An Illustrated Compendium of All the Flowers, Fruits, Herbs, Trees, Seeds, and Grasses Cited by the World's Greatest Playwright.

Have you ever wondered just what is that flower that Oberon directs Puck to retrieve in A Midsummer Night's Dream... the one whose juice is squeezed into the eyes of the lovers and of Titania as they sleep? Well, if you are like me, these are things you might ponder as you read the many plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare, and if you do, this is a book you'll love.

In this stunning compilation, Shakespeare expert Gerit Quealy has teamed up with notable Japanese artist Sumié Hasegawa-Collins to create the most comprehensive collection of all the flowers, fruits, herbs, trees, seeds, and grasses mentioned in William Shakespeare's works, each paired with an exquisite illustration and corresponding note. Quealy supplements the dazzling main text with rich background information, explaining Shakespeare's relationship to plants and his deep knowledge of botany and his unmatched skill for creating metaphorical connexions. An accompanying dictionary elaborates on each plant, providing facts, historical context, and anecdotes. (The flower in A Midsummer Night's Dream, by the way? It's a simple pansy.)

Hardcover, ribbon bookmark, 208 pages. 2017.