- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Doubleday; 1 edition (April 30 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385498179
- ISBN-13: 978-0385498173
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16.8 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 612 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,230,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
This is a thoroughly engaging account of one man's late-life passion and his attempts, mainly successful, at pitching it to others. At age 67, having retired after a long and distinguished career in publishing, Gollob surprised himself and everyone around him by parlaying his recently acquired fanaticism for the Bard into a position teaching Shakespeare at an elder hostel. The conversion experience had come when Gollob witnessed Ralph Fiennes's acclaimed 1995 Broadway performance in Hamlet. Gollob had already recovered his Jewish roots, having had a bar-mitzvah in middle age; combining his two passions, he began to make connections between the Torah and Shakespeare. After several terms as a popular instructor, Gollob decided he needed to go back to school and enrolled in a short course on Shakespeare at Oxford, where he was so taken with his studies that he quotes big sections of his term paper (a Judaic reading of King Lear) and notes that even though he far exceeds the 15-minute limit for oral reports, his teacher exclaims that she was too rapt by his presentation to interrupt. Gollob fails to distinguish the various voices in his overearnest dialogue, and he has the autodidact's habit of proclaiming as original discoveries that have been generally accepted by scholars for years. But his enthusiasm for his subject is infectious describing a pub meal with fellow Oxford scholars following an eye-opening morning of research, he asks, "Was that the happiest moment of my life or what?" and his boyish zeal comes across as a call to arms to all readers who've ever contemplated changing their lives.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Inviting the reader to share in his personal quest, Gollob details his obsession with Shakespeare. An editor for such publishing houses as Simon & Schuster, Doubleday, and Little, Brown, Gollob left his work behind to chase down the Bard after seeing a Broadway production of Hamlet starring Ralph Fiennes. Here, he offers detailed inside views of the publishing world, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the newly constructed Globe Theater, an Oxford University course on Shakespeare, and a host of actors, directors, and assorted celebrities. His insights and discoveries on all things Shakespearean are sharp and well considered, and his take on Hamlet is particularly revealing of himself and of the text. Gollob is a man in love with books, indeed one who has spent a lifetime involved with books; that love and knowledge are present on every page. While some of his adventures are more interesting than others, his excitement about his journey is addictive. The result is a unique book dense with living and learning. Recommended for all public libraries. Neal Wyatt, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
About, and for, discovery,
By tahl2 "tahl2" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Me and Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard (Paperback)
Most of the previous reviewers have stressed the self-focus that, I agree, is both a strength & the weakness of Me and Shakespeare. But only one reviewer so far has mentioned how useful the book is in giving a layman's guide to some of the scholarly and popular critical literature on the plays. I enjoyed Gollob's brief descriptions of one old favorite (Goddard) and of many books that were new to me, and that I've now tracked down. Many of these books are mentioned in Chapter 1, but others pop up throughout the book as Gollob talks about the individual plays. He devotes most thought to the tragedies and the "Roman plays." The English histories -- particularly Henry V -- that I conclude Gollob doesn't find them very interesting. Eh, to each his own. Gollob also includes interesting tidbits from interviews or meetings he arranged over time with various Shakespeare luminaries: Richard Kuhta (librarian at the Folger), Patrick Spottiswoode (director of education at the new Globe), John Barton (famed Royal Shakespeare Company Director), others. And speaking of John Barton: I'm grateful to this book for introducing me to Playing Shakespeare, a very expensive ($1000+ !) early-1980s video series with Barton and RSC actors (Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, many others) thinking through how to perform roles and solve various acting challenges. There's also a book that transcribes much (all?) of the series: Playing Shakespeare: An Actor's Guide, by John Barton (ISBN 0385720858). Until I win the lottery, I'll have to stick with that. I've seen elsewhere that a similar-sounding (and similarly pricy) new series, Working Shakespeare, is due out in the U.S. in April 2004, featuring actors like Jeremy Irons and Samuel L. Jackson. Maybe Amazon will someday carry it.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Gollob and Shakespeare,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Me and Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard (Paperback)
On the whole, I found this book an enjoyable and interesting read. As another reviewer said, you will enjoy it more if you're sixty plus, fond of Shakespeare, and Jewish. I qualify on two out of three. The Jewish references were beyond my ken.For a person nearing retirement, it's fascinating to see what some people do with their lives after full-time paid employment ends. After I retire, I plan to read all the great works of literature I've missed so far, and Shakespeare is on my list. Gollob (he must hate it that so many people can't bother to spell his name correctly) took "Shakespeare in Love" far too seriously. After all, it was a romantic comedy. It was supposed to be fun! His criticisms of its historical inaccuracies is like criticizing Shakespeare for his witches and fairies. Gollob is a little too full of himself at times, but he must have loved writing this book and gently bragging about his achievements and the famous people he's bumped against over the years.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and Enlightening,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Me and Shakespeare: Adventures with the Bard (Paperback)
As a Shakespeare enthusiast and writer, I completely enjoyed all aspects of this book. Gollob honestly shares his passion of Shakespeare and his personal history, both are well-written and lucid narratives of exploration and discovery. This book is part memoir by a literary expert and part commentary of learning about Shakespeare. I wish I had Mr. Gollob teach me Shakespeare in college rather than the tenured professors I had. I recommend this book to anyone at all interested in Shakespeare and to anyone who enjoys an excellent memoir.
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