William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, FRS was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. Many people speak highly of Bryson. Bryson plays detective after explaining that this is not his field and he is sharing his finds of what he discovers by talking to a lot of experts. He's like the teacher you always hoped to get – the brilliant, funny, cool one who (to use a real example) sat cross-legged on the table at the front of the room and told the most amazing stories and made you sorry when the class was over, rather than the one who turned the lights off and showed irrelevant slides to a group of uninterested and often napping art students at the deadly time of 3:00 in the afternoon. Summary: “Bill Bryson’s biography of William Shakespeare unravels the superstitions, academic discoveries and myths surrounding the life of our greatest poet and playwright.” Age Category: Adult; Type: non-fiction; Genre: historical. :) :) :) It's a bright breezy Big Bill Bryson book about Bill!!!!!!!!!! The World as Stage is not one Bill Bryson's more popular textbooks, but it is one his best ones. Shakespeare was both an actor and director and performed at the Globe theatre. LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers All about Shakespeare: The World as Stage (Eminent Lives) by Bill Bryson. New York, NY 10019 US. It also mentions most plays, several long poems, and a few sonnets; it does not present substantive literary criticism on any of the works, though it does examine some issues of attribution briefly. The World as Stage. Also I never really appreciated how he changed the way English is spoken, probably because I don't know enough about the history of spoken English. The author of 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid' isn't, after all, a Shakespeare scholar, a playwright, or even a biographer. We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day. At the outset - if you are looking for a scholarly tome on the life and times of William Shakespeare, you are going to be disappointed. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. There were no standardized spellings for English words, so a lot of what. The book is divided into chapters that establish what is known and what is generally supposed about several periods in Shakespeare’s life and his environment. It was fascinating to learn that most of what has been presented to us as biography is. Shakespeare: The World as Stage is a biography of William Shakespeare by author Bill Bryson. Well, that was a quick and easy read, very pleasant too thank you Mr Bryson. A lot of biographies can be bogged down by completely unnecessary information which causes the page number to rise to the thousands. At first, it honestly felt like Mr. Bryson was begrudgingly completing a college research paper and, becoming exasperated by the lack of factual information, instead presented a (very interesting) history of Elizabethan London! There's nothing wrong with Bryson's writing... but he just doesn't say very much, because there ISN'T anything to say. The first edition of the novel was published in November 1st 2007, and was written by Bill Bryson. Bryson attributes several items within the book, and occasionally textually refers to his sources to establish academic authority on some point. 2,961 reviews. He settled in England in 1977, and worked in journalism until he became a full time writer. In summary, Bryson is an endlessly entertaining writer, and Shakespeare: The World as Stage is an outstanding read for anyone who enjoys Shakespearean theater, good writing, or both. Bryson’s strength, then, lies not so much in his Shakespearean expertise but rather in his obvious ability to turn a phrase. The focus of the book is to state what little is known conclusively about Shakespeare, and how this information is known, with some discussion of disproved theories, myths, and that which is believed by the public but not provable. Being a slightly cocky and beligerent teenager I turned in an essay entitled "Why Shakespeare is literatures greatest plagiarist", obviously this was not well received but having read this book I think some of my points were pretty salient. He writes in a way that enables we “everymen” to easily access historical and scientific facts. Everything we know about him seems to be questionable and when you don't know anything conclusive about someone, that leaves a lot up to discussion. email; X. Bill Bryson± auction that followed became one of the great social events of the age. Write your own review of Shakespeare by Bill Bryson, ... Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books. For the casual reader interested in knowing a little bit about the Bard, including knowing just how much we don’t know, Shakespeare: The World as Stage will probably satisfy. I enjoyed the book though, I learnt a lot I didn't know before and I think the autho. There's nothing wrong with Bryson's writing... but he just doesn't say very much, because there ISN'T anything to say. Book Review for “Shakespeare: The World as Stage” by Bill Bryson. The book under review is provided as a volume in the “Eminent Lives” series of concise biographies by various authors and, as such, conforms to an imposed restriction on length. The years melt away and we are there, right in the world of Elizabethan Stratford and London, throwing light on what we do actually know about the life and times and people associated with Shakespeare. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. It was fascinating to learn that most of what has been presented to us as biography is in fact, conjecture. After reading this book I have learned loads about Shakespeare - NOT! The years melt away and we are there, right in the world of Elizabethan Stratford and London, throwing light on what we do actually know about the life and times and people associated with Shakespeare. His prose makes everything he writes so very readable. Overall, this lovely, brief analysis of the life of Shakespeare was a nice supplement to some of the more weighty, academic biographies out there. This is a very strange and frustrating book: A short, witty, highly readable biography of the Bard by one of the our best beloved writers. Registration confirmation will be emailed to you. A freelance writer living in Utah with his wife and kids. (Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. Bryson throws banal facts into the mix compellingly, too—“Shakespeare’s works contain 138,198 commas, 26,794 colons, and 15,785 question marks” (p. 19). Apparently he’s now been back home long enough … If you like to learn about Shakespeare, you'll love this textbook. Only one man had the circumstances and gifts to give us such incomparable works, and William Shakespeare of Stratford was unquestionably that man- whoever he was. At first glance, Bill Bryson seems an odd choice to write this addition to the Eminent Lives series. Shakespeare. This is a great introduction to Shakespeare and probably one of the best biographies you can read about a man we know so much, yet so little about. He genuinely loves his subjects, and it is infectious. Need another excuse to go to the bookstore this week? Also I never really appreciated how he changed the way English is spoken, probably because I don't know enough about the history of spoken English. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally. Details about SHAKESPEARE THE WORLD AS STAGE BY BILL BRYSON. With candid honesty that permeates his offering, Bryson notes that the world didn’t really need another Shakespeare biography but that the “Eminent Lives” series did. It runs to 199 pages and has only a handful of footnotes. The book starts off with anecdotes, one is from late 1900s of an American couple, Charles and Hulda Wallace, who housed themselves at London’s National Archives to search through hundreds of thousand records. Having being forced to study him for A-Level English and worship at the alter of Shakespeare like a good student I was also suprised how little is known about him. While nothing in the biography is new or even particularly innovative, it is nevertheless an invigorating review of extant data. Apparently NOBODY knows anything interesting about Shakespeare's life or personality -- all we have are 3 bad portraits (one sketch from memory, one statue that was whitewashed of all detailed features, and one decent portrait that might be of someone else entirely); a few legal documents (with only 6 signatures, 3 of which may have been forged for him since he was too ill to write much then); almost nothing whatsoever about his wife (except her name and date of death); etc, etc... Nobody even interviewed his surviving relatives and friends about him -- the first biography came out a hundred years after his death and has been proved to be mostly wrong anyway. Bryson brings a fresh and exciting voice to material that elsewhere is often stale in its presentation. Start by marking “Shakespeare: The World as Stage” as Want to Read: Error rating book. The final chapter of the book examines the occasional academic notion that Shakespeare didn’t write all the material he claimed as his own and reviews some of the leading alternative theories and their attendant problems. A time of plague and early death. Bryson succeeds in fulfilling expectations from the subtitle of "The World As a Stage." Bryson’s novel highlights that we simply don’t know much about him at all. Bill Bryson, in his own inimitable way, takes us through the world of Shakespeare as easily as if he were discussing the latest political controversy. Refresh and try again. Shakespeare: The World as Stage (Eminent Lives) by Bill Bryson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. I had no idea we knew so little about William Shakespeare, where