The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion

by Ann Bausum, Marta Sevilla (Illustrator)

The unlikely true story of why we know the name William Shakespeare today, and the four-hundred-year-old book that made it possible.

Four hundred years ago, no one bothered to write down the exact words of stage plays. Characters’ lines were scribbled on small rolls of paper (as in, an actor’s role ) and passed around, but no master script was saved for the future. The main reason we’ve heard of Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, and Shakespeare himself is that a group of people made the excellent choice to preserve the plays after the Bard died. If they hadn’t created the book known as the First Folio, Shakespeare and his works would surely have been lost to history.

Part literary scavenger hunt (the search for every existing First Folio continues today), part book trivia treasure trove, and part love letter to Shakespeare, this behind-the-scenes, sharply funny true story is an ideal introduction to the Bard and his famous plays.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle Grade, Shakespeare, Historical, Books About Books, Humor

112 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Ann Bausum writes about history for readers of all ages from her home in southern Wisconsin. Her works often focus on under-told stories from the past, and she frequently explores issues of social justice.

Her newest title, The March Against Fear (National Geographic: 2017), is her third work to examine the civil rights movement in the American South. In the case of these and other books, Bausum strives to bring the nation’s social justice history to life in ways that empower and inspire readers young and old alike. Her previous title, Stonewall (Viking: 2015), is among the first nonfiction books to introduce teens to gay rights history. Previous works have explored voting rights, immigration, and free speech, among other topics.

The almost-forgotten story of Stubby lured Bausum away from social justice history temporarily. She wrote twin titles about the stray dog smuggled to Europe during World War I who returned to a hero’s welcome. Both books were published in 2014 by National Geographic: Sergeant Stubby (for adult readers) and Stubby the War Dog (for children).

In the spring of 2017, the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C., will honor the body of Bausum’s work by presenting her with its venerable Nonfiction Award. This award recognizes the consistent commendation earned by her individual titles through the years. Bausum’s books have appeared consistently on lists of recommended and notable titles and have earned numerous literary awards including a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Carter G. Woodson Award (on two occasions), and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. In 2015, she was named the year’s Notable Wisconsin Children’s Author by the Wisconsin Library Association.

You may follow Bausum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AnnBausum) and Twitter (@AnnBausum) or visit her online at www.AnnBausum.com

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using a light, breezily friendly and often also lightly humorous (but thankfully also never artificially so) writing style, with words that are engaging, educational as well as nicely enlightening and are also and importantly never too involved, never overly complex and as such nicely suitable for young readers from about the age of eight or nine onwards but actually in my humble opinion for anyone (young and old) wanting a basic and easy-reading introduction to William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Ann Bausum with her 2024 The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion delightfully and marvellously breaks down and analyses the lucky confluence of events that led to the preservation Shakespeare's plays after his death in the so-called First Folio (so that we still have them and can enjoy them today).

And dividing The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion into five chapters, into five acts (and thus of course akin to a typical play), Bausum starts her text with briefly but with sufficient detail showcasing Shakespeare’s life from birth to death (with said chapter humorously titled William Shakespeare Becomes Brilliant, Then Dies), then moving on to the history of Elizabethan theatre (The Fleeting Nature of Theater Prepares to Vanquish Macbeth) before Ann Bausum delves into the production of the First Folio, which those who had known and loved William Shakespeare created by drawing from their own recollections of his life and work and The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion also chronicling the challenges of authenticating Shakespeare's writings, the printing and binding process, and the maintenance and current whereabouts of the original folio. Thus by employing detailed and up-to-date (namely current) scholarship, Ann Bausum packs The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion with lots and lots of intriguing and enlightening literary history and trivia (such as for example how the rolls of paper on which Elizabethan actors wrote their lines is the origin, represents the etymology of what we now globally call acting "roles"), all emphasised in The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion through varying typefaces, strategic line breaks and many neat and entertaining asides by Bausum (and that yes, I also appreciate how Marta Sevilla's folk art inspired illustrations for The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion are colourfully vivid but fortunately also do not at all visually distract from Ann Bausum’s penmanship and her presented text but simply provide a nice visual decoration that also can easily be ignored without losing any textuality).

Four solid stars for what is being provided thematics and content-wise in The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion, but upped to five stars as Bausum's author's and research notes, citations, bibliography, websites and user-friendly index are absolutely spectacular, are the icing on an already hugely delicious personal reading cake and also hugely increase the educational and also the research value of The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion.

