by Bill Bryson
First published 2007
William Shakespeare remains one of literature's most elusive figures. Bill Bryson brings his trademark curiosity to this biographical challenge, despite lacking formal credentials as a Shakespeare scholar or theatrical expert. The author of "A Walk in the Woods" and "The Mother Tongue" applies the same spirited inquiry that made those works popular with readers. Bryson's unconventional background as the writer behind "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" might seem like a mismatch for examining the Bard's life. Yet his fresh perspective and intellectual freedom create an engaging portrait of the mysterious playwright. This entry in the Eminent Lives series benefits from Bryson's outsider status, allowing him to approach Shakespeare's story without academic constraints. Readers discover a biography that captures the spirit of curiosity Shakespeare himself might have appreciated.
Genres: biography, literary-criticism, british-literature, shakespeare, biography-memoir
Vibes: accessible, curious, engaging, scholarly-yet-witty, thought-provoking
Tropes: biographical-mystery, outsider-perspective, unconventional-approach
Setting: England
Period: Elizabethan Era, Renaissance
199 pages · Paperback · HarperCollinsPublishing