Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.

Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.


Essential, 04 Sep 2008
Really great book that can be used throughout A level study or as a last minute revision guide.

This would be a good investment, 23 Mar 2004
I'm studying Hamlet at the moment and due to the nature of Shakespeare's over descriptive and complicated yet beautiful language, it's quite hard to follow and concentrate upon the plot. Though when I got this guide, I easily grasped what was happening and was able to concentrate more on the themes and language etc which you have to comment on in exams. It is helpful and gives lots of hints and info into what you're supposed to be focusing on in the scenes. It gives you ideas and pushes you in the right direction if you are struggling. It even has a glossary to simplify meanings and words. A more thorough understanding can be made from Hamlet and in the end you'll wonder why you didn't get this sooner. For five pounds, it's worth it, if you get an 'a' in your exams.

Getting to the Heart of Hamlet?, 23 Feb 2004
This is one of the most thorough study guides on the market, not likely to confuse anyone and particularly well informed on the latest developments in critical approaches to the play though never too dense for the average school student to digest. The scene summaries and commentaries are models of clarity and precision whilst the textual analyses are searching, provocative and incisive. There is an excellent bibliography and useful pointers to websites, films and theatrical tradition. An invaluable introduction to advanced studies and a handy revision tool for teachers pressurised to work on the play at short notice!

Nice clear summary of the action, 15 Apr 2002
The best aspect of this guide to Hamlet is the careful scene-by-scene summary of the action. The plot seems not so tricky to follow, after all. It's also good to be reminded of the significant differences between the quarto and folio versions of the play. Perhaps the authors should have devoted a bit more space to the really big issue raised by the play: the intermingling of good and evil in human existence. The assessment of Ophelia's character is strangely thin, as well. But it's very helpful, all in all.

A difficult task, 10 Apr 2000
To make an "informative" notebook on such a vast and complicated work, will never be easy. There are simply too many interpretative opportunities. But York Notes list up most of the basics, in a comprehensive manner.

Get the most from your music either at home or on the move with the PortaPro Hi-Fi headset. The remarkable comfort is provided by the adjustable headband and the "Comfort Zone" system sitting on the temporal pad for a comfortable, secure fit. Make the PortPro your companion for all your musical moments!

Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.


Essential, 04 Sep 2008
Really great book that can be used throughout A level study or as a last minute revision guide.

This would be a good investment, 23 Mar 2004
I'm studying Hamlet at the moment and due to the nature of Shakespeare's over descriptive and complicated yet beautiful language, it's quite hard to follow and concentrate upon the plot. Though when I got this guide, I easily grasped what was happening and was able to concentrate more on the themes and language etc which you have to comment on in exams. It is helpful and gives lots of hints and info into what you're supposed to be focusing on in the scenes. It gives you ideas and pushes you in the right direction if you are struggling. It even has a glossary to simplify meanings and words. A more thorough understanding can be made from Hamlet and in the end you'll wonder why you didn't get this sooner. For five pounds, it's worth it, if you get an 'a' in your exams.

Getting to the Heart of Hamlet?, 23 Feb 2004
This is one of the most thorough study guides on the market, not likely to confuse anyone and particularly well informed on the latest developments in critical approaches to the play though never too dense for the average school student to digest. The scene summaries and commentaries are models of clarity and precision whilst the textual analyses are searching, provocative and incisive. There is an excellent bibliography and useful pointers to websites, films and theatrical tradition. An invaluable introduction to advanced studies and a handy revision tool for teachers pressurised to work on the play at short notice!

Nice clear summary of the action, 15 Apr 2002
The best aspect of this guide to Hamlet is the careful scene-by-scene summary of the action. The plot seems not so tricky to follow, after all. It's also good to be reminded of the significant differences between the quarto and folio versions of the play. Perhaps the authors should have devoted a bit more space to the really big issue raised by the play: the intermingling of good and evil in human existence. The assessment of Ophelia's character is strangely thin, as well. But it's very helpful, all in all.

A difficult task, 10 Apr 2000
To make an "informative" notebook on such a vast and complicated work, will never be easy. There are simply too many interpretative opportunities. But York Notes list up most of the basics, in a comprehensive manner.

Absolutely phenominal!, 08 Nov 2008
This is absolutely amazing!
I've always considered myself as a "sensible Audiophile", in the sense that I wouldn't class the most expensive equipment as being the best by any means.
This just proves this. It proves it so well.

I have Rockbox installed on my iPod, listening to a HD Audio File (FLAC, not ALAC). This is phenominal. I can hear so clearly, the vocals, the instrumentals.. It's just mind boggling.
For the price, I would highly recommend this, words just cannot explain the sheer ecstacy my ears are recieving at this moment.

KOSS PORTAPRO, 02 Nov 2008
I have just bought the Koss Portapro headphones and am amaxed at the quality. While the bass doesn't give the stomach-churning bass of my Stax Electrostatics, these phones give excellent quality at a fraction of the cost.
Chris

GOOD FOR QUIET PLACES NOT NOISY ONES., 13 Oct 2008
These headphones are a testimony that not all things from the 80s are dead. They pump out very good, crispy clear music, they are very comfortable with a unique system that takes the pressure off your temple. The style will not be to everybody's liking for myself i don't worry too much about what others may say.
Now the negative. They is a big amount of sound leakage if you use them on the street or on the bus you will be sharing your music with everyone around you. I used them with the 1st generation ipod touch and they don't work well one needs to increase the sound to roughly 90% to really hear it and the outside noise intrusion does not help. I think you need a source with a powerful output. I think that they are more suitable for indoor use, i am moving to the skullcandy hesh but will still use the porta pro on my laptop.

