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Spanking Shakespeare
SHAKESPEARE SHAPIRO HAS ALWAYS hated his name. His parents bestowed it on him as some kind of sick joke when he was born, and his life has gone downhill from there, one embarrassing incident after another. Entering his senior year of high school, Shakespeare has never had a girlfriend, his younger brother is cooler than he is, and his best friend's favorite topic of conversation is his bowel movements.
But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend . . . or at least a prom date.
But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend . . . or at least a prom date.
287 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2007
75 people are currently reading
3377 people want to read
About the author
Jake Wizner
4 books64 followersI was supposed to be born on Hitler’s birthday. To my mother’s great relief, I arrived late and was born on Freud’s birthday instead. My parents wanted to name me Max, but my grandfather, a Holocaust refugee, strenuously objected, saying the name sounded too German. My original birth certificate read Baby Boy Wizner.
My mother was a college dean, and I spent the first ten years of my life living in a dormitory. I ate meals in the college dining hall, explored the campus tunnels, and became a foosball prodigy, sharpening my skills against opponents more than twice my age. Occasionally, I would sleepwalk around the dormitory at night, and be picked up by drunk students returning from parties in the early morning hours.
I went to Wesleyan University, and it was in one of my English classes that I made my first serious attempt at writing fiction. I was immensely proud of the piece I had submitted and remember smiling confidently at the student next to me as our professor returned our work. He got an A. I got a B-. After college, he dubbed himself Lemony Snicket and became the second most famous children’s book author in the world. I moved to New Orleans to teach public school, dubbed myself the Phantom Bard, and chronicled my experiences in the local Teach for America newsletter.
Since 1996, I have been an eighth grade teacher at a public middle school in New York City. I live in Manhattan with my wife and children.
My mother was a college dean, and I spent the first ten years of my life living in a dormitory. I ate meals in the college dining hall, explored the campus tunnels, and became a foosball prodigy, sharpening my skills against opponents more than twice my age. Occasionally, I would sleepwalk around the dormitory at night, and be picked up by drunk students returning from parties in the early morning hours.
I went to Wesleyan University, and it was in one of my English classes that I made my first serious attempt at writing fiction. I was immensely proud of the piece I had submitted and remember smiling confidently at the student next to me as our professor returned our work. He got an A. I got a B-. After college, he dubbed himself Lemony Snicket and became the second most famous children’s book author in the world. I moved to New Orleans to teach public school, dubbed myself the Phantom Bard, and chronicled my experiences in the local Teach for America newsletter.
Since 1996, I have been an eighth grade teacher at a public middle school in New York City. I live in Manhattan with my wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 618 reviews
May 17, 2013
When I saw the title of this book, I immediately let loose with one of those Beavis and Butthead snort-laughs. Then I saw the words "lewd," "hilarious," and "vulgar" on the front and back cover and knew it had to be mine. If only I had ended my relationship with this book there because the funniest thing about the novel is the title.
The novel was, as promised, crude. However, it failed to deliver on the hilarious part. When one is dealing with bathroom/sexual humor, there's a fine line between being funny (like American Pie or The Hangover) and just being disgusting (like the American Pie and The Hangover sequels). A willingness to talk about defecation and erections does not automatically humor make. Sure, there were a few amusing moments, but very few. Also, I didn't relate to the characters at all. They seemed flat and one dimensional, especially Shakespeare's friends. Shakespeare himself seems a stereotype--a self-pitying wannabe writer who is a senior in a high school the likes of which I cannot imagine existing (Hemingway High, where students are apparently allowed to write about their embarrassing encounters with sex and porn in the school newspaper and one teacher is allowed to constantly refer to his left testicle). In the end, I just didn't care about Shakespeare and his struggle with his hormones. Also, I had trouble buying that he was a talented writer as his writing assignments (scattered throughout the book) were mediocre at best. The nice thing about the book is that he does mature by the end and learns to care about someone other than himself. Too bad I never cared about him.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
The novel was, as promised, crude. However, it failed to deliver on the hilarious part. When one is dealing with bathroom/sexual humor, there's a fine line between being funny (like American Pie or The Hangover) and just being disgusting (like the American Pie and The Hangover sequels). A willingness to talk about defecation and erections does not automatically humor make. Sure, there were a few amusing moments, but very few. Also, I didn't relate to the characters at all. They seemed flat and one dimensional, especially Shakespeare's friends. Shakespeare himself seems a stereotype--a self-pitying wannabe writer who is a senior in a high school the likes of which I cannot imagine existing (Hemingway High, where students are apparently allowed to write about their embarrassing encounters with sex and porn in the school newspaper and one teacher is allowed to constantly refer to his left testicle). In the end, I just didn't care about Shakespeare and his struggle with his hormones. Also, I had trouble buying that he was a talented writer as his writing assignments (scattered throughout the book) were mediocre at best. The nice thing about the book is that he does mature by the end and learns to care about someone other than himself. Too bad I never cared about him.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
October 20, 2011
The book "Spanking Shakespeare" was one of the funniest books that I have ever read! The author, Jake Wizner, wrote this story to entertain a reader who loves humor and comedy. I think Wizner wrote this book for teenage boys and for adults who love comedies to remind them of what their high school years were like.
The theme of this book is a senior boy in high school who is struggling with girls, his parents, and life in general. The main character of this book, Shakespeare Shapiro, has been embarrassed ever since he was born. Shakespeare's parents named him that as a joke and his birthday was on Adolf Hitler's birthday. His best friends, Katie and Neil, help Shakespeare through his tough times. Shakespeare struggles with his "social" life, such as girls and at times feels very awkward. Shakespeare likes a couple of girls, but does not know how to approach or how to speak to them. At Hemingway High School the senior class has to write a monologue about their life. Mr. Parke, Shakespeare's teacher, loves Shakespeare's monologue and so does his class which could possibly change his popularity. The overall theme of the book is what it is like to be a boy who is having the most embarrassing moments of his life in his high school years.
"Spanking Shakespeare" is a narration style book. This book is a story that is told month by month as Shakespeare's senior year goes by. Shakespeare also tells stories about his childhood in between each of the chapters. Those stories were told as he was growing up from his younger days to his teenage days. The stories told the reader about his life as he has grown up to be who he is today.
