ABSOLUTELY LOVED!
This is the Teachers and Friends' Book Club choice for March, chosen by retired English teacher Anne Pacelli. I am so glad we read and discussed this book!
I do not believe the actor/director known as William Shakespeare wrote the works attributed to him. I have longed believed the Oxfordian Theory, that Earl of Oxford Edward DeVere was the author, or at the very least, the lead author of a collective. These works, at the time they were written, would have been treasonous, heretic, and downright dangerous to perform.
Picoult explores the possibility a woman was the author. I had not heard Emilia Bassano as a candidate before, although some have suggested Mary Sidney Herbert or even the Queen herself. After reading this, and the extensive author research notes, I believe Bassano has risen to a top prospective author.
This is told in alternating viewpoints from Emilia and her descendant Melina Greene. Greene is an aspiring playwright who fictitiously accuses a professor of an inappropriate relationship in a play, destroying her degree candidacy. Later, she writes By Any Other Name, portraying her ancestor as one of the authors behind the Shakespearean works. When Jasper Tolle, a newspaper critic who was present for her last embarrassment, is revealed to be behind the call for plays, Melina has her male (gay, black) roommate pretend to be "Mel" Greene. It works, until Melina reveals the truth to Jasper, who in turn reveals this to his editor and again destroys Melina's career when it seems she, a suburban raised/straight/white woman, takes the credit away from Andre.
Emilia's life was not easy. Sold by her musician family as a mistress to the wealthy Lord Chamberlain at just 13, she was free to read and write as she liked. But a fling with the Earl of Southampton results in pregnancy, and she is sent back to family to be sold again to a violent abuser. As an aside, there are theories the Earl of Southampton was either the illegitimate child of the Earl of Oxford or Queen Elizabeth or even their child together. If you want to explore that side of the Oxfordian Theory, watch Anonymous.
This is now my favorite Picoult book, and it is definitely going on my all-time favorites list overall. I'll be adding this to our collection shortly!
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. and do not reflect those of WHHS or WHPS.
