What do you think?
Rate this book
Shakespeare Basics for Grown-Ups: Everything You Need to Know About the Bard
An essential guide to Shakespeare, from the international bestselling authors of Homework for Grown-Ups The Bard was so incredibly prolific that even most Shakespeare scholars would welcome the occasional refresher course, and most of the rest of us haven’t even got a clue as to what a petard actually is. Fear not, the bestselling authors of Homework for Grown-Ups are here to help. For parents keen to help with their children’s homework, casual theatre-goers who want to enhance their enjoyment and understanding, and the general reader who feels they should probably know more, Shakespeare Basics for Grown-Ups includes information on the key works, historical context, contemporaries and influences, famous speeches and quotations, modern day adaptations, and much, much more.
413 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2015
18 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 12, 2015
Perhaps you are past your college years but still like to learn, and would prefer a book to tote around rather than sitting in front of your computer for a “MOOC” (massive open online course). Maybe your kids are studying Shakespeare in school and you want to participate. Or maybe you just love Shakespeare, as I do. For any of these reasons, this book has a lot to recommend it.
The book is short but still includes summaries of all the key plays and sonnets. The authors also provide a lot of background historical information (for example, a guide to the family trees in the history plays, or how illegitimacy and insanity were viewed in Elizabethan times). Some of the most famous speeches are reproduced in the book (although in truth, there are so many, they had to be selective), as well as lists of some words and phrases that Shakespeare introduced to the English language.
There are nice “bonus” compilations within as well, such as descriptions of some of Shakepeare’s best minor characters and most dastardly villains, and a list of some of his best insults. (He coined so many: there are a number of websites that highlight them for you, such as this one, where you can find “Thou clay-brained guts, thou knotty-pated fool, thou whoreson obscene greasy tallow-catch!” from Henry IV Part 1. Sounds like the perfect way to express road rage!)
Occasionally, the authors include side-by-side modern translations of famous speeches, but there probably could be more. (You can find a larger selection on a website called "No Fear Shakespeare," here.)
[And about those websites - yes, there are a gazillion of them relating to Shakespeare, and they are very fun. But this book manages to include much of the same information all in one place.]
There is an annotated list of great Shakespearean actors, and it would have been nice as well to have a list of best Shakespeare “retellings” - especially those in movie form - (e.g., "Scotland, PA," or "Forbidden Planet") and take-offs (such as "The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet," or "The Third Witch," although the authors do reference Tom Stoppard’s play "Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead"). Some of the modern movies could provide a good way to generate interest in Shakespeare among younger people. “10 Things I Hate About You,” the popular movie with Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, may induce delighted viewers to read Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew."
Similarly, when newcomers to Shakespeare discover that “West Side Story” is a recapitulation of Romeo and Juliet, might that not spark their interest to see how they differ? (The answer is: not all that much! Compare, for example, the song “Tonight” from the movie to passages like Act III, Scenes 1 and 2 in Romeo and Juliet. The rival gangs (Capulets and Montagues on the one hand, Sharks and Jets on the other) are getting ready for a showdown with each other when it gets dark. Meanwhile, Juliet, like Maria, bemoans the endless day, and can't wait for night to come when she can see Romeo. Shakespeare's words are beautiful, but Leonard Bernstein's music and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics do a pretty good job in expressing the same sentiments.)
Many people have no idea how many books, movies, plays, operas and television plots come directly from Shakespeare, and it would have been useful, in my opinion, to point that out. Shakespeare is far from “irrelevant” to today’s world!
But just as there are many different schools of interpretation of Shakespeare (the authors provide a list explaining eleven of them), it’s clear there is no guaranteed way to please everyone. This book, which tries to provide a soupçon of much of Shakespeare’s work, makes a great start.
At the end of the book, there is a compendium of quotes arranged by subject matter, and a fun quiz to test your Shakespeare knowledge.