I personally loved this book because Jake Wizner added some of the funniest lines that I have ever read. I thought all of the stories that Shakespeare told in the middle of the book were absolutely hysterical. There was not one thing in this book that I did not like because it was so funny. I would not change anything. To be honest, I have never read a book like this one, and would rate this book 10 out of 10!
The theme of this book is a senior boy in high school who is struggling with girls, his parents, and life in general. The main character of this book, Shakespeare Shapiro, has been embarrassed ever since he was born. Shakespeare's parents named him that as a joke and his birthday was on Adolf Hitler's birthday. His best friends, Katie and Neil, help Shakespeare through his tough times. Shakespeare struggles with his "social" life, such as girls and at times feels very awkward. Shakespeare likes a couple of girls, but does not know how to approach or how to speak to them. At Hemingway High School the senior class has to write a monologue about their life. Mr. Parke, Shakespeare's teacher, loves Shakespeare's monologue and so does his class which could possibly change his popularity. The overall theme of the book is what it is like to be a boy who is having the most embarrassing moments of his life in his high school years.
"Spanking Shakespeare" is a narration style book. This book is a story that is told month by month as Shakespeare's senior year goes by. Shakespeare also tells stories about his childhood in between each of the chapters. Those stories were told as he was growing up from his younger days to his teenage days. The stories told the reader about his life as he has grown up to be who he is today.
I personally loved this book because Jake Wizner added some of the funniest lines that I have ever read. I thought all of the stories that Shakespeare told in the middle of the book were absolutely hysterical. There was not one thing in this book that I did not like because it was so funny. I would not change anything. To be honest, I have never read a book like this one, and would rate this book 10 out of 10!
August 1, 2012
For some reason, I've been on a YA reading kick the last few weeks. Maybe it's a desire to pad the stats in the "books read" list for the year or maybe it's a desire to return to a "simpler" time in my life when all I had to worry about was doing well in school and trying to get members of the opposite sex to notice me.
Or it could be that there are a lot of really well written young adult novels coming out these days and I find myself wishing they (or novels like them) had been around for me to read in my formative teen year. Of course, that would have meant putting down the tie-in Doctor Who and Star Trek novels.
Jake Winzer's Spanking Shakespeare is one of those books that I wish had come out when I was younger. Heading into his senior year, Shakespeare Shapiro has a couple of goals--get into a good college, finish his year-long senior writing project and maybe landing his first girlfriend. Over the course of the novel, Shakespeare will succeed and fail at each of these goals, often times with humorous results.
Spanking Shakespeare is one of the those books that I fully expect to land on the banned book list at some point in the future. Shakespeare (yes, that's actually the name of our first-person narrator) speaks like an authentic teenage boy--with all the foibles, obsessions and thoughts of one. There's a lot of dark, twisted humor in these pages (some of Shakespeare's essays that he writes are hysterically funny and equally dark at the same time) and there's a lot of time spent thinking about the one thing that is on all teenage boys' minds--girls.
The first half of the novel has some wittily observed moments and moves along at a good clip. However, it's one the novel reaches the halfway point that things take a more serious turn and the novel loses some of its momentum. Shakespeare's connection with his classmate Charlotte and his eventual discovery of the nature of her home life and situation gives the novel a bit of a serious issue to work through and the second half of the books feels radically different from the first half. It's also a shame that Shakespeare's essays and asides begin to wear thin once the Charlotte plotline kicks into high gear in the second half.
And while the novel makes a bit of a comeback in the final pages, the contrast is still enough that it left me feeling a bit perplexed about the novel as a whole. However, the more I reflected on the book, the more I think that Jake Wizner is trying to have the story reflect how life can be for teenagers--ups, downs, funny, dark and serious all over the course of a year.
When Spanking Shakespeare is on its game, it's an absolutely delightful book.
Or it could be that there are a lot of really well written young adult novels coming out these days and I find myself wishing they (or novels like them) had been around for me to read in my formative teen year. Of course, that would have meant putting down the tie-in Doctor Who and Star Trek novels.
Jake Winzer's Spanking Shakespeare is one of those books that I wish had come out when I was younger. Heading into his senior year, Shakespeare Shapiro has a couple of goals--get into a good college, finish his year-long senior writing project and maybe landing his first girlfriend. Over the course of the novel, Shakespeare will succeed and fail at each of these goals, often times with humorous results.
Spanking Shakespeare is one of the those books that I fully expect to land on the banned book list at some point in the future. Shakespeare (yes, that's actually the name of our first-person narrator) speaks like an authentic teenage boy--with all the foibles, obsessions and thoughts of one. There's a lot of dark, twisted humor in these pages (some of Shakespeare's essays that he writes are hysterically funny and equally dark at the same time) and there's a lot of time spent thinking about the one thing that is on all teenage boys' minds--girls.
The first half of the novel has some wittily observed moments and moves along at a good clip. However, it's one the novel reaches the halfway point that things take a more serious turn and the novel loses some of its momentum. Shakespeare's connection with his classmate Charlotte and his eventual discovery of the nature of her home life and situation gives the novel a bit of a serious issue to work through and the second half of the books feels radically different from the first half. It's also a shame that Shakespeare's essays and asides begin to wear thin once the Charlotte plotline kicks into high gear in the second half.
And while the novel makes a bit of a comeback in the final pages, the contrast is still enough that it left me feeling a bit perplexed about the novel as a whole. However, the more I reflected on the book, the more I think that Jake Wizner is trying to have the story reflect how life can be for teenagers--ups, downs, funny, dark and serious all over the course of a year.
When Spanking Shakespeare is on its game, it's an absolutely delightful book.
June 6, 2018
This book turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I will straight up admit, that Young Adult - Humor (ie: pubescent humor) is so NOT my thing. If I had seen that before downloading this one, I might have scrolled right on by.
Some of this was crude and disgusting. It had me saying, "Ewww," and it was definitely TMI, as far as I was concerned. But I have to say, this was well written. It was witty and creative all throughout. I even laughed out loud (in public) more than a couple of times. The poem that Shakespeare Shapiro writes to impress a a girl, was brilliantly done. I loved that....and the scene in the therapist's office.
