Worlds Elsewhere: Journeys Around Shakespeare's Globe

by Andrew Dickson

Andrew Dickson's startlingly original and joyously entertaining Worlds Elsewhere traverses centuries and continents to reveal Shakespeare and his works in a fantastic array of new guises....

Antiapartheid activist, Bollywood screenwriter, Nazi pin-up, hero of the Wild this is Shakespeare as you have never seen him before. From the 16th-century Baltic to the American Revolution, from colonial India to the skyscrapers of modern-day Shanghai, Shakespeare's plays appear at the most fascinating of times and in the most unexpected of places.

No other writer's work has been performed, translated, adapted and altered in such a remarkable variety of cultures and languages. But what is it about William Shakespeare - a man from Warwickshire who never once set foot outside England - that has made him at home in so many places around the globe?

Travelling across four continents, six countries and 400 years, Andrew Dickson takes us on a personal journey rich in insight and surprise. We enter the air-conditioned vault deep beneath Capitol Hill where the world's largest collection of First Folios is stored, discover the shadowy history of Joseph Goebbels' obsession with Shakespeare, and uncover the true story behind the scuffed edition in which Nelson Mandela and fellow Robben Island prisoners inscribed their names.

Both cultural history and literary travelogue, Worlds Elsewhere is an attempt to understand how Shakespeare has become the international phenomenon he is - and why.

Genres: Nonfiction, Shakespeare, History, Travel, Theatre, World History, Writing

Audible Audio

First published April 5, 2016

About the author

Hello. I'm an author and critic who writes regularly for the Guardian and a number of other publications, including the New Yorker and the New Statesman.

My new book about Shakespeare’s global influence, Worlds Elsewhere: Journeys Around Shakespeare’s Globe, is published in the UK by Bodley Head/Vintage and in the US by Henry Holt.

I'm also the author of the Globe Guide to Shakespeare, and also contributed to the New Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare.

I'm currently an honorary fellow at Birkbeck, University of London and a former visiting fellow at the University of Warwick.

I live in east London.

Reviews

[Alisi ☆ wants to read too many books ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. Honestly. It was just way too rambling for my liking. There was almost no chapters. Maybe 5? In a book this length? It's like 500+ pages long.

He just picked a section of the world and sort of rambled on and on about it, eventually coming to a point and going back and rambling on about the history back up to present. It was entirely unstructured. There really was no rhyme or reason for what he decided to delve into.

For example, he spends an ENORMOUS about of time with South Africa and the prison there, when it was admitted to him from the beginning that they didn't have much to do with Shakespeare. How many interviews does it take to get this across? I mean, these men are 80+ years old. Was it necessary to track every one down to tell him the same thing? It's not that I don't find the history in South Africa to be interesting but I'm not reading the book for that.

Or how he spent an inordinate amount of time describing the on-going construction of various theater houses in England, and abroad, and how they were either recreations of Shakespeare's old theaters or replicas of ones he might've set his plays in, etc. Personally, the building of such things is like so far below what I consider to be the most interesting aspects of the famous bard that it quickly became a slog.

This could entirely be my expectations, though. I was expecting more of a scholarly approach to how Shakespeare influenced the world, as well as the ways other (non-western) cultures have approached or used this stuff. We get a bit of that, but not much.

So, honestly, take this review with a grain of salt. It could be something you'll really enjoy. It just wasn't for me personally.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worlds Elsewhere: Journeys Around Shakespeare’s Globe
by Andrew Dickson

Andrew's self guide to world of Shakespeare’s well 5 counties at least, what follows is my quick single sentence on each place visited.

Germany, specialists in keeping SP as close to the original as possible good on them
U.S.A competition based SP between cities and towns, areas, troupes where it's seem prestige, dedication & fun are the norm.
India, the second most interesting country they have a very, very, loose interpretation of SP where it's just not that unusual to do it and it's just the usual.
South Africa, prisoners of Apartheid SP just moves them with emotion in a prison without it, this was the best country Andrew visited and my favorite part.
China, if you believe it millions more SP followers than rest of the world put together if you believe it.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shaggy dog of a book. Dickson meanders around the globe (no pun intended) while examining the influence of Shakespeare's work. He hits China, India, South Africa, Germany, the Baltic states, 19th century California, the Third Reich --- it is occasionally hard to follow the why of his choices, though usually entertaining to read about them. The English brought Shakespeare with them wherever they went, but what makes this book interesting is Dickson's coverage of what happened to the Bard when he landed outside of the mother country. The translation of his work into native languages becomes both a political act and a liberation from anything like a traditional understanding of the plays. Plots are changed; Othello, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, all of the great plays become celebrations of values that speak to indigenous cultures. While the British colonizers enjoy amateur theatricals that (mostly) leave Shakespeare intact, native audiences flock to adaptations that set the plays in cultural milieus that speak to them. Or do not. The elders of a South African tribe lecture Dickson about the terrible disrespect that Romeo and Juliet offer their elders, who of course know best. Take that, Franco Zeffirelli.

