In November 1596 a woman signed a document which would nearly destroy the
career of William Shakespeare... Who was the woman who played such an
instrumental, yet little known, role in Shakespeare's life?
Focusing on grief and loss, this collection serves as a poignant elegy for the author's brother, George Laoutaris. Through a blend of rich literary references, the poet explores themes of wisdom gained from suffering, presenting a deeply personal journey. The imagery evokes beauty amidst sorrow, capturing the essence of fleeting moments like the last summer roses. This otherworldly work resonates with emotional depth, ultimately transforming the reader through its exploration of love and remembrance.
'A lively picture of multiple operators scrambling to steal a march on the
competition . . . Lavishly detailed'FINANCIAL TIMES 'This is Shakespearean
scholarship at its best, brilliantly researched yet compulsively readable.
It's a book for our times, enduringly fascinating and appealing to both
enthusiasts and the general reader. Highly recommended!' ALISON WEIR FINANCIAL
TIMES BOOK OF THE SUMMER A BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 A BBC
RADIO 4 FRONT ROW NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 AN AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW
BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 The year 2023 marks the 400th anniversary of Mr William
Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, known today simply as the
First Folio. It is difficult to imagine a world without The Tempest, Twelfth
Night, Antony and Cleopatra, The Winter's Tale and Macbeth, but these are just
some of the plays that were only preserved thanks to the astounding labour of
love that went into creating the first collection. Shakespeare's Book: The
Intertwined Lives Behind the First Folio charts, for the first time, the
manufacture of the First Folio against a turbulent backdrop of seismic
political events and international tensions that intersected with the lives of
its creators. Shakespeare scholar Dr Chris Laoutaris uncovers the friendships,
bonds, social ties and professional networks that facilitated the production
of Shakespeare ' s book, as well as the personal challenges, tragedies and
dangers that threatened its completion. And he considers how Shakespeare
himself, before his death, may have influenced the ways in which his own
public identity would come to be enshrined in the First Folio, shaping the
transmission of his legacy to future generations and determining how the world
would remember him 'not of an age, but for all time'. 'Beautifully written and
utterly compelling... comprises all the drama, intrigue and surprises of a
Shakespeare play' Tracy Borman