I started reading his History of England series recently and I absolutely love it! Ackroyd is a wonderful story-teller and writer. He makes history so interesting and entertaining. Shame on the curmudgeons who think he is too lowbrow.
The testimony of Ben Jonson, Heminges, and Condell have always been good enough for me. Did Shakespeare really have to know this stuff or did he just have to know who to ask, or who to borrow Holingshed or Plutarch from? I have an image of Ben Jonson or the like feeding Will information over malmsey and Will hustling back to his place to apply the honey-tongue. Any writer worth his salt knows how to make a little knowledge look like a lot.
Edward de Vere, wrote terrible poetry under his name and genius plays and poetry under the name of the biggest moron of that era William Shakespeare. Conspiracy theories convert an ordinary person into a quasi-god. You shoot into the stars in an instant and acquire top dog status amongst your peers. Peter Ackroyd wrote books for the local fish and chips shops, while the extraordinary ones bask in the celestial light emitted by the Earl of Oxford. And remember Will was also illiterate. How they got him to play the ghost in Hamlet is any one's guess?
I'm kinda of a written by committee headed by Bacon person but Marlowe is possible. I don't think it matters. The person who wrote Anoymous doesn't have a clue though Elizabeth couldn't have concealed one pregnancy at the time let alone two - anyone who thinks that knows squat about Elizabethan or Tudor England. I'm an Ackroyd fan.
WRONG! I myself am of the "group theory" headed by deVere with Bacon in a helping role - possibly getting the folio published - which would explain the cryptograms. Donnelly was better than I expected on bacon - but there is too much of deVere in the plays, and too much circumstantial evidence.
I think that this week Joe has been in a funk after not being considered for a fairly low grade entry level job at Hull City Council and as he admitted, that has cast a bit of a shadow over his current reading practice. I have read Peter Ackroyd’s novel, The Clerkenwell Tales, and also his series of books about English history and found them all to be very enjoyable reads.
Steve - you're my hero for your ability to read a book a day and your "starter kit" suggestions, but you need to up your game on the "Shakespeare authorship question". Maybe something new like "the living record" by hank whittemore. Something new We've read "the mysterious mr. Shakespeare" already!
I think Ackroyd is a fine writer, but even Schoenbaum, who had access to most archives, admits that lots of records either didn't exist in Shakespeare's era, for example birth certificates, or have disappeared. I think his grammar school lost its attendance records in a fire. Ackroyd's Dickens is my second favourite Dickens biography. Anyway, Joe is right, but wrong about Ackroyd in general.
I started reading his History of England series recently and I absolutely love it! Ackroyd is a wonderful story-teller and writer. He makes history so interesting and entertaining. Shame on the curmudgeons who think he is too lowbrow.
Goodness, this reminds me that I really need to delve into this topic! I have nothing on it, and I ought to correct that on my Kindle sometime!
The testimony of Ben Jonson, Heminges, and Condell have always been good enough for me. Did Shakespeare really have to know this stuff or did he just have to know who to ask, or who to borrow Holingshed or Plutarch from? I have an image of Ben Jonson or the like feeding Will information over malmsey and Will hustling back to his place to apply the honey-tongue. Any writer worth his salt knows how to make a little knowledge look like a lot.
Edward de Vere, wrote terrible poetry under his name and genius plays and poetry under the name of the biggest moron of that era William Shakespeare. Conspiracy theories convert an ordinary person into a quasi-god. You shoot into the stars in an instant and acquire top dog status amongst your peers. Peter Ackroyd wrote books for the local fish and chips shops, while the extraordinary ones bask in the celestial light emitted by the Earl of Oxford. And remember Will was also illiterate. How they got him to play the ghost in Hamlet is any one's guess?
Th inimitable Alexander Waugh sadly died this year. He was wonderful on the Authorship Controversy; an Oxfordian.
What do ya mean, "straight?!"
👍🏾
I'm kinda of a written by committee headed by Bacon person but Marlowe is possible. I don't think it matters. The person who wrote Anoymous doesn't have a clue though Elizabeth couldn't have concealed one pregnancy at the time let alone two - anyone who thinks that knows squat about Elizabethan or Tudor England. I'm an Ackroyd fan.
WRONG!
I myself am of the "group theory" headed by deVere with Bacon in a helping role - possibly getting the folio published - which would explain the cryptograms.
Donnelly was better than I expected on bacon - but there is too much of deVere in the plays, and too much circumstantial evidence.
“Hawksmoor” and “The House of Doctor Dee” are two great books by Ackroyd.
I think that this week Joe has been in a funk after not being considered for a fairly low grade entry level job at Hull City Council and as he admitted, that has cast a bit of a shadow over his current reading practice. I have read Peter Ackroyd’s novel, The Clerkenwell Tales, and also his series of books about English history and found them all to be very enjoyable reads.
Oof low blow
They're making the frogs gay?
Steve - you're my hero for your ability to read a book a day and your "starter kit" suggestions, but you need to up your game on the "Shakespeare authorship question". Maybe something new like "the living record" by hank whittemore.
Something new
We've read "the mysterious mr. Shakespeare" already!
A book a day? Am I being punished for something?
@@saintdonoghue For being fascinating!
I think Ackroyd is a fine writer, but even Schoenbaum, who had access to most archives, admits that lots of records either didn't exist in Shakespeare's era, for example birth certificates, or have disappeared. I think his grammar school lost its attendance records in a fire. Ackroyd's Dickens is my second favourite Dickens biography. Anyway, Joe is right, but wrong about Ackroyd in general.
"The Shakespeare Authorship Controversy" sorted in an 11 minutes?