Befriend the Bard!

About the Book

It’s perfect timing for a witty and moving re-telling of story of Will Shakespeare, a man who was not afraid to do what he wanted in life. It’s 400 years since the Bard’s death in provincial Stratford where he was born. This very different, highly readable, biography will immerse you in Renaissance times and tell you about the human being, Will, who was married at 18, a father at 19, and, ten years later, a successful playwright in London with a string of hits, as well as an actor-manager with his own theatre. He wasn’t from the upper classes, nor did he go to university, both prerequisites for fame and fortune in those days. No job like his had existed before. He was born at exactly the right time with a unique skill-set and the drive to employ his talents. His fame shows no sign of ever diminishing.

About the Author

Pamela Howarth was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, just down the road from Stratford-upon-Avon. She has taught Shakespeare’s plays in schools—including for A level (16–18)—and, more recently, has been a support tutor for dyslexic university students. Now semiretired, she’s enjoying more time for writing. Her motivation for this biography, apart from trying to pin down what the Bard was like, was to bridge the gap between Shakespeare’s times and our new digital age with an accessible account for the general reader, for the curious, for students, and perhaps, for those who may be daunted by the plays and their surrounding weight of academia. Even the Shakespeare-phobic, she hopes, will enjoy reading this book and befriend the Bard. Pamela lives in the smallest county in Rutland, England, with her partner, Les, and dog, Sheba. She has three sons—Edward, Richard, and Henry—plus a baby grandson, Arthur. She usually writes at the kitchen table or in her woman cave (shed) in the back garden.