A delightful international journey through the fraught realms of Shakespearean biography through the lens of the contemporary images purported to portray the Bard of Avon. Durkee sets out to view, catalog, and explore the authenticity of the scores of portraits that supposedly depict William Shakespeare. This is a funny, fascinating account from a very talented writer, who started his exploration as an intrigued amateur observer and became a true expert in the process, likely assessing and comparing more portraits in toto than any previous scholar in a very crowded field. Durkee's quest ultimately verges into the realm of the authorship controversy as well. This book is at times hilarious, at times touchingly personal. A dynamite read from a promising author who spares no scholar's dignity, including his own.

Vermont, in the winter, is cold and depressing.

Especially for a man from Mississippi who moved there to follow his ex-wife for the sake of staying close to his son.

Eighteen years are a long time to live somewhere you don’t want to, and it is clear that this took a toll on Durkee, who explores this phase of his life with what can perhaps best be described as the gallows humor of a man hovering on the edge of desperation. The premise upon which the memoir is built: Does anyone know what William Shakespeare actually looked like?

While shacked up against the biting winter, Durkee headed down the rabbit hole of William Shakespeare’s visage. Armed with access to images of Shakespearean paintings online, Durkee began a maddening effort to uncover whether any of them were actually painted from a live subject during Shakespeare’s life. He became a persona non grata with more than one museum employee as he contacted the facilities that held many of the supposed Shakespearean paintings and inquired about x-ray technology to glean more than was simply visible on the canvas. For anyone who has been to an art museum in a major city in the past decade, you have probably seen information about how modern technology is helping to better date and understand historic works of art. One fascinating facet of Durkee’s exploration is how reticent so many museums were to invest energy in exploring the Shakespeare portraits. It goes to figure: If people believe the painting is of Shakespeare, they have nothing to gain by proving it so but a lot to lose by discrediting it.

The last time I entertained the question of Shakespeare the man (or woman or group, which is always a side intrigue) was probably in high school when we were reading Shakespeare’s plays. What I didn’t realize is how much debate still surrounds this topic and how there is less contemporary proof of Shakespeare than one might think, given his modern notoriety. Durkee explores - first and foremost - whether there is a proven portrait of Shakespeare painted from life but also considers the data about the man himself to a lesser extent.

Dating a painting - when the date is in question - is an interesting endeavor. For example, some portraits that were supposedly painted of Shakespeare during his lifetime had him wearing attire that was only popular decades before or decades after.

Durkee’s memoir is about more than Shakespeare, though Shakespeare features predominantly. The sub-plot is Durkee trying to figure out his personal life - uprooting himself to a place he never belonged, returning home to Mississippi, and seeking a significant other. Interesting personalities swooped in and out - like Durkee’s friendship with the Faulkner family (as in the other William).

The memoir seemed to be a mash-up of my own high school / college thought process - the truth behind life’s great mysteries and meaning in the form of Shakespeare - and a Chuck Klosterman tale. The dysfunction, speed, and mystery of the memoir are both frenetic and timeless.

As for a resolution? The outcome will be exactly what you expect but will not be a disappointment. This memoir is about the journey.

Funny enough, shortly after finishing this book, I saw an article in The Guardian, “Shakespeare portrait said to be the only one made in his lifetime on sale for £10m.” And the beat - er, the meter? - goes on.

This was a totally enjoyable book to read. It's nice to finally read something different about this author of such great importance.

As a master's candidate in Shakespeare Studies, I was very drawn to this book. Durkee does an excellent job of personifying the undertaking that is research. This book is a fascinating dive into art history and how it can inform what we know about real life in the Early Modern Period.

This book is a real treat for Shakespeare nerds. It is full of lively wit and references to his works, as well as the works of many of his contemporaries. Generally speaking, it feels very grounded and truthful. However, some of it does feel quite niche (which is perfectly acceptable depending on the audience) but in an attempt to uncover the truth about The Bard, some of the language and references don't feel exceptionally accessible to a casual fan of Shakespeare. I also was put into defense mode when the attribution debate was brought up. I'm not going to spoil where the author stands on that debate, but as a Shakespeare Scholar, that's not my favorite topic to read about, but I do understand how and why it was important in the context of this book.