Dickson does a fair amount of historical investigation into the troupes of English actors that first brought a form of Shakespeare to the continent even during the playwright's lifetime. He is most effective describing the probable audience response to the plays. If the Baltic and early German audiences were most likely boisterous in the face of staging that almost certainly were performed in an unfamiliar language, that reaction continued until well into the 19th century here in America. Gold Rush miners were drawn to Richard III or Coriolanus because they struck out on their own and risked everything for success, behaviors that resonated with the men who traversed a country for the chance of striking it rich.

In the end, the book is a tad too personal. The reader learns a great deal about Dickson's response to what he is seeing as opposed to why Shakespeare still resonates. By the time he reaches an Asian Shakespeare conference held in China, Dickson is exhausted by his travels and he skims through encounters with actors and directors still obsessed with Shakespeare performance in the 21st century. There is a bit too much pondering how tired he is, and not enough effort to crack why the plays returned so quickly after the Cultural Revolution ran its course.

The writing is occasionally flat, although Dickson peppers the narrative with moments of beauty and humor. I'm glad I read it, but have to admit that by the end I simply accepted it as "If It's Tuesday This Must Be Bollywood Merchant of Venice" as opposed to something that truly explained why a 16-17th century English playwright who most likely never left his native soil has become the most universally popular dramatist in the world.

Recommended.

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Note: I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.)

This book investigates the ways in which Shakespeare's works have been received, embraced, and reinterpreted around the globe. The author recounts his travels to places like Germany, India, and South Africa; a Shakespeare library in Washington, D.C..; and a city in Poland where a theatre director has built a replica of one of Shakespeare's theatres (not the Globe), while also recounting a history of how Shakespeare's works have influenced the culture of those respective countries.

I'll be honest: I didn't finish this book; I got about halfway through. I thought I was interested in the subject matter when I started, but as layer upon layer of historical minutiae piled up, my will to continue reading drained away. So I won't give the book a full review; I don't think it's fair to do that with a book I didn't finish.

I don't actually think it's a bad book, and the level of scholarship is impressive. But, if you're considering reading it, you need to be sure you have a deep and abiding interest in the subject. This isn't a book to approach with a casual attitude of "this sounds interesting; I think I'll give it a try".

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting. Less of a general overview, and more of a deep dip into certain places and their relationship with Shakespeare...combined with a rambling travelogue. I did enjoy it for the most part, although certain sections were much more interesting than others, particularly the love Germany developed for the works of the Bard. This was easily the most evocative section of the book.

[Al Bità · Rating 4 out of 5]

The range and scope of this rather hefty tome has a certain wow! factor for anyone interested in its subject (the extent to which Shakespeare’s works have been able to be fruitfully transferred and meaningfully adapted to other places and cultures on the globe). Such an esoteric subject will not necessarily appeal to all — but that is neither here nor there.

There is no doubt that the appeal of Shakespeare is increasingly widespread globally, and Dickson attempts to come to grips with this phenomenon. In the process, many associated issues (e.g. political, social, humanistic, etc.) come to the fore, and while for the most part they might be raised only in passing, the discussion of each issue raised does not necessarily provide for totally satisfactory explanations — indeed, in many cases they may raise even more intriguing questions in the mind of the reader. Be that as it may, the very raising of these issues does point to a need to understand just what it is about “Shakespeare” that appears to be so appealing to so many.

Dickson’s approach is to limit his initial researches to five distinct and diverse locations: Poland/Germany; the United States; India; South Africa; and China. Part of the pleasure of this work is that it consists in a kind of travelogue taken by the author to each of these “locations”, so that in each case, we are seeing those countries from a modern perspective — often enough a fascinating process in itself.

Once there, his next step is to try to locate any preferably historic theatrical centres having some records of past histories, and following these as far as possible in his limited time, to what accounts, if any, have been kept. This adds a necessarily brief foray into (for the most part) obscure past. Where this is not always readily available, he conducts interviews with modern-day enthusiasts as to what they can recall, and how they might contribute to his subject-matter. This also provides fascinating insights of a kind different to actual historical records.

Finally, during his stay in these locations, the author will attempt to arrange for him to attend a contemporary rendition of a “Shakespeare” play, and briefly explores the effect, not only on himself, but also on the relevant audiences.