[Elle Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took a class on Shakespeare last semester and try to keep engaged on the topic because I haven't devoted as much literary attention to him as he deserves.

Here are some facts I found interesting (mostly noting so I don't forget):

- the First Folio is the first publication of Shakespeare's works, printed in 1623 (7 years after his death)
- All of his plays were handwritten on Quartos (a looseleaf paper folded into quarters) with many mistakes, thus his death risked the plays being forgotten
- Shakespeare's fellow actors, John Heminges and Henry Condell, gathered the scripts and published the First Folio
- 18 of Shakespeare's 36 plays had never been printed before the Folio
- Printing in the 17th century was mostly reserved for the bible and important legal documents

[alisonwonderland (Alison) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Ann Bausum speak this summer, and I bought a copy of this delightful book for her to sign. Just looking at the cover makes me smile!

My husband and I listened to the audio version on a recent trip. We are long-time fans of regional Shakespearean theatre and have learned quite a bit about the history of the plays over the years. But we learned some things we didn’t already know and greatly enjoyed the delivery.

Alison’s Summer Reading 2025 30/33
(And I think that’s going to be the end of my summer reading project. I didn’t quite meet my goal, but I had a lot of fun and read some really great books!)

[Penny Peck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This interesting and well designed book for tweens explains how the first published book of Shakespeare's plays came to be. The lively text describes how copies of the scripts were found or created by the actors and others involved in performing Shakespeare's works, and how the printers did their work in laying out the text. There are several humorous anecdotes about those first folios and their creation, and the detective work involved in finding them. The illustrative matter includes cartoons as well as reproductions of artwork from the time period. A great companion to a student's first study of Shakespeare's work.

[Vika Reads Occasionally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a 3.5. An interesting, fun, and detailed description of how the First Folio came to be and why it’s still so important today that was clearly written with a lot of passion. As someone who has read a lot Shakespeare, I enjoyed this and learned a lot (such as the origin of uppercase and lowercase letters, so cool!), though I would be interested in seeing how much appeal this has for a younger audience.

[Beth Given · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book for tweens and teens about the reason Shakespeare is famous: his plays were collected in a book. This is more of a biography of the First Folio than Shakespeare, and as a book-lover, I found it fascinating! This book details the mechanics of bookmaking in the 1600s and includes so many interesting tidbits. I take books for granted, never really thinking about how the simple numbering and ordering of pages is actually quite complicated, how placing the type by hand would be such a chore ("mind your p's and q's!), even how capturing the original text when plays are meant to be performed would have been difficult -- it was all fascinating to consider!

The fun, useful illustrations and the humorous, conversational tone of the text are perfection. Really enjoyed this book and I'll be sharing it with my kids!

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book delightful to read and quite informative. Maybe reading nonfiction for children is my new favorite way to learn things! Learning how the First Folio came to be and the technical side of printing and book binding was not only educational but full of interesting surprised. Who knew that the golden retriever breed had ties to Shakespeare?! The author wrote in such an engaging way for children, but even this adult reader found it captivating!

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

A precise and thorough exploration of the various printed editions of Shakespeare’s plays and how they came to be as well as how they still exist today. I need to get to the Folger Library. Fascinating.

[Lorna McAvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want to learn some cool stuff about Shakespeare without getting overwhelmed? Then this book is for you! Bravo!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has found a wonderfully fun, clever and joyful tone for this nonfiction account.

[Michelle Stimpson]

There are 235 known copies of the First Folio, and I got to see one displayed at the Salt Lake City Library. I had an emotional reaction to seeing it, and I didn't even fully understand what I was looking at. This slim non-fiction book for kids explains the history, making, and importance of the First Folio and I'm even more grateful that I had an opportunity to see one in person. Even if you're not a Shakespeare super fan, learning how printing presses and bookbinding happened in the 1600's is fascinating. But also, understanding the number of people and work that went into preserving Shakespeare's work is inspiring. Ultimately, this book is a love letter to the printed word. And oh, how I love the printed word.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

This was a book about Shakespeare, and I retained nothing. Not a single thing is swimming in my head about this one. Was it because I read it while having a massive cold? Probably. It's a book and I read it, but I have gotten nothing from it.

