This is another volume in the Shakespeare: His Work and World series. Four of the five chapters are devoted to Shakespeare’s history plays rather than his poetry, but then there is much to say about his history plays. The controversies about the dating and publishing of his work are considered in some depth in the first chapter. Then the context of the history plays and synopses of each play is given. Colorful photos and reproductions of period artwork complement the narrative including movie or production stills of famous actors playing the different monarchs. Sidebars of famous characters in the plays as well as descriptions of the “real” king such as “The Real Richard II” are included to fill out the story of the plays. There is even a chapter about the music in the plays. The book includes a table of contents, index, glossary, and bibliography. There is a lot of information packed in this slim volume that will be useful to students writing research papers or literary criticism. ( )