Shakespeare's Library: Unlocking the Greatest Mystery in Literature

A tantalizing true story of one of literature's most enduring enigmas is at the heart of this "lively, even sprightly book" (Michael Dirda, The Washington Post)--the quest to find the personal library of the world's greatest writer.

Millions of words of scholarship have been expended on the world's most famous author and his work. And yet a critical part of the puzzle, Shakespeare's library, is a mystery. For four centuries people have searched for it: in mansions, palaces and libraries; in riverbeds, sheep pens and partridge coops; and in the corridors of the mind. Yet no trace of the bard's manuscripts, books or letters has ever been found.

The search for Shakespeare's library is much more than a treasure hunt. Knowing what the Bard read informs our reading of his work, and it offers insight into the mythos of Shakespeare and the debate around authorship. The library's fate has profound implications for literature, for national and cultural identity, and for the global Shakespeare industry. It bears on fundamental principles of art, identity, history, meaning and truth.

Unfolding the search like the mystery story that it is, acclaimed author Stuart Kells follows the trail of the hunters, taking us through different conceptions of the library and of the man himself. Entertaining and enlightening, Shakespeare's Library is a captivating exploration of one of literature's most enduring enigmas.

An engaging and provocative contribution to the unending world of Shakespeariana . . . An enchanting work that bibliophiles will savor and Shakespeare fans adore. ―Kirkus Reviews

Author: Stuart Kells
Publisher: Counterpoint LLC
Published: 04/14/2020
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.59w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9781640093829

About the Author
Stuart Kells is an author and book-trade historian. His 2015 history of Penguin Books, Penguin and the Lane Brothers, won the prestigious Ashurst Business Literature Prize. Rare, his critically acclaimed biography of Kay Craddock--the first female president of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers--was published in 2011. An authority on rare books, Kells has written and published on many aspects of print culture and the book world.