A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare Audiobook By James Shapiro cover art

A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

1599

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A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

By: James Shapiro
Narrated by: James Shapiro
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What accounts for Shakespeare’s transformation from talented poet and playwright to one of the greatest writers who ever lived?

In this gripping account, James Shapiro sets out to answer this question, "succeed[ing] where others have fallen short." (Boston Globe)

1599 was an epochal year for Shakespeare and England. During that year, Shakespeare wrote four of his most famous plays: Henry the Fifth, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, and, most remarkably, Hamlet; Elizabethans sent off an army to crush an Irish rebellion, weathered an Armada threat from Spain, gambled on a fledgling East India Company, and waited to see who would succeed their aging and childless queen.

James Shapiro illuminates both Shakespeare’s staggering achievement and what Elizabethans experienced in the course of 1599, bringing together the news and the intrigue of the times with a wonderful evocation of how Shakespeare worked as an actor, businessman, and playwright. The result is an exceptionally immediate and gripping account of an inspiring moment in history.

©2005 James Shapiro (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Art & Literature Authors Drama Education Europe Historical Literary History & Criticism Middle Ages

Editorial reviews

James Shapiro's blunt American tones sound raw compared to the elegant enunciations of most Shakespeare recordings, but he conveys better than anyone the vigor, bustle, and commercial necessity of so much of Shakespeare's life and work. Focusing on a single productive year, a dramatic one in English history, Shapiro has the advantage of a cohesive narrative, something missing in most Shakespeare biographies. This tight abridgment mixes critical analysis, political and stage history, and Shapiro's own wonderful narrations from Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, and Hamlet, accompanied by a selection of scenes from their stage productions. Of these, Shapiro's narrations, if not the most dulcet, remain the most persuasive and satisfying.

Critic reviews

"Shapiro's shrewd discussion of what is arguably Shakespeare's greatest play, particularly its multiple versions, rounds out this accessible yet erudite work." (Publishers Weekly)
"Quite brilliant....It gives a whole large picture of his life, times, and achievement. Wonderful." (Andrew Motion)
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I had to do an essay and needed to listen to speed up my work. It's well done. I enjoyed the way the material was presented with a pleasant voice and appropriate emphasis.

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...you will love this book. Shapiro looks at Shakespeare through a new lens and focuses his and our attention on his most creatively productive year. He helps us understand what shaped the man who wrote Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and Hamlet in one amazing burst of energy.
This is a fresh and refreshing look at both the four plays and the man and his times. I reccommend this listen for anyone who loves the Bard and/or anyone who loves these four plays. The 45 minutes of excerpts from these plays by the great actors is a nice bonus at the end.

If you love Shakespeare

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I have read another book by this author. It is probably a good thing this one was abridged, given the author's tendency to long-windedness. This book was facinating, laying out the works of WS from 1599 in the context of the time.

Exellent, helps one to see the context

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The entire book was out of order I would not recommend. The book itself is fantastic, but as I was following allowing the audible book would jump to different sections. For example, I wanted to read chapter four, but in place of chapter four in the audible was chapter 7!

The book was out of order

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What would have made A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare better?

It's all my fault for not noticing--but this is a much abridged version on audio. The reading--even though performed well (and presumably cut) by the author himself--leaves out most of the more fascinating parts of the superb book. So, I'd say this is one to do that old-fashioned thing with--read it!

Note!--Abridged version

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