Rating: 3.5/5
The book is short but still includes summaries of all the key plays and sonnets. The authors also provide a lot of background historical information (for example, a guide to the family trees in the history plays, or how illegitimacy and insanity were viewed in Elizabethan times). Some of the most famous speeches are reproduced in the book (although in truth, there are so many, they had to be selective), as well as lists of some words and phrases that Shakespeare introduced to the English language.
There are nice “bonus” compilations within as well, such as descriptions of some of Shakepeare’s best minor characters and most dastardly villains, and a list of some of his best insults. (He coined so many: there are a number of websites that highlight them for you, such as this one, where you can find “Thou clay-brained guts, thou knotty-pated fool, thou whoreson obscene greasy tallow-catch!” from Henry IV Part 1. Sounds like the perfect way to express road rage!)
Occasionally, the authors include side-by-side modern translations of famous speeches, but there probably could be more. (You can find a larger selection on a website called "No Fear Shakespeare," here.)
[And about those websites - yes, there are a gazillion of them relating to Shakespeare, and they are very fun. But this book manages to include much of the same information all in one place.]
There is an annotated list of great Shakespearean actors, and it would have been nice as well to have a list of best Shakespeare “retellings” - especially those in movie form - (e.g., "Scotland, PA," or "Forbidden Planet") and take-offs (such as "The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet," or "The Third Witch," although the authors do reference Tom Stoppard’s play "Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead"). Some of the modern movies could provide a good way to generate interest in Shakespeare among younger people. “10 Things I Hate About You,” the popular movie with Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, may induce delighted viewers to read Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew."
Similarly, when newcomers to Shakespeare discover that “West Side Story” is a recapitulation of Romeo and Juliet, might that not spark their interest to see how they differ? (The answer is: not all that much! Compare, for example, the song “Tonight” from the movie to passages like Act III, Scenes 1 and 2 in Romeo and Juliet. The rival gangs (Capulets and Montagues on the one hand, Sharks and Jets on the other) are getting ready for a showdown with each other when it gets dark. Meanwhile, Juliet, like Maria, bemoans the endless day, and can't wait for night to come when she can see Romeo. Shakespeare's words are beautiful, but Leonard Bernstein's music and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics do a pretty good job in expressing the same sentiments.)
Many people have no idea how many books, movies, plays, operas and television plots come directly from Shakespeare, and it would have been useful, in my opinion, to point that out. Shakespeare is far from “irrelevant” to today’s world!
But just as there are many different schools of interpretation of Shakespeare (the authors provide a list explaining eleven of them), it’s clear there is no guaranteed way to please everyone. This book, which tries to provide a soupçon of much of Shakespeare’s work, makes a great start.
At the end of the book, there is a compendium of quotes arranged by subject matter, and a fun quiz to test your Shakespeare knowledge.
Rating: 3.5/5
September 14, 2015
Picked up on a whim at the library I enjoyed this book. While not unfamiliar with Shakespeare I'm not deeply knowledgeable. I really liked the chapters on language, style and form. I knew a little about how Elizabethan theater was structured and I learned more here too. This was a fairly quick read. Some of the play summaries (especially the Histories)I skimmed.
My favorite plays are the Tragedies especially Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet,and Othello. Each summary included not only the plot but information on key characters,themes, symbols and speeches.
I really enjoyed the section about the sonnets. I wish all of the sonnets had been covered. It made me want to re-read them.
As Shakespeare is so essential to Western literature even world literature, i.e. one of my favorite interpretations of Macbeth is Akira Kurosawa's film Throne of Blood, this would be an excellent reference to have on hand.
This book made me think of a young friend who on watching the HBO Rome series was surprised when Caesar was assassinated! He had never read Julius Caesar nor had ancient history in high school both of which used to be obligatory.
As Cicero would have said O,tempora O,mores!
My favorite plays are the Tragedies especially Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet,and Othello. Each summary included not only the plot but information on key characters,themes, symbols and speeches.
