Rating: 
Summary: *In that it is precise, it suits me well; in that it...
Review: ...is too concise, it pleases me not.*Asimov presents, for each of the plays, a well-researched and fascinating social, political and historical background of their production along with a plot analysis with direct quotes (and etymologies). Many of the details presented appear either to have escaped the notice of standard Shakespearean commentators, or to be buried away. His synopsis of KING LEAR is characteristic... "Shakespeare wrote fifteen plays which, in one way or another, involve English history. Four of these are laid in the relatively dim time prior to the Norman conquest in 1066, and the one which deals with the oldest and the most purely legendary events is KING LEAR." Asimov then traces the original Celtic tale to Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae" (1135), then through "The Faerie Queene", Holinshed's "Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland", (1577), Edmund Spenser's play "The True Chronicle of King Lear", (1594), and finally to Shakespeare's version, first performed on 26th December, 1606. 1. Good example: Asimov describes why the name "Gloucester" may have been chosen for the father of the hero and villain, (Edgar and Edmund): "The first Earl of Gloucester in actual history was Robert, a son of King Henry I of England. He lived from 1090 to 1145 and played a prominent role in the civil war that followed the death of Henry I. He was the chief supporter of Henry's daughter, Matilda, against the claims of Henry's nephew, Stephen. "But since Robert of Gloucester was Henry's son, why was he not himself the claimant of the throne? Ah, it so happens he was Henry's bastard son and therefore unqualified to succeed. The Gloucester subplot is intimately concerned with the matter of a bastard son and perhaps that is why 'Earl of Gloucester' suggested itself to Shakespeare." 2. Bad example: Asimov may have tripped up on his astrology. At least one Shakespearean pundit has suggested that Edmund's birth under Ursa Major,("the Dragon's Tail"), was taken as ill-omened because of a malign/retrograde Martial-Venusian influence which would predispose a child born under it to villainy, according to the notions of the Elizabethan masses. Apparently, the constellations themselves were understood to express planetary influences, (if you're an astrologer, help me out here!): "-MY FATHER COMPOUNDED WITH MY MOTHER UNDER THE DRAGON'S TAIL, AND MY NATIVITY WAS UNDER URSA MAJOR, SO THAT IT FOLLOWS I AM ROUGH AND LECHEROUS. FUT! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THAT I AM, HAD THE MAIDENLIEST STAR IN THE FIRMAMAENT TWINKLED ON MY BASTARDIZING. "The Dragon's Tail is a reference to the constellation of Draco, a winding string of moderately bright stars in the neighborhood of the north celestial pole... Astrologically, this is meaningless, since these constellations are not part of the zodiac and it is through the zodiac that the paths of the sun, moon, and planets make their way..." What Asimov does NOT do here is discuss possible symbolic interpretations or textual criticisms of each play, (e.g., was King Lear really mad, was he incestuous, is this simply a morality play, a Platonic-Aristotelian conflict, or the perennial youth vs. maturity conflict? etc..). Personally, I think the book is pure gold.
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Summary: A GREAT SUPPLEMENT TO THE SHAKESPEAREAN CANON
Review: An exhaustive critical overview of Shakespeare's complete works, "Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare" is an invaluable reference tool for anyone interested in great plays like Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra, The Taming of the Shrew, and all the rest of Shakespeare's repertoire. The author's voice is both concise and precise, and if his unbridled admiration for the Bard comes through in every word he is nontheless willing to criticise when it's called for. Naturally, many of Asimov's opinions are highly debatable, but such is the case with any scholarly endeavor. Hopefully, this classic will be back in print soon, for it would be a travesty to let such a literary treasure slip away into oblivion. Meanwhile, if you can find it, buy it. Sure to increase any Shakespeare reader's understanding and joy of the great dramatist's works.
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Summary: IF YOU CAN BUY ONLY ONE BOOK ON SHAKESPEARE, BUY THIS ONE!
Review: Asimov provides the most complete background for understanding Shakespeare's plays! This book is a must for those involved in the theatrical study and production of Shakespeare.
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Summary: Shakespeare for anyone and everyone
Review: Asimov's guide might seem to be a large volume, but is relatively small, considering the amount of information and knowledge stored within. Asimov effortlessly takes any reader of Shakespeare, whether novice or expert, through the histories, tragedies, and comedies in order to reveal small plot intricacies, character motivation, and background that may be unknown to the bard's audience. Asimov expresses his own feelings freely, a reason that I am sure many people have ranked this book lower than a 5, but I maintaint the superior rating because any and all of the authors feelings are sufficiently backed, even if not universally accepted. For example, I do not feel that Hamlet's primary motivation is the crown of Denmark, but Asimov feels as such and backs his thoughts, a style that is to be commended and considered. I learned a great deal from the book, especially customs prevalent in the Elizabethan period that are not practiced in the modern world. The explanation of these customs is a priceless companion to any reader. Asimov's astonishingly in depth/easily read work is a must for anyone that has a wish to understand Shakespeare either a lot more, or just a little.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent guide to the plays
Review: Even those of us who enjoy Shakespeare may not catch on to every nuance in his writings. Most of us aren't familiar with the political, religious and historical references that permeate the Bard's work. Asimov's book puts Shakespeare's plays in context. He explains how Shakespeare manipulated history to increase the tension and smooth the flow of his stories, and gives us the background behind the historical plays -- information Shakespeare's audience would have known, but which we (for the most part) do not. I recommend this book.
