Brush up your Shakespeare

Maggie O’Farrel’s book is a beautiful offering that is as convincing as it is conjectural. Hamnet (Shakespeare’s son, a variant spelling of the name Hamlet) is one of a number of richly portrayed characters, but the hero if there is one is Agnes (Anne) Hathaway, the bard’s wife. It is her insight into the people around her, her suffering, her connection with nature that propels the story along. I kept re-reading passages as I turned the pages, the beautiful, vivid prose held me at every point. And there isn’t an ounce of fat in this book; it is all worthy and the ending is a real tear-jerker. 

I have a favourite character, the gentle giant Bartholomew; he is the earth between the live wire that is Shakespeare and the neutral, accepting character of Agnes. Read and enjoy.

*

I had some good news today. Call it an early birthday present. Just need to do the paperwork...

*

Lovely hour after work with Strider. He also had some news which excited us. Watch this space.

*

Amusing moment tonight when TSM took a bite out of my peanut butter on toast - except it wasn’t, it was vegan dulce de leche. The brain expected savoury and familiar but got sweet and untried, which produced a very shocked expression. Cries of "that’s disgusting" (which it isn’t) and a dash for the marmite as a rescue remedy...