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Review
Praise for ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ (HB):
‘A modern classic.’ The New York Times
‘It represents a wonderful education, and all schools would be better places if it were the core science reader on the curriculum.’ Times Literary Supplement
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'Always witty and sometimes hilarious…wonderfully funny and
touching.' Literary Review
Review
Praise for 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' (HB): 'A modern classic.' The New York Times 'It represents a wonderful education, and all schools would be better places if it were the core science reader on the curriculum.' Times Literary Supplement Praise for 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid': 'Outlandishly and improbably entertaining!inevitably [I] would be reduced to body-racking, tear-inducing, de-couching laughter.' New York Times 'Always witty and sometimes hilarious!wonderfully funny and touching.' Literary Review
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
143 of 147 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a very entertaining and informative account of the life and works of William Shakespere. Although the book is short, there is much fascinating information packed into it. I found it particularly fascinating to read about the huge contribution Shakespeare made to the development of the English language, and the large number of words now in common usage that were originally coined by him. Many myths about Shakespeare are cheeerfuly debunked by Mr Bryson, like the one about his work as an author never being mentioned in his lifetime, and the one about less being known about him than other contemporary dramatists (apparently more is known about Shakespeare than any of the others). The final chapter, in which Mr Bryson cheerfuly disposes of the fantasies of those who claim that Shakespeare didn't write Shakespeare, is particularly entertaining.
The only complaint I have about this book is that I wish it had been longer, since Bill Bryson writes about his subject so entertainingly. However, Mr Bryson has evidentl taken to heart Shakespeare's own aphorism "brevity is the soul of wit."
The only complaint I have about this book is that I wish it had been longer, since Bill Bryson writes about his subject so entertainingly. However, Mr Bryson has evidentl taken to heart Shakespeare's own aphorism "brevity is the soul of wit."
99 of 103 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an easily readable and short life of Shakespeare written for a series called "Eminent Lives" and strangely coming after books on George Balanchine and George Crick!! In it Bill Bryson, in his inimitable witty style, tells us how little is known of WS's life but then goes on to examine what others have conjectured about it, pouring scorn on so many of the theories. I have read several attempts at Shakespeare biographies but still learned something from this [especially on the Bard's neologisms] but my favourite was the final debunking of the attempts to say the plays were written by someone else. Bryson does this so amusingly [can it be true that of the 5000 books written to prove Shakespeare's plays were written by someone other than Shakespeare, three were by Messers Looney, Silliman and Battey?!] that I was actually laughing as I read it. For example, on the claims for Marlowe to have been the real Shakespeare, Bryson writes "He was the right age ..., had the requisite talent and would certainly have had ample leisure after 1593, assuming he wasn't too dead to work."
So, Bryson has produced just what his publishers wanted, a brief biography that anyone can read and learn from, which appears both learned and well researched on the one hand, but also enjoyable and amusing on the other.
So, Bryson has produced just what his publishers wanted, a brief biography that anyone can read and learn from, which appears both learned and well researched on the one hand, but also enjoyable and amusing on the other.
54 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is well worth buying and is an interesting and enjoyable read. Bill Bryson is always worth reading, his common sense and down to earth style are always entertaining. What better subject could he have than our greatest writer ? So the book is onto a winner and delivers. I found it an easy and diverting read on holiday. I learned things I didn't know, about Shakespeare's "missing periods", about his relationship with Anne, about the extent to which he was a Jacobean as much as an Elizabethan writer. I particularly liked the debunking of those who claim that Shakespeare didn't write "Shakespeare".
So why only three stars? Well, the book comes across exactly as what it is, a commission. "Bill, could you write us a brief book about Shakespeare?" As such it firstly it feels a bit cobbled together, a bit rushed off. Secondly it is rather lacking in depth. Thirdly it rather lacks structure jumping erractically between the specifics of Shakespeare's life and the generalities of the world around him.
I am probably being over critical, in that the book does exactly what it says on the tin and is well worth a read. I just feel that if the drive to write the book had come from Bill Bryson rather than being a commission, the end result would have been a deeper more satisfying work.
So in summary, recommended as a good light read, just don't expect too much.
So why only three stars? Well, the book comes across exactly as what it is, a commission. "Bill, could you write us a brief book about Shakespeare?" As such it firstly it feels a bit cobbled together, a bit rushed off. Secondly it is rather lacking in depth. Thirdly it rather lacks structure jumping erractically between the specifics of Shakespeare's life and the generalities of the world around him.
I am probably being over critical, in that the book does exactly what it says on the tin and is well worth a read. I just feel that if the drive to write the book had come from Bill Bryson rather than being a commission, the end result would have been a deeper more satisfying work.
So in summary, recommended as a good light read, just don't expect too much.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bill Bryson - Shakespeare
Easy to read, this books gives an excellent basic knowledge of Shakespeare. It is particularly concerned with the person of Shakespeare and the world he is writing in. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Charlie West
Excellent
Very informative and debunks myths and false claims effectively. A super contribution of my understanding to Shakespeare and his times.
Published 2 months ago by dan
I Never Met A Bryson Book I Didn't Love.....
...... until now. There's no two ways about it - it's DULL. I only made it 1/4 through before giving up. And I am a huge Bill Bryson fan. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. Trudie A. Bamford
Shakespeare
Some describe this as a must-read, and I agree. I now know more about Shakespeare than I ever did.
I like Bill Bryson's writing, he provides entertainment along the way, even... Read more
I like Bill Bryson's writing, he provides entertainment along the way, even... Read more
Published 5 months ago by cross-chrissy
review f shakespeare world
another good read from bill bryson not as easy going as some of his books but well wth purchasing it gives an incite it to times around shakespears life and how little is really... Read more
Published 6 months ago by sweetpea
Fascinating book - made even better with the illustrations
It's a great book - not a new study of Shakespeare , just a fascinating introduction to how much - or rather, how little - we know about William Shakespeare and the various studies... Read more
Published 7 months ago by oleg
Shiny and witty
Having just posted a very sour review of Bill Bryson's "At Home", I feel I should redress the balance by praising this great little book. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Caterina
Bryson's Shakespeare
As an arts graduate, Shakespeare was on the menu and has been for some time; I have a long shelf of books on his plays, his life and his theatre. Read more
Published 8 months ago by RR Waller
easy reading
its made abundently clear by bill bryson that no one knows much about shakespeares history but what is know and the conjecture which is discussed is interesting. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Al Dude
Shakespeare:The world as a stage.
The book was brilliant and certainly set the scene for the background to his plays.
I would recommend this to others.
I would recommend this to others.
Published 9 months ago by margaret
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