There were more scenes that were well written and disgusting at the same time, but somehow, the author managed to not send me running the other way. I really was pleasantly surprised by this. But even with all of that said, this genre is not my thing, so 3 stars seems fair.
Some of this was crude and disgusting. It had me saying, "Ewww," and it was definitely TMI, as far as I was concerned. But I have to say, this was well written. It was witty and creative all throughout. I even laughed out loud (in public) more than a couple of times. The poem that Shakespeare Shapiro writes to impress a a girl, was brilliantly done. I loved that....and the scene in the therapist's office.
There were more scenes that were well written and disgusting at the same time, but somehow, the author managed to not send me running the other way. I really was pleasantly surprised by this. But even with all of that said, this genre is not my thing, so 3 stars seems fair.
April 25, 2021
Think coming-of-age story for the 21st century. Think Diary of a Wimpy Kid for the mature teen. Think self-deprecating humour by a misfit, that has developed a cult following. Add these all up and you’ve got this hilarious, laugh-out-loud, quick witted novel, Spanking Shakespeare.
Shakespeare has the terrible misfortune of having a father who drinks too much, a nagging mother who is constantly pushing him towards a therapist’s couch, and a brother named Gandhi with a propensity to be malicious. Sound like the end of the world? Well, it’s not, and deep down inside he knows it’s not. But being a teenager full of angst, it is Shakespeare’s dutiful responsibility to wallow in his own self-pity and blame anyone and everyone for the continuous catastrophes that make up his life. In this regard Wizner does an outstanding job of capturing the essence of the teenage psyche. Shakespeare is the downtrodden victim representing all 17 year old boys and their dilemmas with popularity, prom, girlfriends, sexual frustration, et cetera, et cetera.
My only contention with this story is its blatant disrespect of religion, as its sacrilege in the last few chapters was a little unsettling, and even seemed unnecessary. My best guess is that Wizner has some pent-up anger resulting from the circumcision of his member, and has been viciously seeking revenge against God and the covenant as a result. Once I got passed that, I could admit that this was quite an enjoyable book overall, and it’s sure to be appreciated by any teen 16 and up, boy or girl.
Shakespeare has the terrible misfortune of having a father who drinks too much, a nagging mother who is constantly pushing him towards a therapist’s couch, and a brother named Gandhi with a propensity to be malicious. Sound like the end of the world? Well, it’s not, and deep down inside he knows it’s not. But being a teenager full of angst, it is Shakespeare’s dutiful responsibility to wallow in his own self-pity and blame anyone and everyone for the continuous catastrophes that make up his life. In this regard Wizner does an outstanding job of capturing the essence of the teenage psyche. Shakespeare is the downtrodden victim representing all 17 year old boys and their dilemmas with popularity, prom, girlfriends, sexual frustration, et cetera, et cetera.
My only contention with this story is its blatant disrespect of religion, as its sacrilege in the last few chapters was a little unsettling, and even seemed unnecessary. My best guess is that Wizner has some pent-up anger resulting from the circumcision of his member, and has been viciously seeking revenge against God and the covenant as a result. Once I got passed that, I could admit that this was quite an enjoyable book overall, and it’s sure to be appreciated by any teen 16 and up, boy or girl.
January 1, 2020
Eh. It was okay. I didn't find the humor very humorous. Shapiro is a sad sack with a decent heart who has a weird name and experiences all sorts of embarrassing situations. The writing is fine.
The problem I had with the book is that the characters feel like stereotypes. Shakespeare himself seems to crave pity for being a victim. He's dorky, a writer, and awkward around girls. It just felt like I'd read about this kid before.
I admire Wizner's attempt to stuff an entire school year into a short novel. This was what first drew me to the book. The back-and-forth between earlier childhood experiences and 'current' experiences is easy to follow, and Wizner focuses each chapter tightly with a few specific scenes. When he skips forward a month, he doesn't summarize the compressed time, which makes for a quick read. It never felt slow in that sense. What did drag, though, was that each scene was more of the same. Few of the plot lines moved forward. Instead, the scenes felt random.
This was somewhat funny, but the humor wasn't enough to carry the whole book.
The problem I had with the book is that the characters feel like stereotypes. Shakespeare himself seems to crave pity for being a victim. He's dorky, a writer, and awkward around girls. It just felt like I'd read about this kid before.
I admire Wizner's attempt to stuff an entire school year into a short novel. This was what first drew me to the book. The back-and-forth between earlier childhood experiences and 'current' experiences is easy to follow, and Wizner focuses each chapter tightly with a few specific scenes. When he skips forward a month, he doesn't summarize the compressed time, which makes for a quick read. It never felt slow in that sense. What did drag, though, was that each scene was more of the same. Few of the plot lines moved forward. Instead, the scenes felt random.
This was somewhat funny, but the humor wasn't enough to carry the whole book.
March 31, 2008
i liked the beginning of the book much better than the end, though i suppose all the posturing of the dry sarcasm had to have some point. i also like that the main character (shakespeare) doesn't really change all that much - except, i guess, in his idea of what the point of senior year is.
i liked the secondary characters almost the best: wicked brother ghandi, mr. parke and his left testicle, combat!katie, bowel-movement!neil, and most of all charlotte. charlotte is awesome.
i did not like celeste. i loved the ending - writing in each other's yearbooks.
it is very, very smartly written, and it's really quite hilarious. it doesn't get five stars because i didn't quite get the right emotion out of it, i don't think, but still, it was a fun, funny read. i would love to read his next book.
(also absolutely hilarious look into the mind of adolescent boys. so enlightening!)
i liked the secondary characters almost the best: wicked brother ghandi, mr. parke and his left testicle, combat!katie, bowel-movement!neil, and most of all charlotte. charlotte is awesome.
i did not like celeste. i loved the ending - writing in each other's yearbooks.
it is very, very smartly written, and it's really quite hilarious. it doesn't get five stars because i didn't quite get the right emotion out of it, i don't think, but still, it was a fun, funny read. i would love to read his next book.
(also absolutely hilarious look into the mind of adolescent boys. so enlightening!)
September 23, 2024
I'm going to be 100% honest with this one: I almost DNF'ed SPANKING SHAKESPEARE. I came so close to not finishing this book, mainly because it was...a lot. The MC is your typical seventeen year-old horny boy and his POV took some time to get used to.
