Shakespeare for Beginners

Despite the reshifting of values that has affected every aspect of life in the 20 century, William Shakespeare still stands as the greatest writer the English language has ever produced. Even so, many people have never read him. If you have never read "the Bard"—or if you’ve tried and given up in frustration—you need Shakespeare for Beginners. Author Brandon Toropov opens with the observation (and who can argue?) that Shakespeare’s genius is not in his history, it’s in his words, most notably, his plays—in his brilliant stories, unforgettable characters, and the impossible beauty of his language. So Shakespeare for Beginners skips the historical foreplay and goes straight to Shakespeare’s plays. The book offers clear, concise descriptions and plot summaries of each play; it lists key phrases and important themes, explains the main ideas behind each work and features excerpts of important passages (with explanatory notes on tough words). And it is the only "entry level" book available outside Great Britain that covers all of Shakespeare’s plays. It is conceivable that you could understand "all-of-the-above" without understanding the main character in each play. To avoid that disaster, Shakespeare for Beginners has a virtual built-in guarantee that you will understand the main character in each play. How? Artist Joe Lee has made these characters into a caricature of some famous (or infamous) person, so in an instant, the reader gets a full-blown picture of each protagonist. And the choices are perfect! Richard Ill, a most slippery gent, is "played" by Richard Nixon. Other "starring" roles are filled by Freud, Groucho, Elvis, Woody Allen and even the three stooges! Shakespeare for Beginners does exactly what it sets out to do—it makes Shakespeare accessible and fun. From Juliet vowing eternal love to Falstaff talkin’ trash, Shakespeare did it better than anyone before or since.