All the Sonnets of Shakespeare

I thought that this was a great collection of Shakespeare's poems. They were all easily formatted for reading and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Everyone should have a reference book of Shakespeare, especially one like this that categorizes and analyses all of his sonnets and puts them in chronological order. Since language has changed so much from Shakespearean times it's a useful addition to have contemporary paraphrasing of what is now outmoded English.

A great addition to one's library.

Who knew that Shakespeare wrote so many sonnets? Professor Stanley Wells, the doyen of Shakespeare studies has co-authored this new edition of the Sonnets with Paul Edmondson and brought some striking new poems into the collection.

The authors/editors present the thesis that Shakespeare composed sonnets for over thirty years, often embedding them in the plays and other texts. He played repeatedly with them, shifting between intimate and literary/rhetorical forms. This edition seeks to “encourage a more integrated reading of the sonnets within Shakespeare’s wider creative output”. To “defamiliarise the sonnets" by siting them inside this output offers rich and sensitive insights into the imaginative schema of the texts.

In avoiding the “traditional biographical tropes” Wells and Edmonson suggest that gender is “open, playful and unstable” and that there is no “single determinate narrative”.

The volume also incorporates thumbnail sketches of each of the 154 sonnets that they have excavated from Shakespeare’s texts, and for each, “an impression of its content, direction and mood” and an opinion of the nature of the addressee.

The chronological ordering of the texts also throws up a few surprises. The chorus to Henry V follows on from Sonnet 86 and is succeeded by Orlando's “foreshortened” sonnet in As You Like It. Sonnet 104 dated 1600 follows on. The scholarship involved in this sequencing is fully discussed in the text and represents an immense amount of work .

Readers should be grateful for this amazing reference text. There is no other version of The Sonnets that comes near to this. Please read it allowing plenty of time to savour the layers of potential contexts it uncovers in each of these poems and in the larger poem that encompasses the creative trajectory of Shakespeare’s achievement.

All the sonnets of Shakespeare is a book which have comparative aspects in language from then and now which is night and day really ! It also comes in a rhyme and reason style. It is written very poetically. Which makes it fun ! It also includes notes of what other experts have observed over the centuries about Shakespeares writing etc.

I was given this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I've always loved Shakespeare; it is such a delight to see all the sonnets collected into one book and accompanied by fascinating observations.

New times ask for new Shakespeare editions to answer contemporary demands. This edition certainly excels at it.
In addition to its innovative mission of compiling all sonnets (not only the ones in the 1609 compilation but also the ones in the plays) in the order in which they were written, this edition is very aware of the modern interest in and debate about homoeroticism in Shakespeare works.
The theoretical introduction which occupies about 20% of the book, which might seem much, but I even I who am easily tired by paratexts found myself wishing it could go on and on. The editors demonstrate an academic astuteness and such a thoughtful treatment of delicate issues that the book answers many questions about the historical context and the polemics surrounding more biographic or queer takes on Shakespeare works.
This edition is not critically naïve as to impose biographical information on the literary text or as to assert that any homoeroticism means that Shakespeare was gay. Instead, it offers a short literary paraphrase (which is very helpful for non-academic readers) and some explanation for each sonnet which always discloses if the addressee was a man, a woman or indefinite. As the editors suitably point out that critics and the society are quick to overlook bisexuality, this is a solution which fits the complexity of the ensemble, allowing a multiplicity of sexual identities and a gender fluidity to be taken into consideration.
Despite the formatting issues in the kindle version which affect tables and the sonnets layout, this is as much of great starting point for Shakespeare-curious, as it is an excellent reference source for scholars, especially given that the new order of sonnets brings whole new insights to the poems.

Thank you ver much for the ARC.

My first experience reading Shakespeare's sonnets and I absolutely loved. Very comprehensive, informative and beautiful collection that showcases the immense amount of work from it's editors. Really enjoyed!

I think this book would be a fantastic introduction to sonnets because of the great explanation/description of the poetry form along with the beautiful examples from Shakespeare. Along with the original text of the sonnets are notes about the language and translations in modern English to help make the meanings even clearer.

This year I have been reading more poetry.  Poetry lends itself to this time when there is leisure (at least for me while I go nowhere basically) to read and reread a poem in order to "get" it.  This collection is most welcome and part of a new ambitious project for me. 

Of course everyone has heard of Shakespeare.  Dip into the many sonnets, some of which may be familiar and many of which may not.  All are worth some of your time. 


Along with the sonnets, there is a good introduction in this book which can be read in any order or dipped into.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a lovely edition! After having slogged through so many boring introductions to Shakespeare editions, this one was really great! Informative, straight-forward and very illuminating. The layout of the poems is different from many other editions but very helpful- the editors specify what number the sonnet would be in the Quarto, but also provide context on every page. The endnotes provide short summaries of the poem in simplified English, which is great for a high-school classroom, but not in a way that is intrusive or prohibitive for a higher-level Shakespeare or poetry course. This is a very well-designed edition, and I really enjoyed reading it!

This is honestly the best. Such a wonderful collection for everyone to have, the notes were so helpful as well! Excellent!

I love how this book didn't just list down Shakespeare's sonnets and bound it into a book. A lot of effort has been spent to make this the book that it is. The introduction prepares the readers for what is in store for the rest of the book and each sonnet is broken down for analysis. I can imagine any English major poring over this book, just basking in the glory that is Shakespeare's writing.

This collective edition was so very concise that I was blown away by the immense attention to detail and facts added. This was a very thorough collection that helped me see Shakespeare in a new light.

Apart from the fact that all the Sonnets are arranged ina chronological manner, the authors also compiled:
1. The introduction by the editor really helped me see Shakspeare beyond the stereotype he has been cast in after years and years of (really helpful) work by various scholars.
2. notes following each so that new readers (and even old ones, to be honest) of Shakespeare get to know more about this man behind the grandeur of his works.
3. basic know-hows about sonnets and what they are etc. It was really informative.
4. elaborate explanations for the sonnets. moreover, modern translations were also added and it was just so cool!
5. glossary was also added and it was superb because most words are not what we would use in a modern way and so it was really helpful!

I also think that the cover was just fantastic and really eye-catching with its elegance. I loved it and read it slowly over a couple of weeks. I think every English literature student, aficionado, and poetry lover should read this!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so much more thorough than I expected!

The book goes into depth about what is considered a sonnet and why each is included or others are excluded. There is also a lot of explanation of interpretations and language. The sonnets themselves don't actually begin until almost 50 pages in - there's a lot of information included!

There's also footnotes and a modern "translation" included with each sonnet as well as what piece the sonnet it from. It's really packet with information! The sonnets themselves are usually only a few lines and then there's explanations and glossary definitions.

While not entirely what I expected, but this book was interesting and gives you a lot to think about.

All the Sonnets of Shakespeare edited by Paul Edmondson and Stanley Well is a Cambridge University Press publication. Edmondson is Head of Research and Knowledge and Director of the Stratford-upon-Avon Poetry Festival for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Wells is the Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. He is also the general editor of the Oxford and Penguin editions of Shakespeare.

Most people are familiar with Shakespeare's sonnets, and many have had to read or possibly recite them for an English class at some time.  What many may not know is that Shakespeare used sonnets in his plays.  Romeo and Juliet's first meeting is in the form of a sonnet. The introduction to the second act is also a sonnet.  Shakespeare used sonnets to set the feeling for a scene.  Poetry reinforces the acting.  

This edition comes with a detailed introduction that is also well cited.  The introduction explains the sonnet form and its history.  Following the introduction is a chronological presentation of the poems.  Many dates are not exact but fit together by the best records available.  The sonnet is presented in its best form (changes are listed in the appendix).  Below the sonnet is a sentence or two explaining the poem which is helpful to the reader.  What is even more helpful is the translation of words and their present connotations. "Spirit" had a very different meaning in 16th-century poetry than it does today. I also wondered if the high school student had any idea of what he or she was reciting when reading "If thy soul check there..."  These tools provide an excellent resource to better understand the poems.  If further clarification is needed there are clear prose paraphrasing of all the sonnets in the appendix.  