But, I'm glad I kept going because he had some good character growth throughout the story, leading up to a pretty good ending.
And while some of the humour was truly teen boy cringe, there were some genuinely funny moments. A good chunk of the events in this book are told as writing projects by the MC and I liked those retellings more than the actual out of character writing. Despite the cringe honesty, I appreciated the humour in this book. I especially laughed at that last story told in the book.
I also liked how the MC learned about others' experiences in comparison to his own. While his parents definitely do questionable stuff, he learns that there are some kids who would love to have parents like his.
I think this book would have been a very relatable source for teen boys maybe a decade or two ago. There were some pretty important topics discussed and some great moments of self-discoveries that a teen boy might appreciate.
If you want to read this because of that title, expect the humour that comes naturally with that title. But also be prepared for the cringe moments that can only come from a very honest point of view of a horny seventeen year old boy.
Happy reading!
But, I'm glad I kept going because he had some good character growth throughout the story, leading up to a pretty good ending.
And while some of the humour was truly teen boy cringe, there were some genuinely funny moments. A good chunk of the events in this book are told as writing projects by the MC and I liked those retellings more than the actual out of character writing. Despite the cringe honesty, I appreciated the humour in this book. I especially laughed at that last story told in the book.
I also liked how the MC learned about others' experiences in comparison to his own. While his parents definitely do questionable stuff, he learns that there are some kids who would love to have parents like his.
I think this book would have been a very relatable source for teen boys maybe a decade or two ago. There were some pretty important topics discussed and some great moments of self-discoveries that a teen boy might appreciate.
If you want to read this because of that title, expect the humour that comes naturally with that title. But also be prepared for the cringe moments that can only come from a very honest point of view of a horny seventeen year old boy.
Happy reading!
January 27, 2014
This book was filled with one-dimensional, stereotypical characters, the biggest one of all being the main character himself, Shakespeare. I understand that this book was supposed (key word being supposed)to be a coming-of-age story with a relatable teenage character and his teen angst who later matures, but it failed. Shakespeare's angst came off more whiny than relatable. His self-pity was more pathetic than it was humorous.
Like most YA male leads, he wonders why his life sucks, avoids all blame or responsibility, and continues to pine after various girls he barely even likes; this being the major plot of the story and his greatest qualities. Explain to me how a 17 year old boy feels he has the right to whine about how he can never get a girlfriend or get "laid" when he spends his Friday nights incessantly masturbating while watching porn on his computer?
He FINALLY gets a look at the outside world when he's forced to get his head out his ass by talking to a girl who has actual problems. The biggest factor to his long awaited maturity turns out to be(surprise, surprise)the girl. The mysterious and elusive girl with the tremendous inner strength who makes him think of someone besides himself. The only girl he actually treats whole-heartedly like a human being rather than objectifying her to a sex doll.
His two useless best-friends? The sidekick (or sideshow) freak and the one-of-the-guys, cold-hearted tough-girl who won't take crap from anyone but will give everybody else crap. Talk about dimension.
This plot (or lack of plot) was overdone, the characters were overdone, and the lewd humor wasn't funny enough. And let's not kid, he wasn't even a good writer.
Like most YA male leads, he wonders why his life sucks, avoids all blame or responsibility, and continues to pine after various girls he barely even likes; this being the major plot of the story and his greatest qualities. Explain to me how a 17 year old boy feels he has the right to whine about how he can never get a girlfriend or get "laid" when he spends his Friday nights incessantly masturbating while watching porn on his computer?
He FINALLY gets a look at the outside world when he's forced to get his head out his ass by talking to a girl who has actual problems. The biggest factor to his long awaited maturity turns out to be(surprise, surprise)the girl. The mysterious and elusive girl with the tremendous inner strength who makes him think of someone besides himself. The only girl he actually treats whole-heartedly like a human being rather than objectifying her to a sex doll.
His two useless best-friends? The sidekick (or sideshow) freak and the one-of-the-guys, cold-hearted tough-girl who won't take crap from anyone but will give everybody else crap. Talk about dimension.
This plot (or lack of plot) was overdone, the characters were overdone, and the lewd humor wasn't funny enough. And let's not kid, he wasn't even a good writer.
July 21, 2009
Spanking Shakespeare, by Jake Wizner, is a cringe worthy story that will have you laughing and shaking your head at the antics and mental babble of a seventeen year old guy. Much to my chagrin, I have to admit I enjoyed the story, but it's not for the prim and proper, as some of the content can be crude and down right foul. However, it is told in a way that has you laughing the whole way through.
Shakespeare Shapiro is a teenage boy who is plagued with a name he loathes, one that he is convinced was bestowed upon him by his parents as a sick joke. The novel unfolds as Shakespeare chronicles his life as a senior class writing project, and in the end he hopes to deliver a prize worthy memoir. Shakespeare is a victim of crazy parents, unsympathetic friends and unlucky circumstances.
The novel is a compilation of embarrassing recounts, unfortunate events, hilarious observations and actions that will have you recoiling in disgust as only a teenage boy can enjoy. If you don't laugh out loud at least a half dozen times when you read this story, I suggest you see your general practitioner as your funny bone might need mending. It was hilarious, but be warned the content is crude at times. Plenty of good laughs, though.
Shakespeare Shapiro is a teenage boy who is plagued with a name he loathes, one that he is convinced was bestowed upon him by his parents as a sick joke. The novel unfolds as Shakespeare chronicles his life as a senior class writing project, and in the end he hopes to deliver a prize worthy memoir. Shakespeare is a victim of crazy parents, unsympathetic friends and unlucky circumstances.
The novel is a compilation of embarrassing recounts, unfortunate events, hilarious observations and actions that will have you recoiling in disgust as only a teenage boy can enjoy. If you don't laugh out loud at least a half dozen times when you read this story, I suggest you see your general practitioner as your funny bone might need mending. It was hilarious, but be warned the content is crude at times. Plenty of good laughs, though.
July 1, 2015
My sister happened to give me this book a long while ago. She wanted me to read it, for whatever reason. I remember why I don't often read the same things she does, now. Nonetheless, humorous, but not for my age group. It also reminded me of why I no longer read young adult fiction, I'm just ... past that stage, now.
