A Fall Reading List for Bard-lovers
- Allison Backus
- Oct 28, 2018
- 3 min read
Fall is here, and winter is around the corner! Here’s a recommended list of books on the Bard for those brusque Boston evenings that demand a warm blanket, a good book, and a big ol’ mug of tea.
1. The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 by James Shapiro
James Shapiro explores England and Shakespeare in the year of 1606. This was the year King James ascended the English throne, and the year Shakespeare wrote three of his most popular tragedies, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra. Like many, I tended to think of Shakespeare as an Elizabethan playwright, and he was. But, he was also a Jacobean playwright, and Shapiro explores in fascinating detail how the early years of James’ reign heavily influenced what Shakespeare wrote.
2. Women of Will: The Remarkable Evolution of Shakespeare’s Female Characters by Tina Packer
This was one of the first books I read when I started getting into Shakespeare and it remains one of my favorites. I’ve read it three times and I want to read it again, because I get something new out of it every time I reread it. Packer hypothesizes how Shakespeare’s view of women changed as he grew older. She outlines the events in Shakespeare’s life that she believed helped him view women as more complex human beings, and takes you through the plays one by one. If you like your non-fiction to read like fiction, this is a great choice. Packer is a wonderful storyteller, and her enthusiasm and knowledge are never lacking.
3. Shakespeare in America by James Shapiro
This is an anthology of poems, letters, and essays by famous Americans about and inspired by Shakespeare. It’s more something to pick up here and there than something to read back to front, but it’s a wonderful collection for any American Shakespeare lover. Pieces of work include poems by Adrienne Rich, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson and Herman Melville, letters penned by John Adams, Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth, and essays by Walt Whitman, John Berryman, Edgar Allen Poe, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
4. Living with Shakespeare: Essays by Writers, Actors and Directors by Susanna Carson
This collection of essays has something for everyone. If you like academic essays on the Bard then this is for you! If you like personal, funny essays on the Bard, this is also for you! If you want to fall in love with Shakespeare all over again, this is definitely for you. I read about half of this book waiting to be picked for jury duty and I want to be called AGAIN just so that I can give this a reread. I love this book because I feel like it really gets at the heart of why Shakespeare resonates with so many people. Essayists include James Earl Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Julie Taymor, and Jane Smiley.
5. The Globe Guide to Shakespeare by Andrew Dickson
There are many books out there that outline Shakespeare’s life, plays and characters, but in my opinion, this one is probably the best. For each play, there is a synopsis, a list of the play’s sources and characters, and an interpretation of some of the plays most important lines and themes. It also rates the best versions of the play that are available to the public, including editions, films, and criticisms. If the film/production version is available for download, they even tell you where you can download it. This book is perfect for reviewing a plot before you see a production, or if you want to have the ultimate Shakespeare movie night.
6. Presenting Shakespeare: 1,100 Posters from Around the World by Mirko Ilic and Steven Heller
Not a big reader? That’s ok! This book of Shakespeare theatre posters is wonderful. It’s beautifully put together, and wonderful to flip through. If you like your Shakespeare with a hefty dose of beautiful aesthetics this is for you!
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