Books with title Stories from Shakespeare

As children, Charles and Mary Lamb took great delight in exploring their benefactor’s extensive library; as adults they began writing children’s books together that also appealed to all generations. In Tales of Shakespeare they wished to bring their favourite plays to life for children too young to read and appreciate Shakespeare’s work. This collection of twenty of Shakespeare’s stories begins with The Tempest, which explores themes of magic, power and reconciliation, and ends with Pericles, Prince of Tyre, an exotic play of love, loss and family ties. Between these two tales are twelve romances and comedies, all written by Mary, and six tragedies, all written by Charles. Each tale is told chronologically and retains much of Shakespeare’s lyricism, phrasing and rhythm. Together, they form a captivating and accessible introduction to the Bard’s work.

Charles and Mary Lamb adapted twenty of Shakespeare's plays in simple language so that it makes easy reading for the young readers. The book is designed to make the stories of Shakespeare's plays familiar to the young. However, as noted in the author's Preface, “Shakespeare's words are used whenever it seemed possible to bring them in” Mary Lamb was responsible for the comedies, while Charles wrote the tragedies.

Tales from Shakespeare Charles & Mary Lamb Illustrated by Arthur Rackham The book is designed to make the stories of Shakespeare's plays familiar to the young. However, as noted in the author's Preface, "Shakespeare's words are used whenever it seemed possible to bring them in; and in whatever has been added to give them the regular form of a connected story, diligent care has been taken to select such words as might least interrupt the effect of the beautiful English tongue in which he wrote: therefore, words introduced into our language since his time have been as far as possible avoided." Mary Lamb was responsible for the comedies, while Charles wrote the tragedies; they wrote the preface between them.

Charles and Mary Lamb adapted twenty of Shakespeare's plays in simple language so that it makes easy reading for the young readers. The book is designed to make the stories of Shakespeare's plays familiar to the young. However, as noted in the author's Preface, “Shakespeare's words are used whenever it seemed possible to bring them in” Mary Lamb was responsible for the comedies, while Charles wrote the tragedies.

Charles and Mary Lamb adapted twenty of Shakespeare's plays in simple language so that it makes easy reading for the young readers. The book is designed to make the stories of Shakespeare's plays familiar to the young. However, as noted in the author's Preface, “Shakespeare's words are used whenever it seemed possible to bring them in” Mary Lamb was responsible for the comedies, while Charles wrote the tragedies.