Description: An in-depth look at the science behind the creative methods Shakespeare used to kill off his characters.
Brief description: Kathryn Harkup is a former chemist turned author. She writes and gives regular public talks on the disgusting and dangerous side of science. Her first book was the international best-seller A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, which was shortlisted for a Mystery Readers International Macavity Award and a BMA Book Award. Her subsequent books include its follow-up, V is for Venom, Making the Monster: The Science of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and Death by Shakespeare.
Review Quotes:
"Harkup's enjoyable and informative survey presents this somatic Shakespeare for the Horrible Histories generation." --Times Literary Supplement
"Were I a school-teacher introducing phone-addicted teens to Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet, I'd go in big on Shakespeare's 'violent delights'." --Daily Mail (4 stars) "Well-written and intriguing, the book provides a rich behind-the-scenes look at science and historical fact, using the focus on death to deepen understanding of Shakespeare's life and work." --Historical Novel Society "The author of A Is for Arsenic and Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley's Frankenstein continues her macabre cultural musings with an immensely readable roundup of Shakespearean death." --Smithsonian Magazine "Death By Shakespeare is a macabre but fascinating read, rich in historical context, scientific insight, and intriguing asides." --Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine "Harkup serves a delectable stew of history, science and wit that is sure to sate the appetite of any Anglophile." --Booklist "Serious scholarship meets horrid histories. Kathryn Harkup located Death by Shakespeare within the contexts of science and medicine, health and safety, crime and punishment, and in the process gives us tour de force descriptions of Juliet's deep coma, Cleopatra's asp, Ophelia's drowning and the carnage at Agincourt, among other celebrated exits. It's a good read - never morbid, and full of insights into the Tudor way of death and how far we've come." --Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, cultural historian, writer and broadcaster "Light enough to be a quick read for fun but hefty enough to educate, this is a book that any student would be happy to study for a class, and it's a solid addition to any nonfiction or Shakespearean fan's collection. Yet again, Harkup has delivered a satisfying, sterling examination of an iconic figure's literary contributions to history." --Criminal Element