Rating: 
Summary: An awesome volume...
Review: In 1987, when I was about to take my first Shakespeare course at university, I asked an uncle to make that year's Christmas present a complete volume of Shakespeare. I received a grocery store faux-leatherbound doorstop--actually not much thicker than this Pelican volume, but just gaudy enough to turn me off. I recall tearing out of the book the plays covered in the course.
The Pelican is what I wanted. It's beautiful. Simple, elegant cover; double-columned pages allowing for less overall thickness; good introductions and notes.
Rating: 
Summary: Overall, the one to buy
Review: Like many English majors in the sixties, I grew up reading this edition. The old one had a distinguished roster of editors and was pleasant to hold and read. In the latter category this new edition is a noble successor: clear type, full names of characters (no more "1 Serv."), and notes indicated by line numbers. This new edition fails however in its skimpy (9 pages!) of introductory matter and a masthead of editors who are fairly obscure. Still, I would award the plume to this volume for the first-time reader who wants a complete Shakespeare. The pleasant appearance that I mentioned above is important--we want a volume easy to handle and read. The editing is conservative and non-controversial (no more of the Oxford/Norton kinky titles--"The First Part of the Contention," sheesh--that's Henry VI, Part 2 to us plebians). And it's not as bulky as the power-lifter's Riverside and other editions. To sum up: if you have in your family or acquaintance a budding Shakespearean, this is still the one to buy. Seeing this book in the shop was like greeting an old friend. I look forward to hundreds of wonderful hours with it.
Rating:
Summary: An impressive volume for any lover of the Bard's literature
Review: More than a revised edition, THE COMPLETE PELICAN SHAKESPEARE includes new introductory essays for the plays and poems, edited versions of Shakespeare's texts that are in keeping with the most current scholarship and new textural notes. The result is a sort of one-stop Shakespeare, replete with information and aids for understanding the texts. The book also includes reproductions of the opening pages of the "First Folio" of 1623, as well as bibliographic information for finding further sources about Shakespeare's life, society and work. And, of course, Mr. Shakespeare's own contributions to the book are fine work, too.In addition to being a treasure-trove for students or anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Shakespeare's work, the book is also a fine display copy, sure to be an impressive addition to any (sturdy) bookshelf. While not the best edition for commuters who want to delve into MACBETH on the train ride to work, THE COMPLETE PELICAN SHAKESPEARE is an impressive volume for any lover of the Bard's literature. --- Reviewed by Rob Cline
Rating:
Summary: The New Complete Pelican Shakespeare is Among the Best
Review: Scholarly, attractive and easy on the eyes, the New Complete Pelican Shakespeare is a delightful entry into the crowded field of mammoth Shakespearean texts. As a teacher, the things I like most about this new edition are the insightful introductions to each of the individual works and the clear, readable text. It has the most attractive page of any of the major Shakespeare tomes. However, the general introduction at the beginning of the text is only fair compared with for example, the Norton Shakespeare. The Norton is much more complete for newcomers to the Bard, while the Pelican is more streamlined and attractive to the experienced reader. The footnotes are good and the method of indicating which line has a footnote is much better than Norton's (which is intrusive) or the Riverside's (which has none). The binding of the book is better than Bevington's or Riverside's and the paper is much stronger and denser than Norton's. Overall this is the toughest book of the major editions, which counts for something when you shell out so much money for a really big book. The text of this edition is good: better than Norton's (Oxford's) quirky text, but not so good as Riverside's grand text. Riverside's is not so modernized as the Pelican's and gives the reader a better flavor of Elizabethan speech and idioms. Both Bevington's and Norton's have attractive color photo sections and copious addenda that the Pelican and Norton Shakespeare fall short of. The Norton is better than the Pelican in this respect, but the Pelican is decidedly brief. If you like near encyclopedic information on Shakespeare's life, criticism, theater, etc., Riverside or Bevington is best. My favorite one volume Shakespeare is the Riverside Shakespeare, however, because, besides having in my opinion the best text, it also provides ample space in the margin to take notes. No other annotated edition (Norton, Bevington, Pelican) does this. To a teacher this is a tremendous bonus. My Riverside Shakespeare is completely marked up with notes that mean a great deal to me and wouldn't fit in any other edition.
