Free Audiobooks From The Master of Verona

~ duane ~ 9 Comments

We can say we knew him when.  Author David Blixt has been around and commenting on Shakespeare Geek almost since its inception (I found this post from April 2008 to give you an idea).  That’s a review of The Master of Verona, book one of his Star-Cross’d series.

And now he’s giving away 10 copies of the audiobook version to Shakespeare Geek readers!

Cangrande della Scala is everything a man should be. Daring. Ambitious. Charming. Brilliant. Ruthless. To the poet Dante – indeed, to the world – Cangrande is the ideal Renaissance prince.

Until Dante’s son discovers a secret that could be Cangrande’s undoing.

Suddenly thrust into the schemes and betrayals surrounding Verona’s prince, Pietro Alighieri must navigate a rivalry that severs a friendship, divides a city, and sparks a feud that will produce Shakespeare’s famous star–crossed lovers, Romeo & Juliet!
 
Based on the plays of William Shakespeare and the poetry of Dante, THE MASTER OF VERONA is a sweeping novel of Renaissance Italy. Filled with swashbuckling adventure, unrequited love, and brutal treachery, this epic journey recalls the best of Bernard Cornwell, Sharon Kay Penman, and Dorothy Dunnett.

We’re going simple with this one – just comment below if you want one! First come first served.  Make sure you give the site a valid email address so we can email you back!

BONUS!  If audiobooks aren’t your thing, the Kindle edition will be available for FREE on September 26th!

Everybody say it with me now, “Thank you, David!”

 

 

 

Shakespeare Beer Continued : The Tempest

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Yesterday I told you about the joys of the Shakespeare beer known as ShakesBeer and how I came to discover it. I’ve already discussed their New England IPA known as “Act One”.

Today let’s talk about their “Imperial IPA”, The Tempest. It would have been awesome if they’d kept the “Act” thing going but there’s an obvious hard limit there so I can see why they couldn’t do that.

I love the branding on this one.  It’s no secret that The Tempest is my favorite play, and I’m happy to see its image on the shelf.  If I could get my hands on the cans themselves (without the contents) I’d add them to my collection of Shakespeare stuff.  I suppose I could just wash out an empty but I’d feel like I’m back in college building a tower of empties if I did that.

This one is noticeably darker than the Act One, but I suppose maybe not so noticeably because my wife claimed she could not see the difference until I put the two side by side.

A juicy New England Style IPA featuring six different hop varieties and a more robust 7.7% ABV.

I could definitely see and taste a big difference. The flavor is much stronger and richer here, and that 7.7% ABV is nothing to slouch at.  Let’s put it this way, I had the Act One at a leisurely pace on a Sunday afternoon while I watched football. I had The Tempest after dinner on a weekday when I had to go pick up my kid from dance in an hour.  Totally felt it, could not have had two.

I think both of these are going to make nice fall selections. As I’ve gotten older I still enjoy a beer, but I’m not the type to just keep pounding them back. So flavor is a big deal, but so is not getting buzzed – I’m getting too old for that nonsense, the kids need homework help.  For both of these I’m happy to have one, maybe two, depending, and that’s just right for me.

It looks like they have a third option, A Midsummer Night’s Ale, but since it’s listed as a summer brew I’m going to assume that I missed the seasonal window and will have to wait until next year.

Hey ShakesBeer people, are you out there?  I think we’d all like to see “A Winter’s Ale” as your next offering!

 

 

 

Shakespeare Beer : Act One

~ duane ~ 1 Comment

The other day I told the story of multiple coworkers telling me about ShakesBeer, a Shakespeare Beer brewer that’s just near enough to me to be a temptation but far enough away that I thought it was, literally, out of my reach.  One coworker offered to get me some the next time he was able, but he doesn’t fully appreciate how much I love Shakespeare and beer.  Despite my local liquor store not being listed on the company website directory, I called them anyway, and they had it!

They have three types listed on their website: Act One, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  I was only able to find the first two locally.  A 4pack of cans cost me about $14.

Let’s talk about Act One first.  Yes those are nachos and cheese and crackers in the background, I did my taste test during the Patriots game.  From the site:

A mild New England Style IPA with a hazy finish, a balanced level of bitterness and pronounced citrus aroma.  Easy drinking with a manageable 5.5% ABV.

