BARD OF AVON: THE STORY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema

1. Bibliographic data

Stanley, Diane and Peter Vennema. 1992. Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare. Ill. by Diane Stanley. New York: Morrow Junior Books. 0-6880-9108-3.

2. Plot summary

Bard of Avon tells the story of William Shakespeare from age five until his death at 52 years of age. Stanley weaves different aspects of Shakespeare's life together such as his family life, his career as an actor, his performance theaters, his dealings with royalty, his favorite actors, specific plays and characters, and much more. Using facts, hypotheses, and theories, Stanley's Bard of Avon attempts to provide the full story of the life of William Shakespeare.

3. Critical Analysis

Tackling any sort of biography that is related to William Shakespeare is a great feat. His life is shrouded in mystery, and scholars and students alike continue to debate matters concerning him and his works. In Bard of Avon, Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema seek to make sense of the confusing life of mastermind.

I feel that Stanley and Vennema are accurate as one can be in their portrayal of Shakespeare. They tell the facts when facts are available, but they also let the reader know where the gray areas lie: "So William Shakespeare went to work, but we don't know what he did. He probably helped his father make gloves, though some people think that he was a schoolmaster's assistant and other that he worked for a lawyer." Stanley and Vennema are accurate in that they let us know about ambiguities.

The significant facts of Shakespeare's life are included: where he grew up, who he married, how he started to write plays, when he wrote plays, etc. I did not feel as if there was a gaping hole in the story. Like the aforementioned example illustrates, Stanley and Vennema have no reservations in stating what is fact and what is theory. Like I said before, I think that this book is as accurate as a biography of Shakespeare could ever be.

The book was sufficiently organized. Stanley and Vennema follow Shakespeare's life as it progresses and interject facts here and there concerning theaters and his plays. I feel like I would have understood the biography better if they had made chapters out of the sections, or at least put headings on the pages. At times, I felt like I was skipping around. There is no index for reference. I found the images that depicted the different parts of the theater to be helpful, but otherwise the pictures weren't necessarily integral to understanding the text. I think that more images and side notes would have made the story more interesting, but, like I said, the text is sufficient as is.

I found the book to be attractive and readable. The font of the text felt very Shakespearean and the pictures showed people in appropriate dress for the period. Stanley's talent for art is showcased in the book, and at times the pictures were more interesting than the text! The pictures made the biography seem like more of a story, which aided in my reading it.

Stanley and Vennema's writing is clear and easy to understand. I would not say that it is particularly lively, but the tone is definitely not boring. They don't talk down, and the vocabulary is easy to comprehend. The authors encourage curiosity and critical thinking as they present all of the different theories revolving around the life of Shakespeare:

"Over the years, there have been people who could not believe that the son of a glove maker, a small-town boy with only a grammar-school education, could have written the greatest series of plays in the English language . . . Historians do not take these theories seriously. Those who knew and worked with Shakespeare during his lifetime never doubted that he had written these plays."

By showing differing view points, Stanley and Vennema give the reader something to think about. The authors also include a postscript that talks about spelling and language during Shakespeare's time. They also include references and titles for additional research. It is obvious that the authors are excited about this subject and want to share it with their readers.

Bard of Avon presents the facts, theories, and fiction of Shakespeare's life and leaves it up to the reader to decide. I would definitely suggest this book as a way for young students to learn about the life of Shakespeare. Beautifully illustrated and informative, this book is a treat.

4. Review Excerpts

"These seasoned raconteurs...neatly piece together the puzzle of Shakespeare's life." - Publishers Weekly

"This is a wonderful book. A fine companion biography to Good Queen Bess (Four Winds, 1990), this life of Shakespeare builds on the methods developed in Bess and Shaka, King of the Zulus (Morrow, 1988). Using the few facts known about their subject, Stanley and Vennema manage a full-bodied portrait of a life and time without resorting to fictionalizing or sloppy speculation. In fact, the book starts with an appealing invitation to examine the historical research process. And, without wasting words in pedantic explanation, it keeps readers on a firm footing regarding the scholarly basis of any assertion. In the course of a brief text, the authors manage to touch not only upon the life but also upon important aspects of many of the major plays. There is even a tantalizing postscript with introductory glimpses of the development of the English language. As with their previous works, the authors provide a short but meaty bibliography. Stanley's distinctive full-color gouache paintings are clearly her own, and just as clearly planted firmly in archival research. They reinforce and expand the text with humor and movement. As icing on the cake, the generous open space and attractive page decoration rival the production given Shaka . Books like these need only be displayed to attract readers. And once opened, they keep their promise. Lucky kids!" - School Library Journal

5. Connections

Related books:

Brown, John Russell. (1982). Shakespeare and His Theatre. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books. 068800850X.

Garfield, Leon. (1985). Shakespeare Stories. New York: Schocken Books. 0395861403.

Haines, Charles. (1968) William Shakespeare and His Plays. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc.

Hodges, C. Walter. (1964). Shakespeare's Theatre. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc.

Stewart, Philippa. (1973). Shakespeare and His Theatre. London: Wayland Publishers.