"Here is an anecdotal work of forensic biography that firmly places Shakespeare within the hectic, exhilarating world in which he lived and wrote." "Stanley Wells explores Elizabethan and Jacobean theater, both behind the scenes and in front of the curtain. He examines how the great actors of the time influenced Shakespeare's work. He writes about the lives and works of the other major writers of Shakespeare's day and discusses Shakespeare's relationships - sometimes collaborative - with each of them. And throughout, Wells shares his knowledge of the period, re-creating and celebrating the richness and variety of Shakespeare's social and cultural milieus."--Jacket.… (more)