The color’s not my usual style (though I realize it’s typical for this style). I tend to lean more toward the darker reds and browns.

I’m not usually an IPA drinker. Though I’ll have them on occasion when I’m out because I’m far more interested in always trying something new than I am in having a “favorite” beer.  Still, though, I’m surprised they called this one “mild” as I found it had a very strong flavor.  I tend to put these in the category of “I didn’t not like it.”  If I was out at a bar would I order another one? Sure. If I ever see it on a menu I’m ordering it, but I’ll admit that’s also motivated by a desire to support companies like this that do Shakespeare branded things.

The 5.5 ABV (alcohol by volume) I guess is average for IPA?  I’d never really paid much attention to it as a beer drinker but it’s apparently the thing to do now. All the beer drinkers at work compare notes and rate their favorites based on ABV (as in, “I’m not going to have 3 or 4 over 7’s and get wasted” or “Going to the extreme craft fest this weekend, nothing but 8 and over!”)

Definitely happy to have found it. Will drink again. If I have guests over who are up for a taste test, I’ll share.

Next post we’ll look at The Tempest, their “Imperial IPA”.

 

Titus Andronicus : The Sequel (No, Seriously!)

~ duane ~ 1 Comment

We’ve often joked about which Shakespeare plays provide the best take-off point for a sequel.  There’s even a movie called Hamlet 2  which had some interesting ideas, when they got to the actual Shakespeare (think time machine … and sexy, rocking Jesus).

But what about Titus Andronicus?  Room for a sequel there?  A whole bunch of Tony Award winners think so.  Nathan Lane and Andrea Martin are set to headline Taylor Mac’s Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus this spring:

The play takes place just after the conclusion of William Shakespeare’s first tragedy, Titus Andronicus. Set during the fall of the Roman Empire, the years of bloody battles are over, the civil war has ended, and the country has been stolen by madmen. There are casualties everywhere and two very lowly servants (played by Lane and Martin) are charged with cleaning up the bodies.

It already makes me think it’s taking a cue from “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”  Which is suitably ironic, because I can’t wait for the first people to make the connection that Nathan Lane played the voice for Pumbaa in Lion King, which is supposed to be Disney’s animated Hamlet, where they represent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, so in a way, Lane has already played the role!

Oh I will kill you.

Got To Love My Coworkers

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Walking past the elevator the other day, I see coworker Nate. He does that thing I always love where something dawns on him and he says, “Oh! I’ve bee meaning to tell you!” because I know what’s coming next – something Shakespeare. I just never know what. But it’s always awesome, because it means people are spotting Shakespeare out in the world because of me.

“I was at the liquor store near my house the other day,” he continues. My immediate thought is that he’s going to mention “Oberon” wine. But then I think, does Nate follow Shakespeare enough that he’d spot a Midsummer Night’s Dream reference in the wild.  “I saw this beer that had something Shakespeare on it…”

“You saw ShakesBeer?” I asked, getting excited.

I first spotted the existence of ShakesBeer this summer at Richard III. They are based out of Hingham, Massachusetts which is close enough to me to feel like it’s in my backyard, but realistically far enough away that I won’t be making any casual trips down there anytime soon.

“I know exactly who that is, and I’ve been looking for it,” I tell him. “I haven’t been able to find it where I live. They more south of the city.”

“I was going to get some for you but I didn’t know if you were a craft beer drinker,” says Nate.

“If you tell me you spotted it here in town I’m going to get in my car right now, put it that way,” I tell him.

“Unfortunately no, it was closer to where I live, down in Foxboro. When I’m back at that store I’ll have to get you some now that I know you’re into it.”

I agree with this plan and tell him that I’ll happily reimburse him should he find some.

But wait, it gets better!  That was on a Friday. That weekend, Dave (who happens to work in Nate’s department) sends me an actual picture of ShakesBeer because he too has discovered it (and he, too, knows that if Shakespeare’s spotted in the wild, the first thing you do is contact me ;)). I ask him as well whether he found it in town, and he says that no, he found it in Plymouth.  Unlike Nate he got some for himself, and tells me it’s quite good.

Later I ask Nate if he and Dave were discussing it and he tells me that, nope, that was entirely unrelated.  The universe really wants me to find this beer!