William Shakespeare, the most celebrated poet in the English language, left behind nearly a million words of text, but his biography has long been a thicket of wild supposition arranged around scant facts. With a steady hand and his trademark wit, Bill Bryson sorts through this colorful muddle to reveal the man himself.

Bryson documents the efforts of earlier scholars, from today's most respected academics to eccentrics like Delia Bacon, an American

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A collection of interpretive essays on the writings of William Shakespeare focusing on meanings, errors, inventions, characters, satire, and dramatic intentions. Also contains a biographical sketch of the playwright.

Biographer and novelist Ackroyd brings William Shakespeare to life in the manner of a contemporary rather than a biographer. His method is to position the playwright in the context of his world, exploring everything from Stratford's humble town to its fields of wildflowers; discerning influences on the plays from unexpected quarters; and entering London with the playwright as modern theatre, as we know it, is just beginning to emerge. Writing as though...

A rhyming introduction to Shakespeare's life and work is accompanied by letters and diary entries written by children as if they were the playwright and his family, and children's illustrations of scenes fron his life.

Harry Burton's 2007 film Working with Pinter is a unique documentary about a unique writer. Achieving unprecedented access to Harold Pinter working with actors, the film captures his collaborative spirit and offers a remarkable insight into his writing. Participating in a masterclass in 2005, the playwright contributes to the rehearsal of extracts from his own plays offering unprecedented insight into his creative processes. Complementing this revealing...