I really enjoyed the section about the sonnets. I wish all of the sonnets had been covered. It made me want to re-read them.
As Shakespeare is so essential to Western literature even world literature, i.e. one of my favorite interpretations of Macbeth is Akira Kurosawa's film Throne of Blood, this would be an excellent reference to have on hand.
This book made me think of a young friend who on watching the HBO Rome series was surprised when Caesar was assassinated! He had never read Julius Caesar nor had ancient history in high school both of which used to be obligatory.
As Cicero would have said O,tempora O,mores!
April 22, 2021
This book was exactly what I was looking for: commentary and context for Shakespeare, to fill in the gaps I missed in high school.
August 11, 2016
This is a great book for anyone that enjoys some of Shakespeare’s works, yet do not know much about him. The book talks about what we do know about Shakespeare and it also talks about the world Shakespeare grew up in. I found that very interesting and it gave me a better understanding of his world and what was going on outside of his works.
Shakespeare Basics for Grown-ups is such a great idea and extremely helpful for anyone wanting to learn about Shakespeare and his different works. For any readers out there that are knowledgeable on Shakespeare then you might not want to read the book unless you feel the need for a refresher or just interested in reading the authors thoughts on Shakespeare. I would definitely thank goodreads giveaway for this book.
To read more visit my blog at apotpourrioflife.wordpress.com
Shakespeare Basics for Grown-ups is such a great idea and extremely helpful for anyone wanting to learn about Shakespeare and his different works. For any readers out there that are knowledgeable on Shakespeare then you might not want to read the book unless you feel the need for a refresher or just interested in reading the authors thoughts on Shakespeare. I would definitely thank goodreads giveaway for this book.
To read more visit my blog at apotpourrioflife.wordpress.com
May 10, 2016
Thoughtful & informative without being too academic, I certainly learned a lot. Only got 3 wrong on the 60-question quiz in the back!
September 20, 2016
Tons of good information and well organized. I plan on hanging on to this reference at least until my teen is out of high school.
Received as a free promotional giveaway on Goodreads.
Received as a free promotional giveaway on Goodreads.
March 22, 2019
"Shakespeare basics for Grown-ups" is a nice way to find out more about the bard without reading all his plays. I know a number of his famous plays, but I have to admit most I know only by name if at all. I hoped this book would give me a basic understanding of his plays. It did that, and more. First the authors give us a one sentence run down of each of his plays. It then covers what we know about his life, which really isn't too much. Born in 1564, son of a glovemaker, and married in 1582, to Anne Hathaway (26 years old, eight years his senior). They had three children, a daughter in 1583 (six months after the marriage) and twins (one girl and one boy) in 1585. He was in London by 1592 where he was a successful actor, playwright and part owner of a theater. There is no record if his family was with him. He soon was wealthy, a canny businessman who besides profits from his plays traded in grain and was not above tax evasion. His son died in 1596. By 1613, he had moved back to Stratford to live with his wife in a fancy house and stopped writing. He died in 1616, in his will he left his wife their second best bed. At his burial site there is a curse on anyone who moves his bones.
Next the book discusses what life was like in England during his life. This period was the very beginning of theaters, until then performers were vagabonds who traveled from town to town. The book goes in detail on the operation of the globe theater. The book then discussed the different theories that some one or ones wrote the plays & poems not Shakespeare. The authors quickly shoot down those ideas. Next the book covers Will's writing style, then covers the great number of common phrases that were first written down in his plays. They then go over many of the common words in his time and used in his plays that don't exist anymore and what they mean. (Very helpful if you read his plays) There are a lot of them,
Then the book goes into a more detailed look at all his plays, usually six to ten pages long. They are broken down into the comedies, the histories and the tragedies. He wrote, or co-wrote in a few cases, 44 plays written from 1590 to 1613. They then take a look at his poems. After this they discuss how his works were saved by the First Folo collection of his works, a few had been printed before for sale but many had not been. The book then looks at some of the famous Shakespearean actors/actresses. It closes with some of his famous sayings.
