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books and gifts for shakespeare fans (and anyone who wants to understand shakespeare better)
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items I spend most of my time making shakespeare easier to understand. I have spent over 20 years studying shakespeare as an actor, director, and scholar. these are my favorite resources, books, and gifts for people who love shakespeare (or want to underst...
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Shakespeare Books and Resources
Gifts for the Shakespeare Fan
Shakespeare Books and Resources
Whether you are just getting started with Shakespeare or looking for more resources to support your understanding of Shakespeare, here are some of my favorite books and resources on Shakespeare.
While I prefer Arden editions for individual plays, when I’m asked about Complete Works, I have to recommend this one. It is based on the first folio, has good footnotes, and features margin notes about how different RSC productions staged certain mo...
The Rsc Shakespeare: The Complete Works
This book was required in one of my college classes, and I love sharing it with people! It has monologues from every Shakespeare play along with contextual information and ideas on how to perform the piece. It’s like a book of monologue cheat codes.
Speak the Speech!: Shakespeare's Monologues
This is a delightful read from one of our greatest living Shakespearean actors. Dench has some great theatre stories and insights into performing Shakespeare.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent
This is an online version of the Schmidt Lexicon, which contains definitions of every word in every Shakespeare play. Since word meanings have shifted since Shakespeare’s time, this is a reliable way to look up what exactly the word means in the cont...
Schmidt Shakespeare Lexicon - Perseus Digital Library
Shakespeare uses a lot of flower imagery and metaphor in his plays. This book is a fantastic resource for understanding the meanings of references to flowers.
Shakespeare's Flowers by Kerr & Dowden
This is a MUST READ. John Barton and his students share so much wisdom about performing and understanding Shakespeare. There are also videos of sections of the book available on YouTube!
Playing Shakespeare: An Actor's Guide - Barton
One of the best ways to understand Shakespeare is to see it live! Shakespeare’s Globe Player lets you stream their past productions.
Globe Player
Self-plug here as I produce this! Shakespeare Anyone? is an Apple Top 50 Performing Arts Podcast that makes Shakespeare easier to understand, minus the bardolatry. We’ve covered 10 plays so far!
Shakespeare Anyone?
Gifts for the Shakespeare Fan
If you love Shakespeare or know someone who does, these are some of my favorite Shakespeare-themed things that I’ve received as gifts or bought for myself
A friend got me this pin—I love Literary Emporium’s artwork and the entire Shakespeare’s Heroines collection
Lady Macbeth Enamel Pin - Shakespeare's Heroines Collection - Book Lover - Feminist Pin - Shakespeare Pin Badge - Literature Gift
One of my favorite subtly Shakespearean shirts
Ophelia T-Shirt- Shakespeare's Heroines Collection - Skull Tshirt -Hamlet - Book Lover - Slogan T-shirt - Feminism - Shakespeare Quote
I get loads of compliments when I wear this sweatshirt. It’s super cozy and I love the fit.
Coffee and Shakespeare Sweatshirt | Crewneck Sweatshirt | Drama Teacher Sweatshirt | Graphic Sweatshirt | English Prof Sweatshirt | Gift
This is a really well curated collection of quotes for every day of the year!
Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year