[Suzette Kunz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super informative middle grade non-fiction book about how Shakespeare's plays were first published. I learned a lot and it is written in a super fun, accessible voice which kids will connect with.

[Rea Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and informative

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative, but pedantic to the point of (ironically) inhibiting the style.

[Christy Gould · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a whole class on this topic in college, but this little book for kids was more interesting than that entire class. So much to learn here about 17th century book-making, too!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty & clever take on the Bard & his plays. But the focus is on the book of his plays, how it came to be, how it was typeset & printed, & why it's important. So entertaining, even for an adult!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. I wish it had been less about how a folio is made and more about the impact of Shakespeare's work.

[CYBILS Awards]

Ms. Yingling things more high school than middle grade: https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...

[Roben · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio." Don Adriano de Armado in Love's Labor's Lost Act 1, Scene 2 lines 164-165

How have Shakespeare's words survived for more than 400 hundred years? It all comes down to one book - the First Folio. Though there were also Second, Third, and Fourth Folios. It's just that the First is the most accurate since the people that compiled it had actually known Shakespeare and worked with him. Obviously Shakespeare was well-loved and so, after he died, several people came together to create a record of his plays in a folio.

I learned so much from reading this book! For example, rather than handing each actor a script as we do today, the parts were written on long pieces of paper and rolled up like a scroll - called rolls. Which evolved into the actor's role. Yes, there were quartos. But that wasn't what the actors used.

As for the printing -- there were several compilers who would create the lines of print that would make up a page. And they each had their own quirks - ways that they spelled words that differed from others. Everything had to be arranged in reverse so that when it went through the press, the mirror image would be printed. Each compiler had cases of letters to use. Uppercase and lowercase refers to the location of the boxes - or cases -the capital letters and smaller letters were placed in while compositors were working to place the letters for printing. And that's why capitals are upper case and non-capitals are lower case.

Once the pages were printed, the printers did not bind the book - bookbinders did. And they were bound differently - they dressed the book the way the purchaser wanted it to look. Each copy that was printed was unique.
Historians believe around 750 copies of the First Folio were printed in 1623. Some have survived; others are lost forever and some others may still be floating around - they keep turning up in unusual places.

Around the turn of the previous century, a British scholar named Sidney Lee embarked on a quest to find the First Folios. By 1902 he had found 158. He kept looking and found 14 more. Ever since then, people have been searching for copies. So far there are 235 copies - each one unique in its own way. And 82 of them live at the Folger Library in Washington, DC.

Shakespeare's words have endured for over 400 years. Hopefully, they will continue to be cherished, read, performed, and debated.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should have known that it was going as Bausum always writes with a good focus on her teen audience and this one, while maybe not something a kid will run to the shelf to pickup, does provide a lot of fun content that in sections would be the weird factoids that we all know and love. Plus, dare I say, an English teacher would enjoy slipping in a few pages to talk about with a class because it deals with not necessarily Shakespeare himself (though there's a bit about him) but about the process of theater and why we now use certain words (like roles that were originally the rolls of paper given to give actors a focus for their theatrics). There's also a bit about the plays themselves and the history of the time period as well as other writers and Kings Men (performers). The coolest part for me was the specifics on printing and what uppercase and lowercase meant and how it was typeset backward, etc. And last, Bausum rounds it out with the quest to find out where the original printings of these folios are and it sort of makes me want to take a trip to the Folger Shakespeare Library too!

"Then, Crane would have made copies of the actors' parts. To save paper and to keep the play from being stolen by other acting companies, he only wrote down the lines that each player needed to know, their sides, as they're sometimes called. These lines were glued together and then rolled up into individual bundles, one for each part, which the actors would have learned by heart. Those ROLLS of paper were the origin of what we call acting ROLES today."

"It might surprise you to know that those copies left Jaggard's printing house without any covers. That's because printers didn't bind books. Bookbinders did. And they did so uniquely. The idea that all copies of the same book would appear identical never crossed anyone's mind in 1623. Indeed, it would have seemed absurd. That's because back then the appearance of someone's books was as personalized as their clothing- a statement of tastes, and preferences, and wealth- and it was the bookbinder's job to dress the books."

Overall, it's a slim volume told with a bit of levity but plenty of learning. Then the additional images that enhance the understanding too and of course, there will still always be questions.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

How DID the plays of Shakespeare get saved, when the practice four hundred years ago was not necessarily to print out the entire play? Actors might get just their own parts, and there were some quartos for sale, but plays were meant to be performed, and not necessarily read, so not everything got written down.

