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The Last Days of Shylock
Signed by author. No markings. Binding is tight, Bottom of spine is slightly rubbed. Deckled edges (rough cut), browned. Very clean, crisp, and tight copy. Not Ex-Library. All books offered from DSB are stocked at our store in Fayetteville, AR. Save on shipping by ordering multiple titles. 222pp. Hardcover Good Condition 6" x 9" English Text
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1931
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September 29, 2020
There's a lot to love about this book. I think it does a wonderful job of fleshing out Shylock's character while staying true to what we see in the play. Despite Shylock obviously getting a more sympathetic treatment, none of the other characters in the play are overtly demonized, even Shylock's archenemy Antonio being allowed his good points.
The story spends a lot of time fleshing out Shylock's backstory as well as what happens to him after the play, and I like how they weave in interesting episodes of Jewish history from the era, like David Reubeni who claimed to be an ambassador of the Ten Lost Tribes, and the attempt to start a Jewish community in Tiberias by Gracia Mendes Nasi and her nephew Joseph Nasi.
A particular shout-out also has to be given to the illustrations by Arthur Szyk, which are absolutely gorgeous (and a large part of what drew me to the book, in fact).
If this book has a flaw, it's that many of the major supporting characters (especially the ones not from Shakespeare's play) are either one-dimensionally good or evil, without allowing for many shades of grey. This is counteracted a bit by the fact that Shylock himself is more nuanced, and it's also a complaint that applies to many books, but I think it could've been improved if Shylock's allies were a bit more humanly flawed and his enemies at least given more fleshed-out motivations.
The story spends a lot of time fleshing out Shylock's backstory as well as what happens to him after the play, and I like how they weave in interesting episodes of Jewish history from the era, like David Reubeni who claimed to be an ambassador of the Ten Lost Tribes, and the attempt to start a Jewish community in Tiberias by Gracia Mendes Nasi and her nephew Joseph Nasi.
A particular shout-out also has to be given to the illustrations by Arthur Szyk, which are absolutely gorgeous (and a large part of what drew me to the book, in fact).
If this book has a flaw, it's that many of the major supporting characters (especially the ones not from Shakespeare's play) are either one-dimensionally good or evil, without allowing for many shades of grey. This is counteracted a bit by the fact that Shylock himself is more nuanced, and it's also a complaint that applies to many books, but I think it could've been improved if Shylock's allies were a bit more humanly flawed and his enemies at least given more fleshed-out motivations.
Displaying 1 of 1 review