The Complete Works of William Shakespeare is part of Barnes & Noble's collectible editions in leather. Each volume presents classic works by the world's best-loved authors in a beautifully designed edition bound in bonded leather. The attractive covers are embossed with colorful foils and the books have many special details including decorative endpapers, gilded edges, and ribbon markers. Elegant and affordable, Barnes & Noble's collectible editions in leather are cornerstones for any home library.
Anonymous
Posted April 14, 2007
This complete works of William Shakespeare are for people who do not feel the need/want footnotes that explain parts of the plays in detail like those that are available in books that contain only one of his plays such as the Folger edition for example. Despite of this, for the true Shakespearen fan this book is great because every time a character's name appears in the plays their names are written in full. This is unlike some complete works of Shakespeare that introduces the characters but then shorthands their name at a beginning of a character's line. The typing is easy to read and beautiful. It's also a beautiful hardcover that any book lover would be proud to display on his/her bookshelf. Plus, it comes with it's own golden bookmark attached to the book so you can keep your place. A great book to read from cover to cover if your a Shakespeare fan whether this is your first time through some of his plays or the third or fourth time.
44 out of 45 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 12, 2004
If I could only have only one Shakespeare edition to take to a desert island, this would be the one! This is simply the most beuatiful one-volume compilation of Shakespeare available. It's all here: all 37 plays in chronological order, all the sonnets and non-dramatic poems (as well as the tributes by Ben Johnson and other Shakespeare contemporaries in the front). The vintage typeset/lettering is so elegant and classic looking--it looks definative in a way that no other modern printing matches. Locations of scenes are helpfully listed below each act and scene heading (I wish more editions still did this). And, of course, the leather binding and gold leaf edges are a real treat. This is not the edition for people who want a lot of footnotes, but so what? (that would be like putting ketchup on a prime aged steak). I can't recommend this edition enough, and I hope it never goes out of print!
15 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 17, 2004
This book is horrible. THere are no footnotes in the whole book. B&N should change this book and include footnotes. THere are also no line numbers line numbers line numbers line numbers.
14 out of 55 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Jafu_the_Reader
Posted January 18, 2010
First: I am, foremost, an aficionado of Shakespeare. In this review, I am not here to critique his plays; I am giving a brief piece of insight into the make and build of this edition. If you want a critique of all individual plays, I'd suggest reading the introductions of individual editions at your local library.
The Outside: There is one word for the looks of this edition- beautiful. Masterful design went into making this volume look authentic and captivating, emphasizing the beauty of Shakespeare. However, it does emphasize a sort of old, valuable, "this is too good to touch" feeling, but such a comment is pure squabble. It makes a great aesthetic contribution to your library. Indeed, at times it seems the edition was meant to be more for looks than reading.
The Inside: Here, the edition begins to fail- slightly. Although the typeface is crisp and eminently readable, the text is rather small. Second, there are absolutely no line numbers of any sort- no way for quick reference to any sort of allusion in another work. Lastly, the paper is of that thin, cheap quality, such as what you find in your average Bible- not a cellophane texture, but close. Lastly, there are NO FOOTNOTES TO EXPLAIN ARCHAIC LANGUAGES/ OBSCURE REFERENCES. Unless you are familiar with literature and history to a small extent, try getting a more scholarly edition. However, this is made better by what this edition does right, largely by eliminating one of my enormous pet peeves. ALL CHARACTER HEADINGS ARE PRESENTED IN FULL- NOT ABBREVIATED! For many adherents of "Bardology," such shorthand is irritating to no end, and to see it not presented at all here is an enormous relief. Secondly, at the beginning of scenes, the setting is listed- this helps for readibility, staging, etc., and is relegated to footnotes in many editions (Pelican Shakespeare) or not present at all (Folger).
Build: The build quality here is so-so. When I first tried to read it, I noticed the gilding gave many pages the tendency to stick together, forcing me to go through each individual page to pull them apart. Also, any scratch or abrasion could cause the gilding to be scraped off the pages- although if you keep good care of your books (and not accidentally drop it, as I did) you should be fine with that issue. Lastly, for whatever odd reason, even if I have no idea if this is prevalent in any other copy, the page presenting a profile of Shakespeare began to tear away from the binding. It was easily fixed, but is still important to mention.
