Shakespeare: The World as Stage

Shakespeare: The World as Stage is a biography of William Shakespeare by author Bill Bryson. Does the world need another Shakespeare biography? Even Bryson himself says no, but I'm glad he wrote this anyway. This 199-page book is part of Harper Collins' series of biographies, “Eminent Lives”. In it he strives to explain how much of Shakespeare we can know from the record. The answer is not a great deal.

Bryson takes a detached view point and investigates the facts in an orderly fashion. He discusses disproved theories, myths, and common myths believed by the public but in reality have no basis at all.

You can read it in a couple of hours and for such a small book, Bryson packs a lot in. He explores Shakespeare's times and places, the Chandos portrait and the existence of Anne Whateley, and the ‘lost years'. He also cites a lot of scholars too. For example, Stephen Greenblatt, Frank Kermode, Edmond Malone, Samuel Schoenbaum, Caroline Spurgeon and Charles William Wallace.

This is all interesting but extraneous stuff. Its necessary because as I said about we know practically zip about the Bard. So Bryson also examines the political, social, cultural and economic background to Shakespeare's work. The palaces in London, what its hygiene was like, the life expectancy and death-rates, how schools were set-up and what they taught. Conspiracy theories about Shakespeare authorship. The list goes on and on.

In summary, Bryson's brief biography is readable, educational and well researched. It's also enjoyable and witty too. Highly recommended but don't expect any amazing revelations.

I listened to the unabridged audio-book, published by Harper Audio and read by the author.