Globe

Life in Shakespeare’s London

By: Catharine Arnold

Narrated by: Clare Staniforth

In Globe Catherine Arnold takes the listener on a tour of Shakespeare's London, looking at how they shaped each other. Acting turned into a trade, and troupes of touring players perfected their craft. Shakespeare's own company, the Chamberlain's Men, opened the Globe Playhouse on Bankside in 1599, creating a new focal point for the city.

But the story of the theatre and the men who created it was just as dramatic as any of the tales told on its stage. James Burbage carried timbers across the Thames to build the theatre among the brothels and beer gardens on the south side of the river at huge personal cost. It flourished, then burnt down during a performance of Henry VIII, before being rebuilt then destroyed again during the short reign of Oliver Cromwell, and was finally reconstructed in modern times.

In the background, Shakespeare's London was constantly threatened by riots, rebellions, and the plague. But its bustle and movement were a continual inspiration to the world's greatest dramatist, inspiring both his stories and his characters.

Globe is a brilliant recreation of one of the most creative moments in British history.

©2015 Catharine Arnold (P)2021 Tantor

Good account

Good introduction to Shakespeare’s life and work, with ample plot summary and quotation. The author’s novelistic approach makes for a easy read. Less about London than I had hoped from the subtitle.

Is this reader a human being?

The text is often good. The book is sometimes informative and has a lot of interesting tidbits. It's by no means scholarly. It presents at times a quasi-historical narrative that is pure speculation and at other times presents speculation as fact in a way that most people would not realize. We know less than the author wants us to think we know. But the thing that puts me off most about this book is the reader. I would be shocked to learn that the reader is a human being. It feels like a very good computer-generated voice, which is to say a very bad actual human voice. It quickly becomes annoying. That reader seems to have very little understanding, if any, of the meaning of her sentences. The voice modulates according to punctuation alone. Don't buy this book for fun. And don't trust it for information. .