Dickson acquits himself quite well in broaching his immense task — he makes a pleasant companion for the reader; and weirdly, while no ultimate overriding reason for Shakespeare’s popularity leaps out at us, one gets a good sense of what audiences in different countries found/find appealing about his plays. Perennial questions, such as the always perplexing one of how “translations” of the works into different languages, might affect what we might mean by “Shakespeare” are raised (classic cases are dealt with, especially in the history relating to South African attempts at translations; similar adaptations to local cultural “colour” such as is found in India and China; etc.) — but the overall effect remains the same: whatever the “problems” these issues might raise, there is no doubt that the core of the plays (the “original texts”?) still provide “punch”and “significance” wherever and whenever they are produced. Also fascinating is the fact that certain of these texts appear to have had particular preferential relevance over others in different locations at different times; but why this was/is so is still an intriguing subject possibly needing further study…

A final word needs to be said: the huge scope of this work necessarily means that much of the political, social and humanistic aspects of the various countries visited must be comparatively “shallow”, and it is inevitable that not every instance ever occurring could be accounted for. So there are absences. This should not deter potential readers: if anything it might stimulate them to follow Dickson’s lead and explore further according to their own interests.

That being said, some omissions might cause some worry. Dickson, while primarily interested in the theatrical expressions of Shakespeare’s works, does not (and indeed cannot) exclude any reference to films of these works — and he does provide many examples of these throughout the book. Even so, I was a little disappointed that there is no reference to the Russian director Grigori Kozintsev’s stunning Hamlet (1964); but perhaps a little more perplexed that, while Dickson does include references to Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s take on “Macbeth”: Throne of Blood (1957); and his take on “Hamlet”: The Bad Sleep Well (1960); but that no reference is made to his take on “King Lear”: Ran (1985). Odd.

But really, these are comparatively minor concerns, I would think. If anything, Dickson should be congratulated on providing us with a fascinating and illuminating excursion into relatively unchartered territory, and for being such a charming guide in the process.

