Great book.

It is a little bit depressing, but still very engaging.

I read it while I was taking a Shakespeare course, and it was really interesting to see how the excerpts in the book kept correlating with what I had just done in class.

It was as if fate had decided that I was supposed to read this book at this particular time.

The story in the book is complex and thought-provoking, making me think deeply about various aspects of life and human nature.

Although it has a somewhat depressing tone, it also contains moments of hope and redemption.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in literature or wants to explore the human psyche.

It is a great read that will leave a lasting impression on you.

A beautifully written memoir tells the story of a man who, despite suffering through a lousy and painful family life during his childhood, discovers solace in Shakespeare and later becomes involved in live theater. It is truly astonishing to me to read how someone who grows up surrounded by disadvantages, without much concern for their future, can lift themselves up and create a story that offers so much hope, even when certain aspects of their life are not going perfectly and in the face of weakness and failure. Herein lies so much valuable humanity. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

The Shakespeare quotes scattered throughout the book, intertwined with both the performers on stage and the relationships in the author's life,赋予了那些台词意义，并激发了我更强烈的兴趣，让我回去完整地阅读它们的上下文。

A librarian, with a kind heart, places a copy of Shakespeare into the hands of a lonely child. Little does he know that this simple act will have a profound and life-changing impact on the child. The child discovers a whole new world within the pages of Shakespeare's works, and his life begins to take a turn for the better.

Bob Smith's memoir is a captivating account of his lifelong passion for reading Shakespeare. He shares his experiences of being involved in the performance of Shakespeare's plays and how it has shaped his own life. But what makes this memoir truly remarkable is how he goes on to describe how teaching Shakespeare's plays has transformed the lives of others, especially seniors.

The book held my interest from start to finish. Smith's writing is engaging and his love for Shakespeare shines through on every page. It is a testament to the power of literature and how it can touch the lives of people in the most unexpected ways. Whether you are a lover of Shakespeare or simply interested in the power of books to change lives, this memoir is well worth a read.

It is truly difficult to detect a flaw in this exquisitely written memoir that chronicles a life wholly dedicated to Shakespeare.

The only possible caveat might be the thematic chronology employed instead of a linear one.

Mr. Smith's reordering of time, while allowing different aspects of his life to interact and reflect upon each other, unfortunately leaves the narrative without a truly satisfying conclusion.

In fact, the book simply comes to an end, rather than reaching a proper conclusion.

Yet, it seems rather ungracious to complain about a book that is so deeply heartfelt, so frequently moving, and so affirmatively life-affirming, despite the recurrent theme of death.

Moreover, Shakespeare courses through its pages like the blood courses through our bodies, infusing every word with his essence.

Overall, I have an immense love for this book, flaws and all.

I happened to discover this book while browsing through a line of books in a thrift store. There was something about it that immediately caught my eye and made me feel an irresistible urge to pick it up. As I started reading, I was completely immersed in Mr. Smith's life. It was as if I could see his joys, his sorrows, and all the experiences that had shaped him. Surprisingly, through reading his story, I found myself no longer feeling so alone in my own life.

This memoir, which had never crossed my path before, turned out to be a great and deeply moving one. It was filled with emotions that I could relate to, and it made me realize that we all have our own struggles and that we are not alone in facing them. I am truly grateful to have come across this hidden gem in the thrift store. It has given me a new perspective on life and has made me appreciate the power of storytelling.

Eighteen years after it was written, I am not entirely certain that this story has aged gracefully. In fact, it seems that very few people will remember the names of those who were part of the New York theatre world in the late 1950s. This era, which was once so vibrant and full of life, has now faded into the annals of history.

Moreover, it is perhaps even more unlikely that there will be many Shakespeare fans among the current generation. Shakespeare's works, while timeless in many ways, may seem distant and inaccessible to those who are not familiar with the language and culture of his time.

Despite these concerns, I still believe that there is value in this story. It offers a glimpse into a bygone era and a reminder of the power of theatre to touch people's lives. Even if it may not be as relevant today as it was when it was first written, it still has the potential to inspire and engage readers.

Bob Smith. It's a common name that almost seems to mark the life of a boy who spends half of his life invisible to the rest of the world, completely immersed in reading the splendid verses of Shakespeare.

His childhood is stolen by a creature-angel who, unknowingly, turns his life and that of his parents upside down. That creature is named Carolyn, a girl with severe physical and mental handicaps.

One can almost see little Carolyn: she has difficulty pronouncing a few words, twists her hands, and her mania is the refrigerator in the house, which she kicks incessantly for hours, until the noise gets inside you and makes your head explode. TIC-CIAC

The mother's weak mind gradually crumbles: everything must be clean, everything must be in order, and "don't play with those dirty children, Bob" TIC-CIAC

"I could shoot you, Bob" TIC-CIAC

"Remember to clean Carolyn well, Bob!" TIC-CIAC

Diversity is a burden when you're 12 years old: diversity is scary, and it's easier to push it away with the typical meanness of kids that age rather than accept it. Diversity has the eyes of Bob's mother, but especially those of Carolyn, the younger, disabled sister.

And the feelings of guilt also weigh heavy: hearing the grandmother's delirious talk, Bob convinces himself that he has hurt his mother by being born and thus caused his sister's illness.

And then suddenly two lines read by chance: "In truth I know not why I am so sad", the stunning beginning of The Merchant of Venice. And Shakespeare becomes not only an escape route for a pain that is unbearable on the shoulders of a child, but especially a mirror. Shakespeare tells the pain, but he tells it better than we, ordinary mortals, could tell it.

