The Lodger

Shakespeare on Silver Street

By: Charles Nicholl

Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong

In 1612, Shakespeare gave evidence at the Court of Requests in Westminster - providing us with the only surviving record of his spoken words. The case seems routine - a dispute over an unpaid marriage-dowry - but it opens up an unexpected window into the dramatist's famously obscure life-story.

Charles Nicholl applies a powerful biographical magnifying glass to this fascinating but neglected episode in Shakespeare's life. Drawing evidence from a wide variety of sources, he conjures up a detailed and compelling description of the circumstances in which Shakespeare lived and worked.

This atmospheric exploration of Shakespeare at 40 sees him not from the viewpoint of literary greatness, but in the humdrum and very human context of Silver Street.

©2007 Charles Nicholl (P)2008 Isis Publishing Ltd

Critic reviews

"An exercise in literary detection spun out from the only verbatim bit of The Bard we have." (Independent)
"No one does the thrill of the literary paperchase better than Nicholl." (Spectator)
intelligent analysis and intuited possibility makes The Lodger not only the best kind of detective story, but also one of the most rewarding books of the year - Telegraph
"The Lodger gives an eye-opening new portrait of the Bard in London." (Independent)