Everyday Shakespeare: Lines For Life is the quintessential introduction to William Shakespeare; in bite-size chunks, it entertainingly and effortlessly brings to life his many plays throughout the pages using some of his most relatable and inspirational quotes. The authors are themselves experts on Shakespeare's canon, so you feel as though you are in good hands from the offset.

The quotes that have been chosen are not the ones you tend to hear when you think of Shakespeare, which was what drew me to the book initially, and each one they use is highlighted and set in context - explaining the play/poem it originates from, what the sentiment behind it is and how it can be used to provide meaning to your day to day life.

Although we are issued with a quote per day to allow anyone, even those who find Shakespeare daunting, to learn this in their own time and comfortably, it's perfectly acceptable to read it however you would like to. Each soundbite then gives us the ideal springboard with which to further explore his poetry and plays. A perfect introduction for a youngster or adult or as a refresher and its delightful presentation makes it a thoughtful gift too.

This wasn't quite what I thought it would be. I enjoying the journey down memory lane of being back in secondary school and studying Shakespeare. The synopsis of each drama was good but a bit misleading in what I had expected.

EVERYDAY SHAKESPEARE by father and son Ben and David Crystal is a rare, precious delight: a distillation of quotes from the breadth and depth of Shakespeare's works. Organized by themes, the daily quotes are ones not commonly known. Each quote is explored and explained in full with context, making this perhaps the richest and most accessible source of pithy and original thoughts to ponder. Their endeavor is clearly a labor of love and one that I heartily applaud and recommend. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nicholas Brealey US/Chambers for providing an eARC of Everyday Shakespeare by Ben and David Crystal.

This was such a joy as I loved the bits from each of Shakespeare's works and the descriptions below. HOWEVER, I believe that this would be much better as one of those desk calendar's that you tear a page off each day. I say this as the book I had to read every single one, where if it was a desk calendar, each day would be a surprise.

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

If you've ever wanted to read Shakespeare without actually reading Shakespeare, this book is for you. I took a Shakespeare class in college and was frustrated by having to read the entire play in a short amount of time without being able to digest it and properly understand what was going on. Ben Crystal and David Crystal break down Shakespeare's work into manageable chunks, give context for what is going on, and also inform readers on how definitions for common words have evolved over time. I highly recommend Everday Shakespeare for a taste of his plays as well as his sonnets.

My only complaints would be that the authors dropped the "F-bomb" once (for the tone of the book, it seemed really out of place) and that they dropped the reminder "you can substitute 'man' for 'human'!" so frequently that it became irritating.

I love how this book is setup.
Organised into months with each month having a theme.

Each page had a few lines from the works of Shakespeare, along with a brief explanation of context and meaning.

It's a great book for picking up in the morning and reading a daily prompt with your first coffee of the day.

This is a good starting point for those who perhaps only know Shakespeare from compulsory studies at school. This book guides you through his lesser known work and is a really enjoyable read.

Fascinating stuff.
I may be a bit biased as I'm huge fans of both Ben and Dave, but they have made what could be described as a very subject, engrossing and fun!
It really is amazing how much of our modern language is influenced by just one man!

Thank you to Ben Crystal, David Crystal, Nicholas Brealey US, Chambers, and Netgalley for this free advanced reader copy of "Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life" for an honest review.

This is a lovely little daily read focusing on a different Shakespeare quote with every turn of the calendar and turn of the page. It's a wonderful reminder of how much of Shakespeare truly exists already in our common daily English vernacular, vocabulary, and turns of phrase. This is a great little masterpiece gift for both fans of the Bard of Avon and beginners looking to wet their whistle in a very low-stakes fashion.

Definitely getting a copy for me and the girls in my reading circle!

I loved this! What an absolute treasure for Shakespeare lovers and those who are wanting to discover the timeless nuggets of wisdom that Shakespeare offers. This will be one to read over and over again. I also love all the background information included.

