On 26 April 1564, William Shakespeare was baptised in Stratford-upon-Avon. He would go on to be the greatest writer who ever lived. In Hidden Shakespeare, Nicholas Fogg explores Shakespeare's life, from his family background and education in Stratford, through his career in London, to 1616, when he finally shuffled off this mortal coil. Fogg examines the circumstances and stories surrounding Shakespeare, providing reasoned answers to the many questions. Did he leave school at the age of thirteen? Did he have an arranged marriage? Why did he leave Stratford to emerge as a star of the London stage? What impact did his life and the period in which he lived have on his work? William Shakespeare's talent was the result of a fortuitous combination of environment, epoch and genius. This fascinating new book draws these threads together to provide a more complete impression of the man and his works.Includes 25 Illustrations