revYG [E-BOOK] The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folgerrsquo;s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespearersquo;s First Folio Online [revYG.ebook] The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folgerrsquo;s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespearersquo;s First Folio Pdf Free Andrea Mays *Download PDF | ePub | DOC | audiobook | ebooks Download Now Free Download Here Download eBook #995598 in Books imusti 2016-04-05 2016-04-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.37 x .90 x 5.50l, .0 #File Name: 1439118256368 pagesSIMON SCHUSTER | File size: 17.Mb Andrea Mays : The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folgerrsquo;s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespearersquo;s First Folio before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my time, and all praised The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folgerrsquo;s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespearersquo;s First Folio: 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Informative, interesting and at times gripping as a tale of suspenseBy BrontinaBeing passionate about Shakespeare and an European transplanted to the States, I was curious about Folger and his library, so I decided to order the book. I really enjoyed every page of it! The first chapters are mostly about how the First Folio was conceived and published, with lots of interesting technical details and historical information. Homage is duly paid to Heminges and Condell, the two fellow-players and close friends of Shakespeare to whose loyalty and insight we owe the survival of the Bard's works today. Even if you are not particularly interested in history, these pages are easy to read,informative and interesting. The rest of the book is about Henry and Emily Folger's obsession for everything Shakespeare. The purchases of real treasures, like the Vincent First Folio, are described as a gripping tale of suspense... However, part of me could not help but feel sorry for England, depleted of so many precious books that are now only available in Washington. I had the impression that the author was a bit biased in favor of Folger, who was certainly a great business man but who was perhaps a little too possessive with his books. Still now, it seems, his wife Emily is the only person who was allowed to actually borrow from the library. In conclusion, the book was a very interesting and informative read, and you don't need to be a scholar or a student to enjoy it. It made me even more eager to see the Folger Shakespeare Library.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Brilliant ObessionBy CustomerSurely, William Shakespeare, returned from the grave, would be less shocked by jet airplanes than by his renown in a world peopled by a huge number of humans far removed from his world. His genius is at the root of his fame, but he might be much less well remembered but for dedicated contemporaries who sought to ensure the survival of his work by means of the First Folio. This is the story of the book and it's most successful collector.One important point the author makes clear is that virtually every copy is unique as a result of how the books were created and their subsequent histories. The core of Henry Folger's collection mania was to possess every copy. Incredibly, the library he created contains about 42 percent of the known copies. His compulsive collecting makes for exciting reading cataloging his successes, setbacks and occasional failures. Gracefully written and based on impressive knowledge of the people and times involved, this is a delightful book.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Tracking the BardBy Christian SchlectAn interesting, well researched, and favorable history of the man who assembled the books, manuscripts, and other treasures now contained in the Folger Shakespeare Library. How William Shakespeare's plays were first preserved; how Henry Folger made his money in the oil business; how book collectors went about their pursuits in the early part of the last century; and how Mr. and Mrs. Folger arranged to have built for our our nation the fine institution that now sits on Capitol Hill are all interwoven threads of this fine tapestry of a tale.I found this book to be superior to that of last year's effort on the same general subject by Stephen Grant.My wish for Professor Mays' second book would be a collaborative effort with her husband, a fine Lincoln scholar, on the influence of William Shakespeare on Abraham Lincoln. The miraculous and romantic story of Shakespearersquo;s First Folio, and of the American industrialist whose thrilling pursuit of the book became a lifelong obsession: ldquo;Maysrsquo;s narrative is so fast-moving, and peppered with such fascinating detail, it almost reads like a thrillerrdquo; (Entertainment Weekly, Grade: A).When Shakespeare died in 1616, half of his plays died with him. No onemdash;not even their authormdash;believed that his