Christopher Shakespeare the man behind the plays

Christopher Shakespeare the man behind the plays, is a book by Malcolm Elliot that explores the possibility that the plays of William Shakespeare were actually written by his contemporary, Christopher Marlow.

The book claims that Marlow did not, in fact, die in Deptfords in 1593 but that he actually lived out the rest of his life in hiding, including a long period of time in Italy.

The book describes what his life might have been like, had he actually lived.

It suggests that there is evidence that the plays and sonnets were written abroad and not in England.

He reiterates the theory that William Shakespeare was merely a frontman who allowed his name to be placed upon the works to facilitate their publication.

The author owes, he acknowledges, a debt to A. D. Wraight and Peter Farey whose "pioneering work" showed that, according to them, the evidence of the death of Marlow in Deptford is "utterly unconvincing."

The reader is asked to believe that Christopher Marlow, the son of a Kentish cobbler, rather than William Shakespeare, the son of a glover, wrote all the plays and sonnets that are ascribed to the latter.

My one concern is that, the book seems to be filled with conjecture. We read that "we can imagine the young Christopher wandering around..." the ruins of the Abby of St Augustine.

We then read that Marlowe "would have been told of the execution ad burning of Friar Stone" that Marlowe "would have" heard or seen this, that and the other.

In his own area in the Midlands a young William Shakespeare would also have seen and heard a great deal, too. but this cannot, really, be said to prove anything one way or the other.

Malcolm Elliot proves that Marlowe was an excellent poet and a great playwright, but this does not necessarily prove that there could not have been at least two great playwrights and poets at or around the same time, Marlowe and Shakespeare.

However, Malcolm Elliot does argue his case well and scholars of Shakespeare and Marlowe would do well to purchase this learned and well-written book, which is published in hardback at £12.99, by The Book Guild.

It is available from the That's Books bookshop, which is to the right of this review.  

There There My Dear

There There My Dear is a satirical novel and a debut work by author Neil Mason.

Imagine, if you will, a former British Prime Minister who appears to be making a mockery of the entire political establishment of Great Britain.

Ex-Prime Minister Harold Connor has been waiting for a quarter of a century to do the right thing.

His own life was destroyed, but then he had nobody else to blame, as the destruction was wrought by his own actions and deeds.

His wife? Gone to her eternal rest.

Harold has lived in the dark and gigantic shadow of the world's biggest political secret.

But, in a way, Harold has kept a secret himself down through these long, lonely years. The secret? Was a somewhat dangerous idea. A desire to put things right should the opportunity ever present itself.

Fortunately or unfortunately it appears that fate, in the shape of media mogul Kyle Andrews, has presented Harold with the opportunity to put things right on a solid gold, diamond encrusted platter.

For Kyle Andrew is beginning to film a new talent show which, it is intended, will discover the next generation of politicians.

But Harold seizes this as the opportunity to put right a great wrong and to do this by make a mockery of the British political system.

But what had happened 25 years ago?

How could it impact on today's political life?

And to what end was Harold Connor manipulating everyone he came in contact with, including his own son?

And when his son discovers the truth, what then?

This is a book published by Matador at £8.99 and it is available through the That's books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find to the right of this review.

The Ring and the Swastika

In The Ring and the Swastika author Sandy Jenkins explores the situation on Norway after the country was invaded and over-run by the German armed forces.

It tells the story of a half -Norwegian half-British Commando Captain, Erik Kingsnorth.

In 1942 he is landed in Norway as a radio-communications agent.

His instructions are to avoid, if possible, his Norwegian relatives, but he is seen by Bjorn, who is his cousin and a close boyhood confidante.

But it transpires that Bjorn is a traitor to Norway and is collaborating with the German occupiers. The Norwegian Resistance is unaware of who Bjorn is when they order Captain Kingsnorth to kill Bjorn.

He confronts Bjorn at dusk, but finds that family ties destroy  his resolve to liquidate his family member who is also his enemy.

Later Kingsnorth discovers a secret German U-Boat base and he narrowly evades death by the skin of his teeth, chased and shot at by German guards.

The action of the novel; eventually finds itself in Northern Russia as the war where he encountered Russian soldiers where his situation became even more desperate, as the Russians presumed he was a Norwegian collaborator.

Would he survive life in a Russian prison camp? Could he return to Britain? If not, what would return after the war was over?

This is a harrowing and well-written book by an author who clearly knows his history,

It is published in hardback by Matador at £12.99 (paperback £8.99) and can be bought from the That's Books and Entertainment online bookstore which you will find to the right hand side of this review.

Intrigue at the Castle

Intrigue at the Castle is the latest children's historical novel by Barbara Robertson.

The children enjoyed their previous ninth century Viking adventure and now they are suitable refreshed and eager for a second return into history.

Harriet, Jake and Matthew are again visiting their grandmother for the Christmas holidays and the visit the normally unassuming and decidedly unadventurous Ulfsthwaite Christmas Market when they suddenly find themselves propelled backward through time for another time travelling adventure!