An excellent collection of Shakespeare's sonnets with supporting material to make all the poems clear and understandable in their original context.

Name: All the Sonnets of Shakespeare
Author: William Shakespeare, Paul Edmondson, Stanley Wells
Genre: Classics, Poetry
Review:
This book is a collection of sonnets from the works of William Shakespeare. The sonnets are arranged in a chronological order, along with some notes for the readers.
The introduction by the editor breaks all the myths about William Shakespeare's sonnets and gives us a new perspective and understanding of the sonnets.
I really liked that it has a glossary for words in the poems, which gives us a better understanding of the sonnets and saves us the trouble of googling the word for its meaning.
I am not a big fan of William Shakespeare, but I have an appreciation for his writings. The first thing that made want to read this book was the beautiful cover and its author.
This books gives the readers a new insight and appreciation for William Shakespeare. This lyrical book is amazing and much recommended for all the classic readers, poetry lovers and Shakespeare enthusiast.

For Further Reading:
The Entire Works of William Shakespeare
Sonnets of William Shakespeare
Love Sonnets of Shakespeare

It seems like a simplistic thing to note, but this is the first time I've read a single analysis of all of the sonnets that are attributed to Shakespeare, and not just the 154 that we generally think of. All the Sonnets of Shakespeare presents familiar material in a new light, with a modern view of context. It's comprehensive, which allows for a different kind of analysis than I'm used to in Shakespeare books. The language and format is approachable, fit for casual readers, but also well thought out enough to appeal to dedicated Shakespeare readers. It serves as a general history of the form of the sonnet, as well, which is an added bonus. It's a balanced book, with effective and interesting literary criticism. A good fit for any collection!

I love Shakespeare's work and when I saw this book. I immediately requested it. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher Cambridge University press for an e ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There is no other reference text that comes close to this book. It analyses all of Shakespeare's Sonnets and are in chronological order. It has contemporary paraphrasing which is very useful to readers who find old English difficult to read and understand. Such a vast resource and helpful notes make it a lovely read.

Perfect addition to any home, library or for an literature student. Highly recommend it. It also has sketches of each of the 154 Sonnets. I am definitely adding it to my collection. Can't wait to receive a physical copy.

3..5 stars. Have formatting issues.

This was good, as I enjoyed the Shakespeare’s sonnets when I first discovered them in HS. And when Patrick Stewart’ started reading them aloud when we all got quarantined.

My only issue is the format on my kindle was awful. No space between sonnets, and it’s not even listed in the table of contexts for easy reference. You should put that.

But learning about the sonnets specifically, almost almost read like a textbook. I don’t mind it, but some people might. It’s easy to think only Shakespeare wrote sonnets, or that only he wrote them in that manner.

Thank you NetGalley and Cambridge University Press for the arc of the book! This is great book to read in bites, to absorb a sooner or 3 at a time.

Just fix the format on kindle please!

I was in need for some Shakespeare Sonnets book that could have them all and thankfully found it. Now i would like to have it in as paper version to study and have it on my home library.
More than this would be asking to be updated in case of findings for Shakespeare Poetry in the future by the owners of the editors of this masterpiece (if some of you dont mind to have a Portuguese poet in the wanna read Shakespeare List)

All the stars!

Shakespeare himself gets 5 stars of course, but the glorious and detailed introduction and the careful consideration given to add even more sonnets from his work should get all the stars as well. This is a book no lovers, no dreamers, and no fans of the Bard of Avon should ever be without.

It was long book to read that definitely needed to be absorbed and pondered over. So many new angles and perspectives. Simply wonderful.

It's lovely to have all of the sonnets in one collection. I really enjoyed the introduction to this collection and the notes following each sonnet.