In this groundbreaking study, Lucas Erne argues that Shakespeare wrote not only for the stage but also for the page, abridging his theatrical texts into shorter "literary" texts with a readership in mind. According to Michael P. Jensen of The Shakespeare Newsletter, "This is an excellent book ... to learn much of what is known about the quarto and Folio texts of the eighteen plays published in both formats, with special attention given to the shorter quartos. Erne presents his tremendous learning in a very understandable way."