The genius of Shakespeare

This is a new kind of biography: a biography of Shakespeare's talent and reputation beyond the limits of his actual life.

Part One explores the origins of his works, while Part Two traces their effects on succeeding generations.

Never before has a single book combined new readings of Shakespeare's best-known plays with an authoritative summation of the authorship question, speculation on the biographical origin of the sonnets, and a history of how Shakespeare became an inspiration to later artists and a poet of international renown.