This book gives the reader a great understanding of Shakespeare. I got lost a few times in the plays, but likely more my fault than the books. Highly recommend it.
Next the book discusses what life was like in England during his life. This period was the very beginning of theaters, until then performers were vagabonds who traveled from town to town. The book goes in detail on the operation of the globe theater. The book then discussed the different theories that some one or ones wrote the plays & poems not Shakespeare. The authors quickly shoot down those ideas. Next the book covers Will's writing style, then covers the great number of common phrases that were first written down in his plays. They then go over many of the common words in his time and used in his plays that don't exist anymore and what they mean. (Very helpful if you read his plays) There are a lot of them,
Then the book goes into a more detailed look at all his plays, usually six to ten pages long. They are broken down into the comedies, the histories and the tragedies. He wrote, or co-wrote in a few cases, 44 plays written from 1590 to 1613. They then take a look at his poems. After this they discuss how his works were saved by the First Folo collection of his works, a few had been printed before for sale but many had not been. The book then looks at some of the famous Shakespearean actors/actresses. It closes with some of his famous sayings.
This book gives the reader a great understanding of Shakespeare. I got lost a few times in the plays, but likely more my fault than the books. Highly recommend it.
December 30, 2018
I've been reading books about Shakespeare ever since I took a class on Shakespeare in high school. This one is more helpful than most. Nothing replaces reading and studying the plays. Parts of the book introduce you to the late sixteenth century, vital to understanding many of the plays, jokes, andpolitics of the era. Then sections on Comedies, Histories, Tragedies, and poetry. A few plays in each group are reviewed with a plot summary, major points, scenes, interpretations, etc. to help you enjoy them better. Special asides cover topics like great actors who've done these plays, great villains, best "minor characters.
November 12, 2017
While I consider myself fairly well-read in terms of Shakespeare, a little refresher every now and then is necessary. While I knew much already of what this book contained, reading the summaries of the plays were like visiting with old friends. I also appreciated the authors and they work identifying themes, important scenes, etc. This works well both as a starting point for those who find Shakespeare overwhelming, and for those who know the Bard well and want to revisit some of their favorites. Tons of great additional info and sidebars.
December 4, 2020
It’s a good starting point, especially for the plays you are not familiar with. It was best at the tragedies and weakest on the histories, but did a great job on all the non-tangible stuff ( I.e. actors, staging, folios).
Hoopla.
Hoopla.
July 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this! Learned a lot of interesting details about Shakespeare’s life and times and appreciated the analyses of each play. It was also very fun to read and accessible. Would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about shakespeare/is intimidated at the prospect of doing so!
February 11, 2021
The more I read about Shakespeare, the more I realize WE DON'T know Shakespeare
Highly recommend
Highly recommend
April 26, 2022
Interesting and informative book. I really liked it. I can see myself going back and rereading this in the future.
March 23, 2023
Very nice introduction to or reinforcement of the works and life of William Shakespeare with a look at all of his major works in detail plus many of his best quotes.
July 31, 2024
I learned a lot, and feel that I need to have a talk with my 11th grade English teacher
June 7, 2025
I got what I needed from it!
July 2, 2015
This is a book for Shakespeare nerds (like me!) or for others who like to learn more about Shakespeare. What I particularly loved about this book were the authors' overviews of Shakespeare's key Comedies, Tragedies and Histories. Their insight and information added to a deeper understanding of the plays. They also go into his sonnets in some detail, of which I am not too familiar with. Sometime it got a little too technical, especially in describing the meter that Shakespeare used in his sonnets and even in his plays. This was a quick read and, as a Shakespeare fan, a very enjoyable and at time enlightening read. I must say I came away from this book with a much deeper appreciation and understanding of the Bard.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews