Reviews
It
is long overdue that someone take a closer look at Mary Sidney. I
have a suspicion that Mary Sidney's life, and especially her dedication
to the English language after her brother's death, may throw important
light on the mysterious authorship of the Shakespeare plays and poems.
Mark Rylance, Actor
Artistic Director Shakespeare's Globe Theatre 1996-2006
Chairman of The Shakespearean Authorship Trust
Sweet Swan of Avon: Did A Woman Write Shakespeare? is Robin Williams' compelling study of our greatest writer. Piece by piece, she builds the case that Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, is the actual author of the Shakespearean canon. This tantalizing and beautifully written book helps us look hard at the possibility not just that Shakepeare was written by a woman, but a very well-placed, powerful woman.
Bonnie Wheeler, Ph.D.
English and Medieval Studies
Southern Methodist University
The first question I am immediately asked by curious freshmen in my Shakespeare course is always, “Who wrote these plays anyway?” Well, because of Robin Williams’ rigorous scholarship and artful sleuthing, Mary Sidney Herbert will forever have to be mentioned as a possible author of the Shakespearean canon. Sweet Swan of Avon doesn’t pretend to put the matter to rest, but simply shows how completely reasonable the authorship controversy is, and how the idea of a female playwright surprisingly answers more Shakespearean conundrums than it creates.
The real beauty of Sweet Swan of Avon is not, however, primarily academic; this book reminds us of a day when scholarship was fun, and important and original books were written for curious readers everywhere.
Cynthia Lee Katona
Professor of Shakespeare and Women’s Studies
Author of Book Savvy
NoEnd Press
http://www.noendpress.com/adarrah/sweet_swan_avon.php