All's Well That Ends Well (Folger Shakespeare Library) Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 2006

I'm not sure why this play is thought of as a failure and not up to the usual standards of Shakespeare. It's a very enjoyable reading experience with vivid language and plenty of food for thought. The abrupt, seemingly happy, ending may be jarring but up until that point it's terrific, certainly on par with the quality of Merchant of Venice. I will definitely read this one again. The Folger edition is always the definitive edition of Shakespeare.

I bought this particular edition so I could read it on my Kindle. It's one of those many comedies where everyone seems to be someone else until all is made clear at the end. It's probably better seen than read, but if you can't attend a performance, this will fill the bill.

What sets this edition of "All's Well..." apart is the very wothrwhile essay from Mr. McCandless contained in the back of the book. Mr. McCandless' essay comes a long way in helping readers understand the seemingly inexplicable heel-face turn of Bertram at the end of the play. Highly recommended not only for the vast textual notes and introductory passages, as all Folger Shakespeare editions contain, but especially for the enlightening essay by Mr. McCandless.

This play is probably not as great as others of Shakespeare's comedies, but it is still worth the effort. The play is quite ribald. It is a short play. The plot is a familiar one - a woman is set an almost impossible task, and if she succeeds in completing it, she will get her dearest wish. Worth a read.

I prefer the Folger editions for Shakespeare because the notes are on the page facing the original text. That makes for quick reference if I have trouble understanding. The notes also include some reprinted drawings (all referenced) that help visualization.

I may or may not recommend this edition of All's Well, depending on what you plan on using it for. The footnotes and definitions are great, and really helpful when it comes to understanding the text. If you're reading the play for fun or just to get an idea of the story, then this version is fine.However (and this is a big "however"), the punctuation has been changed from the original text. For some purposes, that's no big deal. But since punctuation is so important to take into account when studying and performing Shakespeare's works, I would not recommend this to anyone taking a college class on Shakespeare or performing in the play. I bought this edition because I'm doing a monologue from the play and needed context, but I ended up having to copy the monologue itself out of a different edition because the punctuation in this one was wrong.

Great hand size ...the notes where wonderful! Helped me understand this book

I like the annotations in the Foldger's editions. It helps a basic like me grasp the cultural significance and meaning of Shakespeare's works.