And the entire novel, Bob Smith's entire life, is littered with passages taken from Shakespeare, that man who lived centuries ago but was able to tell his pain like no one else.

The story unfolds on two levels, that of long flashbacks aimed at reconstructing a difficult past, and that of the present time, in which Bob is involved in readings of Shakespeare passages for the elderly, each with their own story, who discover in poetry the possibility of coloring life with a little more magic.

The book grabs you and overall is quite good and interesting for those like me who are crazy about Shakespeare and don't despise the details of the "behind the scenes" (Bob has also been a stagehand in several Shakespearean plays). It's a pity for several moments in the story that are inexplicably neglected and painted with too few strokes to not seem almost useless.

Instead, the image of Carolyn remains inside, with whom the author has an almost twin-like connection; she is what Bob associates with the sense of home. Something he couldn't say about his mother, who is perpetually unstable, or his father, who is distant and absent. The pain is intense when this thread breaks, Carolyn is hospitalized in an institution and... one feels pity for this poor mother who, although weak, very weak, loves her daughter but is no longer able to care for her and also lives the separation with pain.

But the one who seems most shaken seems to be Bob: he promised Carolyn that he would never abandon her, he promised it to that mirror of himself that smiled at him for the first time: because Carolyn is like him, desperately alone and different from the rest of the world.

The autobiographical account of a boy with a depressing childhood who finds a reason for life in Shakespeare and in the theater. The quotations from the works of the bard are beautiful, but at times it is boring.

This story follows the life of a young boy who has endured a difficult and depressing childhood. However, his world changes when he discovers the magic of Shakespeare and the theater. Through the works of the great bard, he finds a new purpose and meaning in life. The boy is captivated by the beautiful language and profound themes in Shakespeare's plays. He spends countless hours reading and studying them, and even begins to act in local theater productions. While the quotations from Shakespeare's works are indeed beautiful and inspiring, there are times when the story can feel a bit slow and boring. Nevertheless, the overall message of the story is one of hope and redemption, showing that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of finding light and joy through the power of art and imagination.

The original article:
This is a wonderful place. The scenery here is very beautiful. There are many trees and flowers. The air is fresh. People like to come here to relax.

Expanded article:
This is such a wonderful place!

The scenery here is extremely beautiful, as if it is a painting carefully crafted by nature.

There are numerous trees standing tall and straight, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze.

And the flowers are blooming in all kinds of colors, like a colorful carpet covering the ground.

The air here is so fresh that it makes people feel refreshed and energetic as soon as they take a breath.

That's why people really like to come here to relax, to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature.

It is truly a paradise on earth.

Shakespeare serves as an armature for constructing a document filled with long life remembrances. It offers a means for the elderly to look back, assess, and affirm what holds the greatest significance. For an hour, the future loses its importance. We are here and now, sharing astonishing poetry and brilliant ideas. I listen intently to Shakespeare... and to the old people. In the blink of an eye, they are who I will become.

I don't frequently read memoirs. I suppose I assume that a memoir will disclose all the ugly details of a dreadful childhood that leads to a depressing adulthood, and rarely do I desire to immerse myself in that sort of story. So, when a friend loaned me Bob Smith's Hamlet's Dresser A Memoir with high praise, I wasn't particularly excited. My wife read it first and was also very positive about it, so this past week I read it too. And I'm extremely glad I did.

Smith's memoir skillfully walks a very fine line, where any misstep could result in overly sentimental and manipulative prose. Through his adept storytelling, Smith avoids these pitfalls, narrating his life story with care, poignancy, and a perspective that is simultaneously an insider's view and a detached observer's view. I especially relished the way Smith tells the story out of order, sometimes mentioning a detail that enriches a story he had already told about his childhood. The narrative maintains a great rhythm and flow throughout the entire book.

What I also appreciated about the book is that it demonstrated to me how Shakespeare can be connected to real life. I am, of course, aware of this, but I haven't read another book that so powerfully conveys that passion for Shakespeare. Stephen Greenblatt's excellent book Will in the World taught me about Shakespeare as a man within a specific sociocultural context; Smith's book taught me about the pure love of the words. Both lessons are valuable, and I'm glad that I've been able to savor both.

I was at the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, and I found this on the Staff Recommends shelf at Bloomsbury Books.

This is precisely what I cherish about independent bookstores. Without them, I would never have discovered or even heard of this book.

It is a remarkable story that delves into the redemptive qualities of literature. The author's life, as presented in the book, is truly inspiring.

We often overlook the power of books and how they can transform our lives. This particular book serves as a reminder of that power.

It makes me appreciate the efforts of independent bookstores in curating such wonderful selections and bringing them to our attention.

Thanks to the Staff Recommends shelf at Bloomsbury Books, I was able to come across this gem and be touched by its story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves literature and is in search of an inspiring read.

It will surely leave a lasting impression and make you believe in the magic of books all over again.

Wow.

I truly adored this coming-of-age memoir. Set in the 1950's, it tells the story of a lonely young man who discovers his life's path when he gets involved with a small Shakespearean theater company.

The memoir also takes us through his family life, growing up with a severely mentally disabled sister. It delves deep into themes of love, loss, and family identity.

This book had a profound impact on me. It first broke my heart with its poignant descriptions of the young man's struggles and losses, but then it mended it with its beautiful portrayal of love and the power of family.

You don't need to have an in-depth knowledge of Shakespeare to embark on this literary journey. However, as you read, you will undoubtedly learn a great deal about Shakespeare's timelessness and the enduring appeal of his works.

Overall, this memoir is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a beautifully written and emotionally engaging story.