[Robert Lee Hadden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and enjoyable book. I had the honor to be a guest lecturer on Elizabethan drama to the graduate English class at Kangwon National University in South Korea in 1983. I became very aware of different interpretations of Shakespeare from different cultural, language and ethnic backgrounds. Andrew Dickson has expanded on the cultural clash and admiration for Shakespeare worldwide, by examining it from the perspectives of different countries, different political situations and different time periods.
Shakespeare was popular, surprisingly so, in the USA during the 19th century, where printed copies were read out loud to illiterate mountain men and stage productions were a favorite recreation in the gold rush days of California.
In Germany, Shakespeare was popular almost from the time of the original plays, through the German romantic period, and into a major problem for the Nazis.
In India, Shakespeare came along with English colonization, and has been more popular in the native translations and adaptations than most Europeans had ever known. Some of the earliest films, and many of the more successful theatre productions in India have been based on Shakespeare's plays, dialogue and characters.
I had not known that one of the earlier black South African journalists, linguist and political activists, Solomon Plaatje, had translated Shakespeare into his native language, Setswana, and perhaps this is the first translation into any African language at all. Dickson also pursues the story behind the "Robben Island Bible", a copy of Shakespeare's plays that had belonged to Sonny Venkatrathathnam, and had the signatures of many of the political prisoners held at the infamous Robben Island, including Nelson Mandela. An interesting account is how Shakespeare was used to undermine apartheid as well.
The author then travels to China, where he examines the history of Shakespeare in translation and adaption to Chinese theater traditions.
The book is easy to read and the information is presented well. However, there is a great deal here that wanders from the main topic, and the hundred-page plus chapters needed a good editor to cut them down and to make them more concise. Also, while this had a great deal of information on the history of film, live theater and Shakespeare in these countries, the cultural adaptation and changes of interpretation get short-changed as well. I wish that more had been given of how African and Chinese interpretations had been written, rather than just toss-off lines about King Lear given a happy ending or Othello actually being about class warfare. Perhaps another book could be written about Shakespeare in these countries, but rather than interviewing film directors and actors, the author could interview teachers and film critics about how well adaptations are or aren't received. And also it would be wonderful if this had been expanded to cover Russian and Eastern European productions, especially during the Soviet era, and in South America and other colonial countries as well.
The book has an excellent bibliography of primary and secondary sources, as well as film productions from these countries. There is also an excellent index as well. However, for a scholastic book, there are no footnotes, and for a non-scholastic book there is some specialized jargon and sometimes verbose language that can be off-putting, especially for readers where English is a second language..
I recommend this book for serious students of Shakespeare; for high school, community college and university libraries where there is a good dramatic arts program, especially with multi-national students; and of course for advanced English studies departments everywhere. This book is also a "must read" book for any English or drama professor or actor or director who will work or teach in another country, even if only temporarily.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading it in spring 2017 and finished it in July also in 2017. To tell the truth, receiving this book was an unexpected surprise, and I will explain why. Last February I attended Andrew Dickson’s lecture that was held at our university. And frankly speaking, I was really impressed. It is always great to see a person so passionate about what he is doing. After this event I decided to buy this book and find out some more information about Shakespeare. So, you can imagine my reaction when I received it from London as a gift. I was very happy.
But let’s return to the book. It is about Shakespeare’s impact on people and cultures all around the world. It consists of five parts.
The first one tells us about Shakespeare’s influence in Poland and Germany. It appears that if you come to Poland, Gdańsk, in particular, you would find an exact copy of the “The Globe” there. Why? In Shakespeare’s times his troupe went on tour to Europe, during which they also visited Gdańsk where they built a copy of “The Globe” for them to perform. So, the explanation is quite simple isn’t it? Nowadays this theatre is rebuilt, and it’s a must-see in Poland for every true Shakespeare fan.
Germany has a special relationship with the bard. This nation considers him German. People here usually say that the British are not paying adequate attention to Shakespeare. Another example of how important Shakespeare is to the German people is the oldest Shakespeare’s society in the world that was established in Germany. An interesting thing is that there are more performances of Shakespeare’s plays in Germany than in Britain. Besides, the world’s famous German speaking authors and musicians (for example, Mozart and Goethe) were obsessed with the playwright. Some scholars say that Mozart used the plot of “The Tempest” for his “Magical Flute”. This is incredible because no other writer in the world had such an influence on other nations, famous people and their masterpieces. And I think it is because Shakespeare described human nature which hasn’t changed throughout the years. That is why any nation can use his plays. And I think the last and the darkest thing connected with Shakespeare’s influence in Germany is the Nazis period. His plays were the ones not to be burnt, as the Minister of Propaganda was fond of them. The Nazis thought that they would be able to resurrect Shakespeare and make him the member of their party. Nonsense! It appears that the most popular play was “Hamlet”, and the main character was not the one that we all know. He was firm and confident.
So, let’s finish up with Germany and move to the USA, to which the second part of the book is dedicated. The first thing to mention is that the world’s Shakespeare archive is situated not in Britain but in the USA. It is The Folger Shakespeare Library. It was founded in 1930s by an oil baron Henry Folger and his wife Emily. On the outside it looks like an ordinary modern building, but when you get inside it seems that you’ve travelled across time and space and found yourself in an Oxford college. This library contains 83 copies of Shakespeare’s first folio. So this place is a must-see for every Shakespeare admirer.
Also, Shakespeare’s plays were very popular during the times of Gold Rush, “Richard III” in particular. And there are some mining companies named after the bard. What is more, there are maps with different American cities named after Shakespeare and his characters. Amazing!
Right now, let’s move on to India. I knew that Shakespeare was popular in this country, because it is a former British colony, so every well-educated person is familiar with his name, but I couldn’t imagine that his plays could be used for shooting films. Almost every Bollywood movie is based on Shakespeare’s plays. For example such films as “Omkara” (“Othello”) and “Angoor” (“The Comedy of Errors”). “Hamlet” is also very popular. The most famous movie was shot in 1954. Indian film and theatre directors are fond of staging Shakespeare because he was definitely a man of all time.
But for me, the most interesting part of the book was the one connected with South Africa. I did not know that people there were familiar with Shakespeare, that his plays had a great impact on their political life and that there was a person named Solomon Plaatje, who translated lots of Shakespeare’s plays. During the Apartheid, when people were put in prison, the only hope for them was Shakespeare because his plays helped them to relief pain, to keep sane and to change something in their state structure. I also read that there is one special school founded by a Russian woman who went to South Africa in order to work there. She is trying to cultivate love to Shakespeare in her pupils. They have their own theatre and they usually participate in a theatre festival held in South Africa. Despite the fact that most of them are very young, they all have their own opinions about Shakespeare and his plays. They think that Shakespeare’s ideas coincide with their own. It is great when children are interested in art.
And last but not least is the part connected with China. The Chinese are very concerned about Shakespeare. He is some kind of a brand there. His picture is placed on notebooks and other things. They are learning to read Shakespeare’s plays in original, but of course they also have translations. One of the most famous plays staged in China is “The Taming of the Shrew”. A huge amount of people attend it. But of course, as it usually happens, there were some problems connected with the bard’s plays. During the Cultural Revolution that took place from 1966 to 1976, directors were banned from staging and the actors were banned from performing Shakespeare’s plays. But nowadays the situation has changed. There are conferences and festivals held in the honor of the bard.
And now I would like to write a few words about the author of this incredible book. To my mind, Andrew Dickson is a very talented author and a good narrator. He has his own style, and he puts a deep sense in each word and each sentence. He is also good at describing people. He makes an exact portrait of a man or woman with every tiny detail, which helps understand the character of a person.
I have also enjoyed the sceneries described in the book. Those beautiful German streets, exotic Indian and South African landscapes and, of course, incredible Chinese cities. I haven’t been to all these countries, but this book allowed me to imagine that I was travelling together with the narrator, and in my personal opinion, when a reader goes deeply into the book and forgets about what is going on, it is a sign of a good work.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm very glad I picked up this book, and glad to have the extensive bibliography at the back of the book to continue exploring and discovering new things about Shakespeare in film and theatre around the world. I can see myself going back to this book many times to uncover more about Shakespeare's influence and how people all over the world interpret his works.