Explanation: So why do I give this edition four stars? Why not three? Although the edition is average in quality, and seems it wins over many other "Complete Works" in the most important area: price. This edition is a cheap, thrifty twenty dollars, all for an edition that looks like it should cost one hundred. Although you can get better editions out on the market, they can run you upwards of $65 (!). For a perfectly readable, outwardly gorgeous edition, the price-to-quality ratio more than makes up for the extra star.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 3, 2010
I would not recommend this edition to anyone but someone really trying to get his complete works cheap who has no intention of enjoying them.
The cover is nice, the back is also beautiful. The pages, however, are painted at the ends with gold. I guess to give it a more extravagant look, it looks kind of cheap though. It's not a deal breaker however, or anything major.
When you open the book up, the plays are in chronological order, and there is a glossary in the back, every play and sonnet he wrote.
Now, the pages themselves look to be of cheap quality. They just don't ''feel right'' when you open the book up to read.
And here's the biggest problem I have with this:
The text is way, way too small. I have to strain my eyes to read it, and it really takes the spirit out of Shakespeares' work. It's almost unreadable. There's an excess amount of words on every page, and all in extremely small print just to fit all his works into the book. You practically need a magnifying glass to see.
There's also no footnotes whatsoever. And the glossary might as well not even be there, because chances are you won't even get the word you don't know in there, it's only a few pages long. And no footnotes means you won't understand archaic meanings, I can read it without footnotes, but clearly there are some words and phrases only scholars would know.
In conclusion, if you want to get enjoyment out of Shakespeare, I would recommend a different version. Lack of footnotes, pointless glossary, and text so small you'll be using a microscope.
10 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 26, 2003
It's such a beautiful book that Barne's and Noble should move the decimal of the price to the right one space. Sometimes when you purchase Shakespeare's seperate stories they cut some of the lines out. This book has every line and scene. Definately worth buying.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.William Shakespeare is of course an amazing read. And the book is absolutely beautiful. However I was disappointed in the small print. I was expecting the print to be larger and more easily readable, "This 1994 edition published by Barnes & Noble, Inc." It's legible, but dose hurt my eyes.
5 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 20, 2002
Many compilations of Shakespeare's works are available, some ranging to well over $100, yet I have found none that are as well assembled, readable, displayable, and purely economical as the Barnes and Noble copy listed here. It is an indespensible addition to your library, and just think, you'll never have to purchase another Shakespeare book...
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 13, 2010
Very nice book for a family or personal library... classic literature to admire and use!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 9, 2010
I purchased this for my grandson for Christmas. He felt he received something wonderful, and I know he will add it to his collection of books. He enjoyed having all of Shakespeare in one volume. An excellent bargain for the price and a quality volume!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 7, 2003
A single volume containing all of William Shakespeare's works is a wonder by itself. With Professor Peter Alexander's skillful editing and wonderful understanding of Shakespeare, the works gain improved readability. His chronological layout removes the traditional categories of histories, tragedies, and comedies. To fully enjoy the book, one must read it from the beginning¿focusing on each work and its progressive complexity. The beautiful binding makes this book suitable for any room in the house. I leave mine open on my desk for daily reading.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 9, 2011
I Also Recommend:
Let me start off by saying that the Barnes & Noble Leatherbound classics series is a magnificent collection of Books that will last for generations, and this book is no different. The cover of "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" is absolutely gorgeous and appealing to the eyes. The Leather looks very nice and is durable, and will make an excellent addition to anyone's bookshelf. The reason I give it four stars instead of five however, is when you get inside to the actual content. The first thing you'll notice about this complete edition of the Bard's works, is that it's not really complete. This is because it's missing "The Two Noble Kinsmen." This isn't a huge deal, but I was kind of disappointed finding this out. Nevertheless, this book still includes all of the other plays that Shakespeare did, including his complete poetry, which is a very nice touch. The second problem I have deals with the pages. The pages themselves look great from the outside because they're covered with gold leaf, although the inside is another matter. I had to go through every single page of this book to pull them apart because the majority of them were stuck together, which was a nuisance to say the least. But my biggest problem with this book is the fact that in many, many pages, the text is either faded or cut off. This was very upsetting to me just because I feel that it diminishes the value of this edition in my opinion. Still, it's definitely not a major ordeal. In conclusion, this is still the best edition of Shakespaeare's works that you can get. Despite its flaws, I highly recommend it.