Harper Collins -- hcNew York -- ©2005 -- 394pp
ISBN-10: 0-06-008873-7
In 1599, William Shakespeare wrote four of his most popular and best-received plays: Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and Hamlet. This book examines the society and events of the time which most certainly influenced the master playwright.
This is an absolutely fascinating read! It is NOT a biography of Shakespeare -- those are abundant, despite the meager information available about the man -- but rather a study of the significant events which most certainly influenced the writer.
While some of the information grew a little tedious for me (specifically the long chapter on Essex's battle with Tyrone of Ireland), I found much of the examination quite remarkable.
Most certainly I learned some things about Shakespeare and about his writing. I learned about why some things might have been much more interesting or humorous to the play-goer of 1599 but is lost on today's audiences.
Not exactly a "light" read, but not a work targeted solely to scholars, either.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone interested in history, theatre, and/or Shakespeare.
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