Shakespeare's First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book

Shakespeare's First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book traces the history and cultural impact of the 1623 collection of Shakespeare's plays. The book follows the Folio's journey from its initial publication through four hundred years of ownership, collection, and scholarship. Smith investigates how different eras engaged with and valued the First Folio, examining its role in libraries, auction houses, and private collections. The narrative incorporates stories of notable Folio owners and traces how the book's status evolved from a practical collection of plays to a revered cultural artifact. The research draws on sale records, marginalia, and documentation from institutions worldwide to construct the Folio's biography. Through these materials, Smith reconstructs the social networks and cultural forces that shaped the book's preservation and interpretation. The book reveals how physical objects can accumulate layers of meaning beyond their original purpose, becoming repositories of cultural memory and value. This examination of a single volume provides insight into changing attitudes toward Shakespeare, books as material objects, and the nature of cultural heritage.

Readers appreciate Smith's accessible writing style and ability to tell the complex history of the First Folio through specific examples and human stories. Multiple reviewers note her skill at explaining bibliographic details to non-experts. Positive comments highlight: - Clear explanations of printing and publication practices - Focus on the book as a physical object through time - Real examples of First Folio ownership and collecting - Balance of scholarly depth and readability Common criticisms: - Too much focus on collectors and not enough on the text itself - Some repetition between chapters - Occasional academic jargon Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (11 ratings) From reviews: "Smith brings the history alive through specific stories rather than dry facts" - Goodreads reviewer "Needed more discussion of Shakespeare's actual works" - Amazon reviewer "Perfect mix of scholarly and accessible" - LibraryThing review

The Millionaire and the Bard by Joshua Kendall The hunt for Shakespeare's First Folio through centuries of collectors and bibliophiles reveals the development of Shakespeare's cultural status in America.

The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time by Keith Houston The history of books as physical objects traces the evolution of reading technology from ancient tablets to modern printing.

Shakespeare's Restless World by Neil MacGregor Twenty objects from Shakespeare's era illuminate the context and meaning of his plays through material culture.

The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio by Peter W. M. Blayney Technical analysis of the First Folio's printing process shows how this landmark book came into existence through the London publishing trade.

Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World by Lawrence Goldstone A journey through rare book collecting culture exposes the practices, personalities, and economics of antiquarian book dealing.

🎭 The First Folio, published in 1623, contained 36 of Shakespeare's plays - 18 of which had never been printed before, including Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and The Tempest. 📚 Author Emma Smith is a Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University and has handled over 300 First Folios during her research. 💷 In 2020, a complete First Folio sold at Christie's auction house for $9.98 million, setting a new record for any work of literature. 📖 Only about 235 copies of the First Folio survive today out of the estimated 750 originally printed - and each surviving copy has unique characteristics and markings. 🖋️ The First Folio was compiled by Shakespeare's fellow actors John Heminges and Henry Condell, who gathered the plays after his death to preserve his work - not primarily to make money.