Book Review: "Shakespeare's Book" by Chris Laoutaris

I think I can speak for all of us friends when I say that we would all like to know how Shakespeare's First Folio was created. Shakespeare's First Folio was the first compiled collection of Shakespeare's plays. Published in 1623, it has a really cool sketch of Shakespeare on the front and compiled by Edward Blount, William Jaggard and Isaac Jaggard. With just over 230 known to be in existence after a possible 700 copies having existed once - I would be so excited if we found more. I find that if you would like to know more - the Wikipedia page seems to be pretty good for it, the information is correct and accessible. A great resource before you take flight with this beautiful book by Chris Laoutaris.

The author states that the First Folio was not just a publishing project but a lasting tribute to Shakespeare’s literary genius. Without it, many of Shakespeare’s plays including: Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and The Tempest, would have been lost. He explores how this ambitious undertaking was motivated by a desire to preserve Shakespeare’s legacy and elevate him as a canonical figure in English literature. I'm not going to lie but the very thought of Shakespeare's plays possibly being lost in some alternate universe actually gives me a panic attack. I don't even want to begin to think about that possibility and so, I think we owe a lot to the men who undertook this compilation and preservation.

Two of Shakespeare’s longtime friends and fellow actors, John Heminges and Henry Condell, played a crucial role in compiling the First Folio. The author details their efforts to gather the plays, secure funding, and oversee the printing process. He also explores their personal motivations, suggesting that they saw the First Folio as both an act of friendship and a defense of Shakespeare’s artistic reputation. I mean think about how good your friendship has to be for your mates to start compiling a 900-page book of most of your stuff mainly because they thought you were that important. I think that is such a wonderful thing and they definitely did the world a great service.

The First Folio was dedicated to William Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke, and his brother Philip Herbert, the Earl of Montgomery. The author explores how these noblemen played an important role in ensuring the success of the project. Their patronage not only provided financial backing but also lent credibility to the publication, elevating Shakespeare’s status in the literary world. This is important because elevating Shakespeare's status through nobility would have been essential for people in the near future. Those who would study him at university et cetera would study him because he was now a part of elite education because of this seal of approval. All of this simply keeps getting better and better.

Have you ever wanted to know how the First Folio was printed? Oh, we are going to go there because Laoutaris provides a detailed account of how it happened. He describes the work of the printer William Jaggard and his son Isaac, the typesetting process, and the difficulties of ensuring accuracy in such a large volume. Errors and inconsistencies in different copies of the First Folio reflect the challenges faced by early modern printers, including shortages of skilled labour and the pressures of meeting deadlines. I mean, this knowledge of the mistakes does not make me angry in the slightest. In fact, it shows just how much these people went through to make these copies as perfect as they possibly could. On one of my birthdays, I went to the British Library to see a copy of the First Folio and the first thing you think of in front of that thing is something along the lines of awe. The random little mistakes within absolutely do not matter. They show us the craftsmanship and its passion.

At the time of the First Folio’s publication, Shakespeare was respected but not yet regarded as the literary giant he is today. Laoutaris explores how the folio helped transform Shakespeare’s reputation, presenting him as an author whose works deserved preservation. He discusses how the book contributed to the growing idea of Shakespeare as England’s national writer. This has got to be the best message of the whole book. It is basically the key book that changed the course of literary history. I was absolutely overwhelmed whilst reading this book and it is beautiful to learn about Shakespeare's reputation being solidified. It is simply because so many people thought him worthy of being immortalised.

All in all, I think this book is awesome. It's long and if I say too much I'm going to give away some really good stuff such as: the political backdrop, the religious context and even yes, the paper it was printed on. It is a brilliant and beautiful book that you can simply get lost in. I hope you choose to read it today or someday in the future.