February 3, 2022
For me this book is an okay story but it is just full of characters that are unlikable in alot of ways. It's about a teenager who has only sex on his mind and in picking girls who might go out with him it doesn't matter who it is as long as he has a possibility of getting laid. That and the drug and Alcohol use is insane and the parents in this book seem to be okay with the drugs and drinking their son gets into. Okay story but the characters and content ruin it.
May 31, 2022
3.5/5 stars.
The book was funny and not hard at all to understand. I can’t say I loved it because it’s basically a lot of stories put together into one but it was a fun thing to read for my English class. Shakespeare is really explicit throughout the whole book 😭 but sometimes I found myself relating to what he was saying so yeah I guess that’s a plus for the book. I’d definitely like to read more novels like this.
The book was funny and not hard at all to understand. I can’t say I loved it because it’s basically a lot of stories put together into one but it was a fun thing to read for my English class. Shakespeare is really explicit throughout the whole book 😭 but sometimes I found myself relating to what he was saying so yeah I guess that’s a plus for the book. I’d definitely like to read more novels like this.
September 6, 2022
Forget JD Salinger, Spanking Shakespeare is the new Catcher In The Rye except Shakespeare Shapiro is more likeable than Holden Caufield and not a moron. Now for a bunch of cliches. I couldn't put this book down. I read it cover to cover. I can't wait for Jake Wizner's next novel. There's only one misstep after things get serious and the serious is followed by a really awkward sketch comedy bit about a visit to a sex therapist.
March 27, 2017
I loved this book; truly hilarious and although it was brief, and childish i still loved it.
Read
February 5, 2019i somewhat enjoyed the book, it was humorous, however it had too many cliches for my liking.
May 29, 2023
Don’t do this to yourself. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not worth it.
September 13, 2021
This book was quite interesting set to a more age mature audience of 12-18. The main character is a very nonmature senior who is good at writing and in his adventure in life, he hates his name, Shakespeare. He called it the worst name cause his parents drunkenly chose it for him from a hat before he was born. You would have to read the book too see why on his last adventure in High School.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2011
First of all, I would give anything to have a cool name such as Shakespeare. Shakespeare Shapiro however hated it, as bearing the name carries with it a spotlight alongside. And he hates being in the spotlight. Being in the spotlight would be the last thing that he wanted. For Shakespeare, his name is nothing but a nightmare that plagued his whole existence; a sick joke given by his neurotic parents that prompted a series of one embarrassing scenario after the other.
But here’s the funny thing, Shakespeare happens to be a good writer. A funny witty one at that. And he is chronicling every embarrassing moment of his life in a memoir for his senior project. Alternating between the months of his entire senior year is his memoir with the title 17 Down. It depicts Shakespeare’s hilarious and raucous journey through adolescent. From a childhood friend who turned lesbian after seeing his private parts when they were in kindergarten, to a horrible plane ride with a perverse old woman, getting caught with a pornographic magazine in math class, visiting a sex doctor at sixteen, down to an embarrassing drunken night with his father in Rome. Alongside his memoir is his struggles as a socially awkward senior: his problems with girls, his weird friends and a girl that he couldn't seem to ignore.
Before I say anything else can I just say that I. FREAKING. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. Shakespeare is such a strong male protagonist that his insecurities and introspections were written so genuinely well that it really connected with one of my own. It’s very apart from John Green’s male archetype which is “smart, funny and dorky.” Wizner’s formula feels more like “funny meets smart and horny,” which I believe feels a lot like what normal eighteen year olds are like with all the hormones and stuff. I also like the fact that Jake Wizner’s didn’t take that so-called social paradigm on highschools that much of a deal. Yes, there are cliques within Hemingway High School, but he wrote their parts without making it look forced and unrealistic.
Overall, Spanking Shakespeare is a hysterical and hilarious peak into the life of a funny gifted writer and his socially inept life as a senior in high school. Jake Wizner’s narrative will have you laughing in the most inappropriate of places. I think I just met one of the most memorable fictional character there is in the young adult scene. 5 out of 5 stars.
But here’s the funny thing, Shakespeare happens to be a good writer. A funny witty one at that. And he is chronicling every embarrassing moment of his life in a memoir for his senior project. Alternating between the months of his entire senior year is his memoir with the title 17 Down. It depicts Shakespeare’s hilarious and raucous journey through adolescent. From a childhood friend who turned lesbian after seeing his private parts when they were in kindergarten, to a horrible plane ride with a perverse old woman, getting caught with a pornographic magazine in math class, visiting a sex doctor at sixteen, down to an embarrassing drunken night with his father in Rome. Alongside his memoir is his struggles as a socially awkward senior: his problems with girls, his weird friends and a girl that he couldn't seem to ignore.
Before I say anything else can I just say that I. FREAKING. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. Shakespeare is such a strong male protagonist that his insecurities and introspections were written so genuinely well that it really connected with one of my own. It’s very apart from John Green’s male archetype which is “smart, funny and dorky.” Wizner’s formula feels more like “funny meets smart and horny,” which I believe feels a lot like what normal eighteen year olds are like with all the hormones and stuff. I also like the fact that Jake Wizner’s didn’t take that so-called social paradigm on highschools that much of a deal. Yes, there are cliques within Hemingway High School, but he wrote their parts without making it look forced and unrealistic.
Overall, Spanking Shakespeare is a hysterical and hilarious peak into the life of a funny gifted writer and his socially inept life as a senior in high school. Jake Wizner’s narrative will have you laughing in the most inappropriate of places. I think I just met one of the most memorable fictional character there is in the young adult scene. 5 out of 5 stars.
May 10, 2009
Wow -- awesome writing. I picked this novel up after having heard a lot of good things as well some so-so comments that questioned why this novel is getting such good reviews. After reading it (and I could not put it down!), I can completely understand why certain readers love it while others may feel like it leaves a bad taste in their mouth.
