Shakespeare Journey Tag

[@booksimnotreading]

Hello! I’m Kelly and I helped create this tag last year. I’m so glad you did this tag and became aware of Shaketember! Nicole, Jason and I all hope you will join the fun in the future! 💛🎭

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

Thanks!

[@marnasorensen988]

Because of that one teacher....what an honorable and necessary profession and calling. My 9th grade teacher introduced us to Shakespeare and I am forever grateful.

[@rohanrohilla1080]

I recently discovered your channel and it’s been a pleasure to watch all your videos since then.

[@AarontheBookBaron-i2f]

What a marvellous account of your journey with the Bard. I too am lucky enough to have discovered him from an early age. I find his soliloquies to be the most obviously memorable aspect of his craft. I never tire of reciting them to myself...

[@lindawine3593]

Really love your channel. Keep up the the interesting work

[@Shelf_Improvement]

My mom taught Shakespeare. She's gone now, but I'll always love how much she loved him.

[@Redbird-UJ76]

My high-school English teachers got me started in fine literature too. Not a thankless job,teachers are very much needed in society.

[@NickReadsBooks-xi9iv]

You have no idea how incredible my day has gotten because I saw this upload.

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

Thank you, Robert.

[@Readatrix]

I would use part of that passage from Merchant of Venice on the dog-walking log sheets at the animal shelter where I volunteered and then worked. That and so many others, like C.S. Lewis's passage on the importance of loving. “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” ― C.S. Lewis Did you ever read Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell? Or watched Damian Lewis doing the "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" monologue from Julius Caesar? (It's available on KZbin. The Guardian Culture channel has a number of them.) What do you think of No Fear Shakespeare and other translation guides?

[@sharad539]

I studied in a convent school and Shakespeare for was one of the course books in English classes. 'As you like it' and 'king lear' were what we covered for the entire year at different levels. Unfortunately, never got around to fully appreciating his works except when as (stellar) Indian movie adaptations of his plays.

[@ihath]

How delightful to discover that there is a Shakespeare booktube tag. Will have to participate since I am a big fan of this literary genius. Would be helpful if you would post the questions of the tag in the description section. I can always re-watch the video and note down the questions as well.

[@julienelson8162]

Catholic high school - all boys. I understand so well the magic of a good teacher, as I attended Catholic high school - all girls. That’s where I was introduced to Shakespeare. I will forever be grateful for the solid education Catholic high school gifted me. ❤ P.S. I find that I am counting the days from one post to the next. You are feeding our brains and hearts. Thank you. P.P.S. I just ordered the Harold Bloom book. Let the adventure begin anew!!!

[@nicolednk7642]

I needed a couple extra credits in college to be full time, so I took a Shakespeare class for fun. My friends were appalled lol. My absolute favorite is The Merchant of Venice, although my kids will never get to read it in class because of the issues you mentioned. Loved hearing Portia's speech again!

[@BlueArcher198]

I loved your answers and learning about how you came to Shakespeare. If you haven't read it already, an interesting Shakespeare-adjacent novel is Hamnet (sometimes published under the title Hamnet and Judith) by Maggie O'Farrell.

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

Hamnet is on my TBR

[@vickicoleman2474]

Yes! Brando playing Hamlet would have been brilliant!

[@jackievanwinkle]

Hi Robert, great video. I’m new to Shakespeare and I’ve stumbled across the controversy about his identity that you referenced. Sadly I’m finding this mystery distracting but I’m pushing on and I’ll try to remember your comment on the topic.

[@TheScholarGentleman]

I'm glad I subbed to you, Robert. I'm learning about avenues of literature that I normally don't delve into. 18:52

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

A friend of mine was Headmaster at Downside. Dom Anthony Sutch.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

Hi Robert. I'm so glad that you did the tag! I really loved your answers. I just finished re-reading King Lear this week, and I agree with you completely: Lear's discovery of Cordelia destroys me as well. The whole play really does tear me apart. I'm planning to re-read Macbeth this month too, but I've decided I'm going to read Twelfth Night next. Definitely need to read something, anything, that isn't a tragedy after King Lear. I'm reading around in Bloom this month too. Again, I really enjoyed your responses! I hope you're doing well.

