One of two official movie tie-ins to the new film Anonymous that imagines the Earl of Oxford as the author of the works credited to William Shakespeare—an original background guide
to the theories and debate about the playwright's true identity.
Once moviegoers see the Columbia Pictures feature film Anonymous, directed by Roland Emmerich, they will be intrigued to learn more about the history and questions that fuel the
debate, only to be overwhelmed by the myriad of books, articles, and websites available.
A balanced overview of the authorship debate, this original trade paperback includes:
• a summary of the various Shakespeare authorship theories and contenders (Edward de Vere, Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, Mary Sidney, and more)
• insights into the history, politics, culture, and prime movers of the Elizabethan period
• reproductions of samples of the contenders’ writings and other related materials
• a bibliography and lists of online forums where the debate rages
• a special color section on the movie, with an Afterword by Roland Emmerich on how his longtime fascination with the Shakespeare authorship question and the Elizabethan period led to his
determination to make the feature film Anonymous.
