As it’s the end of the year I want to thank readers of The Shakespeare blog for making it such a success. During 2012 the blog has had over 67,000 visits and over 100,000 page views. 239 of you have signed up to receive every post by email and another 200 receive each link on twitter. I’ve been delighted to find that readers come from all over the world.
Over the year I’ve written 157 posts, and received 400 or so comments. I love getting your comments especially when they add some information (or correct something I’ve got wrong!).
My Listening to the audience project has been slow getting started but this is my number one New Year resolution and all of you who sent messages about this project will be hearing from me.
Over the Christmas period I’ve taken a bit of a rest from the blog but in the next couple of days I’ll be writing about some of my highlights from 2012, the year of the World Shakespeare Festival in which Shakespeare was given a leading role in the celebrations for the London Olympics.
Just in case you haven’t had enough of the festive season (which lasts until 6 January) I’ve spotted a couple of items about music, particularly important at this time of year. I’ve written before about the effects music and poetry have on the brain. The British Library hosts a wonderful music blog which has recently included two posts on the history of the Christmas carol. This first one covers their early history, including an image of a manuscript of a carol written by King Henry VIII.
And this article looks at a study of the link between music and emotion.
I hope 2013 will be a wonderful year for all of you, and that Shakespeare’s plays and poems continue to enrich your lives!
Well done on those astonishing statistics and thanks for providing us with your intellegent commentary on Shakespeare related contemporary issues.
Thank you, Sylvia, for always fascinating and informative posts. I make a ritual of reading them: pour my tea, munch cookies and gleefully open the page. May 2013 be a healthy and happy one for you!
Thanks for continuing to write about Shakespeare. Very enjoyable indeed. I wish I could help with your listening project, but my Shakespeare theater experiences weren’t all that memorable. Good luck with it, though!