Customer Reviews

De Vere As Shakespeare: An Oxfordian Reading of the Canon

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William Farina covers all of Shakespeare's generally acknowledged plays (except The Two Noble Kinsmen), as well as his two major narrative poems and the Sonnets, in this extensively researched, consistently illuminating book. He draws innumerable connections between Edward de Vere and the source materials of Shakespeare's works, and shows the clear parallels between de Vere's life and the lives of Shakespeare's most autobiographical protagonists.

Although I've read most of the principal Oxfordian works, I still found myself learning something new on almost every page. The author has synthesized a vast amount of material in a brisk, readable form. Discussion of each play is more or less self-contained, allowing one to read the book selectively.

Naturally, even Oxfordian readers will take issue with some of Farina's interpretations. I disagree with his analysis of the Sonnets, for instance. To me, a more compelling theory is the one put forward in Hank Whittemore's recently published book, The Monument (which also has implications for Venus and Adonis). But this is a quibble.

Overall, De Vere as Shakespeare is an excellent resource, recommended for anyone interested in the authorship question.

Bill Farina's book is superb in it's insights into the works attributed to Shakespeare qua the Earl of Oxford. The format alone is handy to those who are less familiar with plays outside the mainstream who can refer to them as they watch or read them. I personally have not read eight of the plays (or seen them) and look forward to going back to his book after each one. But, for the authorship issue fan it systematically delves into Oxford's life relationship to the works in a most convincing way, as only an organized, thoughtful lawyer could do.
Out of all the theories on the life connections to the sonnets, the longest and deepest of mysteries when fit with the man from Stratford, Farina's take is probably the best fit for Oxford among all theories I've read or heard. His placement of the daughter of court musician Baptista Bassano as the Dark Lady (and a discovery of the late A.L. Rowse) is, I believe, spot on and like so many questions in the works (the Italian canals, certain locations in Venice and Genoa, Italian proper names) is one more answer from Italy...Oxford's favorite locale and culture.
It's always compelling to have a lawyer point out the various legal terms of art since Oxford studied law and had a continuing interest in legal terms and transactions throughout his life. In certain plays, legalisms in reality and jeu de mot leaps from the page. Did Shakespeare have a grounding in law? Evidently and convincingly not.
I urge any reader wanting to start or continue their conjecture of the authorship issue to start with this book.

I had the pleasure of meeting the author on September 18, 2006 at Davis Kidd in Memphis. Although I have not read the book yet, I know it will be intellectual treat.
I have been a Shakespeare lover for years but never really gave too much concern as to his true identity. Now that I have met the author and had a chance to hear what he thought of the whole matter, I will admit that it does deserve some looking into.
I know that there are people out there who could care less about Shakespeare's true identity (we have his work, isn't that enough?) Their point is valid but still the revealing of the Bard's true identity would give us more of an insight into the mind of a literary genius.