Excellent for the Money!, 10 Oct 2008
These headphones really have to be heard to be believed. I cant believe the sound quality on such inexpensive phones. If you can live with the retro look these really are a must buy. They even come with a handy pouch to store them in when not in use.
Highly Recommend 5 Stars!

if you love heavy beats you'll love this one, 06 Oct 2008
ok, skip the all good nice bass spendid sound quality crispy clear tone etc., cause' we all know it's true! But I would say to a point, you might find the bass too heavy, a bit unbearable. For rock pop metallic lovers porta pro is GOLD, but if you're a classic, Opera, soprano fan who demands more on higher tones, porta pro is acceptable but I would get something else better if I were you.

Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.


Essential, 04 Sep 2008
Really great book that can be used throughout A level study or as a last minute revision guide.

This would be a good investment, 23 Mar 2004
I'm studying Hamlet at the moment and due to the nature of Shakespeare's over descriptive and complicated yet beautiful language, it's quite hard to follow and concentrate upon the plot. Though when I got this guide, I easily grasped what was happening and was able to concentrate more on the themes and language etc which you have to comment on in exams. It is helpful and gives lots of hints and info into what you're supposed to be focusing on in the scenes. It gives you ideas and pushes you in the right direction if you are struggling. It even has a glossary to simplify meanings and words. A more thorough understanding can be made from Hamlet and in the end you'll wonder why you didn't get this sooner. For five pounds, it's worth it, if you get an 'a' in your exams.

Getting to the Heart of Hamlet?, 23 Feb 2004
This is one of the most thorough study guides on the market, not likely to confuse anyone and particularly well informed on the latest developments in critical approaches to the play though never too dense for the average school student to digest. The scene summaries and commentaries are models of clarity and precision whilst the textual analyses are searching, provocative and incisive. There is an excellent bibliography and useful pointers to websites, films and theatrical tradition. An invaluable introduction to advanced studies and a handy revision tool for teachers pressurised to work on the play at short notice!

Nice clear summary of the action, 15 Apr 2002
The best aspect of this guide to Hamlet is the careful scene-by-scene summary of the action. The plot seems not so tricky to follow, after all. It's also good to be reminded of the significant differences between the quarto and folio versions of the play. Perhaps the authors should have devoted a bit more space to the really big issue raised by the play: the intermingling of good and evil in human existence. The assessment of Ophelia's character is strangely thin, as well. But it's very helpful, all in all.

A difficult task, 10 Apr 2000
To make an "informative" notebook on such a vast and complicated work, will never be easy. There are simply too many interpretative opportunities. But York Notes list up most of the basics, in a comprehensive manner.

Absolutely phenominal!, 08 Nov 2008
This is absolutely amazing!
I've always considered myself as a "sensible Audiophile", in the sense that I wouldn't class the most expensive equipment as being the best by any means.
This just proves this. It proves it so well.

I have Rockbox installed on my iPod, listening to a HD Audio File (FLAC, not ALAC). This is phenominal. I can hear so clearly, the vocals, the instrumentals.. It's just mind boggling.
For the price, I would highly recommend this, words just cannot explain the sheer ecstacy my ears are recieving at this moment.

KOSS PORTAPRO, 02 Nov 2008
I have just bought the Koss Portapro headphones and am amaxed at the quality. While the bass doesn't give the stomach-churning bass of my Stax Electrostatics, these phones give excellent quality at a fraction of the cost.
Chris

GOOD FOR QUIET PLACES NOT NOISY ONES., 13 Oct 2008
These headphones are a testimony that not all things from the 80s are dead. They pump out very good, crispy clear music, they are very comfortable with a unique system that takes the pressure off your temple. The style will not be to everybody's liking for myself i don't worry too much about what others may say.
Now the negative. They is a big amount of sound leakage if you use them on the street or on the bus you will be sharing your music with everyone around you. I used them with the 1st generation ipod touch and they don't work well one needs to increase the sound to roughly 90% to really hear it and the outside noise intrusion does not help. I think you need a source with a powerful output. I think that they are more suitable for indoor use, i am moving to the skullcandy hesh but will still use the porta pro on my laptop.

Excellent for the Money!, 10 Oct 2008
These headphones really have to be heard to be believed. I cant believe the sound quality on such inexpensive phones. If you can live with the retro look these really are a must buy. They even come with a handy pouch to store them in when not in use.
Highly Recommend 5 Stars!

if you love heavy beats you'll love this one, 06 Oct 2008
ok, skip the all good nice bass spendid sound quality crispy clear tone etc., cause' we all know it's true! But I would say to a point, you might find the bass too heavy, a bit unbearable. For rock pop metallic lovers porta pro is GOLD, but if you're a classic, Opera, soprano fan who demands more on higher tones, porta pro is acceptable but I would get something else better if I were you.

Brilliant!, 18 Aug 2006
This study guide weas invaluable to me when I was Doing Othello for my A.S levels as my techer was rubbish. thanks to this book though, it really clarified every aspect of the play for me. I definately would have been lost without it. So if you find Shakespeare a bit difficult to understand, getting this study guide (and those of the other plays) would deffinately be a great help to you.

