The Shakespeare Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained

By Stanley Wells

Book Overview

Learn the entire works of one of the greatest writers of the English language in The Shakespeare Book.

Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about the works of William Shakespeare in this overview guide, great for beginners looking to learn and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike The Shakespeare Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in.

This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Shakespeare, with:

- Every play and poem from Shakespeare (TM)s canon, including lost plays and less well-known works of poetry
- Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts
- A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout
- Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding

The Shakespeare Book is the perfect introduction to the entire canon of Shakespeare (TM)s plays, sonnets, and other poetry, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you (TM)ll discover the complete works, from The Comedy of Errors, to the great tragedies of Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.

Your Shakespeare Questions, Simply Explained

This is a brilliant, innovative exploration of the entire canon of Shakespeare plays, sonnets, and other poetry with detailed plot summaries and a full analysis of the major characters and themes. If you thought it was difficult to learn about the works of one of the greatest writers in the English language, The Shakespeare Book presents key information in a simple layout. Every work is covered, from the comedies of Twelfth Night and As You Like It to the tragedies of Julius Caesar and Hamlet, with easy-to-understand graphics and illustrations bringing the themes, plots, characters, and language of Shakespeare to life.

The Big Ideas Series

With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Shakespeare Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1465481249
• ISBN13: 9781465481245
• Release Date: February 2019
• Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.7" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

We have all heard of the Dummies and Idiots series of books, but few “We Happy Few” have found the “Big Ideas Simply Explained” series. One book that stands out is the book “The Shakespeare Book.” We all have favorites; my favorite is Hamlet. However, after reading this book, you may change your mind or add more to your favorites. We get snippets of the play, the background, the context, pictures from the films, a running timeline, family trees, relationship trees, and new perspectives. I have to admit that it helps to know most of the content before reading so you can pick out the jewels that you may have missed. I read from front to back; however, this makes a great reference just before watching the particular play or reading a sonnet. This book is “…such stuff that dreams are made of.”