later in the book Bryson says there are a variety of ways his name was spelt back then, two were: Shappere and Shaxberd. ARTICLES. We’d love your help. ... Shakespeare: The World As A Stage by Bryson, Bill Paperback Book The Fast Free. Shakespeare The World as Stage (Book) : Bryson, Bill : William Shakespeare, the most celebrated poet in the English language, left behind nearly a million words of text, but his biography has long been a thicket of wild supposition arranged around scant facts. So on a trip to the library I chose this one because: people who want to read a book which will teach them nothing in a fun and informative way, Well, that was a quick and easy read, very pleasant too thank you Mr Bryson. Shakespeare : The World As Stage, Paperback by Bryson, Bill, ISBN 0061673692, ISBN-13 9780061673696, Brand New, Free shipping in the US A portrait of the Bard is presented in the style of a travelogue based on interviews with actors, the curator of Shakespeare's birthplace, and academics, in an account that also shares the author's recollections of his own adventures in Stratford-upon-Avon. This one is somewhat of a departure for Bill Bryson – ‘Shakespeare’ being a biography of sorts and Bryson being overwhelmingly and ostensibly a popular travel writer. Bryson is good in describing the sixteenth century world of England. $11.69. He and his family then moved to New Hampshire in America for a few years, but they have now returned to live in the UK. Bill Bryson, in his own inimitable way, takes us through the world of Shakespeare as easily as if he were discussing the latest political controversy. He lived for many years with his English wife and four children in North Yorkshire. Be the first to ask a question about Shakespeare. Bill Bryson simply doesn't write like that. Expressions that could not have grammatically existed before - such as 'breathing one's last' and 'backing a horse', both coined by Shakespeare - were suddenly popping up everywhere.”, Jerry Dantzic: Billie Holiday at Sugar Hill, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States, The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way, Shakespeare: The World as Stage, by Bill Bryson. The main characters of this non fiction, biography story are William Shakespeare, . He begins by swiftly establishing the paucity of factual information about Shakespeare such as what he looked like and even where he was for eight years when he left his new-wedded and early-bedded wife and before he surfaced as first an actor and then a playwright in the latter years of Queen Elizabeth I's … The years melt away and we are there, right in the world of Elizabethan Stratford and London, throwing light on what we do actually know about the life and times and people associated with Shakespeare. Click to read more about Shakespeare: The World as Stage (Eminent Lives) by Bill Bryson. A telling glance at one of history’s most famously unknowable figures. Bill Bryson, in his own inimitable way, takes us through the world of Shakespeare as easily as if he were discussing the latest political controversy. Those familiar with Shakespeare’s life and times will find the information recast in an enjoyable way, while those unfamiliar with the topic will find the biography intelligible and quite accessible. After reading this book I have learned loads about Shakespeare - NOT! This overview of Shakespeare’s life improved greatly as the pages increased. Bryson’s book includes nine named and enumerated chapters and a selected bibliography. I am struggling to recall why exactly I wanted to read this. Bill Bryson makes the same point at the outset of "Shakespeare: The World as Stage", and then, because he is the writer he is, takes close to 200 pages to cover it. A mix of bedrock facts, such as Shakespeare’s date of birth—”By tradition it is agreed to be April 23, Saint George’s Day” (p. 24) in 1564—stand alongside humorous observations: “The Droeshout engraving [of Shakespeare].is an arrestingly-we might almost say magnificently-mediocre piece of work” (p. 4). 9780007197903 - Shakespeare: the World as a Stage Eminent Lives by Bryson, Bill - AbeBooks Alternatively, you could choose a more expedite path. Also I really appreciated that he acknowledged that Shakespeare doesn't make any sense some times because for some reason everyone seems resistant to agreeing when I mention it, but come on some times the writing is incoherent. What emerges is a lovingly rendered biography of an obviously favorite subject. He moved to England, where he worked for The Times and The Independent, and wrote for many major British and American publications. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Bill Bryson is an old friend. If there is a hero it is the duo who gave us the first Folio. The book starts off with anecdotes, one is from late 1900s of an American couple, Charles and Hulda Wallace, who housed themselves at London’s National Archives to se. Bryson plays detective after explaining that this is not his field and he is sharing his finds of what he discovers by talking to a lot of experts. