Gift Books for the Holidays: SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS

This stunning volume contains each of the Bard's sonnets presented in a beautiful collector’s format. Literary scholar David West restores the full force of the poems’ meaning with an immediacy that will surprise and delight. The context of each poem, its relationship with its neighbors, its argument, and the details of its language and musical effects are explained in clear terms by a master of close reading. Shakespeare lovers and poetry fans will enjoy this excellent companion to one of the greatest wonders in the English language—the zenith of Shakespeare’s extraordinary creative vision.

Shakespeare's Sonnets on the LA Times Book Blog

Nick Owchar mentions Shakespeare's Sonnets on Jacket Copy, the Los Angeles Times Book Weblog:

Printed beneath each sonnet is a simple paraphrase that is ideal for directing classroom discussions and clearing away confusion over certain lines. Take the opening lines of Sonnet 30, which gave Scott Moncrieff the title for his translation of Proust: "When to the sessions of sweet silent thought, / I summon up remembrance of things past." West’s paraphrase is: "hen I think about the past...."

This approach is perfect for the teacher struggling to get students to unplug their iPods and give the Bard a chance...

It's true, kids. In a few weeks you'll be bored by and embarrassed about everything on your ipod. But the Bard, he is eternal. Think about it. With your earphones off. (Image by Cowboy Blob)