Rating:
Summary: The New Complete Pelican Shakespeare is Among the Best
Review: Scholarly, attractive and easy on the eyes, the New Complete Pelican Shakespeare is a delightful entry into the crowded field of mammoth Shakespearean texts. As a teacher, the things I like most about this new edition are the insightful introductions to each of the individual works and the clear, readable text. It has the most attractive page of any of the major Shakespeare tomes. However, the general introduction at the beginning of the text is only fair compared with for example, the Norton Shakespeare. The Norton is much more complete for newcomers to the Bard, while the Pelican is more streamlined and attractive to the experienced reader. The footnotes are good and the method of indicating which line has a footnote is much better than Norton's (which is intrusive) or the Riverside's (which has none). The binding of the book is better than Bevington's or Riverside's and the paper is much stronger and denser than Norton's. Overall this is the toughest book of the major editions, which counts for something when you shell out so much money for a really big book. The text of this edition is good: better than Norton's (Oxford's) quirky text, but not so good as Riverside's grand text. Riverside's is not so modernized as the Pelican's and gives the reader a better flavor of Elizabethan speech and idioms. Both Bevington's and Norton's have attractive color photo sections and copious addenda that the Pelican and Norton Shakespeare fall short of. The Norton is better than the Pelican in this respect, but the Pelican is decidedly brief. If you like near encyclopedic information on Shakespeare's life, criticism, theater, etc., Riverside or Bevington is best. My favorite one volume Shakespeare is the Riverside Shakespeare, however, because, besides having in my opinion the best text, it also provides ample space in the margin to take notes. No other annotated edition (Norton, Bevington, Pelican) does this. To a teacher this is a tremendous bonus. My Riverside Shakespeare is completely marked up with notes that mean a great deal to me and wouldn't fit in any other edition.
Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare: For the Layman--Not for Intro to Shakespeare
Review: THE COMPLETE PELICAN SHAKESPEARE is quite good at what it does. It presents all of Shakespeare's plays, sonnets, and poems. Each play is preceded by a well-written introduction that attempts to analyze that play in terms of its major themes and to place it in an historical literary context. I found the frequent line numbers useful in that I could easily look up lines that in other editions might leave me counting up or down from a target line number. However, this edition is less useful for a serious student who needs a text that includes more than what this one does. This text does begin with a consideration of Shakespeare's Theatrical World, and in terms of getting background information on Shakespeare, his style, and overviews of his tragedies, comedies, and histories, these are sadly lacking. The COMPLETE SIGNET CLASSIC SHAKESPEARE (1971) includes all that this one does and adds the following: relevant biographical data, WS's theater and actors, the dramatic predecessors, style and structure, the 'Elizabethan World Picture,' and detailed overviews of his histories, comedies, and tragedies. THE COMPLETE PELICAN SHAKESPEARE is a useful and attractive text for a casual reading, but if one wishes to delve into areas where Pelicans fear to tread, then I recommend the Signet.
Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare: For the Layman--Not for Intro to Shakespeare
Review: THE COMPLETE PELICAN SHAKESPEARE is quite good at what it does. It presents all of Shakespeare's plays, sonnets, and poems. Each play is preceded by a well-written introduction that attempts to analyze that play in terms of its major themes and to place it in an historical literary context. I found the frequent line numbers useful in that I could easily look up lines that in other editions might leave me counting up or down from a target line number. However, this edition is less useful for a serious student who needs a text that includes more than what this one does. This text does begin with a consideration of Shakespeare's Theatrical World, and in terms of getting background information on Shakespeare, his style, and overviews of his tragedies, comedies, and histories, these are sadly lacking. The COMPLETE SIGNET CLASSIC SHAKESPEARE (1971) includes all that this one does and adds the following: relevant biographical data, WS's theater and actors, the dramatic predecessors, style and structure, the 'Elizabethan World Picture,' and detailed overviews of his histories, comedies, and tragedies. THE COMPLETE PELICAN SHAKESPEARE is a useful and attractive text for a casual reading, but if one wishes to delve into areas where Pelicans fear to tread, then I recommend the Signet.