The best study notes around, 22 Nov 2005
Designed for 'A' level students within the UK, these York Notes begin with a brief, but vital piece of advice on how to study a play - what to look for and why. A short introduction to 'Othello' is followed by extensive notes on the play, scene by scene, with further extended commentaries on problematic scenes. There is extensive character analysis of the leading actors, notes on the play's language, imagery, and themes, and a short biography of Shakespeare and exploration of his world. Altogether this is an excellent package.

York Notes provide the best available study guide - sophisticated commentary and analysis, yet accessible and readily comprehensible. However, don't assume it's going to give you pre-packaged answers you can reproduce under exam conditions and, especially, assume that reading the notes will obviate the need to study the play in detail. Read the play thoroughly, read it often, and try to watch a live or recorded production of 'Othello'.

A good study guide stimulates your understanding and makes the play easier to comprehend. It's worth collaborating with your fellow students - buy two or three different sets of study notes between you, share them around, and use them to get a broader perspective (have a look at, say Letts, and Spark Notes). Use the notes dynamically, don't just passively try to memorise them.

York Notes on Shakespeare's "Othello", 04 Jun 2005
A Level English Literiture isn't quite the walkover expected, and although it was plain sailing through the modern texts such as "The Handmaids Tale" and "The Worlds Wife", I came to abrupt block when I was given any texts featuring words such as "thee", "thy" "thence" and "how now"... otherwise known as pre-20th Century texts.
And so when Shakespeare landed on my desk last September, I cannot be blamed for breaking out into a cold sweat and feeling a big ball of dread in my gut and we opened up the play to Act 1, Scene 1.
But there was a light at the end of this dark tunnel. York Notes. I don't rate revision guides much, but York Notes saved me from failer for this module. It's clear and conscice, which is an immediate improvement on my Lit Teacher, and it is also organised into clear sections so you know what you are learning. The scene synopsis' were essential for me in learning to understand the play, and the analysis of LSF in later chapters was the perfect accompanyment to successful revsion.
What I also found a blessing was the guide highlighted key quotes, which made my revision ten-times simpler, and it also pre-analysed my quotes for me, so I didn't have to do the gruling task myself, all I had to do is memorize them!
And the Notes helped, I failed my mocks for this exam, and then after some good hard work on revision, I walked away from my exam with a happy A!
YORK NOTES ARE ESSENTIAL READING FOR LITERITURE STUDENTS!
10/10 - and york notes are avalible to accompany most books at GCSE and As/A2 Level, so have a bit of a search for other titles, they are not always simple to find on here, so try going to Waterstones where they sit together on the shelf!

Must have, 27 Jun 2004
This book help me greatly in my a level revision it gave excellent idea's and opinions which i had not heard of before and gave me a new perspetive on the play

Best Revision Guide, 08 Apr 2004
All I can say is that if you're studying A-level Othello, this is the book to have. Its informative, detailed, and brings up many good points which you'd otherwise not think of. A definate buy for those who wish to succeed in their exams.

This is undoubtedly the greatest love story ever written, spawning a host of imitators on stage and screen, including Leonard Bernstein's smash musical West Side Story, Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet filmed in 1968, and Baz Luhrmann's postmodern film version Romeo + Juliet. The tragic feud between "Two households, both alike in dignity/In fair Verona", the Montagues and Capulets, which ultimately kills the two young "star-crossed lovers" and their "death-marked love" creates issues which have fascinated subsequent generations. The play deals with issues of intergenerational and familial conflict, as well as the power of language and the compelling relationship between sex and death, all of which makes it an incredibly modern play. It is also an early example of Shakespeare fusing poetry with dramatic action, as he moves from Romeo's lyrical account of Juliet--"she doth teach the torches to burn bright!" to the bustle and action of a 16th-century household (the play contains more scenes of ordinary working people than any of Shakespeare's other works). It also represents an experimental attempt to fuse comedy with tragedy. Up to the third act, the play proceeds along the lines of a classic romantic comedy. The turning point comes with the death of one of Shakespeare's finest early dramatic creations--Romeo's sexually ambivalent friend Mercutio, whose "plague o' both your houses" begins the play's descent into tragedy, "For never was a story of more woe/Than this of Juliet and her Romeo". --Jerry Brotton

Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.


Essential, 04 Sep 2008
Really great book that can be used throughout A level study or as a last minute revision guide.

This would be a good investment, 23 Mar 2004
I'm studying Hamlet at the moment and due to the nature of Shakespeare's over descriptive and complicated yet beautiful language, it's quite hard to follow and concentrate upon the plot. Though when I got this guide, I easily grasped what was happening and was able to concentrate more on the themes and language etc which you have to comment on in exams. It is helpful and gives lots of hints and info into what you're supposed to be focusing on in the scenes. It gives you ideas and pushes you in the right direction if you are struggling. It even has a glossary to simplify meanings and words. A more thorough understanding can be made from Hamlet and in the end you'll wonder why you didn't get this sooner. For five pounds, it's worth it, if you get an 'a' in your exams.

