something like this when I started my English degree.”
Christopher Hudson, retired teacher of EFL (English as a foreign language).
“A marvellous enterprise. It's just got to have a future. Am learning a lot from the commentaries.”
Jeannine Alton, former theatre reviewer for the Oxford Times.
Join us in Shakespeare's Greatest Images
The book's website www.shakespearesgreatestimages.co.uk invites readers to post their own favourite image.The site features contributions from well-known actors, directors, poets and authors including:
- Actors and directors: Sam West, Sarah Badel, Dame Judi Dench, Patrick Garland
- Poets: Andrew Motion, Brian Patten, Vicki Feaver, Maggie Sawkins, Hugh Dunkerley
- Authors: A.S. Byatt, Alison MacLeod, Bethan Roberts, Brian Martin, Linda Cookson
Write to info [at] shakespearesgreatestimages[dot]co[dot]uk and contribute a favourite image to our ‘Other Voices’ section, ideally with a sentence or two explaining your choice and a few words about yourself.