I think I loved it because it's honest and humorous. And, in my experience, it's rare that I come across any kind of writing (let alone a 200+ page novel) that has such well done self-deprecating humor. Shakespeare is so likable because he makes fun of everyone, including himself. He's not this pompous jerk, nor is he such a loser that no one likes him. He was very well written and his storytelling was engaging and fun to read. I felt like a lot of his coming-of-age experiences were pretty universal and, even as a female 10 years out of high school I still felt like I could make a lot of connections to his experiences.
Still, I can kind of empathize with those who don't like the novel because one thing I noticed was that Jake Wizner felt really comfortable crossing certain boundaries. Essentially, the book had no boundaries and nothing was off limits so you had to be comfortable reading about a high schooler masturbating and/or taking a shit. I was initially a bit taken aback by the summer camp scene because I felt like that kind of crossed a personal boundary of mine but as I kept reading the book it no longer bothered me. There are definitely boundaries and comfort levels that are crossed so that is something to beware of. I, for example, would not recommend this book to my middle school students because I think it's far too graphic yet I would not discourage one of my students from reading this on his own.
So, definitely 5 stars because I think this author wrote something amazing and engaging and truly funny... but I do caution readers who may not necessarily be ready for such blunt descriptions and raw humor.
I think I loved it because it's honest and humorous. And, in my experience, it's rare that I come across any kind of writing (let alone a 200+ page novel) that has such well done self-deprecating humor. Shakespeare is so likable because he makes fun of everyone, including himself. He's not this pompous jerk, nor is he such a loser that no one likes him. He was very well written and his storytelling was engaging and fun to read. I felt like a lot of his coming-of-age experiences were pretty universal and, even as a female 10 years out of high school I still felt like I could make a lot of connections to his experiences.
Still, I can kind of empathize with those who don't like the novel because one thing I noticed was that Jake Wizner felt really comfortable crossing certain boundaries. Essentially, the book had no boundaries and nothing was off limits so you had to be comfortable reading about a high schooler masturbating and/or taking a shit. I was initially a bit taken aback by the summer camp scene because I felt like that kind of crossed a personal boundary of mine but as I kept reading the book it no longer bothered me. There are definitely boundaries and comfort levels that are crossed so that is something to beware of. I, for example, would not recommend this book to my middle school students because I think it's far too graphic yet I would not discourage one of my students from reading this on his own.
So, definitely 5 stars because I think this author wrote something amazing and engaging and truly funny... but I do caution readers who may not necessarily be ready for such blunt descriptions and raw humor.
February 17, 2009
I picked this book up because I have a real thing for (in terms of loving to) reading books with male protagonists who are written by guys. I bought this book on Saturday afternoon and read it cover to cover in about two hours.
The characters are all funny, and I found myself laughing out loud at a couple of points (especially when Shakespeare gets stoned, not something that I generally love to read about, but he's so funny and Shakespeare decides against ever doing it again because of what happens during his high).
My only real drawback in terms of Wizner's literary debut was the lack of contractions. I know it seems like a little thing, a weird thing, but Americans speak with contractions and to read stilted prose that doesn't utilize any contractions is weird. [Don't believe me? I'll rewrite that previous sentence sans contractions and you can see for yourself. Americans speak with contractions and to read stilted prose that does not utilize any contractions is weird. See, only one contraction, changing "does not" to "doesn't" makes it more readable.:]
You might say that's Wizner's editor's problem, but he should have caught that in pre-review. As he was reading aloud (because that's a smart way to do your own self-editing), he should have realized the text wasn't flowing the way a teenager would talk. (And this is kind of a shame because he does a really good job with language choice... making it teenager-esque without sounding like an adult trying to sound like a teenager.)
The book rated a B- because of the stiff language (as referenced above) and the plot was a little bit too textbook. I knew exactly what was going to happen by page 75. (Granted, the fact that I kept reading it even though I knew where it was going should be a feather in Wizner's cap.)
The characters are all funny, and I found myself laughing out loud at a couple of points (especially when Shakespeare gets stoned, not something that I generally love to read about, but he's so funny and Shakespeare decides against ever doing it again because of what happens during his high).
My only real drawback in terms of Wizner's literary debut was the lack of contractions. I know it seems like a little thing, a weird thing, but Americans speak with contractions and to read stilted prose that doesn't utilize any contractions is weird. [Don't believe me? I'll rewrite that previous sentence sans contractions and you can see for yourself. Americans speak with contractions and to read stilted prose that does not utilize any contractions is weird. See, only one contraction, changing "does not" to "doesn't" makes it more readable.:]
You might say that's Wizner's editor's problem, but he should have caught that in pre-review. As he was reading aloud (because that's a smart way to do your own self-editing), he should have realized the text wasn't flowing the way a teenager would talk. (And this is kind of a shame because he does a really good job with language choice... making it teenager-esque without sounding like an adult trying to sound like a teenager.)
The book rated a B- because of the stiff language (as referenced above) and the plot was a little bit too textbook. I knew exactly what was going to happen by page 75. (Granted, the fact that I kept reading it even though I knew where it was going should be a feather in Wizner's cap.)
November 14, 2009
Spanking Shakespeare was another book challenge by a student at school. Brittney loved this book and was suggesting it for a book club pick. I'm glad I read it first. While it was immensely entertaining, I'm not sure it would have been as good for discussing and the sexual content and the way it dealt with drinking and drugs left a bit to be desired from the books as role models perspective. I will have to buy a copy for my collection but it's not one I'm going to recommend to everyone.
The Chicago Tribune says "this brilliantly lewd novel is hilarious." And I think that just about sums it up. It was hilarious, with plenty of laugh out loud moments. And it was rather lewd. Even the title, "Spanking Shakespeare" has a sort of double entendre the likes of which were often seen in the works of William Shakespeare, our main character's namesake.
Shakespeare Shapiro is a high school senior and this novel follows him through his final year of school interspersing sections of his writing seminar project -- a memoir. He discovers that though he hates his name, and curses his parents for giving it to him, he does enjoy writing and he harbors hope that his writing will bring him fame, which will help him "get laid." Pretty much the book is focused on the life and times of a less than popular boy and the situations he gets himself in and the humor that emerges.
It is pretty funny but has enough sexual content (not sexual acts so much) and some teen drinking and marijuana use that it's best to know your reader and their comfort level with these topics before recommending.