Side notes:
The cover design on the copy I found was the one with the drawing of Shakespeare wearing backpacking gear--which I found hilarious and awesome.

Oddly enough, as I was reading this book, the Folger Library's "Shakespeare Unlimited" podcast (which I recommend) released episodes about some of the same exact things Mr. Dickson came across on his journeys (the quotes from Sonny Venkatrathnam were quite different from what was said about his copy of the Complete Works in the episode about The Robben Island Bible, which was odd and made me laugh... I can see why the episode talked about the widely-held belief about the significance and interpretations of the signatures and chosen passages in the Bible, but Mr. Dickson's interview with Mr. Venkatrathnam showed me that those beliefs were nothing more than that!).

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Downloaded this audio book from the library on a whim. I might have hesitated had I known how long it is! Many sections were enjoyable, and I learned some fascinating new tidbits about how Shakespeare has been received and interpreted globally, but ultimately I felt the book needed some heavier editing. Dickson is thorough, and devotes many pages to transcribing interviews he conducts in his journeys, but spends less time drawing conclusions. I found the section in Germany one of the most interesting, and I applaud his doggedness for tracking down the Bollywood star of yesteryear in the India section, and debunking the myth of the "Robben Island Bible" in South Africa.

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers a look at how Shakespeare's plays are performed and interpreted all over the world. I enjoyed the glimpses into life in faraway places, such as India, China, and South Africa. I also enjoyed all the new ways of looking at such familiar works. The author did a lot of research and travel, which is great, but it also meant that the book was rather long and felt somewhat tedious to read at some points.

I received this book as a Goodreads First-Read. Yay!

[Jack Hrkach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay Goodreads. This is the SECOND book in the last few weeks on which I wrote and saved that you have "eaten".

Sorry to anyone who wants a detailed review - there are not enough days left in my life to re-write this - suffice to say that it's terrific, or I wouldn't have given it 4 stars. Also sorry because I think many of you would have enjoyed my review. Ah well...

[Carol Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do Germans think of Shakespeare? How is Shakespeare acted in India? How long have Shakespeare plays been performed in China? These are some of the questions addressed in this fascinating book.
British literary critic Andrew Dickson had the opportunity to travel to Poland, Germany, the United States, India, South Africa, and China to learn about the study and performance of Shakespeare in those countries. This review can barely scratch the surface of what I learned from reading this book.
For instance, Shakespeare inspired Germans like Goethe and Schiller. In the nineteenth century, Germans adopted him as "our Shakespeare," a North European, spiritually German writer! During World War I, Germans even produced Henry V, a play generally used to inspire British troops, to inspire German patriotism!
Of course British colonialism is one reason Shakespeare spread so widely. But different countries have revised the plays in their own image, and translations are often adaptations. For example, one Chinese translation of Antony and Cleopatra is titled "The Henpecked Lover." The plays that are most popular in Britain and the United States are not necessarily the most popular in other countries.
Dickson is always open to different interpretations of the plays. For him, the variety illustrates the vitality of Shakespeare's works.
Dickson's writing is engaging. I'm jealous of his experiences, but I learned from this book.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I pick a book by its cover or title, especially nonfiction, as that can be enough to interest me. I certainly did that with this book. The shocking surprise was that it wasn't at all about what I thought it would be! I was expecting history of the world during the time of Shakespeare. Instead, I was thrilled to find myself swept away for an epic journey around the world to find the works of Shakespeare and how they are produced, received, taught, etc. from Germany to Taiwan! Andrew Dickson's narration of his experience and his inclusion of himself in the narrative of the book was perfect. It felt like having a conversation with a friend or colleague about their amazing project, which I suppose it was. Truly fascinating to see how universal and lasting Shakespeare is (and how some is not) in spite of cultural, political, and time differences. Ready to pull out my complete works and read some of the plays I haven't yet!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I chose this book mainly out of obligation as a person with two degrees in English. But what I found was completely unexpected! The author travels the globe—Germany, India, South Africa, China, the United States—to explore how different countries and cultures interpret and reinterpret Shakespeare's words. So interesting. I didn't know the Germany is home to the oldest Shakespeare club in the world. It had never occurred to me how "Othello" might play out in apartheid South Africa. Even things like how to say Shakespeare's name in Chinese. So many details! Listening to this book made me want to read Shakespeare all over again.

