The Real Shakespeare: Retrieving the Early Years, 1564-1594, by Eric Sams (Yale, £11.95 in UK)

Though the author has obvious credentials as a Shakespeare scholar, his methodology is rather indigestible and the textual arguments…

Though the author has obvious credentials as a Shakespeare scholar, his methodology is rather indigestible and the textual arguments are generally too esoteric and detailed for the average reader. The style is often dense, and although there is plenty of information, the book seems essentially a work for students. The sonnets are dealt with as well as the early plays, though Shakespeare the man is only rarely in sight.

By Brian Fallon

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