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Off the shelf

Book excerpts, reviews, author interviews, and reading recommendations
Excerpt - 'How to Behave Badly in Elizabethan England' by Ruth Goodman
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Excerpt - 'How to Behave Badly in Elizabethan England' by Ruth Goodman

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From rudeness to gross behavior, Ruth Goodman’s book “How to Behave Badly in Elizabethan England” sheds some surprising light on what bad behavior really meant, including the reason that Shakespeare had Sampson threaten to “bite my thumb” at another character…

Excerpt - 'Decorating a Room of One's Own' by Susan Harlan
Susan Harlan,
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Excerpt - 'Decorating a Room of One's Own' by Susan Harlan

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A detailed but absurd decor chat with Lady Macbeth is one of Susan Harlan’s many hilarious design interviews with literary figures in her new book “Decorating a Room of One’s Own.”

Excerpt - 'The Shakespeare Requirement' by Julie Schumacher
The Shakespeare Requirement cover image
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Excerpt - 'The Shakespeare Requirement' by Julie Schumacher

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In her new novel “The Shakespeare Requirement,” Julie Schumacher continues her satirical commentary on the humanities in academia.

Mary Baker and the legacy of Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Anne Hathway
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Mary Baker and the legacy of Anne Hathaway's Cottage

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This excerpt from a new book by Katherine West Scheil explores the 19th-century transformation of the Anne Hathaway Cottage into a tourist destination.

After Sarah Bernhardt: Frances de la Tour's 1979 performance as Hamlet
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After Sarah Bernhardt: Frances de la Tour's 1979 performance as Hamlet

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Jonathan Croall writes about Frances de la Tour’s 1979 performance as Hamlet, the first woman to do so on the English stage since Sarah Bernhardt.

Excerpt - Shakespeare in the Theatre: Peter Sellars
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Excerpt - Shakespeare in the Theatre: Peter Sellars

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This excerpt from Ayanna Thompson’s book explores Peter Sellars’s “uniquely American take on William Shakespeare” and his 1980 production of King Lear.

Stephen Greenblatt on 'Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics'
Stephen Greenblatt
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Stephen Greenblatt on 'Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics'

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Stephen Greenblatt discusses and reads short excerpts from his new book, “Tyrant,” which looks at how Shakespeare portrayed political leaders in his plays.

Excerpt: 'Macbeth' by Jo Nesbø
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Excerpt: 'Macbeth' by Jo Nesbø

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Read an excerpt from ‘Macbeth’, Norwegian detective crime novelist Jo Nesbø’s retelling of Shakespeare’s play, from the Hogarth Shakespeare series.

Excerpt: 'Julius Caesar and Me: Exploring Shakespeare’s African Play'
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Excerpt: 'Julius Caesar and Me: Exploring Shakespeare’s African Play'

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Read an excerpt from actor Paterson Joseph’s book about playing the role of Brutus in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed 2012 production of Julius Caesar.

Excerpt: 'Year of the Mad King' by Antony Sher
Antony Sher
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Excerpt: 'Year of the Mad King' by Antony Sher

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What’s it like to play the role of Lear onstage? In this excerpt from Year of the Mad King: The Lear Diaries, actor Antony Sher gives us a window into the rehearsal process for the Royal Shakespeare Company production of King…

Books on Shakespeare and race for Black History Month
Photo of books focusing on Shakespeare and race arranged on a table
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Books on Shakespeare and race for Black History Month

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Celebrate Black History Month with five books and one essay about race in early modern Europe and in Shakespeare’s plays.

Excerpt: Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell
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Excerpt: Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell

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“Fools and Mortals,” a new novel from New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, tells the story of the first production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in Elizabethan England, from the perspective of William Shakespeare’s younger brother Richard.

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