Everyday Shakespeare is an amazing compilation of quotes to help you navigate each day of the year. The writers have organized it by month and provided a quote for each day, along with an explanation. It's a fantastic idea that offers deeper understanding of Shakespeare's characters and the language itself. Given Shakespeare's immense impact on the English language, I found it fascinating to read the notes with each quote and contemplate the linguistic aspects...I wholeheartedly suggest this book for Shakespeare enthusiasts and language lovers.

This is like a word-a-day calendar, but with a quotation from Shakespeare for each day (rather than a vocabulary word.) Also, each quote has accompanying text that explains what the quote is from, what it means, why the language says what it does, and the context in which an individual might use Shakespeare's words today. [Note: while that last bit (i.e. how to employ the Bard's words today) is a major theme of the book, I wouldn't recommend it. It will make one look more like a pretentious nincompoop than like a clever wordsmith.] That said, the book still has great value for anyone interested in Shakespeare's work, specifically, or the evolution of the English language, more generally. In dealing with many phrases that describe workaday activities that were common then as now, the book builds a niche different from books that deal in the grandiose phraseology of war and aristocratic life.

Many people struggle with Shakespeare, and this book helps make clear why some of the statements that were about mundane matters had the meaning they did. I would put people's difficulties with Shakespeare into three buckets. First, poetic and non-colloquial language in which the reader knows all the words and their meanings, but the poetic / stylistic language and grammar throws them for a loop. This book shouldn't really need to deal with this one, but it does a little bit. Second, evolutionary language drift, in this case the reader knows the words but is thrown off because they don't mean what they once did. The book is quite helpful in clarifying these changes. Third, the revolutionary shifts, these involve words and phrases wholly unfamiliar to the reader because they deal in activities and perspectives not present in our daily lives. The book also explains these changes, nicely.

The book draws from the entire Shakespeare canon, but more heavily from the plays than from the sonnets or long form poems. (Also, not surprisingly, it draws more heavily from the popular plays -- i.e. many of the tragedies and the popular comedies -- than it does from the more obscure plays (i.e. most histories and a few of the others.) This only makes sense, and I was happy to see references to sonnets, histories, and other Shakespearean poems at all.

All in all, this is an informative book and is recommended for those who are interested in getting into Shakespeare, or who are intrigued by the ever-shifting landscape of the English language.

As someone who absolutely adores Shakespeare, I adore this book so much!

This book features a quote from one of Shakespeare's works for each day of the year! With insight into the quote in the original play, possible meanings today, connections to other of Shakespeare's works, and so much more, this book truly has so much in it! Full of quotes that range in different themes, emotions, interpretations, and explorations of characters, this is such a special book!

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Chambers for the e-ARC of this book, and to Chambers for sending me an absolutely stunning finished copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

With Shakespeare's wealth of profound quotes, this book offers a treasure trove of insightful reflections that can captivate and educate readers. The narrative in this book is not just clear; it's intuitive and designed to be easily consumed each day. The purpose of this book is to provide daily morsels of wisdom, and it excels in doing just that. The authors have meticulously curated Shakespeare's quotes, ensuring that each quote carries its own lesson or inspiration.

One notable aspect of this book is its organization by themes for each month. For instance, February is dedicated to love, allowing readers to explore the multifaceted aspects of this universal theme. The authors' skillful presentation also places each quote in its relevant context, enhancing the reader's understanding and appreciation. I believe this book would make an excellent gift. It's not only a delightful read but also a source of daily inspiration. In fact, I'm considering purchasing the hard copy to have a tangible version of this gem.

The idea is creative. You will catch glimpses of loves you've known, jealousies you've felt, relationships you've experienced, and situations you've encountered as you read his lines. The 366 main quotes were chosen as a mirror for us to peer into, to see if any part of ourselves might be visible, each dated day as in a diary. The authors, a father and son team of Shakespeare experts who reside on the Welsh island of Anglesey, have, as they put it, "gently curated" the passage of the year over a range of themes, encouraging a flow of ideas over the course of a week. They highlight contemporary issues as well as literary, linguistic, and dramatic topics through their choice of quotations. They include context notes that specify who said what and when in which play. This book was impossible to put down.

A comprehensive book covering many lines from Shakespeare’s works, but it felt a little staccato at times, jumping from one line/play to the next. And the way it was laid out in ebook (at least in the ARC I had) meant it was hard to tell which line went with which play title/explanation, at times. I’m sure this wouldn’t be a problem with the paper book version.