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

Hi Pat. Thanks for your comments. And, yes, Lear is devastating, the most tragic of the tragedies. Any of the lighter comedies would be a good palate cleanser after that soul crushing experience. Anyway, thanks again. I'm so glad I've found Booktube and all the kindred spirits.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

@@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p I’m glad you’re here too! I think you’re going to love interacting with the community here. I started last night Judy Dench’s new book, Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent. Just delightful!

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

@@BookChatWithPat8668 Have you read Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell? I bought it a couple of years ago and it keeps slipping to the bottom of my continually expanding and contracting TBR pile. I've heard some good things, some not so good. Any comments?

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

@@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p I have read Hamnet. I loved it. I read a particularly negative review of it in The NY Times, I think. Or maybe that was of her next novel, The Marriage Portrait, which I also loved. But I was totally captivated by it, by both of these novels. Hamnet made me weep in places. I really love Maggie O'Farrell and have read several of her books since I read Hamnet. It's dark, as you would expect, but I thought it was filled with intriguing characters and stunning atmospheric details of Elizabethan life. It's also an incredibly powerful depiction of the plague. I absolutely loved the novel, Robert.

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

@@BookChatWithPat8668 Thanks Pat, I'll take that as a recommendation.

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

How about Dickens ? Happy hunting ground for those with a literary bent ! Literary expectations realized.

[@teakara]

Yes Dickens please

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

Dickens is among my top 10 favorite authors. Sometimes, I move him to the top 5. It depends on what I last read.

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

​@@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3pvarying hierarchy. I love Great Expectations and Oliver Twist. Have you any thoughts on other writers sequels and prequels to the classics ? My own thoughts are quite strong. They're usually awful - inevitably !

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

An English writer wrote three sequels to The Wind in the Willows 😢😱

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

@@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p Robert, may I ask if you have read Oscar Wilde ? I adore his sweet and sad Fairy Tales especially The Selfish Giant. His one and only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is unusual and unique. Only years after its publication used in his notorious court trial. Plays overrated. Maybe his notoriety helped sell his books ?

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

With regard to Roman Catholicism, try Evelyn Waugh's masterpiece Brideshead Revisited. Gorgeous prose. Turned into a sumptuous television series in the early 1980s starring James Irons and Anthony Andrews.

[@ba-gg6jo]

One of the highpoints of TV drama.

[@Amysdustybookshelf]

If I recollect properly, this is at least the 8th Shaketember or Shakespeare September here on KZbin. I enjoyed hearing your anecdotes and thoughts! We were not a Shakespeare household when I was growing up, but my local public library had all the plays and I enjoyed the historical plays very much.

[@RobertGReaderofBooks-r3p]

I've been thinking of posting something about the Henriad (Richard II, Henry IV, 1 and 2; and Henry V). When I was first introduced to Shakespeare, it was the Histories I enjoyed the most. Thanks for your comments.

[@TimeTravelReads]

I haven't read or watched a Shakespeare play in probably over 15 years (since I was in school). I haven't read very many plays. I should try some other plays, maybe histories.

[@jgbdenman1273]

Interesting segment Appreciate your viewpoints and recommendations But you seemed rushed this time I’ve watched just about all of your recent postings and I know that you can pace yourself better.

[@theglitterybookworm]

Robert, hi!!! i’m not active on my booktube anymore (posting video wise) but i was wondering if you have a bookstagram i can follow so i can connect with your content more!!!

[@deywaddles]

Is there a go to compendium of Shakespeare’s works where one could best take the plunge? I believe your video was the nudge I needed to dive in!