This time the trio of adventurous children find themselves back to the year 1388.

They learn that it will be their task to foil a monstrous plot that is aimed at bringing disgrace and ruination upon the Lord of the manor, Duke Leofrik and of his entire family, too!

What of evil Duke Edmund and his vile and villainous family? Will their plan to  kill with poison the hunting dogs of Baron Rulf?

What about the jousting armour of the Duke's Knights? Will that be sabotaged, putting the Knights in danger of injury or even death?

Is it possible that Duke Edmund might be able to take the title of Lord of Ormsthorpe Castle away from Baron Rulf?

All of those might well have occurred those 630 years ago, had it not been for the intervention of our young and daring time travelling children!

But can they possibly win against the wicked and sinister machinations of their enemies in the Middle Ages?

The book also has some excellent line drawings and as well as being an exciting read it is also historically accurate so is a book that will educate as well as entertain.

It is available from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop which you will locate to the right of this review,

It is published in hardback by The Book Guild at £9.99.

Echoes of the Past

Echoes of the Past is the moving and interesting story of what happened to Gloria Ifill when she left her home in Jamaica to travel all the way to the London of the tumultuous and vibrant 1960s.

Share with Gloria her stories of growing to maturity in the island country of Jamaica, during the 1940s and 1950s.

Life in Jamaica was one of strict discipline both at home and at school and in the society of Jamaica as a whole. And woe betide anyone who thought to buck the trend! It never ended well for them!

Gloria's life was filled with love and also some heartbreak, when it transpired that he boyfriend Glenroy (aka Glen) was already betrothed to another woman. A middle aged school teacher, who was much older than either Gloria or Glen. Almost old enough, in fact, to be Glen's mother!

It was a considerable period of time before Gloria felt interested in the idea of dating again. But, eventually, she did date again.

Eventually she fell in love with Tony, who she married.

But then Gloria decided to move to London during the height of the swinging sixties without her husband, catching the England fever that seemed to sweep the island.

She applied to hospitals in the UK to train as a nurse and eventually found herself in Lewisham in London, where she attended night school classes to learn English, typing and shorthand.

She left her old life in Jamaica behind and began to make a new life for herself in England, settling down there with her beloved Tony and raising three children.

Gloria was able to achieve her childhood ambition to become a nurse working at that profession for a number of years.

It is published by Matador at £9,99 and it's a book that will bring many smiles and some moist eyes as Gloria tells her amazing and heartwarming story.

It's available from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find just to the right of this book review.

Temples Along the Nile by Sarah Symons

Temples Along the Nile is a wonderful book by traveller and writer Sarah Symons.

It takes the reader on a gripping journey along the Nile, passing by and visiting all of the temples that are on the banks of this great river.

Sarah also shares with us facts on the Nile, both in recent times and in antiquity.

The book is copiously illustrated with photographs, mainly very effective black and white images, plus some colour,  that were taken by the author, although her vivid written descriptions also help to create a mind's eye image of what she is describing as she walks through and around the temples of the Nile.

There is also a very helpful map of Egypt.

From the first page, with a very evocative description of the arrival in Luxor, right through to the last page, the book is a detailed description of not only what the temples look like now, but what they would have looked like when they were places of worship for serious, devoted followers of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.

Readers join the author as she helps us marvel at the Colossi of Memnon (Kom el Heitan) The Temple of Hathor (Dendera) and The temple of Amun (Karnak) and many other of these ancient religious sites.

But she does more than that. Sarah Symons has taken a serious yet passionate look at the ancient temples of Egypt.

The book costs £14.99 and will appeal to serious and amateur historians, arm chair travellers and those who will be travelling to Egypt in holiday or to work on the archaeological digs in and around the temples of ancient Egypt.

It can be bought at the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop which is to be found to the right of this review.

Seventeen Gifts for Frannie and Jess

Seventeen Gifts for Frannie and Jess is a new novel by Nasser Hashmi.

It tells the heartwarming story of a strong and enduring friendship that grows between two Game Makers who meet as they are volunteering for the 2012 London Olympics.

Francesca "Frannie" Hartford has joined the team of volunteers, but she has just lost the love of her life, her husband and her Rock of Gibraltar, Donald.

Without his great support and love, can she still make it as a volunteer?

Despite her misgivings, she decides that she will still become a volunteer.

She meets a fellow volunteer Games Maker, Jessica. Jessica is different to Francesca. She is a young student, somewhat bolshy, very extrovert, outspoken and maybe a little bit intimidating to some as she can seem a bit overpowering.

But despite, or perhaps because of their difference,s they become very good friends.

Eventually Francesca realises that her friend Jessica is also suffering from a loss in her own life.

The novel is an intelligently and very movingly written exploration of their lives and how they interrelate with the other volunteer Game Makers, their own friends and family members and the other people they meet and get to know during the 2012 Olympic Games.

It costs £7.99 and will be an ideal novel to read this summer and during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It is available via the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find ot the right of this review.