The Ultimate William Shakespeare Collection: A Biography of Shakespeare and all 38 Plays, 154 Sonnets, and 5 Poems

Includes:

•Charles River Editors’ original biography of William Shakespeare

•All 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems by Shakespeare


 “Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,

Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,

Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads.

And recks not his own rede.” – Ophelia


Actor.  Dramatist.  Poet.  Husband.  Father.  Producer.  Businessman.  Servant of the Crown. All of the above can be applied to William Shakespeare.  Certainly England’s greatest playwright, he is still considered to be the most influential writer in the English language.  Leaving behind a nearly unprecedented body of work to his credit, he addressed the full spectrum of the human condition and achieved what few other writers have in becoming a part of a global consciousness. Shakespeare is so renowned and respected that the time period in which he lived is often known as the Age of Shakespeare. Indeed, his genius is questioned only by those who doubt the authenticity of his authorship of timeless classics like Romeo and Juliet. As Ben Jonson once put it, "He was not of an age, but for all time.” No other writer, in English or in any other language, can rival the appeal that Shakespeare has enjoyed around the world, and nobody’s had a bigger influence. 

Although his works are so well known, major details of his life are still sketchy. Much has been made of the fact that personal details about Shakespeare’s life are sparse.  As a result, many have tried to undermine his contributions, assigning authorship of several of his major titles to other writers, i.e. Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe.  The support for Shakespeare’s authenticity, however, is strong, as none of these suspicions have been substantiated.  On the contrary, his life is unusually well-documented for a commoner of his time; the documents simply lack glamour or drama – two things a curious fan base would hope for.  The many business letters, theatrical records, municipal archives and parish entries which do exist more than validate where he was and when.  The absence of personal drama or conflict actually supports his work ethic.  He was a dedicated, driven professional, churning out nearly 38 plays, 154 sonnets and numerous other poems – all splendid and brilliant in their diversity – in less than 25 years.  His immense legacy speaks for itself, and his influence can still be felt on Western literature hundreds of years after his death.  

The Ultimate William Shakespeare Collection looks at life and works of the Bard of Avon, Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Shakespeare like you never have before, in no time at all.