A vivid evocation of Elizabethan England, Shapiro’s masterwork takes the reader on a spellbinding biographical journey through a pivotal year in William Shakespeare’s life. Abounding in fascinating detail, 1599 delivers an intimate account of the transformative twelve months during which the Bard invested in the Globe theatre and created some of his most famous plays, including Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and the first draft of Hamlet.
‘An ingenious fusion of history, politics, and literary criticism. [...] Shapiro returns Shakespeare to the stage of his own world, and in so doing he transforms our understanding – not only of the great works but also of the social atmosphere of his times. Erudite, accessible and formally bold, 1599 will appeal to anyone interested in history, politics, literature and good writing.’
JASON COWLEY, CHAIR OF JUDGES
The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction Winner of Winners Award marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the UK’s most prestigious non-fiction book prize, showcasing the very finest non-fiction writing across genres that combines rigorous research with compelling prose.
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