This "multiple biography" follows the quest throughout history for knowledge of Shakespeare the man. The author has collected information gleaned from the early formal lives, biographical notes in 18th-century editions, newspapers, magazines, miscellanies, prefaces to popular collections and encyclopaedia entries. In addition, Professor Schoenbaum documents the theories of amateurs, eccentrics and cranks. For this revised edition, the author has throughout added new material and in his epilogue surveys the work of the ...
Read More
This "multiple biography" follows the quest throughout history for knowledge of Shakespeare the man. The author has collected information gleaned from the early formal lives, biographical notes in 18th-century editions, newspapers, magazines, miscellanies, prefaces to popular collections and encyclopaedia entries. In addition, Professor Schoenbaum documents the theories of amateurs, eccentrics and cranks. For this revised edition, the author has throughout added new material and in his epilogue surveys the work of the generation which has elapsed since the book was first published.
Read Less
Add this copy of Shakespeares Lives (Oxford Paperbacks) to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Oxford Paperbacks.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives (Oxford Paperbacks) to cart. $5.13, good condition, Sold by Goldstone Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Ammanford, CARMS, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Oxford Paperbacks.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives (Oxford Paperbacks) to cart. $9.34, fair condition, Sold by Open Books Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Spine creased, but binding still sound. Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives to cart. $9.36, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives to cart. $9.36, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives to cart. $11.92, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives to cart. $27.00, very good condition, Sold by Library Market rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waynesville, OH, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Shakespeare's Lives to cart. $59.13, new condition, Sold by Just one more Chapter rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Miramar, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Shakespeares Lives to cart. $17.00, very good condition, Sold by Sixth Chamber Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from River Falls, WI, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Oxford University Press, USA.
***** Samuel Shoenbaum's 'Shakespeare's Lives' is probably the most amazing biography I've ever read. Fiction never gets as wild or as crazy as the real people, real events, and real ideas of which Shoenbaum tells in this book.
Mr. Shoenbaum starts by giving a lively account of the life of William Shakespeare. I learned what scholars actually know about the man, about his life, about his career as a poet and playwright, about his wife, his parents, his family, his friends, his rivals, his death, his burial, the myths and the legends told and retold about him -- the works.
All of that made a good read even if it is pretty mild stuff. But then -- when I was a hundred pages into this thing -- a heading announced 'The Rise of Bardolatry'. That's where the wild stuff started.
From that point forward I grew steadily more amazed by the thoughts, the words, the deeds perpetrated by a growing legion of scholars, writers, eccentrics, weirdos, run-of-the-mill nutbags and howling, screeching loons. When I met Delia Bacon, I was jolted by the realization that I'd been lured into a Bedlam full of hollow-eyed ghouls straight out of Edgar Allan Poe or Bram Stoker.
It was hard to get my mind around the number and the types of characters obsessed with Shakespeare and his corpse and his corpus. It was a shock to learn the names (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Carlyle, et al.) of people who've encouraged the crazies. By the time I met Delia Bacon (Brrrr!) I saw there were about 200 pages left, but I really didn't mind the trip. It was sort of a walk in the park. You know -- the park out behind the asylum.
The gist of it is that you don't need to be sedated or to be a fan of Shakespeare to read and appreciate this book. In fact, an intimate knowledge of the plays and sonnets doesn't really help much here. I came away from 'Shakespeare's Lives' convinced that truth really IS stranger than fiction. You will, too, and you will savor the thought.