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Summary: The Grandmaster's Great Companion to the Bard!
Review: Extremely comprehensive history/nonfiction. Asimov attempts to give a synapsis of the history and politics that surround the setting for each of Shakespeare's plays. I was able to use this book as a valuable resource for several college literature research papers, and I have turned to it since college for useful information.
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Summary: Good Companion to the Complete Works
Review: First, the "bad" things. Asimov often stops to explain things I already know. Also, I don't much care about the geographical speculations at the front of each play's discussions (for the most part, Shakespeare's plays take place in a Never-never Land that greatly resembles Elizabethan England, so why worry about the real Bohemia or Verona.) But these "bad" things are greatly outweighed by the work's better qualities. Asimov can be an entertaining as well as an informative writer: who else would point out the accidental accuracy of Shakespeare's timing of Puck's flight? Although Asimov mostly abstains from criticism in favor of explaining historical, scientific, or other allusions, his own delightful personality and sometimes idiosyncratic opinions shine through at times. And on the informative side, his explanations can be very helpful. On the history plays, they are invaluable; the section on Shakespeare's history plays (Book Two, The English Plays--Asimov eccentrically divides the plays into Greek, Roman, Italian, and English plays) is alone worth the price of the book. The real history behind the history plays is equally as interesting as Shakespeare's plays (albeit in a different way), and Asimov tells you about both. Buy this book, and you'll not only have some profitable reading once, but many times, because you will refer to Asimov's Guide again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Good Companion to the Complete Works
Review: First, the "bad" things. Asimov often stops to explain things I already know. Also, I don't much care about the geographical speculations at the front of each play's discussions (for the most part, Shakespeare's plays take place in a Never-never Land that greatly resembles Elizabethan England, so why worry about the real Bohemia or Verona.) But these "bad" things are greatly outweighed by the work's better qualities. Asimov can be an entertaining as well as an informative writer: who else would point out the accidental accuracy of Shakespeare's timing of Puck's flight? Although Asimov mostly abstains from criticism in favor of explaining historical, scientific, or other allusions, his own delightful personality and sometimes idiosyncratic opinions shine through at times. And on the informative side, his explanations can be very helpful. On the history plays, they are invaluable; the section on Shakespeare's history plays (Book Two, The English Plays--Asimov eccentrically divides the plays into Greek, Roman, Italian, and English plays) is alone worth the price of the book. The real history behind the history plays is equally as interesting as Shakespeare's plays (albeit in a different way), and Asimov tells you about both. Buy this book, and you'll not only have some profitable reading once, but many times, because you will refer to Asimov's Guide again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Good Companion to the Complete Works
Review: First, the "bad" things. Asimov often stops to explain things I already know. Also, I don't much care about the geographical speculations at the front of each play's discussions (for the most part, Shakespeare's plays take place in a Never-never Land that greatly resembles Elizabethan England, so why worry about the real Bohemia or Verona.) But these "bad" things are greatly outweighed by the work's better qualities. Asimov can be an entertaining as well as an informative writer: who else would point out the accidental accuracy of Shakespeare's timing of Puck's flight? Although Asimov mostly abstains from criticism in favor of explaining historical, scientific, or other allusions, his own delightful personality and sometimes idiosyncratic opinions shine through at times. And on the informative side, his explanations can be very helpful. On the history plays, they are invaluable; the section on Shakespeare's history plays (Book Two, The English Plays--Asimov eccentrically divides the plays into Greek, Roman, Italian, and English plays) is alone worth the price of the book. The real history behind the history plays is equally as interesting as Shakespeare's plays (albeit in a different way), and Asimov tells you about both. Buy this book, and you'll not only have some profitable reading once, but many times, because you will refer to Asimov's Guide again and again.
Rating:
Summary: For the novice as well as knowledgeable scholar of the Bard.
Review: I bought my old edition of Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare at the Southern Oregon Shakespearean Festival bookstore some twenty years ago. I have used the text to prepare my neices, nephews, and grandchildren for their first experiences with live performances of the tragedies, comedies, and romances performed by the Ashland repertory company. Asimov's narrative includes just enough Shakespearean diaglogue to allow the novice playgoer a glimpse of the richness of language, wit, and perception contained in each play. That glimpse is all my young pupils needed to attend (in all senses of that word) their first plays at age 10 and to keep attending these twenty years. And Asimov's insightful interpretation of each play has kept me reading him as well as the Bard as I prepare to introduce a second generation of children to great threatre. I am ordering a new copy of the book, as my old one has been worn out.
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