Overall I don’t feel I learnt as much as I was hoping for on this occasion, unfortunately. But it’s clear the authors are very knowledgeable about both Shakespeare and the English language.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Genius is determined by simplicity.
Because being a genius means understanding the subject and ability to explain, show, express it in a simple, yet meaningful way.

The authors know their Shakespeare and offer quotes to readers in an easy, non-overwhelming manner.
Nevertheless the simplicity comes with layers - given a line at a time, compared with similar thoughts in other Shakespeare’s plays or sonnets makes a reader stop, think, turn the phrase in and out, indulge in it, try it on yourself and on current life circumstances. A bit of daily philosophy.

I love the representation of each quote , per page with explanation, play reference, personage, and referred to a situation where in the play this phrase occurred.
Book organized by quote per each day of the year (even February 29th is there), so there would be something to contemplate on any day.
Imho reading in ebook format does not give full credit to pages design and book structure, I imagine in printed version it would look much better. Cannot wait to see this book, coming out in US this September!

This is a wonderful introduction to Shakespeare for the modern reader. Each day gives a snip from a play or sonnet. Interestingly (and refreshingly) they are often from lesser known works. The additional information brings the text to life and aids its understanding. The love for the works of Shakespeare shines through by the father and son authors of the book. With the teaching of Shakespeare disappearing from our educational system, this book helps the reader understand that the themes he used are still current today. This is an enjoyable and educational delight.

I really enjoyed this. I read one quote on most days and let it ruminate. Some days I wanted more. This would make a great gift for an English major or a high schooler.

Shakespeare had an ear and hand that was able to capture our everyday thoughts and emotions, pin them to a page, and express them so well that still today they can make us feel stunned to be seen.

'Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.'
'Make not your thoughts your prisons.'
'Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.'
'And I have heard it said, unbidden guests are often welcomest when they're gone.'

With a quote for every day of the year, this beautiful book gathers the finest lines from the lesser-known corners of Shakespeare's plays and poems. While you may not be familiar with these 400-year-old phrases, you will be surprised by the immediate, easy resonance they have with modern day-to-day life and, hopefully, inspired to learn a few quotes, say them out loud, and drop them into conversation.

Each page bears a gift of Shakespearean delight - around which lies a treasure trove of trivia, miscellaneous fact, and opportunities for reflection.

The Crystals - son and father - draw attention to points of daily life, literary, linguistic, and theatrical interest through their entertaining commentary. They offer notes of context for anyone who wants to know who originally said the words, in which play, and why. And finally, the authors provide three indexes, allowing readers to help find the right quote for a task, or to follow-up on a quote's original source.

Shakespeare's words are a mirror for us to peer into, to see if any part of ourselves, familiar or strange, is visible. Each day as you read his lines, you'll get glimpses of loves you've known, jealousies you've felt, relationships you've had, and situations you've encountered that bring a smile - or a wince - of familiarity.

Everyday Shakespeare shares the simple lines that encapsulate the wondrous complexity of life, and the enduring appeal of the Bard.

This is the perfect introduction to the works of William Shakespeare. I highly recommend this book to others.

Everyday Shakespeare provides the reader with quotes per day, along with a description of the meaning, how you could use it modern life, and details of the play it is taken from.

Fabulous concept to introduce additonal Shakespeare to readers. Not always the well known plays, this is a great way to open up the lesser known to a wider audience. Easy to dip in and out of, or indeed to read in longer sections.

I found the kindle formatting to be difficult to follow, and would expect hard copy text to be easier to follow - I know I shall be getting hold of a copy as soon as possible, as I love the idea of dipping in each day to read the quote!

I have always loved quotes, so I was immediately drawn to this title. I think it's a wonderful collection of Shakespeare's quotes, and does a good job of not simply regurgitating his most popular and well-known lines. I appreciated the layout, with the quotes grouped by monthly themes - you can certainly do a quotation a day and it would flow very well. The authors didn't restrict readers to this, however, and it's very easy to just pick a theme that is resonating with you in the moment and read through it (the authors very helpfully lay out which theme they've prescribed to which months in the beginning, and there's a very handy index included). Whether you do a quote a day, read it all in one sitting, or something in between, I think this is a very charming look at Shakespeare. The authors also offered tips for memorization before the quotes began, should you want to attempt such. It's certainly not necessary, but I liked the inclusion for those who may want to have a go.

