A genius and prophet whose timeless works encapsulate the human condition like no others. A writer who surpassed his contemporaries in vision, originality and literary mastery. Who wrote like an angel, putting it all so much better than anyone else.
Professor Emma J. Smith is lecturer in English at the University of Oxford, Professor of Shakespeare Studies, and a Fellow of Hertford College.
The best introduction to the plays I've read, perhaps the best
book on Shakespeare, full stop. This is a model of
unpretentious, deeply researched, profoundly approachable
criticism. It's a book to give to anyone who loves Shakespeare, but
particularly to those who think they don't ... What This Is
Shakespeare gives the reader most of all, though, is a licence
to enjoy the plays without the cultural and historical baggage they
so often carry -- Alex Preston * Observer *
The question that hangs over every new book on Shakespeare is,
"Why read this one?" The short answer is, because it is very good
indeed. There is no shortage of eminent Shakespeare scholars,
and in her role as professor of Shakespeare studies at Oxford,
Smith certainly ranks among them; but more importantly for a book
like this, she is perhaps the pre-eminent Shakespeare
communicator working today ... This is Shakespeare cuts
through the accumulated crust of "schoolroom platitudes", cant and
literary piety in order to dust Shakespeare off and see him as he
is, was, and might be -- Tim Smith-Laing * Daily Telegraph *
I like this book very much. It explains accessibly, with
learning lightly worn, why Shakespeare retains such a hold in our
culture. Smith has done an exemplary job of restoring the
greatest of English writers to his own time, and explaining why he
then speaks to ours ... An invigorating examination of the
pre-eminence of the most revered figure of English letters --
Oliver Kamm * The Times *
Quirky, brilliant ... what's most bracing about Smith's book
is the way she sees the plays as almost organic: not only
contradictory but alive -- Daniel Swift * Spectator *
This is Shakespeare wears its learning very lightly,
although there are clear signs of that learning in every chapter
... Sane, sensible and suitably woke ... original and
provocative analysis -- Lisa Hopkins * Times Higher Education
*
Thought-provoking, fizzing with jokes ... Smith is celebrating a
Shakespeare who talks to the present. She does it all with such a
light touch you barely notice how much you're learning ...
Anyone who doesn't understand what the fuss is all about should
read This Is Shakespeare -- Colin Burrow * Guardian *
An outstanding book ... a distillation of intricate conceptual and
textual cruces into readable prose ... lively and unexpectedly
moving ... curious and passionate ... [It reminds me] why I came
to enjoy Shakespeare so much in the first place -- Sophie
Duncan * Literary Review *
Intriguing ... Smith argues that the defining characteristic
of Shakespeare's plays is their 'permissive gappiness'. This must
also surely be the first book on Shakespeare to use the slang term
'woke' * Evening Standard *
A joy to read, full of questions, surprises, and new ideas.
Smith brings us remarkable new readings of Shakespeare, and a sense
of how his work lives on the stage. A wonderful book --
Margaret Drabble
If I were asked to recommend one guide for readers keen on
discovering what's at stake in Shakespeare's plays, This Is
Shakespeare would be it. Deeply informed, never dogmatic,
and alert to how performance matters, Emma Smith understands that
Shakespeare's plays prompt questions rather than provide answers.
Her elegantly written and sharply observed book is richly
rewarding. -- James Shapiro, author of 1599: A Year in the Life
of William Shakespeare
A fascinating new perspective and an absolute pleasure to
read -- Eimear McBride, author of A Girl is a Half-formed Thing
Impeccable ... This is Shakespeare is the ideal book
of its moment for unlocking the works of that most miraculous,
mysterious and be-pedestalled figure in English literature [...]
Smith's fresh approaches reveal something crucial about
Shakespeare's ongoing relevance * The Saturday Paper *
There's an invigorating frankness to Smith's approach [...]
She generously leads an accessible and insightful route towards a
provocative, complicating reading of Shakespeare's work. * GLOBE
Magazine *
Shakespeare pulled from his pedestal and made
contemporary...this book is terrific...informative and, more
importantly, very enjoyable * This England *
Smith salvages Shakespeare from the status of isolated genius, and
reveals him as an active participant in his own time and place. In
turn, we the audience become active participants in the remaking of
Shakespeare...This book puts the pleasure back into the plays,
and there is no better reason to read about Shakespeare than
that -- Sarah Ditum * The Lancet *
Packed with sharp observations and illuminating commentary
on the works and their afterlives...acute on the plays' modern
resonances and how today's theatre troupes handle Will's less woke
moments, such as The Taming of the Shrew. They won't cancel
Shakey yet! * The Times Books of the Year 2019 *
A brilliant and accessible tour of Shakespeare's plays that is also
a radical manifesto for how to read and watch his work. Witty,
irreverent and searching, this book shines dazzling new light on
the oeuvre of the world's greatest literary genius. * Economist
Books of the Year *
A tonic ... This Is Shakespeare will, for some time to come,
remain required reading for all those with more than a
passing interest in Shakespeare ... ['Gappiness' is] a compelling
way of evaluating afresh an author about whom we are often told
that everything has been said ... Outstanding ... A model for
almost everything that Shakespeare criticism for the general reader
should be striving to achieve -- Rhodri Lewis * Prospect *
Consistently fascinating [...] there's no denying the wit and
intelligence [...] nor the dangerous readability of this
thoughtful study. -- Alexander Larman * Observer *
Praise for previous works by Emma Smith "Emma Smith is a
courteous and helpful guide who wears her considerable learning
lightly in this enjoyable, well-conceived, well-written book" --
Andrew Hadfield * Irish Times *
Praise for previous works by Emma Smith: "A fascinating and
provocative book" -- Daniel Swift * Spectator *
Praise for previous works by Emma Smith: "Delightful...
there is a bite in Smith's exuberant tales of buying, selling and
displaying Shakespeare... beautifully judged, impeccably researched
yet wry and affectionate" -- Jerry Brotton * Financial Times *
Praise for previous works by Emma Smith "Brilliantly
approachable and entertaining ... anarchic, counterintuitive,
critical ... perfect" -- Alex Preston * Observer *
Praise for previous works by Emma Smith "Delightful" *
Telegraph *
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