[Book Grocer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shakespeare's innfluence on theatre is well known, but what was his influence on the world and, conversely, the world on him? Writer Andrew Dickson travels between 4 continents to further understand this phenomenal playwright and his surprisingly far-flung influences in places such as Nazi Germany and with people like Nelson Mandela. A must for any Shakespeare buff or Bardolator - Elisa, Book Grocer

Purchase this classic here for just $12.00

[Sally Millick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting study of global interest in, expansion and implications of Shakespeare's works - particularly that they were initially embraced a lot more by Germany than UK, and adaptations/translations in S. Africa.

[J.A. Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a Shakespeare fan, or a lover of travel, or curious about reinvention and innovation of classic stories, or the history of ideas--or all of the above--Andrew Dickson's book World's Elsewhere is a must read.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love everything, Shakespeare!

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad did not understand why I had to read William Shakespeare. I was fourteen and reading Julius Caesar for English class. I was lucky; my teacher had a Master's degree in English and explained all the jokes and helped us understand what we were reading. Four years later he taught King Lear in World Literature class. I liked Shakespeare.

Shakespeare's words pervade our conversations and his stories are adapted into modern retellings. Consider King Lear, the inspiration for Akira Krosawa's film Ran and the novel A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. Or The Taming of the Shrew, the basis for the musical Kiss Me Kate and the movies Ten Things I Hate About You and John Wayne's McLintock! Bernstein's musical West Side Story is an updated Romeo and Juliet. The Forbidden Planet sci-fi classic movie is based on The Tempest.

It is more amazing to know that Shakespeare has crossed bigger language barriers than archaic to modern English. World's Elsewhere: Journeys Around Shakespeare's Globe follows Andrew Dickson on five trips across world cultures to explore the legacy and reinvention of Shakespeare across cultures.

Dickson went to Danzig, where actors performed Shakespeare in the 16th c. We learn how German Romantic culture--and the Nazis-- claimed the Bard as their own, and how today German professional troupes perform more Shakespeare plays than in the UK.

Shakespeare's plays and the Bible were often the only books found in American pioneer homesteads. Traveling actors performed his plays in mining camps. Henry Folger amassed the largest collection of Shakespeare Folios and manuscripts in the world, more than in England.

Where ever Britain had colonies, they brought Shakespeare. His stories have been reinvented for 150 films in India!

My favorite journeys to read about were to South Africa and to China.

Dickson goes on a quest to learn about the Robben Island Bible, a cheap complete works that was passed among the prisoners of the island penal colony. Thirty-six inmates inscribed their signatures in the book, including Nelson Mandela. Mandela signed his name to the highlighted text from Julius Caesar "Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once..." Dickson also searches for Solomon Tshekisho Plaatj, a journalist and political activist who was the first to translate Shakespeare into a African language. Dickson's journey into contemporary South Africa while researching translators from the Boer War and Apartheid eras is a fascinating read.

Shakespeare in China may seem strange and doubtful. Translation issues alone are horrendous, plus the plays were repressed during the Cultural Revolution. Amazingly China is experiencing a surge of interest in the Bard, with so many traveling to Stratford-in-Avon in homage that the nearby airport has set up direct flights from Beijing. I was very taken by the story of Zhu Shiqiu whose life work was translating the plays. He lost his manuscripts three times, starting over until he had finished 31 at the time of his death. Dickson discovers how the Cultural Revolution shut down Much Ado About Nothing; twenty years later the original actors brought back the play, same scripts, same costumes, same choreography.

Dickson struggles with questions of what Shakespeare means: a bridge of shared humanity, or a free-floating symbol whose ownership could be claimed?

Read Dickson's blog here: http://worldselsewhere.com

I received a free ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goodreads Giveaway - This book is a slog, I'm sorry to say. I love literature and Shakespeare, and I love cultural studies and global travel, so this book was high on my list of must-reads. It took me more than a month to trudge through it, though. Why?

One problem is that I can't follow Dickson's main idea. What exactly is he trying to discover or prove? The book's description says it explores why and how Shakespeare became a global phenomenon, but so little of the book talks about that. And with the countries he chooses to focus on (4 of the 5 were subjects of British rule), it seems fairly obvious and simple to understand that British imperialism is why and how Shakespeare spread across the globe. What's complex about that? What exactly is he trying to explore? I just read more than 400 pages, and I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to get from it.

