GETTING TO KNOW WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: A Dramatic Life

Described here as a "genius," yet the "son of a glovemaker" and "just a man," William Shakespeare is an undeniably complex character. Most of us learned about the Bard in elementary, middle or high school, but many have not revisited the man who wrote some of the most beautiful and cherished words in the English language. California-based audio producer Wake presents an original audio presentation that seems more like a documentary than a book on tape, complete with a host, interviews, quotes, sound bites and classical music clips. Narrator Child—the weekday host of NPR's Performance Today—speaks with Shakespeare biographers, professors, historians and people who work at Shakespeare festivals, giving the production credibility and depth. He charts Shakespeare's family and professional life and places Shakespeare's works into a historical context. Younger listeners will enjoy learning about what it was like to attend a theater performance in Elizabethan England (there were no sets or scenery, and the women's parts were performed by boys whose voices had not yet changed); while older listeners will take pleasure in hearing new takes on Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet and understanding the autobiographical value of Shakespeare's sonnets. The CD is perfect for family car trips, as it simultaneously serves as a mind-refresher for parents and an entertaining education for older children and teens. Child's friendly voice and the constant variety of interviewees—from John Andrews, president of Washington, D.C.'s Shakespeare Guild, to Park Honan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Leeds—make this a thoroughly entertaining production. (Apr.)