Shakespeare: The Biography

And here were we thinking that we didn’t know that much about William Shakespeare. Peter Ackroyd’s superb biography gives chapter and verse of the Bard’s life and times. Thankfully, there is speculation aplenty about what we don’t know for sure - where he lived, what he did when he hadn't quill in hand. Also, thankfully, there is little space wasted on who it was, other than Shakespeare, that authored the plays and the poems. It’s a fascinating read, despite Ackroyd being honest in admitting that Shakespeare was an ordinary bloke only made extraordinary by his genius with words. In that, he smashes a shibboleth that he himself holds up to ridicule. “The apparent ordinariness of extraordinary men and women is one of the last great taboos of biographical writing,” Ackroyd writes.

Utterly gripping - Ackroyd is a terrific writer. Brilliantly researched - very fair and well balanced and hugely entertaining. No idea how Ackroyd has manged all that with such an illusive subject. Have already bought a copy for a theatre mad friend.

CAUTION - THERE ARE MANY EDITIONS OF ACKROYD'S "SHAKESPEARE"Amazon's software allows only one review per product; "Shakeapeare" by Peter Ackroyd (to the software) is "one book" but it comes in many shapes (rectangular and circular) and sizes. Reviews for individual editons will appear on all books/CDs with this title. (Not a criticism on great software, just an observation. Look at the product details carefully)"Shakespeare - the Biography" by Peter Ackroyd, 550 pages, Vintage Press 2006, paperback format, cheap paperTwo more suited companions would be hard to find (except Ackroyd and Dickens); Ackroyd is London's biographer (literally) and writing on a playwright who made his life and fortune in London and, in doing so, made London more famous, is to be expected. Having had so many biographies written on him, to entitle his " ... the Biography", Peter Ackroyd may be making too great a claim for himself; however, with its wealth of information, detail and apt quotations and observations, I am prepared to consider the claim.Stepping into the world of Shakespeare with its dirth of material on the subject, claim and counter-claim about his very existence and apparently excellent scholarship supporting each claim is brave; Ackroyd carries it off with typical panache.PS I also recommend the partnership of Ackroyd and Simon Callow. Great CDs - well-researched material and that great voice.

This is a fabulous book. Anything you need to know about Shakespeare is contained within its 488 pages. Peter Ackroyd's research is based on that of many others, but his personal touch makes it an outstanding biography. The Bibliography is 13 pages long !

dont expect the last sentences of his paragraphs to be any good because they are not but over all its a great book

If you want to know more about Shakespeare this is the book for you!

A very interesting book, well written and full of detail.

The work is no less a triumph than one would expect from the master wordsmith/biographer/historian/Londoner.