Getting to the Heart of Hamlet?, 23 Feb 2004
This is one of the most thorough study guides on the market, not likely to confuse anyone and particularly well informed on the latest developments in critical approaches to the play though never too dense for the average school student to digest. The scene summaries and commentaries are models of clarity and precision whilst the textual analyses are searching, provocative and incisive. There is an excellent bibliography and useful pointers to websites, films and theatrical tradition. An invaluable introduction to advanced studies and a handy revision tool for teachers pressurised to work on the play at short notice!

Nice clear summary of the action, 15 Apr 2002
The best aspect of this guide to Hamlet is the careful scene-by-scene summary of the action. The plot seems not so tricky to follow, after all. It's also good to be reminded of the significant differences between the quarto and folio versions of the play. Perhaps the authors should have devoted a bit more space to the really big issue raised by the play: the intermingling of good and evil in human existence. The assessment of Ophelia's character is strangely thin, as well. But it's very helpful, all in all.

A difficult task, 10 Apr 2000
To make an "informative" notebook on such a vast and complicated work, will never be easy. There are simply too many interpretative opportunities. But York Notes list up most of the basics, in a comprehensive manner.

Absolutely phenominal!, 08 Nov 2008
This is absolutely amazing!
I've always considered myself as a "sensible Audiophile", in the sense that I wouldn't class the most expensive equipment as being the best by any means.
This just proves this. It proves it so well.

I have Rockbox installed on my iPod, listening to a HD Audio File (FLAC, not ALAC). This is phenominal. I can hear so clearly, the vocals, the instrumentals.. It's just mind boggling.
For the price, I would highly recommend this, words just cannot explain the sheer ecstacy my ears are recieving at this moment.

KOSS PORTAPRO, 02 Nov 2008
I have just bought the Koss Portapro headphones and am amaxed at the quality. While the bass doesn't give the stomach-churning bass of my Stax Electrostatics, these phones give excellent quality at a fraction of the cost.
Chris

GOOD FOR QUIET PLACES NOT NOISY ONES., 13 Oct 2008
These headphones are a testimony that not all things from the 80s are dead. They pump out very good, crispy clear music, they are very comfortable with a unique system that takes the pressure off your temple. The style will not be to everybody's liking for myself i don't worry too much about what others may say.
Now the negative. They is a big amount of sound leakage if you use them on the street or on the bus you will be sharing your music with everyone around you. I used them with the 1st generation ipod touch and they don't work well one needs to increase the sound to roughly 90% to really hear it and the outside noise intrusion does not help. I think you need a source with a powerful output. I think that they are more suitable for indoor use, i am moving to the skullcandy hesh but will still use the porta pro on my laptop.

Excellent for the Money!, 10 Oct 2008
These headphones really have to be heard to be believed. I cant believe the sound quality on such inexpensive phones. If you can live with the retro look these really are a must buy. They even come with a handy pouch to store them in when not in use.
Highly Recommend 5 Stars!

if you love heavy beats you'll love this one, 06 Oct 2008
ok, skip the all good nice bass spendid sound quality crispy clear tone etc., cause' we all know it's true! But I would say to a point, you might find the bass too heavy, a bit unbearable. For rock pop metallic lovers porta pro is GOLD, but if you're a classic, Opera, soprano fan who demands more on higher tones, porta pro is acceptable but I would get something else better if I were you.

Brilliant!, 18 Aug 2006
This study guide weas invaluable to me when I was Doing Othello for my A.S levels as my techer was rubbish. thanks to this book though, it really clarified every aspect of the play for me. I definately would have been lost without it. So if you find Shakespeare a bit difficult to understand, getting this study guide (and those of the other plays) would deffinately be a great help to you.

The best study notes around, 22 Nov 2005
Designed for 'A' level students within the UK, these York Notes begin with a brief, but vital piece of advice on how to study a play - what to look for and why. A short introduction to 'Othello' is followed by extensive notes on the play, scene by scene, with further extended commentaries on problematic scenes. There is extensive character analysis of the leading actors, notes on the play's language, imagery, and themes, and a short biography of Shakespeare and exploration of his world. Altogether this is an excellent package.

York Notes provide the best available study guide - sophisticated commentary and analysis, yet accessible and readily comprehensible. However, don't assume it's going to give you pre-packaged answers you can reproduce under exam conditions and, especially, assume that reading the notes will obviate the need to study the play in detail. Read the play thoroughly, read it often, and try to watch a live or recorded production of 'Othello'.

A good study guide stimulates your understanding and makes the play easier to comprehend. It's worth collaborating with your fellow students - buy two or three different sets of study notes between you, share them around, and use them to get a broader perspective (have a look at, say Letts, and Spark Notes). Use the notes dynamically, don't just passively try to memorise them.

York Notes on Shakespeare's "Othello", 04 Jun 2005
A Level English Literiture isn't quite the walkover expected, and although it was plain sailing through the modern texts such as "The Handmaids Tale" and "The Worlds Wife", I came to abrupt block when I was given any texts featuring words such as "thee", "thy" "thence" and "how now"... otherwise known as pre-20th Century texts.
And so when Shakespeare landed on my desk last September, I cannot be blamed for breaking out into a cold sweat and feeling a big ball of dread in my gut and we opened up the play to Act 1, Scene 1.
But there was a light at the end of this dark tunnel. York Notes. I don't rate revision guides much, but York Notes saved me from failer for this module. It's clear and conscice, which is an immediate improvement on my Lit Teacher, and it is also organised into clear sections so you know what you are learning. The scene synopsis' were essential for me in learning to understand the play, and the analysis of LSF in later chapters was the perfect accompanyment to successful revsion.
What I also found a blessing was the guide highlighted key quotes, which made my revision ten-times simpler, and it also pre-analysed my quotes for me, so I didn't have to do the gruling task myself, all I had to do is memorize them!
And the Notes helped, I failed my mocks for this exam, and then after some good hard work on revision, I walked away from my exam with a happy A!
YORK NOTES ARE ESSENTIAL READING FOR LITERITURE STUDENTS!
10/10 - and york notes are avalible to accompany most books at GCSE and As/A2 Level, so have a bit of a search for other titles, they are not always simple to find on here, so try going to Waterstones where they sit together on the shelf!

