Why read Straight Acting?

Book cover of Straight Acting: The Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare

Book description

'Fluent and witty . . . confident . . . highly readable'
Kathryn Hughes, GUARDIAN

'Lively and accomplished'
Sophie Duncan, LITERARY REVIEW

'Engaging, enthusiastic and informative'
Philip Hensher, SPECTATOR

'Brilliant - so vivid and so sharp, fantastically clever and consistently fascinating'
KATHERINE RUNDELL, author of Super-Infinite

Was Shakespeare gay? The…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Straight Acting as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Lucy Ribchester

Author

Will Tosh's exploration of the queer themes in Shakespeare's and his contemporaries' work brought me back to the world of Shakspeare, (whom I love), with fresh eyes. I loved every word of this book. It combines rich biographical detail with creative conjuring of Elizabethan London, and brilliant analysis into the words and themes of Shakespeare. I particularly loved learning about the life and work of Richard Barnfield.

From Lucy's 3 favorite reads in 2024.