SHAKESPEARE

For any lover of Shakespeare, this biography is required listening. Bestselling biographer Peter Ackroyd endeavors to bring Shakespeare and his circle of family, friends, actors, and writers fully to life. If you wish to experience every aspect of the life of Shakespeare in mostly satisfying detail, then Ackroyd has created the definitive genesis. Narrator Simon Vance is competent in his vocal styling, although it is difficult to differentiate between Vance reading Shakespeare and Vance reading Ackroyd. There is absolutely no discernable vocal difference between the two. Also, as Vance's narration follows an identical pace with seemingly identical pauses on each of the 16 discs, it is challenging to know exactly when each disc ends. M.R.E. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]