The Shakespeare Handbooks provide a helpful, straightforward guide to the work of the world's most celebrated dramatist. Along with a clear, easy-to-follow description of the plot, each book contains plenty of quotations from the text - with simple explanations of any unfamiliar words and phrases - and some thought-provoking comments from critics, past and present. The Shakespeare Handbooks include a few intriguing Shakespearean facts and figures, too. How old was Shakespeare when he wrote Love's Labour's Lost? What major decisions did he take at this stage of his career? Why was the plague on Shakespeare's mind when he wrote Love's Labour's Lost? Who referred to him scornfully as an 'upstart crow', and why? What was special about the first printed version of the play? Which word is used more often in this play than in any other by Shakespeare? What does 'overparted' mean, and what does it suggest about Shakespeare's career? What are the 'Lord's tokens'? What is a 'quillet'? And a 'caudle'? And when is the 'posterior of the day'? If you're apprehensive about approaching a Shakespeare play, the Shakespeare Handbooks provide the perfect introduction. They're ideal for students, theatregoers - in fact, anyone curious to know more about the greatest plays in the English language. These are a few of the appreciative comments we've received about the Shakespeare Handbooks: "Tremendously useful in helping to understand Shakespeare's works" - Dame Judi Dench. "Very readable, very helpful" - Kenneth Branagh. "The Shakespeare Handbooks open the plays up admirably. Excellent for all levels of reader - everybody will get something from them." - Simon Callow.