Must have, 27 Jun 2004
This book help me greatly in my a level revision it gave excellent idea's and opinions which i had not heard of before and gave me a new perspetive on the play

Best Revision Guide, 08 Apr 2004
All I can say is that if you're studying A-level Othello, this is the book to have. Its informative, detailed, and brings up many good points which you'd otherwise not think of. A definate buy for those who wish to succeed in their exams.

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, 20 May 2008
This work needs no introduction. Two star crossed lovers, divided by family feud, united by love, can ultimately only be together in death. The word "tragedy" was coined for it.

It is my favourite of Shakespeare's plays and is the original and best. There is nothing wrong with West Side Story or Shakespeare in Love or even William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo di Caprio, but the pure essence of the Bard's poetry is here, in the original.

If it doesn't make you cry you have a heart of stone!

Unbeatable..., 25 Jan 2006
Everyone, but everyone has heard of this play if not read it. Even the Beckhams, aliterate as they seem, saw fit to give the bard a nod by naming one of their brats after the hero of one of Shakespeare's finest plays.

I recently re-read 'Romeo and Juliet' after completing a degree in English. Full of arrogence and the pretension of literary criticism I was sure that 'Hamlet', 'King Lear' and 'Othello' were the finest plays of Shakespeare. That has all changed again now. I had forgotten how sharp and darkly witty this play was and how easy it was to become so emotionally attached to the characters. This is never more so apparent than at the tragic climax of the play that leaves you with the bitter-sweet feeling that you have just experienced one of the finest worls of fiction coupled with the ironic sacrifice of the two most famous characters in history. How can you not love this play?

The perfect love tradgedy, 20 Feb 2004
Quite simply, you need this in your collection. Some of the most quotable (and misquoted) work ever produced. The story is well known to all, but the lyrical qualities only come through when you read this remarkable piece. If you want all the analysis surrounding it, then this is not the version for you (try Arden) but if you want the words - which are enough in themselves - then this is a well priced essential.

A "nine year old" enjoying Shakespeare, 16 Mar 2002
This edition provides an easy way of introducing youngsters into the world of the classics in a small paperback, we have played the parts! and it's amazing how they enjoy and understand.

A beautiful story of two star cross'd lovers..., 30 Apr 2000
This is the most beautiful, love story in the world. The ending (even though it is tear jerking) makes it all the more beautiful and magical.

Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.


Essential, 04 Sep 2008
Really great book that can be used throughout A level study or as a last minute revision guide.

This would be a good investment, 23 Mar 2004
I'm studying Hamlet at the moment and due to the nature of Shakespeare's over descriptive and complicated yet beautiful language, it's quite hard to follow and concentrate upon the plot. Though when I got this guide, I easily grasped what was happening and was able to concentrate more on the themes and language etc which you have to comment on in exams. It is helpful and gives lots of hints and info into what you're supposed to be focusing on in the scenes. It gives you ideas and pushes you in the right direction if you are struggling. It even has a glossary to simplify meanings and words. A more thorough understanding can be made from Hamlet and in the end you'll wonder why you didn't get this sooner. For five pounds, it's worth it, if you get an 'a' in your exams.

Getting to the Heart of Hamlet?, 23 Feb 2004
This is one of the most thorough study guides on the market, not likely to confuse anyone and particularly well informed on the latest developments in critical approaches to the play though never too dense for the average school student to digest. The scene summaries and commentaries are models of clarity and precision whilst the textual analyses are searching, provocative and incisive. There is an excellent bibliography and useful pointers to websites, films and theatrical tradition. An invaluable introduction to advanced studies and a handy revision tool for teachers pressurised to work on the play at short notice!

Nice clear summary of the action, 15 Apr 2002
The best aspect of this guide to Hamlet is the careful scene-by-scene summary of the action. The plot seems not so tricky to follow, after all. It's also good to be reminded of the significant differences between the quarto and folio versions of the play. Perhaps the authors should have devoted a bit more space to the really big issue raised by the play: the intermingling of good and evil in human existence. The assessment of Ophelia's character is strangely thin, as well. But it's very helpful, all in all.

A difficult task, 10 Apr 2000
To make an "informative" notebook on such a vast and complicated work, will never be easy. There are simply too many interpretative opportunities. But York Notes list up most of the basics, in a comprehensive manner.

Absolutely phenominal!, 08 Nov 2008
This is absolutely amazing!
I've always considered myself as a "sensible Audiophile", in the sense that I wouldn't class the most expensive equipment as being the best by any means.
This just proves this. It proves it so well.

