This is a new novel I picked up recently. I know the Shakespeare challenge has not started yet, but I just wanted to link to my review as I really really enjoyed this novel.
Interred with their Bones
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Shakespeare Challenge Participants & new books
Here is the list of people (so far) who are planning to do this challenge.
3M
Ex-Libris
Shannan's Books
Callista
Susan
Naida
Historia
The 1599 book that someone mentioned is called "A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare, by James Shapiro, although my copy of the book has this cover.
And I just received from Harper Collins today, Bill Bryson's new book called Shakespeare - The World as Stage. It's not due to be released until next week (October 23rd) so I might read it early, just to help generate good sales.
Another good suggestion was left in the comments. One new book to try is "The Shakespeare Diaries: A Fictional Autobiography, by J. P Wearing." This is actually a mixture of fact and fiction with fascinating insights and conjectures. This also seems to be an English book, not North American. In Canada, (Toronto & Montreal) you might want to look for it at Nick Hoares.
3M
Ex-Libris
Shannan's Books
Callista
Susan
Naida
Historia
The 1599 book that someone mentioned is called "A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare, by James Shapiro, although my copy of the book has this cover.
And I just received from Harper Collins today, Bill Bryson's new book called Shakespeare - The World as Stage. It's not due to be released until next week (October 23rd) so I might read it early, just to help generate good sales.
Another good suggestion was left in the comments. One new book to try is "The Shakespeare Diaries: A Fictional Autobiography, by J. P Wearing." This is actually a mixture of fact and fiction with fascinating insights and conjectures. This also seems to be an English book, not North American. In Canada, (Toronto & Montreal) you might want to look for it at Nick Hoares.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Shakespeare Challenge
This challenge is about William Shakespeare. Your challenge (if you choose to accept it) is to read 4 (four) books about Shakespeare. Not just the plays but anything about him.You can read fiction, non-fiction, anything that supports his being the author, anything that does not support him being the author. If you want to read the plays and/or the sonnets, that's fine too.
This challenge will run for 6 months, from January 1st to June 30th, 2008. Crossovers are acceptable.
If anyone wants to join this blog, please email Historia with your email address, and I will send you an invite.
Edmund Ironside, Shakespeare's Face and other musings
Went shopping today and picked up 2 very interesting books about Shakespeare. And I have found a new website. Elizabethan Authors.
I have finally been able to purchase a copy of the book Shakespeare's Face, by Stephanie Nolen. This book is about the discovery and research on the Sanders Portrait.
Has anyone ever heard of a play called Edmund Ironside? This book Shakespeare's Edmund Ironside The Lost Play was published around 1986 by Eric Sams.
E.B. Everitt and Eric Sams have argued that this play is perhaps Shakespeare's first drama. According to Sams, Edmund Ironside "contains some 260 words or usages which on the evidence of the Oxford English Dictionary were first used by Shakespeare himself.... Further, it exhibits 635 instances of Shakespeare's rare words including some 300 of the rarest." However, this argument has failed to convince the majority of Shakespearian scholars. [Wikipedia]
And back in April, some nice person left a comment that suggested that I read the book The Mysterious [William] Shakespeare by Charlton Ogburn - all 890 pages of it. First I have to find it. Here's an interview with Mr Ogburn before he died.
Just a reminder that you can see the 6 supposedly authentic Shakespeare signatures here.
So Who was Shakespeare?
I have finally been able to purchase a copy of the book Shakespeare's Face, by Stephanie Nolen. This book is about the discovery and research on the Sanders Portrait.
Has anyone ever heard of a play called Edmund Ironside? This book Shakespeare's Edmund Ironside The Lost Play was published around 1986 by Eric Sams.E.B. Everitt and Eric Sams have argued that this play is perhaps Shakespeare's first drama. According to Sams, Edmund Ironside "contains some 260 words or usages which on the evidence of the Oxford English Dictionary were first used by Shakespeare himself.... Further, it exhibits 635 instances of Shakespeare's rare words including some 300 of the rarest." However, this argument has failed to convince the majority of Shakespearian scholars. [Wikipedia]
And back in April, some nice person left a comment that suggested that I read the book The Mysterious [William] Shakespeare by Charlton Ogburn - all 890 pages of it. First I have to find it. Here's an interview with Mr Ogburn before he died.
Just a reminder that you can see the 6 supposedly authentic Shakespeare signatures here.
So Who was Shakespeare?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Actors question Bard's authorship
Interesting article Re Shakespeare's Authorship - courtesy of Bibliothecary
September 9th, 2007
BBC News
Actors question Bard's authorship
Actors including Sir Derek Jacobi and Mark Rylance have launched a debate over who really wrote the works of William Shakespeare. Almost 300 people have signed a "declaration of reasonable doubt", which they hope will prompt further research into the issue.
"I subscribe to the group theory. I don't think anybody could do it on their own," Sir Derek said.
