The Tempest by William Shakespeare
I‘m tempted to just let the title be my review, but if I want to count this review towards my total, it has to be at least 250 words. I haven’t read this play in ten years. I’ve never seen it performed. It’s never been my favorite, even though I’ve read it several times now. The best parts of it involve several of Shakespeare’s most classic lines: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, […]
The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 by James Shapiro
This was extremely interesting. I am not deluded enough to think that it would be interesting for everyone. If you like historical analysis of notable literary texts, this book will be your jam. Especially if you are into Shakespeare. I have decided that this combination of historical context and literary analysis is something I really like. One of my favorite books of the last several years was Jane Austen, the Secret Radical, which did something similar, except across Austen’s entire career instead of focusing on only […]
Yorick and Bones by Jeremy Tankard
You must have a certain type of humor to understand some of Yorick and Bones. The Shakespearian references can be amusing, but not always easy to read. I have a very basic knowledge on the subject; therefore, I was able to see the humor/joke and able to read the parts that are more “Shakespearian language” in nature. Yorick themselves only speaks in that “old English/Shakespearian” (to a point) which is where the humor comes from. However, it is modern enough to keep today’s reader not […]
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare My rating: 3 of 5 stars “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the story of a love quadrangle gone awry. Hermia loves Lysander, but her father wants her marry Demetrius. Helena, Hermia’s best friend, is in love with Demetrius but he can’t stand Helena. Hermia and Lysander decide to escape to the forest (read green world) so they can be together. Helena is made aware of the plans but is angry with Hermia so she tells Demetrius in order […]
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
My mother wanted to take me to a summer, outdoor production of Twelfth Night for my birthday, which I thought was a great idea. My reading of Shakespeare is a little light. I’m very familiar with Romeo and Juliet and I’ve read Othello, but that’s about it. In order to adequately prepare for the show, I decided to read the play. My only knowledge of Twelfth Night before I read the play came from the end of Shakespeare in Love. Shakespeare is saying goodbye to Viola and says he’ll write a play for […]
Utopia by Thomas More
Sonnets by William Shakespeare
Heloise and Abelard by Peter Abelard and Heloise
Fairy Tales by Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm
Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault
Utopia – 3/5 Stars Have you read Utopia? I hadn’t before this. I decided to read it because it’s one of those books that has always been in the periphery of my life and life’s reading because of how much I’ve read dystopian literature. But I avoided it. It reads a lot like Plato’s Republic and makes references to it, and it’s presented like a would be travelogue. Sort of like later books like Thoma Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia or Jan Morris’s […]
