“Shapiro’s scrupulous scholarship has given us a Shakespeare both for his time and our own.” - David Scott Kastan, General Editor, The Arden Shakespeare
“Only an extraordinary scholar could illuminate Shakespeare’s singular genius by demonstrating how much his work owes to Elizabethan cultureandsociety.” - Alexandra Alter, Chicago Tribune
“James Shapiro throws an unusually searching light across Shakespeare’s creative genius and makes him come truly alive.” - The Economist
“This book is a masterpiece, simply a masterpiece.” - Booklist (starred review)
“Very distinguished...captivating...Shapiro succeeds where others have fallen short.” - William E. Cain, Boston Globe
“For Irish readers...by far the best account yet written of the relationship between this island and Shakespeare’s work.” - Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times
“a stunning exhibition of scholarly intelligence by an academic deeply committed to arriving at the truth.” - Christopher Rush, Sunday Herald, Halifax
“deliciously vivid....Shapiro weaves a tantalising narrative.” - David Lister, The Independent
“Superb—the product of marathon scholarship, inspired insight, narrative flair, astute surmise and searching intelligence.” - Peter Kemp, Sunday Times (London)
“an unforgettable illumination of a crucial moment in the life of our greatest writer.” - Robert McCrum, The Observer
“[This] is one of the few genuinely original biographies of Shakespeare.” - Jonathan Bate, Sunday Telegraph
“a brilliantly readable and revealing narrative.” - Nicholas Hytner, The Guardian
“An intriguing addition to Shakespeare studies...open-minded readers will be stimulated and enriched by Shapiro’s contextual approach.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Shapiro gives us a Shakespeare who chronicles his age, in a biographical form that speaks clearly to our own.” - Francis Wilson, Saturday Telegraph
“If Will in the World is essentially an extremely good historical novel, [YLOWS] is history itself” - Jeremy Treglown, Financial Times
“Excellent book....superbly illuminating....Shapiro deserves whoops of applause.” - Sam Leith, The Spectator
“[P]assionately written study, the product of deep scholarship and acute critical thought... fascinating.” - Stanley Wells, Editor of The Oxford Shakespeare
“Mr. Shapiro has given us by his encyclopedic scholarship and lucid narrative a hitherto unknown Shakespeare.” - Jacques Barzun, author of From Dawn to Decadence
“Quite brilliant….It gives a whole large picture of his life, times, and achievement. Wonderful.” - Andrew Motion, Poet Laureate (England)
“As a yarn, this is up there with The Da Vinci Code but in 1599 it’s all true!” - Sir Ian McKellen