Secondly, the chapters are poorly structured and too long. Again, I can't follow his thoughts. He doesn't progress in chronological order, but instead jumps from idea to idea as it relates to the country he's in. This makes it difficult to keep things straight.

Thirdly, I can't shake this sense of Shakespearean superiority that Dickson emanates. I give him credit for being sensitive to the imperial history and influence of his native Britain in the countries he visits, but as he watches numerous Shakespearean productions and talks to multiple people, he gives off an air of "I know Shakespeare better than you, and your performance/ideas are wrong." Near the end of the book, for example, he watches Chinese college students perform Shakespearean scenes in their original English (an incredibly difficult task, even for native English speakers!), and he is highly critical of these performances. I can't help but feel disappointed that someone who claims to want to understand Shakespeare's global impact can only appreciate and tolerate certain interpretations of the texts.

The redeeming parts of this book are the sections where Dickson actually talks about how Shakespeare was imported to various countries, but, as I said before, these sections are few and far between. There's also a valuable section that comes too late in the text (in the last 60 pages) about the difficulties of translating Shakespeare and how various translators have tried to do it. This seems like a topic that should be central to the entire book - why does it only appear at the end?

Overall, I'm disappointed by this book. Dickson mentions in several places that he's not sure what to do with all of the material he's collected and that he's not sure how to interpret it. This book makes it seem like he didn't figure that out before he started writing. What a shame.

[John-Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

In another life in a far, far away land, I strove to be a theatre professional. So whenever I find new books that broach this subject, I can't help but to be drawn to them. Add to this my overwhelming lack of knowledge of Shakespeare and this was a slam-dunk library loan.
The concept of Dickson's book is fantastic: going around the world, looking for the Bard in all kinds of unlikely places and the journey itself, which leads the author to understand that Shakespeare is truly elusive and able to assimilate into just about any culture, is a fascinating ride. It took my dense brain until just now to discover that all of Dickson's travel choices save one area (Northern Europe) were former British colonies (America, India, South Africa, and Hong Kong). This was most certainly not by accident; it doesn't take long for the reader to understand that, even if his contacts in these various places don't want to overlay politics on top of Shakespeare, Dickson himself is all but obsessed. A quick look at the publications he writes for will help just about anyone understand the bent of his political beliefs and I found that overall, this worked against the story he was trying to tell. There was this constant drumbeat, sometimes faint, other times anything but, of the penitent British white male imperialist trying to do right by the former colonists. I'm never quite sure why, in order to celebrate and point out the worth and value of underappreciated cultures, it's seems incumbent on some to denigrate their own heritage. But I digress...
There are some fascinating stories told in this book: the way the American West took a shine to Shakespeare (even if his stories were sliced and diced to fit the time and place), the fast and furious pace of the Indian movie industry and how the past is being sacrificed at the altar of progress, and the way that China went from extolling Shakespeare, to reviling him, and now back to extolling him all in a matter of a century. I think it's clear at the end that he was worried that perhaps he bit off more than he could chew (he might have been right) because I know I was as tangled up with Shakespearian thoughts as he was!
In the end, it was an interesting ride around the world. I enjoyed the frequent Shakespearian quotes and I now feel like I have to give the later works more attention. I do wish that he had included some of the movie/theatre stills he had discovered along the way, particularly since he spent so much time talking about them. At different times engaging, jumbled, and in my opinion hyper-political, the book overall was just OK.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the stock explanations for Shakespeare's enduring worldwide popularity is his supposed universality, his ability to tap into the same basic impulses of humanity, the same hopes and dreams and desires and tensions, regardless of the language or audience. Yet at the same time, so much of Shakespeare is a product of a very specific time and place - Elizabethan/Jacobean England - and much of the worldwide familiarity of Shakespeare is due to his exportation as part of the British Colonial Package - England's Greatest Poet (TM).

So how universal is Shakespeare, really? Inspired by the global Shakespeare festival staged as part of the 2012 London Olympic Games, Andrew Dickson set out on a journey across the world, seeking out Shakespeare in foreign climes. He investigates Bollywood Shakespeare adaptations and American Wild West theatres, the role of Shakespeare in the rise of German nationalism, Shakespeare's in apartheid-era South Africa, Chinese Shakespeare and communism. He investigates not just the appeal of Shakespeare in these countries, but also the challenges of translating a poet whose appeal lies so much in his genius for wordplay, double meaning, subtext, puns.