I have Rockbox installed on my iPod, listening to a HD Audio File (FLAC, not ALAC). This is phenominal. I can hear so clearly, the vocals, the instrumentals.. It's just mind boggling.
For the price, I would highly recommend this, words just cannot explain the sheer ecstacy my ears are recieving at this moment.

KOSS PORTAPRO, 02 Nov 2008
I have just bought the Koss Portapro headphones and am amaxed at the quality. While the bass doesn't give the stomach-churning bass of my Stax Electrostatics, these phones give excellent quality at a fraction of the cost.
Chris

GOOD FOR QUIET PLACES NOT NOISY ONES., 13 Oct 2008
These headphones are a testimony that not all things from the 80s are dead. They pump out very good, crispy clear music, they are very comfortable with a unique system that takes the pressure off your temple. The style will not be to everybody's liking for myself i don't worry too much about what others may say.
Now the negative. They is a big amount of sound leakage if you use them on the street or on the bus you will be sharing your music with everyone around you. I used them with the 1st generation ipod touch and they don't work well one needs to increase the sound to roughly 90% to really hear it and the outside noise intrusion does not help. I think you need a source with a powerful output. I think that they are more suitable for indoor use, i am moving to the skullcandy hesh but will still use the porta pro on my laptop.

Excellent for the Money!, 10 Oct 2008
These headphones really have to be heard to be believed. I cant believe the sound quality on such inexpensive phones. If you can live with the retro look these really are a must buy. They even come with a handy pouch to store them in when not in use.
Highly Recommend 5 Stars!

if you love heavy beats you'll love this one, 06 Oct 2008
ok, skip the all good nice bass spendid sound quality crispy clear tone etc., cause' we all know it's true! But I would say to a point, you might find the bass too heavy, a bit unbearable. For rock pop metallic lovers porta pro is GOLD, but if you're a classic, Opera, soprano fan who demands more on higher tones, porta pro is acceptable but I would get something else better if I were you.

Brilliant!, 18 Aug 2006
This study guide weas invaluable to me when I was Doing Othello for my A.S levels as my techer was rubbish. thanks to this book though, it really clarified every aspect of the play for me. I definately would have been lost without it. So if you find Shakespeare a bit difficult to understand, getting this study guide (and those of the other plays) would deffinately be a great help to you.

The best study notes around, 22 Nov 2005
Designed for 'A' level students within the UK, these York Notes begin with a brief, but vital piece of advice on how to study a play - what to look for and why. A short introduction to 'Othello' is followed by extensive notes on the play, scene by scene, with further extended commentaries on problematic scenes. There is extensive character analysis of the leading actors, notes on the play's language, imagery, and themes, and a short biography of Shakespeare and exploration of his world. Altogether this is an excellent package.

York Notes provide the best available study guide - sophisticated commentary and analysis, yet accessible and readily comprehensible. However, don't assume it's going to give you pre-packaged answers you can reproduce under exam conditions and, especially, assume that reading the notes will obviate the need to study the play in detail. Read the play thoroughly, read it often, and try to watch a live or recorded production of 'Othello'.

A good study guide stimulates your understanding and makes the play easier to comprehend. It's worth collaborating with your fellow students - buy two or three different sets of study notes between you, share them around, and use them to get a broader perspective (have a look at, say Letts, and Spark Notes). Use the notes dynamically, don't just passively try to memorise them.

York Notes on Shakespeare's "Othello", 04 Jun 2005
A Level English Literiture isn't quite the walkover expected, and although it was plain sailing through the modern texts such as "The Handmaids Tale" and "The Worlds Wife", I came to abrupt block when I was given any texts featuring words such as "thee", "thy" "thence" and "how now"... otherwise known as pre-20th Century texts.
And so when Shakespeare landed on my desk last September, I cannot be blamed for breaking out into a cold sweat and feeling a big ball of dread in my gut and we opened up the play to Act 1, Scene 1.
But there was a light at the end of this dark tunnel. York Notes. I don't rate revision guides much, but York Notes saved me from failer for this module. It's clear and conscice, which is an immediate improvement on my Lit Teacher, and it is also organised into clear sections so you know what you are learning. The scene synopsis' were essential for me in learning to understand the play, and the analysis of LSF in later chapters was the perfect accompanyment to successful revsion.
What I also found a blessing was the guide highlighted key quotes, which made my revision ten-times simpler, and it also pre-analysed my quotes for me, so I didn't have to do the gruling task myself, all I had to do is memorize them!
And the Notes helped, I failed my mocks for this exam, and then after some good hard work on revision, I walked away from my exam with a happy A!
YORK NOTES ARE ESSENTIAL READING FOR LITERITURE STUDENTS!
10/10 - and york notes are avalible to accompany most books at GCSE and As/A2 Level, so have a bit of a search for other titles, they are not always simple to find on here, so try going to Waterstones where they sit together on the shelf!

Must have, 27 Jun 2004
This book help me greatly in my a level revision it gave excellent idea's and opinions which i had not heard of before and gave me a new perspetive on the play

Best Revision Guide, 08 Apr 2004
All I can say is that if you're studying A-level Othello, this is the book to have. Its informative, detailed, and brings up many good points which you'd otherwise not think of. A definate buy for those who wish to succeed in their exams.

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, 20 May 2008
This work needs no introduction. Two star crossed lovers, divided by family feud, united by love, can ultimately only be together in death. The word "tragedy" was coined for it.

