Hey. Hey you. Yeah you. I’m talking to you. It’s the holiday season, and you haven’t done any shopping yet. I know because I’m one of you. I’m putting everything off to the last minute, not because I want to, but because… well, I don’t want to deal with it yet. Those that aren’t like us don’t appreciate that there is an art to procrastination. Sometimes, it leads us to find the perfect gift right before the big day. Other times, you are stuck getting yet another gift card (which is, of course, a valid course of action). In any case, it’s time to stop putting things off. Today, I hope to help you find the perfect clutch-time Star Wars gift for your family members’ stockings, or perhaps something more if they are fans of the, shall we say, Shakespearean.
Earlier this year, Insight Editions released a whole new line of the ever-popular William Shakespeare Star Wars collection. Written in that iconic prose by Ian Doescher, the original series of books, released from 2013 to 2020, was always one that captivated anyone who stumbled upon them. This time, Insight Editions has introduced two new options for however you prefer to consume your Star Wars Shakespeare.
The first is a deluxe hardcover edition. While the original books were hardcover as well, each entry had a simple tan cover. Now, each book has a splash of color, giving each reprint its own personality on your bookshelf. The other is a first-time offering. William Shakespeare’s Star Wars is now available in paperback for easy and compact transport. The covers are designed to appear as faux hardcovers, made of a thicker material similar to a trade paperback or graphic novel. They are slick and, in my experience, are slightly easier to open and read than their hardcover counterparts. Best of all, regardless of the option you choose, the book dimensions are virtually identical to the classic editions. So everything should sit nice and flush, instead of driving you crazy because your new copies of Tragedy of the Sith’s Revenge and The Jedi Doth Return are an inch taller.
Jedi the Last Hardcover
Jedi the Last Paperback
Whether you pick these books up for yourself or someone else, there is nothing quite like them in the Star Wars lexicon. Star Wars has many elements of a classic Shakespearean drama, so a retelling in Shakespeare’s voice is the perfect vehicle to illustrate that. Ian Doescher’s writing feels like authentic Shakespeare, and the flairs and twists he brings to each book make you feel like you are experiencing the Star Wars saga anew.
There will be a brand-new chapter next April when The Mandalorian gets the Shakespeare treatment, so what better time than now to get a head start on building your collection? Get shopping!
A special thank you to Insight Editions for the copies of Verily, A New Hope and The Merry Rise of Skywalker used for this article.
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he’s not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading or pretending he isn’t washed at video games.