Buying a Shakespeare Book?

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  • Misty
    Participant

    how do you know which book to buy for Shakespeare? there are so many options.

    Thanks. Oh, and it will be for an 8th grader reading alone for the 1st time.

    misty

    CindyS
    Participant

    I cannot recommend a specific one, but I would just be careful about the ones that have a parallel translation. Depending on the play, there can be some very ‘R’ and even ‘X’ rated language and/or descriptions. We learned this the hard way after purchasing 4 copies of Much Ado About Nothing. Thankfully, I read it first and tossed those. We then read the original together and I digested and discussed selected parts.

    Blessings,

    Cindy

    crazy4boys
    Participant

    I hope Bookworm, Sonya or Missingtheshire jump in here because I know they’ve done a lot of Shakespeare.  My husband really likes the Folger Library books.  They don’t have a parallel translation, but do have a page opposite the actual text with definitions of hard words or phrases.  Sometimes it’s a few words, sometimes the entire page is covered.  It’s sort of like you’re reading Shakespeare with a dictionary.  So far we haven’t found anything “offensive” in the definitions, but we haven’t read through each and every one.

    Bookworm
    Participant

    Agree with Cindy–do not give a No Fear Shakespeare or a Simply Shakespeare parallel translation to a child reading alone.  I keep ahold of these myself and help out if needed.  Other than that, it really doesn’t matter a whole lot.  What sort of features do you want?  If you want really inexpensive, Dover is good.  If you want lots of authoritative commentary, Folgers are good.  We also have Signet classics, and wide varieties of others (we have LOTS of copies–all 5 of us read aloud x 2 plays a year x 9 years, lol!)  There are minor textual differences on some plays between copies; on other plays you won’t find much difference.  It just depends.  What plays are you starting with?

    Also, if you are a Paperbackswap member, I almost always get all my copies there for free (just the cost of the credit, often $2 or even less.)  That’s where I get most of mine, so I just take what I get most of the time and it hasn’t mattered a lot.

     

    blue j
    Participant

    We *really* like the Folger editions at our house.  This makes such a huge difference.  Also recommend that if possible, go through a few sections orally – even if it’s just you and you child.  It doesn’t have to be a HUGE section, but it’s just so different to hear it spoken than just read.  It is also sometimes easier to understand – at least my kiddos have said it is. 🙂

    Misty
    Participant

    I was going to do Romeo and Juliet to start. I will look for Folgers and I know i saw a Signet on there. Thanks everyone this will be very helpful.

    Brandie
    Participant

    Tales From Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. I have heard great things about this book from others who have used it. I dont own this book yet but I plan to…lol I think it is something you might want to look at. I think this is definitly a book that you will read aloud! 😉

    Bookworm
    Participant

    Brandie, many of us have read those to our younger children, but they do not contain the entire play–so many of us need copies of the entire play for reading with older children. 

    hsmom22
    Participant

    What grade/age would you recommend reading Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb?  And, should this be a read-aloud or something to be read independently by the child? 

    Thanks!

    We use the Folger books andalso books we bought while living in England and that were available at the Shakespeare properties in my home town Stratford on Avon. The Shakespeare Trust there have wonderful things for sale…but Folger is good, and those are on my shelf.

    Bookworm
    Participant

    Well, we read the Tales out loud to any younger age–we started probably about second grade with my first son but the other younger ones got them younger.  Since the language is rich, they make a good read-aloud–most 6-9 year olds would find them challenging reading, but I myself when I was young and also all my children did eventually revisit them and read them on their own many times.  There are also some very good retellings by other authors, notably Edith Nesbit and Leon Garfield.  We started reading actual plays when my oldest was about 10, although my youngest who is almost 12 has been participating with us as long as he can remember.  When he was younger we selected out parts that were really short and simple so he felt like he was participating.  We actually feel Shakespeare is best experienced as a family.  We all take part in reading plays, and we really get into it, using different voices and sometimes even having impromptu swordfights (We are reading Romeo and Juliet now, lol) 

    Linda, that is like the coolest hometown ever.  Smile

    hsmom22
    Participant

    Fantastic info, Michelle, and so very helpful ~ thanks!  It will be fun to experience Shakespeare together as a family. 

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
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