Bill Bryson is a Stratfordian…

…it’s official. He’s come out strong, flying his colours, planting himself on the side of Orthodoxy and the historical record as it stands.

His sources in England, in Stratford, of the staunchest orthodox scholarship, as represented by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust scholars in residence, Drs. Stanley Wells and Paul Edmondson.

His sources throughout are excellent, and essential sources. In fact he based rather a lot of what he wrote on Professor Wells’ authority. Non sancs droit.

His chapter on the Folger Shakepeare Library is good and the juxtaposing of a Jonson Folio (1616) with a Shakespeare Folio (1623) was a brilliant move by the librarian.

Would I could have talked to him in his research phase!
Bryson, not Stanley.

“Bill”, i would have said, “this is Bill talking.

Bill, it’s a mystery, and there are tens of thousands of texts, for and against different aspects of Shakespeare and his works.

And there are thousands more texts for and against Shakespeare having been Shakespeare.

Are you gonna read them all Bill?

You have to look upon his book Bill,
therein you can read him like a book, feel him live:
alive in your mouth, ‘LIVE’ in your mind’s eye.

All yours.

Gloriously sublime Shakespeare.

And remember, Bill,

‘Whatever knocks the reader Out’

is sublime.

You have to look into your heart, Bill
and accept the facts as known,
accept the questions about the facts known,
accept the claimants that the facts are not the real facts,
not accept their twisting of the facts,
into a different set of supposed facts,
trying to negate the known facts,
and say to yourself Bill,

‘Thank God he’s a country boy!’

I think that should be your message Bill. ”

And he did it without my prompting.

Of course as is my wont with books I own,
(in this case borrowed from Ben, whoops),
I’ve annotated the book, coarsely in places.
I could have used another sixty pages of what you really think Bill.

You did give me one or two and more extrapolations though.
And for that, i am most grateful i read this book.
Now Ben needs a new copy. Or do i give it back as is? Cheeky!