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 5, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Recently I have become fond of the works of Shakespeare, so I decided to purchase his complete works. Although the font is a bit small and looks a bit cheap, it is a great deal. I just enjoy his work, I wasn't looking for a book with footnotes, a commentary, and line numbers, I just wanted his works...period. Thats what I got as well. The book is a bit large for a nice read at the beach or poolside, but it would suite for reading by the fire on a nice comfy chair. The outside is very aesthetically appealing, and it makes a great addition to your library. All in all, if you are just a casual reader that enjoys the works of Shakespear I do recommend this book, the price is right! :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 25, 2010
Shakespeare at his finest, this collection is perfect for anyone who loves to read Shakespeare. It has all of his works including his Plays and his Sonnets. An excellent gift for any Shakespeare enthusiast, also makes an excellent display for your bookcase!!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 4, 2010
I'm a lover of William Shakespeare, so upon finding an edition including all of his works, I had to have it. All of his plays are thrilling and his poems are masterfully composed. With all his works, one doesn't have to buy his plays individually. I recommend this to any Shakespeare-lover, or anyone who is interested in him. (This book does not include footnotes, so if one is not used to his writing, it might be challenging.)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Even though I find this difficult to read, not because of the small print, I can still understand what he's saying. The plays seem kind of whacked out, but are beautifully written. The leather and gold edges really showcase this magnificent edition. The print is a little small, but is readable.
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This Complete Works of Shakespeare is magnificent. It includes all of the poems: Phoenix and the Turtle. Venus and Adonis, Lucrece, The Passionate Pilgrim, A lover's complaint and the sonnets. The poems are very hard to find anywhere much less in a complete works (which rarely gets it right anyway). But this version is the best of the Complete Works of Shakespeare you could get. However, on the note of "Complete Works'" rarely getting it right, this one is guilty of the same sin unfortunately. This version of "The Complete Works of Shakespeare" very unfortunately omits "The Two Noble Kinsmen". Not to complain, because this version is still the best "Complete Works". But I guess that it technically doesn't live up to its name in that the works are not complete. Many would argue that this is because John Fletcher wrote half of "The Two Noble Kinsmen" but Shakespeare did write half nonetheless so "Kinsmen" should be included i his complete works. other than that small complaint, this version is flawless and it smells really good :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When I was in sixth grade I stole a copy of his complete works from my town library and read it for years. This edition is way better. It's leather-bound, so it even smells good! I found the print to be on the smaller side- but dark, so it wasn't hard on the eyes. I fell in love with the design on the back cover so much that I actually had it tattooed on my back. Not kidding. Anyway, if you are thinking of gifting this book, YES do it, so the local library's copy won't come up missing.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 11, 2009
I Also Recommend:
After having purchased my own copy of the book, I purchased this particular one for my sister. It has a gorgeous cover that looks quite nice on the coffee table. Although I don't have as much time as I would like to read since I am a student, the ribbon inside the book makes it easy to just pick up and continue where I left off.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 20, 2008
I thought this book was an o-k kind of book. In some parts of this book i didn't get his language, and what he was trying to prove in some of his plays. I did like how most of his play were about love and that you could feel the pashion comming from him. another thing i liked was his play titles they all said something special. My favorite play that he described was the Comedy Of Errors. This play is another one of his love plays too, and it's about two enemy cities. Aegeon and Aemilia of Syracuse have identical twin sons, both of whom are called Antipholous, and both of whom have identical twin attendants, both called Dromio. The play then goes on with the two sons meeting. And you'll have to read the book to fing out the rest.
1 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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