…painting by James Christensen

The 2019 A Year of Shakespeare, hosted by Rachel (@ Hibernator’s Library) is underway. I am participating by reading three of Shakespeare’s plays this year. The one I have started with is The Winter’s Tale, which is completely new to me. My plan is to read numerous “retellings” of the story so I am familiar with it. Then I will read the play and listen to an audiobook version. Also, if I can find an available copy, I’d like to watch a film version. And, of course, I would love to see a live performance of it, too, but I don’t know what my chances are of that!

So far in January, I have read five different retellings of the story, and enjoyed each one.

• Retelling of “The Winter’s Tale” in The Best of Shakespeare, by Edith Nesbit. (Excellent!)
• Retelling of “The Winter’s Tale” in Shakespeare Stories II, by Leon Garfield.
• The Winter’s Tale, retold by Bruce Coville, illustrated by LeUyen Pham.
• Short retelling of “The Winter’s Tale” in A Shakespeare Sketchbook, by Renwick St. James, illustrated by James C. Christensen.
• Retelling of “The Winter’s Tale” in Tales From Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb.

I loved Edith Nesbitt’s retelling, and highly recommend her book, The Best of Shakespeare. I also loved the Charles and Mary Lamb version. Bruce Coville’s retelling was in picture book form and had lovely illustrations.

After reading those retellings, I started listening to the audiobook performance but found it was hard to tell which characters were speaking. I hadn’t picked up a print version of the play yet, so I stopped listening until I get the book and  can do both at once.

I made a lot of progress with this part of the Challenge in January, and I’m enjoying getting to know Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale!

…painting by James Christensen. Antigonus abandoning the royal baby, Perdita, on the Bohemian coast!