In his latest book, Shakespeare in a Divided America: What His Plays Tell Us About Our Past and Future, the esteemed Shakespearean James Shapiro (author of The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606) shifts his focus to America’s fascination with Shakespeare over the past two centuries. This new work of history comes six years after the author edited a notable compendium of short pieces by renowned American poets, presidents, novelists, statesmen, humorists, artists, and critics, titled Shakespeare in America: An Anthology from the Revolution to Now. Acknowledging the impossibility of tackling a complete history of Shakespeare in America, Shapiro aims to “drill down more deeply into eight defining moments in America’s history.” By isolating specific historical episodes dating back to… Read More…