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 Cymbeline? How might the plague have influenced the writing of the play? Which recent discovery by Galileo is hinted at in Cymbeline? Who described the play as 'vulgar, foolish, offensive, indecent and exasperating'? Which Victorian poet, by contrast, loved Cymbeline so much that he was buried with a copy of the play in his coffin? What is a 'bawdy court', and why did a member of Shakespeare's family have to attend one? What are 'swathing clothes'? What - or who - is a 'snuff'? And a 'jay'? And a 'chimney-sweeper'? 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" - Sir Kenneth Branagh. "The Shakespeare Handbooks open the plays up admirably. Excellent for all levels of reader - everybody will get something from them." - Simon Callow.