Shapiro’s expert scholarship and extraordinary attention to detail both come through in this book. If you thought you knew Shakespeare, you don’t. Every word, every stage direction holds meaning in this microcosmic look at The Bard. You don't usually think about the other contemporary actors of Shakespeare's. This was a thrill to read. ( )

I enjoyed reading this admittedly popular history of one particularly significant year in Shakespeare's career. Shapiro does a good job of pulling together numerous historical sources which allows him to indicate not only what Shakespeare was likely doing, but what other playhouses were performing, what political intrigues were going on, and what foreigners were noticing and commenting on as they visited. Of course, as with any such history, there is much conjecture and much talk about visits that might have occurred, etc. For example, he reports that Edmund Spenser returned from Ireland to London in the first months of 1599. He then speculates about whether he would have seen one of Shakespeare's plays in performance since the Chamberlain's men were playing at court in those months. But such conjectures, true or not, are to be expected and are part of what makes the read fun. ( )

A terrific, readable but informative review of a pivotal year in Shakespeare's life. The year when the Globe Theatre was built, it saw the premieres of Henry V, As You Like It, Julius Caesar and, possibly, Hamlet.

The strength of this book is that it sets Shakespeare's literary output in its complex political context, showing through many illustrations how topical his work was, and his creative response to the controversies and preoccupations of his times. It sheds light not only on the four contrasting masterpieces Shakespeare produced that year, but on the whole social and historical context in which he lived and worked. Though the focus is on London, Stratford is not neglected and the writer addresses his efforts to regain the status his family lost through his father's financial miscalculations, primarily through Shakespeare's attempts, ultimately successful, to secure a coat of arms. ( )

Excellent triumph of the historical imagination. Shapiro paints a very convincing portrait of Shakespeare - and England - in the year 1599. ( )

Who was Shakespeare? Who cares? This very focused biographical work disregards the question and as such is a very entertaining portrait - as best as can be deciphered - of the genius at the height of his powers. ( )