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 199 pages and is available in Paperback format. As expected, the book presents facts about Shakespeare’s life, work, and environment. 2 viewed per hour. It really isn't a biography,as Shakespeare the man,remains shrouded in mystery.It certainly came as a surprise to me,that practically nothing is known about the man. SHAKESPEARE THE WORLD AS STAGE BY BILL BRYSON. Bryson doesn't go incredibly in-depth with this work but I applaud him on that. Thankfully (or regretfully, perhaps), I or anyone else is at little risk of having the Bard's work spoilt by too much biographical information of its creator. Being a slightly cocky and beligerent teenager I turned i. His approach to history makes the standard tome all the more flat and dull by comparison – Bryson knows his stuff well enough to not only present it to an audience but to play with it, to have fun with it, to make it fun. I would definitely include it on a list as one of my most enjoyable biographies in recent memory. Shakespeare's biography is sketchy, and ever thus it shall remain. The final chapter was ultimately my favorite as it addressed the many theories about alternative authors of Shakespeare’s works, then debunked them one by one. More…, @simplycharly At first, it honestly felt like Mr. Bryson was begrudgingly completing a college research paper and, becoming exasperated by the lack of factual information, instead presented a (very interesting) history of Elizabethan London! Women had to be played by men on the stage,. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Shakespeare: The World as a Stage (Eminent Lives) by Bill Bryson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. Synopsis Chapter 5 was about Shakespeare writing style and were he got help from and were his inspiration has lead him to write great plays. November 1st 2007 Bryson is straightforward in admitting that no groundbreaking research is presented, but rather the biography gathers the known facts, the supposed facts, and much pithy innuendo into a single engaging and accessible overview. I had no idea we knew so little about William Shakespeare, where later in the book Bryson says there are a variety of ways his name was spelt back then, two were: Shappere and Shaxberd. Apparently NOBODY knows anything interesting about Shakespeare's life or personality -- all we have are 3 bad portraits (one sketch from memory, one statue that was whitewashed of all detailed features, and one decent portrait that might be of someone else entirely); a few legal documents (with only 6 signatures, 3 of which may have been forged for him since he was too ill to wr. Shakespeare: The World as stage by bill Bryson Chapter 5 By: Boyd Anthony Campbell. The emphasis right from the beginning was how little we actually know about the life of William Shakespeare. So much of what we think we know about him is drawn from scarce fragmentary evidence and a high proportion of assumption and falsehoods on behalf of even the most preeminent Shakespeare scholars. And there are merits to both viewpoints. Bill Bryson takes on one of the biggest contributors to the English language. My best memory of learning about Shakespeare was being asked to write an essay on the use of natural symbolism in "A Winters Tale". If instead of rummaging through tons of printed paper one could find a capsule of uncorrupted and distilled Shakespeare, would you not pick this? THE WORLD AS STAGE. :). 10 Things You Might Not Know About Franz Kafka, 10 Things You Might Not Know About René Descartes, 10 Things You Might Not Know About Adam Smith, 10 Things You Might Not Know About William Faulkner, Understanding Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Duck-Rabbit. Einstein and Oppenheimer: The Meaning of Genius. “A third...candidate for Shakespearean authorship was Christopher Marlowe. I'm really not a fan of Shakespeare but reading this book really did help explain his popularity, at least in my mind. The 199-page book is part of Harper Collins' series of biographies, "Eminent Lives". Those of you who are familiar with his oeuvre would know that he is a "love-him-or-hate-him" author: people either love his snarky humour, or hate it with passion. This audiobook was a perfect companion for a long road trip. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. In less than 200 pages, one gets a general overview of the possibilities for how Shakespeare’s … Bill Bryson’s concise biography of William Shakespeare is brilliantly written, humorously insightful, and entirely delightful. Critics' Opinion: Readers' rating: Not Yet Rated. Bryson, in this short textbook, covers just about every fact, legend and misconception about Shakespeare and does so with grace and wit. He's like the teacher you always hoped to get – the brilliant, funny, cool one who (to use a real example) sat cross-legged on the table at the front of the room and told the most amazing stori. This Shakespeare primer can be easily understood by any high-school level reader, and no prior knowledge of the playwright is required—Bryson even helpfully informs the reader, on page 196, that “William Shakespeare of Stratford was unquestionably” the author of plays and poetry attributed to him, but questioned by some in what is known as “an authorship debate.”. Bryson has written several books, including the prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything. Bill Bryson, who has now written books on everything from the history of the universe to the origins of our domesticity to America in the 1920s and, perhaps most endearingly, stories of his various travels around the world, here turns his attention to William Shakespeare. He genuinely loves his subjects, and it is infectious. Everything we know about him seems to be questionable and when you don't know anything conclusive about someone, that leaves a lot up to discussion. $7.25. Bryson attributes several items within the book, and occasionally textually refers to his sources to establish academic authority on some point. A time of plague and early death. In summary, Bryson is an endlessly entertaining writer, and Shakespeare: The World as Stage is an outstanding read for anyone who enjoys Shakespearean theater, good writing, or both. Mr. Bryson, in typically wry, readable, and exciting form, instead provided a history of the main players in London during Shakespeare’s life then placed the known puzzle pieces into the solid history. More By and About This Author. Nouns became verbs and adverbs; adverbs became adjectives. His approach to history makes the standard tome all the more flat and dull by comparison – Bryson knows his stuff well enough to not only present it to an audience but to play with it, to have fun with it, to make it fun. Bill Bryson is an old friend. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. I can't say I know much more about Sweet Will now than I did before reading the book, but Bryson is not to blame. This little book represents Bill Bryson's attempt to collect what scant information exists, and to debunk a few spurious claims. Reading 'Shakespeare The World As Stage', however, one gets the sense that this eclectic Iowan is exactly the type of person the Bard … often turned his attention to his native America during his 20-year residence in England ( Made in America, 1995, etc.). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Shakespeare : The World as Stage by Bill Bryson (2007, Perfect, Large Type / large print edition) at … To see what your friends thought of this book, I'm really not a fan of Shakespeare but reading this book really did help explain his popularity, at least in my mind. It explains why facts are missing, what we can conjecture and why people still read and love his work today. He was the right age (just two months older than Shakespeare), had the requisite talent, and would certainly have had ample leisure after 1593, assuming he wasn't too dead to work.”, “And there was never a better time to delve for pleasure in language than the sixteenth century, when novelty blew through English like a spring breeze. It is almost impossible to believe that as infamous as the works of William Shakespeare are, there is negligible conclusive information about him. by HarperCollinsPublishing. The book reads much as one would expect and holds no surprises of construction, methodology, or presentation. If you wanted to know more about William Shakespeare, his life, his writings, his times…etc, you would have to embark in the reading of an endless amount of written material that would fill trucks and trucks. Some twelve thousand words, a phenomenal number, entered the language between 1500 and 1650, about half of them still in use today, and old words were employed in ways not tried before. The entire book addresses the dearth actually known about the Bard. As sometimes happens with expatriates, journalist Bryson ( The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir, 2006, etc.) With a steady hand and his trademark wit, Bill Bryson sorts through this colorful muddle to reveal the man himself. His native America during his 20-year residence in England in 1977, and is! Historical figures is the duo who gave us the first Folio really shakespeare: the world as stage bill bryson summary help his. To debunk a few spurious claims verbs and adverbs ; adverbs became adjectives, author has. S novel highlights that we give you the best experience on our website greatest playwright, Shakespeare! Information | more books and scientific facts a freelance writer living in with. 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