Author:Peter Ackroyd,Simon Callow
VOL. 1: ASPIRING SPIRIT.
From Stratford to London.
(Birth, 1564 - c.1590)
Peter Ackroyd's insightful new biography positions Shakespeare in the close context of his world. In this way, Ackroyd not only richly conjures up the texture of Shakespeare's life, but also imparts an amazing amount of vivid, interesting material about place, period and background. Walk with Ackroyd through sixteenth century London and Stratford as he uncovers the intimate circumstances of Shakespeare's life. Discover the theatrical world in which Shakespeare had his being - not just Shakespeare the actor but the other actors, playwrights, and managers that surrounded him. And journey to Stratford to meet Shakespeare the family man, whose private life had such an impact on his work that the strongest bond in his plays is always between father and daughter.
The words crackle and fizz - a dazzling evocation of the Jazz Age... Magical and marvellous
—— Independent on SundayA virtuoso of the sentence...Doyle wonderfully recreates a world of flophouses and speakeasies, flappers and bootleggers
—— GuardianDoyle's performance is, again, extraordinary for the richness of allusion, the facility with which history is dovetailed with invention, the energy of the prose
—— Daily TelegraphBrilliantly imagined... Utterly magnificent, the finest work he has done
—— Sunday TribuneKicks off at a furious lick and just gets faster, hotter, louder. Hugely, unremittingly entertaining
—— ScotsmanSequels often disappoint, but here is one that's every bit as sharp, as surprising and as satisfying as the original
—— GuardianAn exciting, fast-moving narrative
—— Times Literary Supplement'A rich fantasia, peopled by painfully real characters. Fit to bursting with flights of speculation that could fuel the careers of many lesser writers'
An easy, feel-good read
—— CloserA richly rewarding read
—— EveThe best romantic comedy we've read in ages
—— CompanyTackles serious issues with humour - proving that chick-lit can be intelligent, interesting and huge fun
—— Sunday ExpressA triumph
—— HelloTop marks. Fantastic
—— HeatLovely
—— Daily TelegraphMoving and intelligent
—— IndependentMagnetic, unpretentious and bursting with one-liners
—— CosmopolitanFans of chick-lit will understand when I say that this is a book you simply disappear into
—— Sunday Telegraph