What Would Shakespeare Do?: Personal Advice from the Bard

by Jess Winfield

In three dozen plays and 150 sonnets, William Shakespeare probed the human spirit with unparalleled insight. What Would Shakespeare Do? uncovers for the modern reader all the personal advice contained in the Bard's immortal words. Using the same blend of history, drama, and earthy humor that characterizes Shakespeare's work, this book explores ideas that still resonate today: sex and love, youth and aging, morals and the meaning of life. As in What Would Buddha Do?, each page features a question about a modern-day dilemma followed by a quote from Shakespeare and an illuminating commentary by the author. Whether read as a diversion for the Shakespeare buff, an imaginative self-help book, or a unique introduction to the Bard, What Would Shakespeare Do? proves true the words of Ben Jonson that Shakespeare "was not of an age but for all time."

Genres: Shakespeare, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Jess Winfield co-founded the The Reduced Shakespeare Company, co-authored the worldwide smash hit play The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), won two Daytime Emmy Awards as a writer-producer for the Walt Disney Company, and, most recently, authored MY NAME IS WILL: A NOVEL OF SEX DRUGS AND SHAKESPEARE, a New York Times Book Review "Editor's Choice" and a California Book Awards finalist. He has just completed his second novel and is working on his third.

Jess lives in Hollywood with his wife Sa, an accomplished ceramicist.

In his spare time, he blogs about Los Angeles's dynamic ethnic food scene (lafoodcrazy.blogspot.com).

Reviews

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise, but not all that amusing.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Winfield takes modern day situations ("What would Shakespeare do about traffic?") and finds quotes from the plays and sonnets that he thinks fit the situation. It's an interesting idea, but it doesn't always work. Shakespeare wouldn't do anything about traffic because there weren't any cars in his day. I couldn't make the leap that some random quote from Hamlet could be applied to me sitting in rush-hour traffic in Atlanta. Maybe I took this a little too seriously.

Other situations he presents do work. For example, "What would Shakespeare do about love at first sight?" Answer: He wouldn't rush into things; look at what happened to Romeo and Juliet!

I couldn't finish the book. I tried to read it all in a couple of sittings, and maybe that wasn't the right way. It may be one of those books to keep in the bathroom or on the coffee table to read to just a little at a time.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I bought this book I had thought that it would be awesome. With all of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets to mooch wisdom from how could it go wrong? And it would have been awesome if the author had a darker sense of humor. As it is there is some good advice given, but it is written so honestly that it's hard to care unless one actually needs the advice given. Some dry wit would made the book. After all, it's a book giving answers to modern life using the epic writings of a man who lived some 400+ years ago.