GETTING TO KNOW WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE A Dramatic LIfe

Of the several good introductions to Shakespeare and his work, this selection stands out for clarity, sharpness of detail, and quality of production. Fred Child presents a concise narrative of Shakespeare's life; then a dozen Shakespeare biographers and scholars, including Park Honan, Jill Levenson, and Tina Packer, comment on questions raised by Shakespeare's life and work. The gap between what is known about Shakespeare--which is gleaned almost entirely from what Shakespeare wrote--and what remains unknown forms the theme of these commentators. At times, the production has the tone of a TV documentary, but the overall quality of the narrative, its pace and content, makes this an outstanding listening and learning experience. D.A.W. 2003 Audie Award Winner (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]