...magnificent.

...engaging and animated.

Robert McCrum’s focus is broad, his range diffuse. Disarmingly, he describes Shakespearean as 'a personal inquiry into Shakespeare’s life and works, a literary and biographical essay for the general reader, not a work of cutting-edge academic prowess for Shakespeare scholars, though I hope they may profit in passing here and there'.

Robert McCrum loves the Bard well but none too wisely in Shakespearean, his sloppy amalgamation of biography, literary history, and memoir.

McCrum attempts to weave together themes from Shakespeare’s personal biography (although he acknowledges how insufficient our knowledge is on this topic) with a deep and personal engagement with many of the plays and poems. Occasionally the order of discussions is confusing.

In this biography and literary analysis, McCrum finds plenty of parallels to contemporary events within Shakespeare’s life, poetry, and drama.

[An] amiable and informed take on Shakespeare’s everlasting impact in this fascinating account.

An affectionate, personal homage to the Bard.