The Eloquent Shakespeare: A Pronouncing Dictionary for the Complete Dramatic Works with Notes to Untie the Modern Tongue

… for all the research, guidance and information set down… thank you, Gary! You’ve saved all us mere mortals so much time. A must-have book for and actor, director, or Shakespeare lover.

This is a must have for any actor, director, theatre teacher or student, or lover of Shakespeare. It is incredibly thorough and much more than a mere pronunciation guide. The book has a lot of wonderful notes that give great context so that you not only pronounce it well, but know when the word is being used in a special way. It’s the perfect companion to the Lexicon.

As an actor, I find this book absolutely indispensable when preparing a role, polishing a monologue, or even just reading the plays. "The Logan," as we've come to call it, sits side by side with the OED. What else could I need? I have also been able to recommend it eagerly to very grateful actors in rehearsal. This book has no equal for the North American actor and the introduction provides valuable guidance to both experienced classical actors and those first approaching Shakespeare, especially those with any anxiety about language.As a word nerd, I have given this book a permanent place on my nightstand. It provides a regularly pleasurable browse and has surprised me many times. The digressions and longer discussions of particular words are especially enlightening.I cannot imagine any theater going into rehearsal of a Shakespeare play without this book in the room.

Logan's book is like water in the desert for any actor, director, writer, linguist, or Shakespeare geek like myself. I realized how much I don't know. How refreshing!

Perhaps the finest Shakespeare pronouncing dictionary I have encountered, and I own them all. Where I used to rely on multiple sources for words and references, this volume is rather comprehensive and has minimized my need for multiple sources. An IPA "cheat sheet" is listed on every page with a very thorough introduction to help the reader. This text has my highest recommendation and should truly be required for every Shakespeare practitioner ESPECIALLY actors and directors.

Gary Logan's book is a monumental achievement. Everyone has their opinions on how certain words within Shakespeare are pronounced but thankfully Mr. Logan has taken the guesswork out of the process. He painstakingly researched and compiled the most comprehensive reference on how to pronounce almost any word within Shakespeare's works and we are all the better for it. It's my first source when I'm preparing to perform any Shakespeare roles. So if you're in the habit of reading or performing Shakespeare, this book is definitely a 'must have'.

Recently completed my MFA in Shakespeare and this book was entirely essential to the process. Nothing is worse than a director stopping a rehearsal because you are incorrectly pronouncing the text, this has helped me avoid that and settle disputes. Has about 99.999% of words that you'll come across w/ IPA guide.

This book is one of my Shakespeare bibles as a performer of his texts. I couldn't do without. I'm more prepared for auditions, rehearsals, and performance with this book to support me!

Great book