writings would last. In 1623, seven years after his death, Shakespearersquo;s business partners, companions, and fellow actors gathered copies of his plays and manuscripts and published thirty-six of them. This massive book, the First Folio, was intended as a memorial to their deceased friend. They could not have known that it would become one of the most important books ever published in the English language. Over two and a half centuries later, a young man fresh out of law school, Henry Folger, bought a book at auctionmdash;a later, 1685 edition Fourth Folio, for $107.50. It was the beginning of an obsession that would consume the rest of his life. Folger rose to be president of Standard Oil, and he used his fortune to create the greatest Shakespeare collection in the world. By the time he died, Folger owned more First Folios than anyone and had founded the Folger Shakespeare Library, where his collection still resides. In The Millionaire and the Bard, Andrea Mays spins the tale of Shakespeare and of his collector, of the genius whose work we nearly lost, the men who had the foresight to preserve it, and the millionaire who, centuries later, was consumed by his obsession with it. ldquo;Effortless in its unadorned storytelling and exacting in its research, this is a page-turning detective storyrdquo; (Publishers Weekly). ldquo;The Millionaire and the Bard weaves a thrilling tale of literary detective work, high financial stakes, and the vision of one man, Henry Folger, to preserve one of the great written treasures of civilization. A splendid debut by Andrea Mays.rdquo; mdash;Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana and A World on Fireldquo;The Millionaire and the Bard is a riveting narrative history about Shakespeare taking root in America. Every page sparkles with crisp prose and smart insights. I find myself cheering for Henry Folger to procure the treasured First Folios. Highly recommended!rdquo; mdash;Douglas Brinkley, author of Cronkiteldquo;A fascinating account of Henry Clay Folgerrsquo;s obsession with the Shakespeare First Folio. Folger amassed the collection he had dreamed out, and it is now one of the greater glories of the library in Washington, D.C., that bears his name. The achievement is all the more extraordinary in that Folger was not born into a wealthy family or privileged class. Now the full story has been told in splendid detail by Andrea Mays.rdquo; mdash;David Bevington, author Shakespeare and Biography and editor of The Complete Works of Shakespeareldquo;[Mays] honorably resurrects this affluent, rapacious eccentric who became wholly consumed with the acquisition of a priceless bonanza of Shakespeariana. A methodical opuscomprising intensive memoir and inquisitive investigation.rdquo; mdash;Kirkus sldquo;Effortless in its unadorned storytelling and exacting in its research. hellip; The book is evocative in its characterizations of both the deified bard and dedicated bibliophile, finding its structure in the parallels between these two ambitious yet mysterious men. hellip; ldquo;[A] pagendash;turning detective story [that] speaks to anyone with a love of literary history.rdquo; mdash;Publishers Weeklyldquo;Maysrsquo; first book is utterly enthralling thanks to her deep sympathy with the Folgers and her fascinated, unstuffy prose.rdquo; mdash;Booklist (starred review)ldquo;Fascinating hellip; illuminating hellip; poignant. hellip; Recommended for all book lovers, Shakespeare fans, and anyone interested in America's Gilded Age.rdquo; mdash;Library Journalldquo;A love story . Fun and even suspenseful . Awell-researched and surprisingly engrossing account.rdquo; mdash;The Wall StreetJournalldquo;Riveting . Engaging . An American love story.rdquo;mdash;Stephen Greenblatt, The New York Times Book ldquo;[Mays] book does a fine job of discussing how Folger went about acquiring his treasures and what those treasures were and why they are important in literary history . a really interesting book.rdquo; mdash;The Chicago Tribune ldquo;The Millionaire and the Bard, Andrea Maysrsquo; labor-of-love history of the Shakespearersquo;s First Folio and of Standard Oil executive Henry Folgerrsquo;s obsession to acquire every possible copy . gives an exacting and very readable account of how the folio came to be mdash; and how easily it might not have been.rdquo; mdash;Dallas Morning Newsldquo;Captivating [and] fascinating. hellip; A great story, wonderfully told, that book lovers, readers and collectors will savor.rdquo; mdash;Shelf Awarenessldquo;Snappy [and] enjoyablerdquo; mdash;NPRAbout the AuthorAndrea E. Mays has degrees in economics from the State University of New York at Binghamton and from UCLA, and teaches economics at California State University at Long Beach. Like Henry Folger, she is a native New Yorker and has had a lifelong Shakespeare obsession. She spent much of her Manhattan girlhood in the New York Public Library listening to vinyl LP recordings of performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company.