Bausum walks us through the basics of this influential writer in a snarky, engaging way that will appeal to readers who want all the details about this writer, but also to readers who want to look smart because they are carrying around a book about The Bard. Over the years in middle school, I've seen a LOT of these students; I finally deaccessioned the thirty pound Collected Works because while it wasn't getting read very much, it was being hauled about. This book is perfect for those readers, but despite the snark is highly informative!

With easy to follow overviews of various historical facts and book processes (Wouldn't it be cool to put your OWN binding on books? Why isn't this still a thing?) made even more engaging by lovely illustrations by Sevilla and top notch book design, this book told me everything I needed to know about Shakespeare's world and work, and how it was preserved. Of course, now I need a similar treatment of Homer, and possibly Virgil. I especially enjoyed the photographs of various print versions, and Bausum's notes at the end about why she chose this topic.

Have to say that I'm not personally a fan of Shakespeare, especially as something for middle school students to read (That unit a long term sub did with 8th graders? So painful!), but this was a fascinating book along the lines of Bryant and Sweet's Roget and His Thesaurus. I will purchase it because it is an appealing, small book along the lines of Schanzer's 2011 Witches! that my students will pick up for fun, OR to look smart because they are reading about Shakespeare. I would also buy this for high school because of the extensive source notes, which I could see be very helpful for research.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delight this book was! Shakespeare fans, students and teachers like, will be fully engrossed from start to finish. Had it not been for some of the Bard's contemporaries--John Heminge, Henry Condell, Isaac and William Jaggard, Edward Blount, all either printers or publishers--who decided to collect his plays and publish them together as Ben Jonson had done with his poems and one play, it is more than likely that they would have been lost. That very thought will stop many readers right in their tracks since the stories are timeless, many of the characters unforgettable, and many of the lines so much a part of our language today. While it might be expected that a book such as this one would be solemn in tone, rather boring, this couldn't be further from the truth. Author Ann Bausum's affection and respect for Shakespeare come through, and it's clear that she has researched her topic thoroughly, but she manages to explain how the First Folio and other collections of Shakespeare's works came to be with wit and so many amusing anecdotes that readers will be widely entertained and probably guffaw at points, just like the audience at some of his plays might have. Farting Foli, indeed! There's interesting information about how certain now-common theatre terms such as "roles" derived; readers also learn just how tedious it was to set type before book pages were printed and how complicated bookmaking was. The artwork didn't enchant me although the overall book design and organization, including chapter titles did, which is why it's a 4.5 for me. Seventh and eighth graders reading Romeo and Juliet will find a new appreciation for Shakespeare and the fact that his writing still exists through this book.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is supposed to be a children's book, the details inside the covers delve into 17th-century England in a way that is informative and fascinating.

We are once again confronted with the mystery that was William Shakespeare, a man whose birth date and death date are uncertain. His face is fixed in our minds but the painting that purports to show his face may be that of another man. While it's commonly stated that he was the son of a glove seller, that random speculation doesn't show up here. His early life is barely touched upon--perhaps because the details are so murky.

What the author has done is dig into how Shakespeare's works came to be so well preserved. Other playwrights from the periods managed to have their oeuvre preserved for posterity. But many others were lost to the sands of time. We learn how Shakespeare got so lucky, especially since many of his works were only written down decades after his death.

The story winds us through history and touches on disparate issues such as who was on the throne, what writing materials he would have used, how paper was made and, finally, how and why the Folios were preserved within so many different bindings such as calfskin, sheepskin, tooled leather or colored hide. The printing press, which made its debut in the early 15th century, also played a substantial part in keeping Shakespeare's works alive.

In conclusion, the author knows many people won't get their hands on a genuine First Folio. But the avid scrutiny of so many diligent and rabid scholars of Shakespeare's creations means we don't have to; someone somewhere close to you is mounting a Shakespearean play. Or you can get a DVD of filmed adaptation or staged play.