It is my favourite of Shakespeare's plays and is the original and best. There is nothing wrong with West Side Story or Shakespeare in Love or even William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet starring Leonardo di Caprio, but the pure essence of the Bard's poetry is here, in the original.

If it doesn't make you cry you have a heart of stone!

Unbeatable..., 25 Jan 2006
Everyone, but everyone has heard of this play if not read it. Even the Beckhams, aliterate as they seem, saw fit to give the bard a nod by naming one of their brats after the hero of one of Shakespeare's finest plays.

I recently re-read 'Romeo and Juliet' after completing a degree in English. Full of arrogence and the pretension of literary criticism I was sure that 'Hamlet', 'King Lear' and 'Othello' were the finest plays of Shakespeare. That has all changed again now. I had forgotten how sharp and darkly witty this play was and how easy it was to become so emotionally attached to the characters. This is never more so apparent than at the tragic climax of the play that leaves you with the bitter-sweet feeling that you have just experienced one of the finest worls of fiction coupled with the ironic sacrifice of the two most famous characters in history. How can you not love this play?

The perfect love tradgedy, 20 Feb 2004
Quite simply, you need this in your collection. Some of the most quotable (and misquoted) work ever produced. The story is well known to all, but the lyrical qualities only come through when you read this remarkable piece. If you want all the analysis surrounding it, then this is not the version for you (try Arden) but if you want the words - which are enough in themselves - then this is a well priced essential.

A "nine year old" enjoying Shakespeare, 16 Mar 2002
This edition provides an easy way of introducing youngsters into the world of the classics in a small paperback, we have played the parts! and it's amazing how they enjoy and understand.

A beautiful story of two star cross'd lovers..., 30 Apr 2000
This is the most beautiful, love story in the world. The ending (even though it is tear jerking) makes it all the more beautiful and magical.

Well written, well laid out and useful, 16 Mar 2008
This book is an excellent introduction to what can be a dense and complex play. It starts with a simple plot outline. It then progresses to more in depth analysis of the play scene by scene. After which it lays out some key themes, symbols and ideas in the play in the forms of mini essays. It has a fairly good glossary, a potted history of Shakespeare himself and how his plays would have appeared. It also has a good time line and chronology, a glossary of common theatrical and critical terms and a good recommended reading list. It is very useful indeed.

Life-saver!, 13 Mar 2008
As a GCSE english student, i didnt get the language used in R&J at first and found the play very hard to read and hard to write an essay on.

This book is a life-saver! It has summaries of each Act as well as character files, clever language and theme ideas (that you are unlikely to find yourself) as well as essay-writing tips. I found the play a lot easier to write about with this book.

Also, it is a good price on here, i paid a fiver for it. What more do you want?!

A fantastic guide to a fantastic play, 08 May 2005
This guide to Romeo and Juliet explains the play in a clear and easily acessible way that makes understanding the play a whole lot easier. With exam tips and in depth as well as summarised explanations it is something you should not be without!

Fascinating and accessible approach to Shakespeare, 05 Nov 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read, admittedly, but it does not bill itself as a Shakepeare textbook or biography and would be a different animal if it was. If you take it at face value, it's a fun read, helped along by Bryson's amusing style.

Read this even if you are bored by Shakespeare, 28 Oct 2008
Bought it as a background book to a historical novel on Shakespeare. I knew so little about the man.It is one of the best books I read all year. Bryson explains with great clarity how scholars are forced to deduce so much with very little hard evidence. Even the basic facts that 'every school-child knows' are really conjectures. No contemporary manuscript of his plays exists. His birthday (23 April) is based upon assumptions drawn from his baptism. Even his picture may not be him. Bryson then dances his way through the host of theories, myths and scholastic analysis over the past five hundred years like a wiry court jester. It helped me make sense of it all and even become quite excited. I finally understood the significance of the different folios/quartos - and even more amazingly, I cared. For the first time in 30 odd years I had the urge to re-read Shakespeare's plays and I even thought about buying an audio-tape of Macbeth. I didn't but my hand hesitantly stretched out towards the shelf before I put it down again.

Makes the most of what little there is to know, 26 Sep 2008
A neat little book exploring what little we know about Shakespeare's life. Bryson hasn't had the easiest of tasks, trying to work a coherent life out of such scant information and vague references to Shakespeare during his lifetime, and all in all he's done well.

It starts a little dry, and the small details get a bit overwhelming - but then, there is little emotive material to work with so detail is there is to offer. Where Bryson excels is in fleshing out these patchy details with other interesting information about the theatrical conventions of the time, life in Stratford and London, and other literary types who surrounded Shakespeare. In doing so he turns this into a much more interesting biography than it would otherwise have been. The last chapter, relating to the various theories that Shakespeare didn't write the plays and sonnets attributed to him, is where Bryson's wit and sharp humour really come into their own as he batters them down one by one, and the book thus ends on a vibrant note which made me laugh aloud and left a lasting smile!

Much Ado About Nothing, 21 Sep 2008
Although his name is oft bandied about as a must read this is the first time I've ever had the chance. Bryson that is not Shakespeare! This serves as a nice intro to Shakespeare the man with a "just the facts ma'am" approach. And as he admits, this slim volume is a testament to the fact that what we can take as absolute fact about Shakespeare is very little at all.

