All Things Shakespeare: An Encyclopedia of Shakespeare's World

(Hardback, 2nd edition)

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Description

What are Iago's duties as Othello's Ensign, and why is he so dissatisfied with the appointment Falstaff loves to drink sack - but what is sack When Kent calls Oswald a 'whoreson, glass-gazing, super-serviceable, finical rogue', what is he getting at Shakespeare's plays contain some of the great death scenes in literature - but what was the Jacobean attitude to death, what were the last rites, who washed and dressed the corpse, and what happened at the funeralShakespeare's original audience would have needed no help with references to their everyday lives. For play-goers four hundred years later "All Things Shakespeare" is an invaluable compendium of fascinating explanations on topics as varied as astrology, hunting, children's games, money, beer-brewing, servants, alehouses, the army and the law, each linked to specific allusions in the works. Fact-filled and user-friendly, the guide can be used before or after seeing a play, or for armchair browsing, to increase your understanding and enhance your enjoyment of our greatest dramatist.

Reviews

"Described as a concise encyclopedia, All Things Shakespeare is actually a detailed and fascinating reference book. Designed as a useful guide to the world that Shakespeare lived in and recreated in his work, the book is accessible, informative (without being dry) and often surprising too. Its contents range all the way from 'Alchemy' to 'Writing' via a great many entries on well-trodden topics and some more obscure subjects. Everyday life is described through entries on clothing, markets, household objects, business and marriage but more unusual or difficult concepts are also explained. The reader will find entries on the nine Worthies and the Five Wits, religion, suicide and astrology. Infinitely useful for students, teachers, and the interested general reader alike, there is also a bibliography and topic guide with suggestions for further reading."-The Shakespeare Bookshop Newsletter
[T]his detailed and informative encyclopedia describes Shakespeare's physical environment, including common objects, daily activities, and popular beliefs and attitudes....Recommended for all libraries.-Library Journal
All Things Shakespeare offers excellent background material for students trying to place Shakespeare's works in historical context. Recommended. General readers and undergraduates.-Choice
An ideal reference for those looking for information on the physical world of Shakespeare's time.-School Library Journal Focus on Shakespeare
Olsen has done the reference world a service by compiling a crackerjack guide to the Elizabethan milieu.... Students, teachers, librarians, actors, and readers will have little difficulty navigating the text to explain tidbits from Shakespeare's writings. Recommended for high-school, public, and undergraduate libraries.-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
Starred Review ...Most teens will find Olsen's rendering to be an irresistible peek into a world every bit as strange as that described in many a space fantasy. Even those who profess little familiarity with the great works of Shakespeare of the intricacies of English history will find these volumes fascinating.-School Library Journal
Starred Review Easy to use and unique in its coverage, the book will be desired by Shakespeare fans and English teachers alike. Every library should have a copy. Highly Recommended.-Library Media Connection
Useful to students and teachers alike, the set will be valuable to directors, actors, historians, and avid readers of Shakespeare who wish to learn more about the intimate details of the world in which he lived.-VOYA
"This detailed and informative encyclopedia describes Shakespeare's physical environment, including common objects, daily activities, and popular beliefs and attitudes....Recommended for all libraries."-Library Journal
"[T]his detailed and informative encyclopedia describes Shakespeare's physical environment, including common objects, daily activities, and popular beliefs and attitudes....Recommended for all libraries."-Library Journal
"All Things Shakespeare offers excellent background material for students trying to place Shakespeare's works in historical context. Recommended. General readers and undergraduates."-Choice
"An ideal reference for those looking for information on the physical world of Shakespeare's time."-School Library Journal Focus on Shakespeare
"Starred Review ...Most teens will find Olsen's rendering to be an irresistible peek into a world every bit as strange as that described in many a space fantasy. Even those who profess little familiarity with the great works of Shakespeare of the intricacies of English history will find these volumes fascinating."-School Library Journal
"Starred Review Easy to use and unique in its coverage, the book will be desired by Shakespeare fans and English teachers alike. Every library should have a copy. Highly Recommended."-Library Media Connection
"Useful to students and teachers alike, the set will be valuable to directors, actors, historians, and avid readers of Shakespeare who wish to learn more about the intimate details of the world in which he lived."-VOYA
"Olsen has done the reference world a service by compiling a crackerjack guide to the Elizabethan milieu.... Students, teachers, librarians, actors, and readers will have little difficulty navigating the text to explain tidbits from Shakespeare's writings. Recommended for high-school, public, and undergraduate libraries."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

Author Bio

Kirstin Olsen is a freelance writer and the author of several reference works, including All Things Shakespeare (2002) and All Things Austen (2005), both available from Greenwood Press.