10 new novels, romances and nonfiction books inspired by Shakespeare – Daily News

A 400-year-old spirit continues to make its presence known. This voice from a long-standing past is not a Halloween haunt. It never disappeared.

Still, the spirit of William Shakespeare, who died in 1616, seems to be having a particularly good time right now: in Washington, D.C., over the summer. Folger Shakespeare Library reopens – And A new Shakespeare museum will open In London in 2025. Radiohead’s Thom Yorke announced: A mix of “Hamlet” and his band’s 2003 album “Hail to the Thief” from the UK scene And Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal He will play “Othello” on Broadway. Oscar winner Chloé Zhao He directs the screen version of “Hamnet” Maggie O’Farrell’s impressive 2020 novel On the death of Shakespeare’s son It is planned to be released next year.

So is this a particularly fertile time for Shakespearean antics? We reached out to the Folger Shakespeare Library for information.

“Shakespeare’s works resonate through the ages because they explore the complexities of human nature, emotion, and society through timeless reflections that continue to influence literature, art, and culture today,” Katherine Harroff, the Folger’s director of engagement, said in an email.

Even the poet’s artistic contemporary (and sometimes co-author?), playwright Christopher Marlowe is having a moment Hesse Phillips’ novel “From the Light” In stores this week, it’s about the intrigue-filled final weeks of Marlowe’s life. (And we’ll feature Phillips in a Q&A soon.)

Although Shakespeare-inspired works appear all the time, many books (novels, romances, detective stories, history, and nonfiction) are now hitting the shelves. (How many? I was literally offered a new book while writing this paragraph.)

Of course, you can download the collected plays or practice reading the sonnets; stream plays from canopy, Sphere or Digital Theater; Watch film and TV adaptations such as or the star-studded “Hollow Crown.” You can participate in a local production. Madnani Theater, Largo, Long Beach Theatereven A free, undirected performance of “The Comedy of Errors” held behind a bar. (Not to mention plans for future productions) Temecula, san diego, San Bernardino, Long Beach, Griffith Park, topanga, Los Angeles Shakespeare Center – Which one construction is going on – and much more.)

(by Drew Lichtensberg The New York Times’ latest on the state of staging Shakespearewith J“Shakespeare in a Divided America” ​​by ames Shapiro It also provides valuable insight into how the political climate affects our understanding and support for games.)

But for now, let’s just take a look at the 10 latest books:

“All Our Yesterdays” Written by: Joel H. Morris (GP Putnam’s Sons)

This first novel is an origin story of Lady Macbeth and has been praised by novelist Karen Joy Fowler. author and translator Jennifer Croft and writer Liz Michalski, who called it “sharp and sharp as an obsidian dagger,” which might be the coolest way to describe anything ever (so please feel free to refer to The Book Pages that way from now on).

“Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England’s Greatest Warrior King” Written by: Dan Jones (Viking)

In this non-fiction work, historian, novelist and TV presenter Jones undertakes historic Henryperson honored by Shakespeare Immortal Brothers Band his speech in the play. One Latest review of the book in the New York Times, “The Will in the World” by Stephen Greenblatt He writes that Jones’s work reveals that the real Henry, unlike the play’s king, was a “monster” who massacred prisoners after the battle of Agincourt.

“Marriage and Masti” By Nisha Sharma (Avon)

OK, who’s in the mood for some palate-cleansing romance after this latest trailer? In his concluding volume “If Shakespeare Were an Auntie TV Series” Based on “Twelfth Night,” Sharma cleverly creates a friend-lover romance involving a shipwrecked yacht, a drunken night out, and a trick; Or was it real? – marriage.

“Much Noise About Numbers: Shakespeare’s Mathematical Life and Times” Written by: Rob Eastaway (Experiment)

Did I mention there will be no math? It would be a shame to miss this entertaining perspective on what really matters in tragedies, comedies and histories. Eastaway is a writer and director of a group working with young people in England. Math Inspirationreveals that the idea for the book first came about as a joke and later found real value in the idea. There’s a lot of history, science, language, and yes, number stuff here; for example, in “Othello” there is a clever reference to a week as “Eight points 8 hours”, which turns out to be exactly how long a week is. .

“Practical” Rosalind Brown (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

This first novel is about a college student who is trapped in his room and working on a paper. Shakespeare’s sonnets. Brown, whose thesis is on the subject of discipline, takes the reader on a journey through the uncontrolled thoughts, imagination and fantasies of someone who procrastinates on a deadline; This is an interesting topic worth writing about if I ever get around to it.

“Princes in the Tower” Written by: Philippa Langley (Simon and Schuster)

Langley is probably best known for his role. discovery of real-life Richard III’s burial site. In this (very) unsolved case type investigation originating from a project called Lost Princes ProjectHe aims to learn the fate of Richard’s two young nephews, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, long believed to have been murdered in the Tower of London.

“Queen Macbeth” Written by: Val McDermid (Atlantic Monthly Press)

prolific Scottish crime writer tries to clear up misunderstandings about the historical Lady Macbeth, whose real name is Gruoch. The author reprises the character in a novella that one reviewer called “‘Thelma and Louise’ with a Crossbow” and finds her on the run from pursuers. (Again, feel free to apply this explanation to this newsletter as well.)

“Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent” Written by: Dame Judi Dench with Brendan Hea (St. Martin’s Press)

In the book consisting of these interviews The popular Dench Theater director Hea initially considered collecting stories for an archive about the many roles she played, but as she progressed, she realized that Dench was not just a keen expert on Shakespearean performance, with a photographic memory for lines, costumes and more. , she’s also a hoot: She describes him constantly wandering around, making fake teeth out of orange peels or stuffing his mouth with popcorn, and dropping the occasional F-bomb. (No, not “for now”)

“He’s talking! What Might Shakespeare’s Women Have Said? Harriet Walter (Union Square)

This is the book I learned from while writing the introduction. Walter, whose other credits include “Succession,” “Silo,” “Ted Lasso” and the superb 1995 adaptation “Sense & Sensibility,” has previously written books on acting and Shakespeare. Here she offers thoughts and anecdotes about playing certain roles, offers insights into plays, and writes her own monologues from the voices of various female characters.

“The Impropriety of Margaret Wolf” Written by: Isa Arsen (GP Putnam’s Sons)

Set in the mid-1950s and scheduled for publication in January 2025, this novel tells the story of two Shakespearean actors, one of whom recently suffered a seizure after his performance in “Macbeth,” as they set out for the New World. Mexico leaves the desert for the production of “Titus Andronicus” and finds themselves in the middle of romantic and sexual difficulties.

So it’s a 10 out of 10 – and you can tell people that’s how you’ll rate this newsletter – but I imagine more books being published as I write this.

If the idea of ​​reading books like this intrigues you, the Folger Library

Harroff said they would read one of Sharma’s books and invited everyone to participate.

“Ours Folger Book Club joyfully examines these enduring influences through new literature and community discussions. In November, Nisha Sharma’s ‘Dating Dr. We are reading the book ‘Language’ and would love more Californians to join us for an online discussion,” Harroff said.