{"product_id":"shakespeares-shrine-9780812223378","title":"Shakespeares Shrine","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the first major study of Shakespeare's Birthplace during the nineteenth century, Shakespeare's Shrine draws on extensive archival research to describe the invention of the Birthplace in the Victorian period, when the site was purchased for the nation, extensively restored, and transformed into a major tourist attraction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A substantive discussion of the purchase and renovation of Shakespeare's birthplace and how Victorian values (e.g., regarding authenticity) affected the restoration efforts.\" * \u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e *\u003cbr\u003e\"Thomas is good company. . . . She has a nice sense of narrative development and pacing, and extracts drama and comedy from everything from guidebook conventions to local disputes. . . . A highly developed sense of irony is an asset in this field, and Thomas has it.\" * \u003ci\u003eTLS\u003c\/i\u003e *\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eIn Shakespeare's Shrine: The Bard's Birthplace and the Invention of Stratford-upon-Avon\u003c\/i\u003e, Julia Thomas describes the origins, the fashioning and the influences of the house on Henley Street, and along the way, the often uneasy tension between a desire for archaeological and historical veracity and its frustration by more pressing commercial concerns. . . . A fascinating account of Stratfordian cultural tourism.\" * \u003ci\u003eTimes Higher Education\u003c\/i\u003e *\u003cbr\u003e\"This book is not only a delight to read, owing to the affectionate irony that tinges its prose, but also deeply instructive. Without renouncing the pleasure of storytelling, Thomas is always alert to implications and ready to increase our consciousness of cultural phenomena. She simultaneously constructs and deconstructs the fascination of the Birthplace, luring us into sharing the believers' gaze only to show how this aura of mysticism was created.\" * \u003ci\u003eJournal of British Studies\u003c\/i\u003e *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction. The Birthplace in Victorian Culture\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 1. The Birth of \"Shakespeare\"\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 2. Bidding for the Bard: The Auction of the Birthplace\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 3. Bringing Down the House: Restoring the Birthplace\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 4. Real Estate? Authenticating the Birthplace\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 5. Eight Things to Do in Stratford-upon-Avon: A Guide for the Victorian Tourist\u003cbr\u003e Conclusion: The Place and the Plays\u003cbr\u003e Notes\u003cbr\u003e Bibliography\u003cbr\u003e Index\u003cbr\u003e Acknowledgments\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"University of Pennsylvania Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49405703487831,"sku":"9780812223378","price":21.59,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780812223378.jpg?v=1730493335","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/shakespeares-shrine-9780812223378","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}