Shakespearean

On Life & Language in Times of Disruption

De: Robert McCrum

Narrado por: Ben Allen

'Enchanting' Simon Russell Beale --- 'Remarkable' James Shapiro
'Wonderful . . . compulsively readable' Nicholas Hytner

Why do the collected works of an Elizabethan writer continue to speak to us as if they were written yesterday?

When Robert McCrum began his recovery from a life-changing stroke, described in My Year Off, he discovered that the only words that made sense to him were snatches of Shakespeare. Unable to travel or move as he used to, McCrum found the First Folio became his ‘book of life’, an endless source of inspiration through which he could embark on ‘journeys of the mind’, and see a reflection of our own disrupted times.

An acclaimed writer and journalist, McCrum has spent the last twenty-five years immersed in Shakespeare's work, on stage and on the page. During this prolonged exploration, Shakespeare’s poetry and plays, so vivid and contemporary, have become his guide and consolation. In Shakespearean he asks: why is it that we always return to Shakespeare, particularly in times of acute crisis and dislocation? What is the key to his hold on our imagination? And why do the collected works of an Elizabethan writer continue to speak to us as if they were written yesterday?

Shakespearean is a rich, brilliant and superbly drawn portrait of an extraordinary artist, one of the greatest writers who ever lived. Through an enthralling narrative, ranging widely in time and space, McCrum seeks to understand Shakespeare within his historical context while also exploring the secrets of literary inspiration, and examining the nature of creativity itself. Witty and insightful, he makes a passionate and deeply personal case that Shakespeare’s words and ideas are not just enduring in their relevance – they are nothing less than the eternal key to our shared humanity.

Reseñas de la Crítica

<b><i>Shakespearean</i> is a remarkable book, </b><b>an illuminating and personal journey that takes us to the heart of Shakespeare’s art and influence.</b> From his account of the plays’ quintessential Englishness to his exploration of what he shrewdly terms their 'negligent ambiguity,' McCrum’s insights are hard-earned and deeply rewarding (James Shapiro)

I can’t think of anything better than listening to Robert McCrum talk about Shakespeare. And this <b>enchanting </b>book is the next best thing - <b>like a gentle chat with a genuine expert</b>. (Sir Simon Russell Beale)

Robert McCrum <b>beautifully connects Shakespeare to ourselves in a way I’ve not come across before</b>. I love his curiosity. He seems to live each day <b>as if he’s talked to Shakespeare on the phone that morning</b>. So far, it's <b>the best thing that has happened during lockdown</b>.' (Michael Grandage, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, 2002-2012)

<i>Shakespearean</i> is a <b>brilliant, wise, elegant and profoundly moving</b> book . . . <b>Beautifully written, inspired and inspiring: a captivating portrait of Shakespeare and ourselves</b> (Joanna Kavenna, author of The Ice Museum)

If you ever had any doubts about the relevance of Shakespeare to the modern world, <b>read this book</b>! (Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm)

<b>Wonderful and inexhaustibly fascinating</b> (Richard Eyre)

<b>Wonderful</b> . . . <b>a beautiful personal testament to why Shakespeare continues to matter so much</b>. It is crammed with original insights, and springs equally from a deep knowledge of Shakespeare’s own world and a totally persuasive conviction that his plays speak to our own world, and our own selves, as cogently as they did to the Elizabethans. It is <b>compulsively readable</b> and<b> I loved every page</b> of it. (Nicholas Hytner, theatre director)

<b>Reading <i>Shakespearean </i>was a joy</b> . . . by far the most <b>accessible and erudite </b>contemporary critique evoking with wit and profound insight that conscious (and subconscious) acknowledgement of the degrees to which Shakespeare‘s work continues to influence our cultural and political lives. It is also an<b> essential entertaining book </b>for anyone who like me shares a love of the great man’s plays and sonnets. (Don Boyd, film director)

McCrum writes <b>brilliantly</b> about writing . . . <b>there is much here to stir the blood</b>