I would give it 3.5 stars. Goodreads needs to come up with a 1/2 star system!
The Chicago Tribune says "this brilliantly lewd novel is hilarious." And I think that just about sums it up. It was hilarious, with plenty of laugh out loud moments. And it was rather lewd. Even the title, "Spanking Shakespeare" has a sort of double entendre the likes of which were often seen in the works of William Shakespeare, our main character's namesake.
Shakespeare Shapiro is a high school senior and this novel follows him through his final year of school interspersing sections of his writing seminar project -- a memoir. He discovers that though he hates his name, and curses his parents for giving it to him, he does enjoy writing and he harbors hope that his writing will bring him fame, which will help him "get laid." Pretty much the book is focused on the life and times of a less than popular boy and the situations he gets himself in and the humor that emerges.
It is pretty funny but has enough sexual content (not sexual acts so much) and some teen drinking and marijuana use that it's best to know your reader and their comfort level with these topics before recommending.
I would give it 3.5 stars. Goodreads needs to come up with a 1/2 star system!
November 19, 2014
I was scavenging for another book to read through Ms. Paese's library. I went over to the section where I found and signed out Omnivore's Dilemma. I looked around it to find an interesting books to read. There, hidden under a bunch of books made by Robert Cormier, was a book called Spanking Shakespeare. At first, I thought it was a way to remember works of Shakespeare, but when I read the blurb, it was totally different. It was an actually a realistic fiction story about a boy named Shakespeare going through his problems as a teenager. Two things that impressed me was that the book was actually humorous, and the other thing is that it was somewhat inappropriate, which impressed me because I would have thought that teenagers would think inappropriately. Humor as represented in the story Shakespeare wrote in the end: "“There once was a man who was sore/'Cuz his wife wouldn't open the door./Celibacy /is just not for me/Let me in, you ****-******* whore.” This was funny if you understood what celibacy is and what the words that I just censored. I laughed throughout the whole book and I think the ending, in which Shakespeare becomes a good writer and has his story published in the school newspaper. I think what I learned in this was that: you have to stay optimistic in any kind of situation. This is because Shakespeare was put-down by his inability to get girls, so he became sad. If he had stayed optimistic, he could have possibly got a girl, or he decided to care about his grades instead of girls. If that had happened, this book would not be the book I just read.
December 4, 2014
The reason that I read this book was because when ii went into the library I saw about 20 copies of the book and if there are so many copies there should be a reason for it, and I guessed that reason was because it is a great book. One interesting thing about this book is that it has jokes. This is a very unique quality because in books this is usually unusual, and I love to laugh as I read and this book was perfect for that. Although it had many jokes about teachers and romance it still had some serious parts and wasn't all about jokes which I thought was great. The craft that the author is using is comedy. An example of a comical part in the story was when he read a free-write that he had wrote in class, he wrote about his future, fears and such. It was very funny when he talked about his fear about being squashed by a sumo wrestler in Japan. Another example of a comical part is his college essay he said "You think I've got it easy just because I'm a white, upper-middle-class Jew from New York? You think just because I seem to have everyday advantage in life, I don't understand true hardship? let me assure you, I know what it means to suffer. i know what it mean stop feel pain." This quote made me laugh because it is a typical stereotype that was in a story. What made it more funny was the fact that this was in a official book that was published. I loved this book and I recommend it to anyone that wants to read it, overall great and unexpectedly funny.
Read
July 20, 2009From ALA's Best YA Books of 2008
I'm not giving this any stars since I didn't finish it. I read about 60 pages.
Shakespeare Shapiro is a high school senior. He's not happy with the name that his parents gave him. He goes to some kind of posh high school in NYC that focuses on writing. Shakepeare thinks and writes alot about sex. Yes, he's funny and clever, and I think this book is supposed to part of the body of books where teenagers are socially inept but inside they're brilliant and funny. But as a teacher, I was just so put off by Shakespeare actually turning in papers filled with sexual talk and fantasies---and it was perfectly all right with his teachers. His writing teacher would even read Shakespeare's papers out loud and praise him. When he had written one paper, the teacher asked for volunteers to read their papers out loud. This is from the book----"It's not appropriate, I say. Mr. Parke's eyes light up. I should hope not," he says."-----And then Mr. Parke reads this wildly inappropriate paper to the whole class and loves it and gives Shakespeare positive feedback. And, oh yes, Mr. Parke likes to talk about his own left testicle alot. In 60 pages, it was just too much sexual talk, sexual writing, masturbation, etc. I read some other review of this book somewhere and it was called "deliciously lewd". It was just too much for me.
I'm not giving this any stars since I didn't finish it. I read about 60 pages.
Shakespeare Shapiro is a high school senior. He's not happy with the name that his parents gave him. He goes to some kind of posh high school in NYC that focuses on writing. Shakepeare thinks and writes alot about sex. Yes, he's funny and clever, and I think this book is supposed to part of the body of books where teenagers are socially inept but inside they're brilliant and funny. But as a teacher, I was just so put off by Shakespeare actually turning in papers filled with sexual talk and fantasies---and it was perfectly all right with his teachers. His writing teacher would even read Shakespeare's papers out loud and praise him. When he had written one paper, the teacher asked for volunteers to read their papers out loud. This is from the book----"It's not appropriate, I say. Mr. Parke's eyes light up. I should hope not," he says."-----And then Mr. Parke reads this wildly inappropriate paper to the whole class and loves it and gives Shakespeare positive feedback. And, oh yes, Mr. Parke likes to talk about his own left testicle alot. In 60 pages, it was just too much sexual talk, sexual writing, masturbation, etc. I read some other review of this book somewhere and it was called "deliciously lewd". It was just too much for me.
June 6, 2014
TOP TEN REASONS TO READ SPANKING SHAKESPEARE
10. Your spouse will look at you like you're crazy when he/she walks into the room and you are laughing hysterically by yourself with only a book.
9. You will secretly know you are not crazy, just reading something refreshing and side-splitting funny at times. You may even find yourself crying; you are laughing so hard.
8. It is well written and witty.
7. Anything with the title including Spanking should be mandatory reading.
6. You want to get inside a teenage boys head and be appalled at the frequency they think about sex and masturbation.
5. This is not your usual type of story you read and you want to revamp your love for reading by going on a very different adventure.
