Shakespeare Book of Lists [Paperback]

Michael Lomonico (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 21, 2008

The Shakespeare Book of Lists catalogs Shakespeare's life, his times, his use of language and choice of words, the best and most insulting lines from his plays and poems, the actors who have performed his plays, the theaters where they have been performed, and the videos, films, and spin-offs we have all grown to love.

The book contains every imaginable topic relating to Shakespeare, including:
--Facts and myths about Shakespeare's life.
--The top 10 songs from the plays.
--Female Hamlets.
--How to watch a Shakespearean film.
--Some words first used by Shakespeare.
--The most insulting lines found in his plays.
--The bawdy plays.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Career Press (May 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564145247
• ISBN-13: 978-1564145246
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.5 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Five Reasons To Own This Book: April 22, 2001

By J Libassi

Format:Paperback

Reason 1) It's got something for everyone! Shakespeare's work appeals to such diverse populations!! In his book of lists, Mike LoMonico does the same. Topics range from Shakespeare's most insulting lines, to some very interesting facts about the "authorship question."

Reason 2) The section entitled "Some Random Thoughts About Shakespeare." This chapter alone is worth the price of admission!! Here, the author has compiled comments about The Bard from some likely (and unlikely!) sources. This "list" includes comments from Al Pacino, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Ben Jonson, and Peggy O'Brien, Director of Education for the Folger Shakespeare Library, among others.

Reason 3) It's FUN. Mike LoMonico has infused this book with many clever and amusing facts and insights. The lists of "troublesome" and "weird" words are wonderful resources for teachers.... Of course...no Shakespeare resource would be complete without a tip of the hat to the "Naughty Bits."

Reason 4) It is a valuable Shakespeare resource! The opening and closing lines are a wonderful leaping-point for readers and theater-goers alike. LoMonico includes a "Play by Play" (pun intended?) synopsis of each play consisting of character lists, memorable lines, and a "great" passage from each.

Reason 5) Film/Theater buffs!!! Order this book!!! Mike LoMonico has compiled a massive list of "Shakespeare at The Movies." Including silent films dating back as far as 1899, the list goes on to include films as current as Almereyda's 2000 production of "Hamlet," starring Ethan Hawke. Equally as comprehensive is his list of "150 Great Places to See a Shakespeare Play." Wonderful!!!!!!!

Anyone who makes Shakespeare a part of the present needs to have LoMonico's book!!!!! And if you don't, by keeping him locked in a dusty old tome somewhere, then YOU need it even more!!!!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for the Shakespeare fan or aficionado of trivia June 14, 2001

By Christopher Shamburg

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a teacher and fan of Shakespeare I found this book to be both authoritative and entertaining. The lists are addictive! I've been giving it as a present to fellow Shakespeare fans and they love it. I periodically Xerox copies of the lists from the book and hand them out to students - they love it also. Whether you're familiar with the plays or just enjoy fascinating trivia, this book is for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun! and Facts! ...and *sometimes* they meet! June 13, 2003

By richardpinneau.com VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's not a reference - though not a careless pastiche either. I agree with other readers that it will probably make fascinating reading for people of varying experience with Shakespeare.

Even if you've looked at Shakespeare from all sides now - the opportunity to ponder curious ways the plays differ in favoring certain words ('good' or 'eyes', for example) or in use of verse-versus-prose,

Keeping in mind Hamlet's words (a prophecy about Shakespearean studies perhaps?), "believe none of us!" - don't bet the farm (or the semester grade) on "facts" from these lists. A couple cases:

**A list of the roles in which Shakespeare himself acted is necessarily ninety percent speculation, since we have decent evidence on only a couple of *possible* Shakespeare roles - and those suggested many years or decades after the purported acting.

**Misleading judgements that counter overwhelming consensus occasionally strike the reader familiar with the plays: a) putting "Titania and Bottom" at the top of a list of "Passionate Lovers" (Titania and Oberon are the item, and the Titania-Bottom exchange is played as a spell-induced infatuation); b) listing "William Shakespeare" as first among actors of his plays *is* a direct use of the 'authoritative' First Folio; no one, however, considers it likely that Will ranked anywhere near Richard Burbage in skill or popularity (the Folio is acknowledged to be bolstered with marketing-friendly "editorial fictions").

Have fun with the book - let it stimulate your imagination. Yet decline to be lulled into thinking these lists are research tools, or factual, or secure foundations for comprehending the plays or their author.