Shakespeare’s role in American history is not immediately apparent — at least it wasn’t to me. Part of the considerable pleasure of reading this book is seeing how James Shapiro draws the connections.
Books
Book Review: “August” — A Rewarding Curiosity in the Ordinary
August is funny in a way — over time its small scale rhythms and monosyllabic reactions generate a comforting beauty that settles in.
Book Review: “The Art of Classic Planning” — How to Build Beautiful and Enduring Communities
By so memorably reestablishing the fundamentals of urban design and planning, The Art of Classic Planning will be a strategic addition to any architecture or urban planning library.
Book Review: “Franci’s War” — A Very Relevant Holocaust Memoir
Here we have the story of a young Czech woman who could not only take a piece of fabric and shape it into a gorgeous dress, but could also take her experiences during WWII and shape them into a compelling memoir.
Literary Reconsideration: A.S.Byatt’s “Possession”
Tour de force? Not quite. Joycean? Perhaps in the way contemporary individuals overlap with ancient, mythical counterparts.
Book Review: “Four Futures” — Surprisingly Relevant ‘Social Science Fiction’
Peter Frase envisions how our current bedeviling social contradictions and economic abuses may play out in the future.
Book Review: Clive James and the Rewards of Writing Poetry
English writer Ian Shircore’s book-length study gives Clive James’ poems the loving attention they deserve.
Book Commentary: “Pale Horse, Pale Rider” and the Literature of COVID-19
“The body is a curious monster, no place to live in, how could anyone feel at home there? Is it possible I can ever accustom myself to this place?”
Book Review: “You Will Never Be Forgotten” — Curiouser and Curiouser
Whatever might be dark about these stories may also be — since they’re reliably witty and frequently very funny — a welcome distraction and relief from current events.
Book Review: “Tightrope” — A Wake-up Call for America
What makes this book so necessary is that these are writers willing to state realities that members of both parties prefer to keep under the rug.