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Shakespeare

The World as a Stage

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Shakespeare

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Bill Bryson
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$8.99/month after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offer ends on 29 July 2026 at 11:59 AEST.

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This short biography of William Shakespeare by world famous writer Bill Bryson brims with the author’s inimitable wit and intelligence.

Includes an exclusive Q&A session with the author.

Shakespeare’s life, despite the scrutiny of generations of biographers and scholars, is still a thicket of myths and traditions, some preposterous, some conflicting, arranged around the few scant facts known about the Bard – from his birth in Stratford to the bequest of his second best bed to his wife when he died.

Following his international bestsellers ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ and ‘The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid’, Bill Bryson has written a short biography of William Shakespeare for the Eminent Lives series – which seeks to pair great subjects with writers known for their strong sensibilities and sharp, lively points of view.

 Art & Literature Authors Drama & Plays Literary History & Criticism Shakespeare Celebrity
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Critic Reviews

Praise for ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ (HB):
‘A modern classic.’ The New York Times
‘It represents a wonderful education, and all schools would be better places if it were the core science reader on the curriculum.’ Times Literary Supplement
Praise for ‘The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid’:
'Outlandishly and improbably entertaining…inevitably [I] would
be reduced to body-racking, tear-inducing, de-couching laughter.' New York Times
'Always witty and sometimes hilarious…wonderfully funny and
touching.' Literary Review
All stars
Most relevant
I found this book highly entertaining and informative. 400 years peeled back so the reader could relive the time of Shakespeare.

Shakespeare for novice

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What could be better than Will Shakespeare by Bill Bryson? Full of fascinating and amusing detail this short biography is informative and interesting. A delightful journey through Elizabethan London and the theatre world.

A great writer by a great wit

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Bill Bryson has done a terrific job distilling Shakespeare scholarship into a very enjoyable 5 hours. He covers all the big issues & even the silly ones (did Shakespeare really write his plays?). His chapters on the life in London & theatre- going public were fabulous. We even learnt what people could buy for snacks (apples, pears, nuts, ale). Highly recommend this.

Enjoyable, fun, & informative

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There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding the identity of William Shakespeare. Bill Bryson does his best to wade through the muck and present the known details. It’s a short and sweet look at a man who is possibly the greatest writer ever, and yet we know so little. Others have commented on Bill’s narration style... I enjoyed his presentation. A great listen.

A snappy summary of all there is to know.

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A wonderful addition to both the Bryson oeuvre and the massive corpus of Shakespeareana. A Very refreshing winnowing of all the conjecture and supposition surrounding Shakespeare, down to the actual known facts. This in itself is marvellous, but Bill Bryson’s characteristic charm and lightness of touch make it an especial pleasure. Highly recommended.

Informative, insightful, amusing

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