Complete Works

This is one of my favourite possessions; a twelve-volume complete works of Shakespeare. It came to me from my maternal grandparents' house when we cleared it in the early 90s.

Having flirted with the Scottish play at 14 or so, my first real experience of Shakespeare was The Winter's Tale which I took to pieces for A level with the guidance of the expert and irascible Mrs Williamson. Mrs W insisted that plays were to be seen rather than simply read; and she encouraged us to see as much Shakespeare as we could. So I discovered that although I felt TWT was a little naff, I really loved Twelfth Night, Much Ado, Henry V, Measure for Measure, Hamlet...

I really enjoy the timelessness of Shakespeare's stories. People fight because of jealousy, hubris, misunderstandings, they fall in love, disastrously, painfully, beautifully; and they finish episodes in rhyming couplets. I find the timelessness comforting, stable. And in many instances, really quite witty.

Exit, pursued by a bear.

Improved immense