An episode from 12/28/25: What was it like to know Shakespeare, to stand in the theater and watch one of his plays, to be a neighbor who knew him as a teenager? What was it like to pass through London as a student or visitor or diplomat, and note in passing that you saw Shakespeare’s plays, or read one of his poems? So much of Shakespeare’s life is lost to us, but over the centuries his biographers have gathered the memories and rumors and legends that grew up around him, and tonight I read a few of them. They comes from Peter Ackroyd’s ⁠Shakespeare: The Biography⁠, which is easily the best book about Shakespeare and creativity that I’ve ever read.The best way to support the podcast is by leaving a review on Apple or Spotify, sharing it with others, or sending me a note on what you think. You can also order any of my books: ⁠Time and the River: From Columbine to the Invention of Fire⁠, due out next year, is now available for preorder. Other books include ⁠Notes from the Grid⁠, ⁠To the House of the Sun⁠, ⁠The Lonely Young & the Lonely Old⁠, and ⁠Bone Antler Stone⁠. I've also edited a handful of books in the ⁠S4N Pocket Poems⁠ series.Email me at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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