But you have to admit. You would like to get your hands on Farting Folio.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did Shakespeare's play become the legend and legacy that they are? At a time when so little was written down and little more than the bible was printed, it's astounding to think about the efforts that went into turning Shakespeare into the beloved classic that has stayed with us for hundreds of years. The Bard and the Book was an almost riveting account of how William Shakespeare became famous, the way his plays were written for the stage, then how they were memorized, shared, practiced, etc. It never would have occurred to me that he didn't write a play the way our current print standards would have allowed. It also didn't occur to me that the actors who memorized the parts would be among the keys to getting it all down, years after Shakespeare had passed away. So much of what lasts does so due only to the Herculean efforts we make to record life as it passes. Those who took all the smaller, left-behind elements of Shakespeare's plays and put them into written form, then added the massive task of publishing them into folios? Genius. Truly, an effort to be studied and celebrated. Which is exactly what this funny, open, and engaging text does, at a level middle-grade readers could easily pick up, understand, and enjoy.

Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

For me, this book is a solid 4 stars (almost close to 5, because I found it all so interesting for my own nerdy bibliophile interests). However, how much detail to I think my tweens or teens are looking for relating to printing, binding, and the creation and existence of the folios? I'm afraid it may not be this much.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bard and the Book is a children's/middle grade non-fiction book about Shakespeare and the first folios. The book is ordered, like a play with a prologue, 5 acts, and an epilogue. I learned much from my reading, including the miscellaneous facts listed below.

Shakespeare and the actors who performed his plays were called King's Men because they performed for King James. (10)

Richard Burbage was the first actor of many Shakespearean roles. (11)

Catchword is a word listed at the bottom of a page that is the first word of the next page, used because the folios were not numbered. (33)

Uppercase = Majuscule = Capital letters
Lower = Minuscule = smaller letters (45)

Compositor is one who composed the backward words for printing (41). Most were unidentified, except Compositor E, John Leason. (47)

Sir Edward Darby bought one of the first books in 1623. (53)

There are an estimated 750 first folios. (55)

There are 82 copies of first folios at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. (70)

I want to go to the Folger Library. I also want to buy a copy of this book for a child (not sure who yet).

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about how books were made in Medieval times and how they are collected and studied in the modern age. It's also intriguing to learn that plays weren't generally printed in Shakespeare's day and how easily his work could have been lost if it weren't for the folios that were created. Their importance is made abundantly clear in the book.

THE BARD AND THE BOOK is aimed at middle-grade readers. Although it's written in a humorous, conversational tone and is enhanced with lively, colorful illustrations, I really can't see kids snatching it up. For one thing, it assumes some knowledge of Shakespeare's work, making jokes and references that refer to various plays of his that few children will have even heard of. It's also just not the kind of subject most kids find alluring for casual reading. If this book were assigned to them during a school unit on the Bard, maybe they wouldn't find it too taxing to read, but otherwise, I just can't imagine middle-graders wanting to read this.

I liked the book overall, so I'm giving it 3 1/2 stars (rounded up) because I learned some things from it and enjoyed the read.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE BARD AND THE BOOK is a fascinating account of how The First Folio was created. Beginning with the talent and wisdom of William Shakespeare, Bausum takes readers on a deep dive into the publication of Shakespeare’s collections; from the printing process and how the folio was bound to the (perhaps tedious?) role of compositors who placed the individual letters to be stamped on the pages. A good amount of detail surrounding the entire process is examined within these chapters. And, if you’re wondering why the author, or any scholar, would examine the process so closely, Bausum will tell you “Such pursuits challenge our minds and fill our hearts with wonder.”

Filled with humor and enlightenment, this book is a wonderful look at how The First Folio came to be, and the fascination of the works it holds within. Back matter includes numerous chapters of interest, such as research notes from the author, the making of this book, contents of The First Folio, sources, bibliography, index, citations from Shakespeare’s plays, additional resources, and photo credits.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at how the first folio of Shakespeare's work was created after his death and where they exist today. It looks at the people probably responsible for saving Shakespeare's plays though it was not common place to do so at the time. It also examines how the folios were printed and sold. The most interesting thing for me to learn is the terminology we know today came from that time period. An actor's role came from the rolled paper that each Elizabethan actor was given with their lines for a particular play. Upper case and lower case letters came from the boxes typesetters used to store the letters and where those boxes were placed at their work station. The other interesting factoid was about the Barton or Farting Folio which is kept at the Boston Public Library which has a rotten egg odor to it that might be caused by the curing of the binding with animal dung. Not necessary to be a Shakespeare fan to enjoy this book and middle graders who are interested in how things were made back in the 17th century.