Rating:
Summary: Still the Best
Review: The two reviews below (as of this posting) are so complete and useful that I won't bother repeating what they've so articulately said. Both of them, however, express disappointment with the paucity of introductory material in the Pelican. Initially, I agreed with them. After the fullness of biography and background in the previous edition--not to mention the wonderful illustrations of the Globe by C. Walter Hodge--the cursory intros in the new Pelican took me as rather much of a letdown. (And why weren't the brief essays signed?) Part of the fun of any new Shakespeare, after all, is in the editorial bells and whistles! On further thought and reading, however, I've changed my mind. The introductions to the individual plays and poetry continue to be full, thoughtful, and elegant (especially John Hollander's essay on the sonnets), and the annotations are clear and well-placed. The brief essays at the beginning of the volume provide only the essential background that the individual intros really can't. In that context, their "just the facts, ma'm" approach is refreshing and bound to be less intimidating to the first-time reader. I mean, how many students have been put off Shakespeare by the lengthiness and detail of preferatory material? Don't all the bells and whistles of other volumes imply to the fearful that one has to become a scholar simply to enjoy the show? One does need help, of course, but not a scholastic cloud. (The Norton is especially horrifying in this vein; woe to the 101 student whose instructor has chosen this for the class.) The new Pelican does seem somehow "thinner" than its predecessor--but we might just as well say "sleeker." This is still by far the friendliest one-volume Shakespeare out there. In twenty years, this will be just as beloved as the first edition!
Rating:
Summary: Still the Best
Review: The two reviews below (as of this posting) are so complete and useful that I won't bother repeating what they've so articulately said. Both of them, however, express disappointment with the paucity of introductory material in the Pelican. Initially, I agreed with them. After the fullness of biography and background in the previous edition--not to mention the wonderful illustrations of the Globe by C. Walter Hodge--the cursory intros in the new Pelican took me as rather much of a letdown. (And why weren't the brief essays signed?) Part of the fun of any new Shakespeare, after all, is in the editorial bells and whistles! On further thought and reading, however, I've changed my mind. The introductions to the individual plays and poetry continue to be full, thoughtful, and elegant (especially John Hollander's essay on the sonnets), and the annotations are clear and well-placed. The brief essays at the beginning of the volume provide only the essential background that the individual intros really can't. In that context, their "just the facts, ma'm" approach is refreshing and bound to be less intimidating to the first-time reader. I mean, how many students have been put off Shakespeare by the lengthiness and detail of preferatory material? Don't all the bells and whistles of other volumes imply to the fearful that one has to become a scholar simply to enjoy the show? One does need help, of course, but not a scholastic cloud. (The Norton is especially horrifying in this vein; woe to the 101 student whose instructor has chosen this for the class.) The new Pelican does seem somehow "thinner" than its predecessor--but we might just as well say "sleeker." This is still by far the friendliest one-volume Shakespeare out there. In twenty years, this will be just as beloved as the first edition!
Rating:
Summary: A very complete, very well edited edition.
Review: This is an excellent book that compiles nearly all of the great writer's plays into a beautiful hardcover masterpiece. It's user-friendly format is great for the casual reader. The book is also loaded with footnotes, intros, and historical information that brings Shakespeare's plays alive for the scholars. This is a must have for any college-bound student or for any lover of SHakespeare.
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