Customer Reviews (8)

omission?
I have just received this book but have noticed that Pericles, Prince of Tyre has been left out - I wonder why? Haven't read the book yet; when I do, I'll add my opinion on it here.

very good book - could use less fawning
This book does an excellent job of describing the plots, settings, and characters of the stories of all Shakespeare's plays.The author also provides good background detail of the time, relevant facts from Shakespeare's life, and some not-excessively-detailed analysis where appropriate.My one small complaint with the book is that the author is so deeply in love with the works and the very idea of Shakespeare that she rarely lets an opportunity pass to tell us how wonderful he is.(The level of fawning and gushing is sometimes reminiscent of listening to a fourteen year old girl talk about Justin Timberlake.)But apart from this minor complaint, I heartily recommend the book -- it's quite readable and the overall scholarship is outstanding.

Timeless classic
I used this book successfully to help negotiate top grades in an Ivy League Shakespeare class more than 30 years ago, and I still use a copy to reorient myself and my family to Shakespeare's works.An invaluable guide to the essence of each play, including all significant aesthetic themes.Indispensable as a quick read before seeing a Shakespeare play that hasn't been read or seen for some time.I've come across no other book that is so helpful yet concise.

Summaries translate the Bard's work into everyday English
Chute's book provides a basic summary for each of Shakespeare's plays.Her writing is as lyrical as it is complete for such a book, which makes it a handy, enjoyable reference.Her main goal is to make the stories digestible, and to that end, the essence of Shakespeare's plays emerges brilliantly, freeing the average reader of dusty Elizabethan language.Unlike other books that give choppy scene-by-scene summaries (though helpful in their own way) or brief plot highlights, Chute's summaries seamlessly tie the play's entire action, principle and otherwise.

The plays are grouped by comedies, tragedies, and histories, with comedies and tragedies in the likely order they were written and the histories arranged chronologically by reign.She includes an illuminating introduction that sheds light on Shakespeare's genius and innovation as well as how best to approach his work. An index of characters is also included. One of the many things I appreciated about this book is Chute's resistance to overemphasizing popular texts. With the exception of "Titus Andronicus," she devotes a fair amount of text to each play, though some do receive added attention.

Those looking for a more detailed or critical reading of Shakespeare's work would not benefit from Chute's book. There are numerous (non-academic) guides for those desiring more than a casual read and study of the Bard. ("Shakespeare for Dummies," "The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare," and "The Age of Shakespeare" are all books I've consulted for more background and a better understanding of the author and era.)In her introduction, however, she points out that the purpose of her book "is to give the reader a preliminary idea of each of the thirty-six plays by telling the stories and explaining in a general way the intentions and points of view of the characters." On occasion she gives critical analyses of characters and plays but in an informative and unobtrusive manner. This book is not Cliff's Notes or a substitute for the actual play, but it does make Shakespeare understandable.

An excellent summary of the Canon
Margaret Chute's Stories of Shakespeare uses an novel technique.She writes treatments for 36 of the plays (those in the First Folio), a present tense chronology of the plot in simple, eloquent language.This book is useful for actors, students or the casual fan.The book also appreciates the beauty of Shakespeare's language by offering selected excerpts.Further, it recognises the humor, the history and the tragedy of the story and gives concise summaries so the reader can always follow the action.This is an excellent book. ... Read more