Synopses & Reviews
Shakespeare is everywhere
Nearly four hundred years after his death, Shakespeare permeates our everyday lives: from the words we speak to the teenage heartthrobs we worship to the political rhetoric spewed by the twenty-four-hour news cycle. In the pages of this wickedly clever little book, Esquire columnist Stephen Marche uncovers the hidden influence of Shakespeare in our culture, including these fascinating tidbits:
- Shakespeare coined more than 1,700 words, including hobnob, glow, lackluster, and dawn.
- Paul Robeson's 1943 performance as Othello on Broadway was a seminal moment in black history.
- Tolstoy wrote an entire book about Shakespeare's failures as a writer.
- In 1936, the Nazi Party tried to claim Shakespeare as a Germanic writer.
- Without Shakespeare, the book titles Infinite Jest, The Sound and the Fury, and Brave New World wouldn't exist.
- The name Jessica was first used in The Merchant of Venice.
- Freud's idea of a healthy sex life came directly from the Bard.
Stephen Marche has cherry-picked the sweetest and most savory historical footnotes from Shakespeare's work and life to create this unique celebration of the greatest writer of all time.
Review
“[A] charming tribute...This highly accessible paean to someone whom Marche describes as “the worlds most powerful writer” serves as yet another reminder of the impact Shakespeare has had on culture worldwide.” Quill & Quire
Review
“[How Shakespeare Changed Everything] is informative and entertaining.” Publishers Weekly
Review
“An ambitious and entertaining new book...[How Shakespeare Changed Everything] explores the many, often unsuspected ways in which the great playwright shaped just about every facet of contemporary culture.” Maria Popova, BrainPickings.com
Review
“How Shakespeare Changed Everything is a joyful little book that is a love note to the greatest writer in the English language: never syrupy or over the top, its a pleasure to read.” Bookreporter.com
Review
“Theres not a drop of boredom in this little book.” Huntington News
Review
“This is a wonderful book about seeing the world through Shakespeare-tinted glasses. Youll never look at the food court, Justin Beiberor, for that matter, the English languagethe same way again.” A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically
Review
“We are lucky that Stephen Marche had his mind blown by Shakespeare; we are luckier still that in making the argument for Shakespeares inextinguishable relevance, he has given us a contact high.” Tom Junod
Review
“Informed, ebullient and profoundly respectful.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
“How Shakespeare Changed Everything will provide the details and keep you amused while it does. A teacher who makes the class read the book wont get much backlash from the sourpuss who calls Shakespeare dull and out-of-date.” Associated Press
Review
“In his highly readable, never ponderous, sometimes funny, often insightful new book, [Stephen Marche] credits the Bard with everything from shaping American history (the rise of Obama, the fall of Lincoln) to the very enjoyable sex you had last night.” Wicked Local
Review
“A sprightly, erudite sampling of Shakespeares influence on absolutely everything.” National Post
Review
“How Shakespeare Changed Everything is fun and informative, with more than its share of ‘Aha! moments packed between its diminutive covers. Mr. Marches thesis is compelling and probably more true than we ever imagined.” New York Journal of Books
Synopsis
Shakespeare is all around us. Nearly four centuries after his death, his literary influence can be felt everywhere in modern society, from nightclubs and suburban mall food courts to voting booths and New York's Central Park. In How Shakespeare Changed Everything, Esquire columnist Stephen Marche explores the many ways in which the work of this literary giant permeates everyday life.
Shakespeare's influence on history was both profound and pervasive: days before his death, Lincoln read "Macbeth" aloud, the play in which Shakespeare is believed to have introduced the word "assassination;" during World War II, his work was referenced by Churchill, Hitler and Stalin; and he is credited with having coined somewhere around 1700 words, including "fashionable," "auspicious," and even the name "Jessica." Packed with fun and fascinating tidbits, How Shakespeare Changed Everything reveals how the world as it is today it would not exist without the Bard of Avon.
Stephen Marche is a novelist who also writes for newspapers and magazines. He currently writes a monthly column for Esquire magazine about culture. Ten years ago, he chose Shakespeare as the subject of his doctoral dissertation because he believed he would never be bored. He was correct. The best gig he ever had was as a professor of Renaissance drama at the City College of New York, which he quit in 2007 to write full time.
--Bookreporter.com
Synopsis
Esquirecolumnist Stephen Marche gives an expansive and exciting look at WilliamShakespeares pervasive influence on every aspect of modern culture—showing ushow we can find Shakespeare even where we least expect him. In the spirit ofAlain de Bottons How Proust Can Change Your Life,Marche reveals how Shakespeares influence is everywhere—from politics topsychotherapy, broadway to botany, emo teenagers to outrageous baby names, even zoology (didyou know its the Bard who is responsible for the starlings terrorizing NewYork Citys Central Park?). Fans of literary trivia and readers of StephenGreenblatts Will in the World and Bill Brysons Shakespeare: TheWorld as Stage will be captivated by Marches artful reading of how everyday can bring a fresh reading of the Immortal Bard of Avon.
About the Author
STEPHEN MARCHE is a novelist who also writes for newspapers and magazines. He currently writes a monthly column about culture for Esquire magazine. Ten years ago, he chose Shakespeare as the subject of his PhD because, he believed, Shakespeare would never bore him. He was correct. The best job he ever had was as a professor of Renaissance drama at the City College of New York, which he quit in 2007 to write full time. Visit him online at <>.