Part one. 1564-2016 : 'Who's there?' -- Part two. 1585-1593 : 'Shake-scene' -- Part three. 1594-1599 : 'Words, words, words' -- Part four. 1600-1609 : Shakespearean -- Part five. 1610-1616 : 'Exit ghost' -- Postscript

"Shakespearean is a rich, brilliant and superbly drawn portrait of an extraordinary artist, one of the greatest writers who ever lived. Through an enthralling narrative, ranging widely in time and space, McCrum seeks to understand Shakespeare within his historical context while also exploring the secrets of literary inspiration, and examining the nature of creativity itself. Witty and insightful, he makes a passionate and deeply personal case that Shakespeare's words and ideas are not just enduring in their relevance -- they are nothing less than the eternal key to our shared humanity"--