When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.
While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.
So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some I have read more than once.
This week, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare.
This was my dad's favorite quote which he inscribed in all of his books.
Neither a borrower nor lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry
Hamlet Act I, Sc. III
If you haven't read this play, you can download it and read it for free at Project Gutenberg or find it at your public library or favorite bookstore.
You and Nita both have the Bard in your posts today. That is a treat. This play put the Lawrence Olivier film to mind. I took a Shakespeare class one summer at Worcester State and we watched it after reading the play. It's a good one. Enjoy the sun! hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteNope, Sir Laurence didn't do anything for me, but Richard Chamberlain did. In 1973 he did a production of Hamlet for the Hallmark Hall of Fame. I was completely smitten and must have read the play at least 10 times.
DeleteI can still remember slogging our way through Hamlet in High School....maybe if the teacher hadn't been as bored with it as we were it would have been a better experience......maybe..... :-/
ReplyDeleteI loved my English teacher and he never made anything we read boring. Except The Dubliners by James Joyce. Actually anything by JAmes Joyce was a snoozefest
DeleteI've told Nita several times, I have never read any Shakespeare. He just doesn't interest me for some reason. I can't get past the words.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare really needs to be seen as the excitement comes through the spoken word.
DeleteI prefer watching to reading plays, but I enjoyed reading Hamlet in school. I was surprised to like the Mel Gibson version lol, but Richard Chamberlain rules!
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of Mel Gibson so haven't seen his. David Tennant was another Hamlet I liked, but I didn't really care for the modern costume. Chamberlain's Regency Era was the best
DeleteI did Macbeth at school for our Shakespeare read :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
We went on a school trip and saw a theater in the round production of Macbeth. One of the best productions I have ever seen.
DeleteSorry, never read it!
ReplyDelete