From Amazon.com...
"The first tale is of Willie Shakespeare Greenberg, a grad student trying to prove in his hastily conceived thesis that Shakespeare was a closeted Catholic. Short on cash, stoner Willie agrees to mule a superpsychedelic mushroom and a pound of weed to a couple of Renaissance Faire enthusiasts, all the while nursing his infatuation with Dashka Demitra, his sexy thesis adviser. Willie's journey is interspersed with accounts of the other Shakespeare as he, in the months leading up to his wedding, has run-ins with hallucinatory substances and comely women while delivering a secret package to a Catholic dissident. Willie's a lovable schlemiel whose clumsy strides toward attaining a genuine understanding of Shakespeare's work mirror in many ways the Bard's quest to become the great playwright we now study." I was surprised by this book. After the first page, I knew this book wasn't what I was expecting. When it says "A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare" — it's not kidding. I sought out your opinions as to whether this book would be appropriate to have in a high school classroom. But really, after reading the first couple chapters, I've decided that this book will not make the trek into my classroom. A little bit of sex and a little bit of drugs would be okay, that would make it interesting for struggling readers. But really, in my opinion, this is all the book is about — sex and drugs — under the guise of a book about Shakespeare (which is what originally peaked my interest). And while the character development might have come later in the novel, as a new teacher I can't have a book that would be questionable in my classroom. And this book is definitely questionable.
I didn't finish it. I made it half way through and I was miserable. I was dreading picking it up — but I hate to give up on a book. So I asked Momma Remmers what she would do, and she politely told me, "Reagan, if you aren't going to have this in your classroom and you aren't enjoying reading it — why struggle through it? Reading is supposed to be fun and enjoyable." So I had to say goodbye to "Will". I'm a bit of a reading prude — okay, well I'm not really, but this was just too much for me.
If you have an actual review of this book that you wouldn't mind 'donating' to me, please let me know. I don't want to cheat my students who could pick up this book from the library if it is good.
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Leslie