For a giant in literary terms Shakespeare has left very few footprints. However as Bryson points out this isn't as odd as it might sound, one can't reasonably expect records dating 400 years ago to either be in a sturdy condition or to be legible or even to have survived numerous calamities over the years from natural fires to German bombing campaigns. The fact that the actual early copies of manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays account for about 15 % of all surviving plays from the late Elizabethan / early Jacobean period is pretty remarkable in and of itself.

The author obviously allows room to discuss the speculation of other scholars or this would be a very very slim volume indeed, but he clearly demarcates between what is established fact and what is theory. From his early years we get the speculation of his education and whether he was a secret Catholic, to the sparse years in London before becoming an established writer taking in such romantic fancies that he sailed with Drake.

The one thing Bryson holds no stock in at all is the theory that Shakespeare is not the author of the plays and though he dutifully covers all the potential others he is quite clear on the lack of any tangible evidence that anyone other than William of Stratford wrote the plays

The Perfect Layman's Biography of Shakespeare, 13 Sep 2008
Well, I suppose the big beardy Anglophile yank had to do it sooner or later.

As Bryson himself says in his introduction, the world doesn't really need another book on Shakespeare. From the incredibly specific and obscure to the uselessly vague and general, from the trivially lightweight to the inaccessibly somber, the Bard of Stratford is the subject of literally dozens of new books of facts, biography, analysis, opinion, theory and conjecture, every damn year.

For all that, this was a worthwhile book to have written, which is more or less all we'd expect of Bryson, who is a clear, clever and witty writer who rarely fails to please.

Bryson has chosen biography as his goal. The book is written in more or less chronological order, with chapters covering distinct periods in Will's life. Bryson starts by characterising the period, analysing the (usually scant) evidence available, then raising and scrutinising the various popular interpretations about what is known. He detours occasionally into anecdotal discussion about his researches or funny or impressive stories about other people's attempts at research, which all over helps it from getting too dry and to remain a very Bryson book.

Throughout he's diligent about the distinction between evidence and interpretation. The problem is, we actually have pretty slender information about Shakespeare's life: a veritable wealth of data by the standards of Elizabethans in general, but still very little from which to derive any reliable idea of the facts of his life. Inevitably, this means foraying into conjecture from time to time; a practice at which Shakespearean academe excels, but a dangerous one. Bryson gives an example of the famous deer-poaching incident, a romantic guess made in the eighteenth century that was repeated as solid fact in Shakespeare scholarship for more than a hundred years after. Bryson, by contrast, while happy to include reasonable and useful guesses as to how to interpret what is known, is very careful to let you know what's fact - and where it's from - and what's conjecture and how it was arrived at.

If you're seriously into your Shakespeare scholarship, this book probably doesn't have anything new to tell you (although Bryson's research is up to date, and he has access to facts I didn't have at Uni), but if you're only likely to buy one Shakespeare biography in your life, this isn't a bad one to choose.


Essential, 04 Sep 2008
Really great book that can be used throughout A level study or as a last minute revision guide.

This would be a good investment, 23 Mar 2004
I'm studying Hamlet at the moment and due to the nature of Shakespeare's over descriptive and complicated yet beautiful language, it's quite hard to follow and concentrate upon the plot. Though when I got this guide, I easily grasped what was happening and was able to concentrate more on the themes and language etc which you have to comment on in exams. It is helpful and gives lots of hints and info into what you're supposed to be focusing on in the scenes. It gives you ideas and pushes you in the right direction if you are struggling. It even has a glossary to simplify meanings and words. A more thorough understanding can be made from Hamlet and in the end you'll wonder why you didn't get this sooner. For five pounds, it's worth it, if you get an 'a' in your exams.

Getting to the Heart of Hamlet?, 23 Feb 2004
This is one of the most thorough study guides on the market, not likely to confuse anyone and particularly well informed on the latest developments in critical approaches to the play though never too dense for the average school student to digest. The scene summaries and commentaries are models of clarity and precision whilst the textual analyses are searching, provocative and incisive. There is an excellent bibliography and useful pointers to websites, films and theatrical tradition. An invaluable introduction to advanced studies and a handy revision tool for teachers pressurised to work on the play at short notice!

Nice clear summary of the action, 15 Apr 2002
The best aspect of this guide to Hamlet is the careful scene-by-scene summary of the action. The plot seems not so tricky to follow, after all. It's also good to be reminded of the significant differences between the quarto and folio versions of the play. Perhaps the authors should have devoted a bit more space to the really big issue raised by the play: the intermingling of good and evil in human existence. The assessment of Ophelia's character is strangely thin, as well. But it's very helpful, all in all.

A difficult task, 10 Apr 2000
To make an "informative" notebook on such a vast and complicated work, will never be easy. There are simply too many interpretative opportunities. But York Notes list up most of the basics, in a comprehensive manner.

Absolutely phenominal!, 08 Nov 2008
This is absolutely amazing!
I've always considered myself as a "sensible Audiophile", in the sense that I wouldn't class the most expensive equipment as being the best by any means.
This just proves this. It proves it so well.

I have Rockbox installed on my iPod, listening to a HD Audio File (FLAC, not ALAC). This is phenominal. I can hear so clearly, the vocals, the instrumentals.. It's just mind boggling.
For the price, I would highly recommend this, words just cannot explain the sheer ecstacy my ears are recieving at this moment.