Shakespeare Unauthorized at Boston Public Library

Ever wanted to find out more about the man behind the world-famous plays like The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Othello, and countless others? The Boston Public Library, through March 31, is showcasing 400 years of literary speculation, adaptations, works, celebrations, and history of William Shakespeare in an exhibit called Shakespeare Unauthorized.

Boston Public Library holds one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Shakespeare's work, so visitors can learn more about his life, as well as his books, sonnets, and poems, all in his original language and spelling.

Before you plan your trip to Boston, pick up one of our wonderful Cosimo Classics by or about The Bard.

Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

He is the greatest writer in the English language — perhaps in any language — and here, in one compact volume is all the verse even many of those familiar with his plays have never read. In 1593 and 1594, while English theaters were closed in response to the plague, William Shakespeare turned from drama to narrative poems, and published the dyad "Venus and Adonis" and "The Rape of Lucrece," erotic meditations on lust and sexual power. Standing powerfully in opposition to each other, they also differ wildly from Shakespeare's romantic sonnets — all 154 of them are here. 

Life In Shakespeare's England: A Book of Elizabethan Prose by J.D. Wilson

British Shakespearean scholar J.D. Wilson is best remembered for his explications of the Bard, particularly his acclaimed 1935 work What Happens in Hamlet. Here, however, he takes a rather more oblique approach to enlightening us to the world of Shakespeare, gathering together in this 1913 volume writings by contemporaries of the playwright's — some famous, some not — that illuminate the artistic society and ordinary life of Elizabethan England.

Elizabethan Drama I: The Five Foot Shelf of Classics, Vol. XLVI by Christopher Marlowe 

Originally published between 1909-1917 under the name "Harvard Classics," this stupendous 51-volume set-a collection of the greatest writings from literature, philosophy, history, and mythology. Volume XLVI features four of the masterpiece tragedies by the greatest playwright in the English language — William Shakespeare's Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and The Tempest. Also included in this volume is Edward the Second, a 1592 drama of court intrigue, by Christopher Marlowe who greatly influenced Shakespeare's writing and who — some speculate — may actually have penned the plays credited to Shakespeare after faking his own death and taking on an assumed name.

Shakespeare Lexicon, Vol. 1 by Alexander Schmidt

Still often used today, German schoolmaster and philologist Alexander Schmidt's Shakespeare Lexicon is the source for elucidating the sometimes cryptic language of Shakespeare and tracking down quotations. Volume 1 covers A through L, from "a: the first letter of the alphabet" to "Lysimachus," a proper name. Every word from every play and poem is cataloged, referenced, and defined in this exhaustive two-volume work, the result of arduous research and stalwart dedication. Serious scholars and zealous fans will find the Lexicon the ultimate guide to reading and decoding the Bard.

Shakespeare Lexicon, Vol. 2 by Alexander Schmidt

Still often used today, German schoolmaster and philologist Alexander Schmidt's Shakespeare Lexicon is the source for elucidating the sometimes cryptic language of Shakespeare and tracking down quotations. Volume 2 covers M through Z, from "Mab: the queen of the fairies" to "Zounds: an oath contracted from God's wounds," and features numerous appendices and supplements on grammar and usage. Every word from every play and poem is cataloged, referenced, and defined in this exhaustive two-volume work, the result of arduous research and stalwart dedication. Serious scholars and zealous fans will find the Lexicon the ultimate guide to reading and decoding the Bard.

January Classic of the Month: Recipe for a Happy Life

In the spirit of new resolutions and making ourselves better in the new year, Cosimo is thrilled to offer Recipe for a Happy Life by Margaret of Navarre as our Classic of the Month for January.

In the year 1500, Queen Margaret of Navarre wrote her "recipe for a happy life," which includes ingredients such as patience, pastimes, repose and peace, pleasant memory and hope, and love's magic drops. Picking up these themes, Marie West King has selected passages from literature that expand on Queen Margaret's suggestions. Represented are Ralph Waldo Emerson ("A day for toil, an hour for sport"), George Washington ("Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called Conscience"), Plato ("Self conquest is the greatest of victories"), and William Shakespeare ("Love comforteth, like sunshine after rain").

Readers will find that this simple recipe still stands the test of time, even now in 2017. We hope all of you live a happier life in the new year!

April Series of the Month: Shakespeare Lexicon

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

April 23, 2016 marks the 400 anniversary of the death of the famous poet, playwright, and actor, William Shakespeare. The whole world is celebrating Shakespeare and his work this April through performances, exhibitions, and conferences all month long. Cosimo is joining in by highlighting Shakespeare Lexicon by Alexander Schmidt as our Series of the Month.

Still often used today, German schoolmaster and philologist Alexander Schmidt's Shakespeare Lexicon is the source for elucidating the sometimes cryptic language of Shakespeare and tracking down quotations. Volume 1 covers A through L, from "a: the first letter of the alphabet" to "Lysimachus," a proper name. Volume 2 covers M through Z, from "Mab: the queen of the fairies" to "Zounds: an oath contracted from God's wounds," and features numerous appendices and supplements on grammar and usage.

Every word from every play and poem is cataloged, referenced, and defined in this exhaustive two-volume work, the result of arduous research and stalwart dedication. Serious scholars and zealous fans will find the Lexicon the ultimate guide to reading and decoding the Bard.

To find great Shakespeare activities near you, check out shakespeare400.org.

Cosimo offers this Classic series by individual volume at various online bookstores or as a full set in paperback.

The paperback retail list price: $59.98, but now: our price: $49.99 (you save $9.99 or a 20 percent discount)

The hardcover retail list price: $109.98, but now: our price: $89.99 (you save $19.99 or a 18 percent discount)

An Interpretation of Shakespeare's Sonnets

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer who ever lived. He has not only dominated the stage with his magnificent plays, but he has won the hearts of many with his exquisite, and clever sonnets. In fact, his sonnets are deemed so clever, that no, one clear interpretation exists for each. As a result, for centuries they have inspired classes and discussions within almost every University. They have driven scholars to dedicate their lives to understanding the works' meanings. Shakespeare's beautifully crafted language tells history, love, and love lost and has been the inspiration for many developments.

Cosimo shares with you one individual's detailed observations and interpretations of Shakespeare's sonnets, which open the mind's eye to a whole new view of the master-mind's work. Alan Tarica, although without a formal training in the Humanities, developed a keen interest in the poetic works. His interpretations, which are displayed on his website, have caught the eye's of many. If you are in need of an intellectual challenge, or are an avid reader of Shakespeare's sonnets, Alan Tarica's website is sure to interest you.

Cosimo is proud to offer Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare in paperback at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble and Amazon.