4. If you are female: You want to see what high school was like for a boy. If you are male: You want to relive your high school years.
3. You want to laugh at someone else's pain.
2. You think bowel movements are amusing, even if you don't want to admit it.
1. It's a freaking good book.
Well done, Jake Wizner.
Reviewer's note: Those who know me know that I'm not a fan of the lewd and sometimes I can be downright conservative, so it makes no sense whatsoever that I liked this book so much. Seriously, I had a great time reading it. I felt like I had front row tickets to a comedy show.
10. Your spouse will look at you like you're crazy when he/she walks into the room and you are laughing hysterically by yourself with only a book.
9. You will secretly know you are not crazy, just reading something refreshing and side-splitting funny at times. You may even find yourself crying; you are laughing so hard.
8. It is well written and witty.
7. Anything with the title including Spanking should be mandatory reading.
6. You want to get inside a teenage boys head and be appalled at the frequency they think about sex and masturbation.
5. This is not your usual type of story you read and you want to revamp your love for reading by going on a very different adventure.
4. If you are female: You want to see what high school was like for a boy. If you are male: You want to relive your high school years.
3. You want to laugh at someone else's pain.
2. You think bowel movements are amusing, even if you don't want to admit it.
1. It's a freaking good book.
Well done, Jake Wizner.
Reviewer's note: Those who know me know that I'm not a fan of the lewd and sometimes I can be downright conservative, so it makes no sense whatsoever that I liked this book so much. Seriously, I had a great time reading it. I felt like I had front row tickets to a comedy show.
Read
December 19, 2014 Spanking Shakespeare , is a book that I read because my friends had recommended it to me. It explains about a boy that struggles with his life in high school. He feels that the life he has is awful.
Change
In the book, Shakespeare faces change of his thoughts about his life. In the beginning he hated his name and the fact that he had no true friends or a girlfriend. "1. After six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, and three years of high school, I have only two close friends: Neil Wasserman, whose favorite thing to do is discuss his bowel movements; and Katie Marks, whose favorite thing to do is tell me how pathetic I am" (Wizner 5). Shakespeare looks at himself and feels that he has a pathetic life where his only friends aren't really people he can communicate with. However, near the end of the book, Shakespeare achieved what he wanted and he is happy that his life had changed for the better. "I smile and shrug, happy to concede this little victory to my parents. I have just graduated. I have a girlfriend. I am sitting in a fancy restaurant sipping wine" (Wizner 289). In the end, Shakespeare doesn't regret his lif. His entire life changes and he realizes that he should be happy with what he has. Shakespeare has grown and learned more throughout the book.
Change
In the book, Shakespeare faces change of his thoughts about his life. In the beginning he hated his name and the fact that he had no true friends or a girlfriend. "1. After six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, and three years of high school, I have only two close friends: Neil Wasserman, whose favorite thing to do is discuss his bowel movements; and Katie Marks, whose favorite thing to do is tell me how pathetic I am" (Wizner 5). Shakespeare looks at himself and feels that he has a pathetic life where his only friends aren't really people he can communicate with. However, near the end of the book, Shakespeare achieved what he wanted and he is happy that his life had changed for the better. "I smile and shrug, happy to concede this little victory to my parents. I have just graduated. I have a girlfriend. I am sitting in a fancy restaurant sipping wine" (Wizner 289). In the end, Shakespeare doesn't regret his lif. His entire life changes and he realizes that he should be happy with what he has. Shakespeare has grown and learned more throughout the book.
April 21, 2010
review 1
I am reading this book for a while and it is very long. It is also though funny and interesting. It has some weird scenes but it's still very good. It talks about a boy who is named Shake Spear and these stories about him in this one year.
I learned from this book that you should be proud of your name. You should like it even though people tease you about it. I think that people who like funny books and that not like reading should read this book.
review 2
I just finished this book and it was a lot of fun. It is long but it keeps you awake. It's not like a regular 200 page book. I think it is inappropriate but fun. It has some language but it also makes you want to finish the book.
This book is about a boy who hates his name and how his name changes his life. His life is a bowl of fun when he's at prom one night and he is with a girl who is his friend. He had his first kiss and he went in a limo. That was the best part in the book. I'm not telling you where it was in the book because you have to read the whole thing. Also this book, it's a drop like my life. Don't ask me why because I don't want to talk about it. If you read the book you will understand why.
Well, enjoy the book and comment on it.
I am reading this book for a while and it is very long. It is also though funny and interesting. It has some weird scenes but it's still very good. It talks about a boy who is named Shake Spear and these stories about him in this one year.
I learned from this book that you should be proud of your name. You should like it even though people tease you about it. I think that people who like funny books and that not like reading should read this book.
review 2
I just finished this book and it was a lot of fun. It is long but it keeps you awake. It's not like a regular 200 page book. I think it is inappropriate but fun. It has some language but it also makes you want to finish the book.
This book is about a boy who hates his name and how his name changes his life. His life is a bowl of fun when he's at prom one night and he is with a girl who is his friend. He had his first kiss and he went in a limo. That was the best part in the book. I'm not telling you where it was in the book because you have to read the whole thing. Also this book, it's a drop like my life. Don't ask me why because I don't want to talk about it. If you read the book you will understand why.
Well, enjoy the book and comment on it.
May 2, 2014
As an actor, I found the introduction to Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner as the perfect comedic monologue to perform. Just the introduction to the book will have you on the floor hysterical with the way Shapiro bashes his hippie parents for giving him the name of Shakespeare Shapiro. It's priceless. Wizner's novel, Spanking Shakespeare, has the perfect 1st person narrator in the form of Shakespeare Shapiro. Shapiro's voice seems to have the perfect fit for a teenage boy constantly wondering about his life and why he was placed in his current situation. Shakespeare, much like the real Bard says what might be embarrassing to some, but says what it is raw, true and real. There is no hiding what our main character thinks about all of the conflicts he comes in contact with in the book. If you are looking for a book for a rebellious teenage reader, then place this book in their hands and it might change their rebellion on reading. The character is extremely relative and the book is a quick read. Overall, it was quite an entertaining read, with a unique voice, and a pretty cool main character.
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