Harper is known as the bestselling author of "The Last Boleyn," so her credentials in historical fiction are well established. The latest book does not disappoint.
This is as close as we can know to the "real" story behind "Shakespeare in Love." If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. The author makes every effort to be historically accurate. She seems to take few literary liberties, and this is the kind of history that is easy to turn into colorful fiction.
Essentially, the historical fragments back up the story that William Shakespeare had a second wife with whom he grew up and married before his "shot gun" marriage to pregnant out of wedlock, Anne Hathaway. It appears that Shakespeare and his first wife lived separate lives, but were close through most of their lives. Anne Whateley supported herself by keeping the books and eventually taking over her father's transport business. She spent most of her time in London, where Shakespeare settled also.
The author contends that Anne Hathaway tacitly accepted this arrangement, just as long as she and her children were economically supported to their liking by the Bard.
Interesting read. I devoured it in a couple sittings.
Liz Nichols
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