The group says there are no records of Shakespeare being paid for his work. While documents do exist for Shakespeare, who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, all are non-literary. In particular, his will, in which he left his wife "my second best bed with the furniture" contains none of his famous turns of phrase and it does not mention any books, plays or poems.
Illiterate household
The 287-strong Shakespeare Authorship Coalition says it is not possible that the bard's plays - with their emphasis on law - could have been penned by a 16th Century commoner raised in an illiterate household.
The group asks if one man alone could have come up with his works
It asks why most of his plays are set among the upper classes, and why Stratford-upon-Avon is never referred to in any of his plays.
"How did he become so familiar with all things Italian so that even obscure details in these plays are accurate?" the group adds.
Conspiracy theories have circulated since the 18th Century about a number of figures who could have used Shakespeare as a pen-name, including playwright Christopher Marlowe, nobleman Edward de Vere and Francis Bacon.
"I think the leading light was probably de Vere as I agree that an author writes about his own experience, his own life and personalities," Sir Derek said.
The declaration, unveiled at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester, West Sussex, also names 20 prominent doubters of the past, including Mark Twain, Orson Welles, Sir John Gielgud and Charlie Chaplin.
'Legitimate question'
A copy was presented to Dr William Leahy, head of English at London's Brunel University and convenor of the first MA in Shakespeare authorship studies, to be launched later this month.
"It has been a battle of mine for the last couple of years to get this into academia," Dr Leahy said.
"It's a legitimate question, it has a mystery at its centre and intellectual discussion will bring us closer to that centre. "That's not to say we will answer anything, that's not the point. It is, of course, to question."
September 9th, 2007
BBC News
Actors question Bard's authorship
Actors including Sir Derek Jacobi and Mark Rylance have launched a debate over who really wrote the works of William Shakespeare. Almost 300 people have signed a "declaration of reasonable doubt", which they hope will prompt further research into the issue.
"I subscribe to the group theory. I don't think anybody could do it on their own," Sir Derek said.
The group says there are no records of Shakespeare being paid for his work. While documents do exist for Shakespeare, who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, all are non-literary. In particular, his will, in which he left his wife "my second best bed with the furniture" contains none of his famous turns of phrase and it does not mention any books, plays or poems.
Illiterate household
The 287-strong Shakespeare Authorship Coalition says it is not possible that the bard's plays - with their emphasis on law - could have been penned by a 16th Century commoner raised in an illiterate household.
The group asks if one man alone could have come up with his works
It asks why most of his plays are set among the upper classes, and why Stratford-upon-Avon is never referred to in any of his plays.
"How did he become so familiar with all things Italian so that even obscure details in these plays are accurate?" the group adds.
Conspiracy theories have circulated since the 18th Century about a number of figures who could have used Shakespeare as a pen-name, including playwright Christopher Marlowe, nobleman Edward de Vere and Francis Bacon.
"I think the leading light was probably de Vere as I agree that an author writes about his own experience, his own life and personalities," Sir Derek said.
The declaration, unveiled at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester, West Sussex, also names 20 prominent doubters of the past, including Mark Twain, Orson Welles, Sir John Gielgud and Charlie Chaplin.
'Legitimate question'
A copy was presented to Dr William Leahy, head of English at London's Brunel University and convenor of the first MA in Shakespeare authorship studies, to be launched later this month.
"It has been a battle of mine for the last couple of years to get this into academia," Dr Leahy said.
"It's a legitimate question, it has a mystery at its centre and intellectual discussion will bring us closer to that centre. "That's not to say we will answer anything, that's not the point. It is, of course, to question."
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The Latest Shakespeare News
Apologies for the long Silence. I had brain surgery in July and am still recovering. Here are some new found stories about Shakespeare.
New Book - Shakespeare's Wife London UK August 20, 2007
The Grafton Portrait is NOT William Shakespeare October 2005
New Book - Shakespeare's Wife London UK August 20, 2007
The Grafton Portrait is NOT William Shakespeare October 2005
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Shakespeare Authorship Studies Conference
I found a very interesting Shakespeare website this week. Shakespeare Authorship Studies Conference. From the Concordia University in Portland Oregon. Here are the Conference Details. It was held in April 2007.
Studies that advance our understanding of other writers of the time, e.g., George Peele, Robert Greene, Francis and Anthony Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser, Thomas Kyd, et al are featured as well.
Guess which name is not listed as other? Because it is appears to be the main area of study.
Edward De Vere - otherwise known as the 17th Earl of Oxford.
Studies that advance our understanding of other writers of the time, e.g., George Peele, Robert Greene, Francis and Anthony Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser, Thomas Kyd, et al are featured as well.
Guess which name is not listed as other? Because it is appears to be the main area of study.
Edward De Vere - otherwise known as the 17th Earl of Oxford.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)