“Fascinating and wide-reaching” — The Linguist
Translation guru Peter Newmark recently wrote in the journal The Linguist:
Ben Crystal… has written a fascinating and wide-reaching book on the subject of Shakespeare’s universality
“Highly recommended” – Civilian Reader
Crystal’s no-nonsense attitude and witty approach really make the book stand out… [Toast] should be required reading for actors, anyone doing English Literature at school or university, and the girls who spoiled the performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor I went to at the Globe this summer by whispering to each other that they couldn’t understand a word.
See here for the review in full…
Times Literary Supplement
Oliver Harris, at the TLS, didn’t particularly like Toast, which is fine by me – The TES, and every other reviewer has adored it, so I’m probably due some negatives.
Still, Harris did have this to say:
“[Crystal] is at his best when demonstrating the plays’ origins in the demanding world of early modern theatre.”
Hopefully have the full review up soon. Hopefully.
***** – Times Educational Supplement
“Ben Crystal is a ‘restaurateur’ par excellance for serving up a seemingly simple snack that actually has enough complexity to delight a gourmet.”
See here for more…
From Derby to Amsterdam
After a terrific weekend in Hay-on-Wye, and a sell-out talk at their Winter Weekend Literary Festival, now to the postponed talk at the Peak Festival of Literature on Thurs 4th December, before winding my way back to Europe, to Amsterdam and The English Bookshop, for a talk on Toast there on Weds 10th December.
See here for more on the upcoming talks…
Toast is selling well as we head towards Christmas, and a few more reviews have just come in. I’ll be posting these soon…
From the South Bank to South Wales…
A fantastic workshop this morning at the Royal National Theatre, as part of the William Poel verse-speaking festival. Cicely Berry, the grand-dam of voice and Shakespeare gave the workshop after mine – I intended to stay for 5 minutes, and was there until the end. Great to watch a master at work.
Now off to Hay-on-Wye, for the literary festival’s Winter Weekend.
I’ll be reading for Libby Purves tomorrow morning, then giving a talk on Toast tomorrow afternoon, at 2.30pm.
See here for more…
Shakespeare & Co!
Speaking at the renowned second-hand bookshop, Shakespeare & Co, in Paris tonight at 7pm…
Click here for more details…
BBC Radio 5 Live — Interview Tonight
I’m being interviewed tonight by Dotun Adebayo at 3.30am, for his show Up All Night, on BBC Radio 5 Live.
If you’re up, you can listen live here… If you’re asleep, you can follow the same link for the next 7 days to Listen Again…
“Could Ben Crystal be the Simon Schama of literature?”
Crystal… succeeds in providing a pacey, informative and accessible ‘manual’ to Shakespeare… It is this infectious enthusiasm for all things Shakespeare that ensures the book remains fast paced and good humoured, sweeping the reader along through strategies which even had this drama-phobic reader chanting scenes aloud.
Click here to read the review in full…
“An excellent introductory text” – The Glasgow Herald
The Glasgow Herald’s Colin Waters says Toast is
An excellent introductory text… Crystal is particularly good at explaining, with examples, how metre works.
