Book 22: Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt

This terrific book re-awakened my long-standing love of Shakespeare's plays to the point that I went to Greencine and put a bunch of the theatrical adaptations in my queue. While I do feel that the book relies a bit too much on speculation (very little is known about real events in the playwright's life), I still found it a fascinating examination of the historical events that were taking place during the time he would have been producing some of the most magnificent plays the world has ever known. Some of the tidbits I found the most interesting were details about the other writers who were working at the same time (particularly Christopher Marlowe) and the likelihood that Shakespeare borrowed from them (and they from him). Additionally, realizing that Shakespeare's sonnets were actually written for a man (why didn't my Shakespeare I professor teach me this? Or did he and I just wasn't paying attention?) and seeing their evolution makes for fascinating study. I was also intrigued by the religious issues of the time, particularly the fact that one regime was stalwartly Catholic, while the next saw practice of the religion as something to be punished. Whether or not you're an aficionado of the Bard's work, I highly recommend the book as a thoroughly engaging read.