I also enjoyed the commentary that accompanied each quote. It was never overwhelming, ranging from a few lines to a paragraph or two (but never more than a page). It offered an interpretation (sometimes a few) for the quote, as well as sometimes providing references to similar quotes used elsewhere by Shakespeare, and definitions of any words that may have fallen out of use, changed meanings, or are uncommon in daily speech. I really appreciated the thought that went into each explanation and the effort to keep it engaging. My only complaint for this title, and it is a small one (and entirely dependent on my own personal aesthetic), is that I disliked the stylization chosen for the name of the work the quote was from. Every quote included the name of its source material along the bottom of the page (along with an extremely useful explanation of the context for the quote - so handy!), which I did really like. I just did not like the way this was usually written (the letters were not all beside one another, some were downsized and stacked to add some "flair" to the title) - a very small complaint and one that may not bother anyone else. It certainly won't stop me from recommending the book to anyone!

TLDR: An excellent collection of quotes that offer a more well-rounded collection of Shakespeare. It is more than just a compilation of quotes - it offers insight into the words while encouraging readers to discover their own interpretations.

Thank you NetGalley & Nicholas Brealey US for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

I liked this approach, taking quotes from shakespeare and not raelly the most well known ones, one for each day of the year and putting it in context of the play, and the language of the day. Well done

Good collection of Shakespeare quotes for casual reading. Would recommend for readers already familiar with many of Shakespeare's plays including the less famous ones, as they will be able to appreciate the full context. For uninitiated and younger readers, a smaller collection that compiles the most famous, instantly-recognisable quotes would be more appropriate.

This collection of Shakespeare’s most loved literature phrases translated to modern understanding was exceptionally well done.

Most of us learn the writings of Shakespeare in high school but lack and understanding of what we are reading. This is a fantastic book for anyone to be able to appreciate his work and use his phrases in everyday life.

I received this ARC via NetGalley and Nicholas Brealey US in exchange for an honest review.

I love Shakespeare's works. Like many, I was introduced to them at school, and the language and themes have entranced me to this day. There is always more to uncover in subsequent readings. Thoroughly enjoyed this piece.

Great compilation😍💗💗💖💕✨


"Thank you so much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

I read this e-book on the iPad Kindle app, and there were several formatting issues:
- Some of the headings of play titles didn't align with the quotes underneath
- From my understanding, each day of the year was assigned a quote, yet in my version, 85% of the quotes didn't have dates attributed to them (then there would be ~3 quotes in a row with dates)
- However, taking a quick scan at some other reviewers' feedback, this may have been a unique formatting issue with the iPad Kindle app...so I guess just don't read this book in this format

I didn't enjoy a few aspects of the structure + explanations as well:
For most quotes, there was a quick introduction of the etymology of many words, then a 21st-century-English-translation. I thought this part was great However, what often followed was the immediate context of the quote (ex. Tybalt said this to Mercutio after whatever), which wasn't super helpful to my understanding of the quote, especially when it was from an unfamiliar play. The book would've been more meaningful if the authors emphasized why the quote was important/a turning point/stood out in a particular scene, and explained how the quote contributed to a message that Shakespeare was promoting. Right now, the entire thing reads more like an obscure trivia collection, which is just personally not my cup of tea, and also not what I expected going into it. I'd consider this more of a coffee table book than anything.

I did enjoy the parts where the authors found paralleling quotes in several of Shakespeare's plays. It very effectively communicated the idea that, while Shakespeare switched around the settings and characters, many of his central messages stayed the same.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nicholas Brealey US for the eARC. All thoughts were my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher Nicholas Brealey US / Chambers for a copy of this book!
I would define this as a day-to-day Shakespeare in small doses. You can either decide to read a quote per day, as it is structured, all together or at your own pace. It works for those who are already familiar with Shakespeare's works to refresh their memory, as well as for those who are not and would like to approach this world little by little. The quotes are also coupled with explanations that contextualize them and help to better understanding. Every month also has its own theme so it's easier to find a quote that goes well with the mood one might be looking for.

“Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life” by Ben Crystal and David Crystal is a literature lovers dream volume that will be well received and cherished by Bard fans the world over. Designed as a read-a-poem-every day book, this fascinating nonfiction volume offers definitive insight into often vague or less-than easily understandable Elizabethan verses for those of us who adore William Shakespeare, but aren’t particularly well-informed or educated in translation or transliteration of these erudite expressions of poetry and prose from 500 years prior.

I continue to read and reread this wonderful book because it’s so magnificently educational, engaging and entertaining. The quote/verse per day layout is great for memorizing, as well as for a daily reading challenge. Not to offend the authors, but it makes a terrific bathroom reader, too! I’m all for stimulating mindfulness while being otherwise occupied.

TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Authors Ben Crystal and David Crystal, and Publisher Nicholas Brealey U.S. / Chambers for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.