In some respects, he comes to no conclusion - not that that spoils the book. People have been discussing and analysing Shakespeare for centuries, and we are still no closer to really uncovering any satisfying answers. Why Shakespeare? we ask. Reading this book, it seems to me it is less Shakespeare's universality that explains his lasting fame, and more his adaptability. To quote the author, when talking of Hamlet: 'for the same play to work equally well as a Goethean Bildungsroman as a Parsi-influenced Hindi movie, a Wild West swashbuckler as well as a deconstructed, postmodern piece of Regietheater...' - perhaps this is why Shakespeare.

Perhaps we get so caught up in analysis and discussion, deconstruction, thematic review, so caught up in the poetry and genius, that we forget that Shakespeare was one thing above all else - a damn good storyteller who knew how to catch and hold an audience. And the appeal of that, if nothing else, is surely universal.

[Ryan]

I'm going to put this out there before we even get started, I'm not a huge Shakespeare fan. It's not that I don't like him, but I can't say I would ever go out of my way to read one of his plays. In college, I played Philostrate in a production of A Midsummer's Night Dream, set in feudal Japan. I've enjoyed a few movie versions of Much Ado About Nothing, and I love the movie version of Titus Andronicus that I've seen. And outside of mandatory reading in high school and college, that's the extent of my dabbling with Shakespeare So for you die hard fans, I'm sorry that I'm not in love with the Bard, at least not as much as you are.

That lack of exposure to Shakespeare, is why I agreed to review this book. I was intrigued by the concept; the author traveling the globe, learning how particular cultures absorbed and interpreted his works for their own. For the most part, I really enjoyed the journey that Andrew Dickson took me on. I do wish he would have been able to visit a few other countries, but I get that finances dictate how much global traveling you can really do. And while there were moments that felt bogged down in detailed minutiae, I appreciated the work he put into the book, and his love for the subject shines through on every page.

After finishing the Worlds Elsewhere, while I can't say that my interest in Shakespeare's work has been increased, I will admit to having a little more respect for him, and the influence he has had on a global scale. I don't think I truly had an appreciate, or understanding, of how popular he was across the globe, and how adaptable his works are to other cultures, at least not on the level I was exposed to in this book. For that alone, for gaining a new appreciate for an author who is globally loved, I'm grateful for reading this book.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three Stars - I Liked It.

I received a copy through a Goodreads Giveaway.

Simply put, I want to go out and buy my own copy of Shakespeare's complete works and actually read them. I think I might even put full comprehension behind me and just read them. The Bard has always been a wonder to me. I never felt educated enough to understand let alone grace his writing with my reading. But, this book made him approachable, giving him more meaning and life.

I was amazed at the reach of Shakespeare. It was so interesting to see how his plays have gone around the world, through different cultures, languages and experiences. Half the time I couldn't pronounce the names of places the author went or the people he spoke with, but I understood what was going on. And, putting it all into a travelogue, wonderful! I've never read a travelogue before and now I really want to read a few more. I love to hear people's stories and I love to travel. And now I want to learn more about Shakespeare. Any book that can inspire me to learn more is well worth it.

Thank you for an enjoyable read.

[Alyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Shakespeare, I love History, I love Travel, and I love Cultural Analysis. This book should have been a slam dunk 5 star win for me but instead it turned out to be impossible to read.

The writing is just too dull, too boring. When discussing global perspectives, Shakespeare, and/or 16th century history (known to be a bit bawdy!), the content should be anything but boring. Somehow Dickson created a book that melded some of my absolute favorite topics, into a final product that was completely unreadable. I'll give it another shot in a few months, but I found my mind wandering every few lines each time I have tried to pick it up. I could not focus on his writing/content in the least.

I do 2 stars because I'm willing to believe that this book was well-sourced and researched...if not engagingly written.

I received this as part of the goodreads giveaways program.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. Although it is essentially a book about popular culture, it has more scholarly and historical weight than a lot of academic books I've read about Shakespeare. James Shapiro blurbed on the dust jacket, "There were very few pages on which I didn't learn something new or revelatory." That's kind of a big deal, coming from someone with Shapiro's bona fides, and given that it's a book about Shakespeare!

I don't think I would recommend this book to someone who doesn't have an interest in Shakespeare, but if you do... this is terrific read. It's fun, smart, witty, well-researched, continually on-topic, and inspirational in the broadest sense.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win and review. This author talks about Shakespeare became fond of the world and how the world grew to know him. The author goes across 4 continents for his journey of where Shakespeare went. He visited Poland where Hamlet was performed, Germany, they say Shakespeare stories started Bollywood and the Indian movies. This is a very enjoyable and a good cultural history book which I love.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most entertaining and illuminating, an accessible work of great effort, scholarship, and diligence which brings out things you would have never thought. For the rest of my thoughts, read: https://in.news.yahoo.com/worlds-stag...