A wonderful collection of Shakespeares greatest pieces combined into a charming book. With quotes for everyday I enjoyed browsing through and finding something to suit every mood

I really enjoyed this collection. As someone who is a huge Shakespeare fan I could appreciate seeing so many of his words all in one place, I am a huge advocate for the awareness of how Shakespeare shaped our language and the quotes/phrases we take from him and this book really stands for that. The breakdowns of the quote interpretations really added to the concept of the book, offering an additional layer to what some people may just leave as well as the context for the play and scene. The book exposes the reader to lesser read plays and leaves intrigue to what the rest of the play may contain by offering snippets of quotes and context.

It is always fun to have a book that one can look at every single day. Here the quotes are all from the Bard and offer much food for thought and entertainment. With so many quotes, readers are sure to find old friends and new words both.

Both authors are experienced writers on Shakespeare and good guides in this title. It is worth the time to read their introduction.

I like that this title is organized the months by themes. For example, February, not surprisingly, gets love. The authors also do a good job of putting each quote in context.

This book would make a nice gift. I think that I will purchase the hard copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed everything about this book by Ben Crystal and David Crystal. It's unique presentation (a quote a day) and grouping of Shakespear's lines (themed by month), together with commentaries offering background information, context, and trivia about each quote made for an interesting read! Well done!

My thanks to Chambers for allowing me to access a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is set for 5/25/23. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

This “quote a day” style book contained lesser known Shakespeare lines but I did enjoy the choices throughout. I loved the layout of the book with the quote, a short explanation of the quote and perhaps when to use it, and then an aside on what was going on during the play / writing the quote was pulled from.

Of course, I looked at the quote for my own birthday and that of those closest to me, and I am happy to say I liked those quotes the best, but that feels a little biased :). Overall, this is a good coffee table book to give to a friend or family member that might love “quote a day” books OR who loves Shakespeare. 4.5 Stars

I like this, i have already written down a few of my faves to write in cards and such. I like that the author is bringing back literary greatness for the everyday!

Everyday Shakespeare is a wonderful addition to my day. The Crystals provide wonderful context to Shakespeare's quotes allowing the reader to enjoy a line of the Bard's work daily. A wonderful addition to the shelf of both those well-versed in Shakespeare and others who are looking for an accessible entry point.

This is one to browse. There is a Shakespeare selection for each day of the year
with advice e.g.

What can be done to restore your mind to health? Shakespeare is unequivocal: repose (‘sleep’) is the foster-nurse (‘nanny’, ‘au pair’, ‘someone paid to look after you’) of nature (‘mortal life’). Sleep can escape some, like the King in Henry 4 Part 2:

Then follows the appropriate lines.

Well-being mixed with Shakespeare and nicely set out on the page. I read on Kindle mostly but this would be a book to buy in hardback.

I read a copy provided by NetGalley and the publishers.

Everyday Shakespeare : Lines for Life is a collection of daily quotes from the bards' poems and plays. A long introduction to the format of the book is given but you can skip it if you find it a bit lengthy and go straight for the quotes. Each one can be absorbed, mulled over and enjoyed for the memorable and meaningful insight it provides. It is a lovely coffee table book and would also make a great gift for Shakespeare lovers.

Ben Crystal's Shakespeare on Toast was a sweet revelation for me. Someone who never read Shakespeare in high school seriously apart from the abridged stories based on the plays, Shakespeare on Toast invited me to enjoy the feast that is the playwright's body of work. So, I couldn't be happier to have an advanced copy of Everyday Shakespeare with quotes from the plays for each day of the Gregorian calendar. Suffice it to say, the pages look spectacular with the selections on top, the pertaining context near the bottom, and a greyed-out serif typography printed that tells us the name of the source. Now, a long wait till September to buy this book.

Oh, boy... this book is masterpiece! I truly appreciate that kind of content, When You made some kind of quote reflexions about an author's titles and extract lessons and something We can apply in our day by day. And Shakespeare has A LOT of good quotes the reader can get caught up in the learning. The narrative is clear, intuitve and easy to be read each day, as it is it's purpose. Well Done!