Stalking Shakespeare: a Memoir of Madness, Murder, and My Search for the Poet Beneath the Pain by Lee Durkee

Thank you to @scribner for the opportunity to read and review this #eARC novel!

This darkly funny and captivating investigative tale follows Durkee’s sometimes drunken and adder all-riddled but always obsessive quest to find a portrait of William Shakespeare painted from life. The premise began fairly simplistically: everyone knows of Shakespeare and an image of him is widely accepted but what did he really look like? And was Shakespeare a man, one man? Etc. This decades long obsessive quest for the portrait lead Durkee all around the world, through many painstaking relationships with curators, and through many conversations with ghosts.

This is unlike anything I’ve read before. A lesser known fact about me is that I picked up an English minor with a focus in British literature “for fun” when in college. One of the courses I enrolled in “for fun” was a course on Shakespeare. It was during that course that for the first time I began to question who actually wrote the works we accredit to Shakespeare. Naturally, this novel pulled me in head first. I was somewhat disappointed that there was no firm conclusion at the end, but that’s kind of the point, right? And looking too hard or for too long can make you literally mad. This tale was as funny and entertaining as it was informative and thorough and I am deeply appreciative of his dedication.

I highly recommend this to those who have a more than slight curiosity of Shakespeare’s identity or those who want to know more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - 3.5/5

I’m sure this book would speak well to someone, but unfortunately that someone is just not me. A 100 or so pages too long, and trying many different things under one rough. 3/5 stars for effort, but I have to say I would pass on this one.

Lee Durkee's Stalking Shakespeare is a rare thing-- a work of Shakespearean research that feels fresh and original. The book follows the author, who has experienced upheaval in his personal life, as he spirals down into obsessive research into the niche field of Shakespeare portraiture. While the combination of memoir and research may not be for some, the author's witty, personable tone feels to me like a very American take on the Shakespeare genre.

Stalking Shakespeare is a richly researched book that reads part non-fiction, part memoir. I think any reader needs to have a working knowledge of Shakespearan plays to appreciate the book. I liked the memoir part the best.

Stalking Shakespeare is a very interesting book that was very well researched, and masters the art of subtle character development. That being said, this book just wasn't for me.

I personally found it very difficult to follow; this book is rich with history, art, and theories about art — and I found it nearly impossible to "keep the thread" so-to-speak. throughout the book. Unlike other reviewers, I actually found the memoir part of the novel most compelling; I almost wish that the book was memoir-first. I expected Shakespearean portraiture to be used as mostly a metaphor, but it ended up reading more like a nonfiction study.

Overall, if you really are invested in the topic of art/history/Shakespeare, you may enjoy this book a lot more than I did! I do feel like this is a book that someone who has a background in the subject matter would really enjoy.

This memoir about one man’s obsessive search for a portrait of William Shakespeare painted from life (i.e., sat for by Shakespeare himself) must be one of the odder books I’ve read this year. Perhaps esoteric is the better word. It’s very well written by someone who has painstakingly researched, and knows, his subject. To fully appreciate it, I believe, readers should have a working knowledge of art history, Elizabethan times and culture, Shakespeare’s plays, Neoplatonism, 14th-15th century English portraiture, and the world of museums, galleries, collections, and provenance. Since the work also deals with ADHD, OCD, drug usage, parenting, bartending, and seemingly endless Vermont winters, readers may wish to have some appreciation of these areas too.

Unfortunately, except for some familiarity with Shakespeare’s plays, these are not my areas. Moreover, a lot of the writing, and humor (if humor there be), went over my head. Every so often, a reader will come across a book he or she knows is well done, but with which he or she feels no connection. Such was the case for me with “Stalking Shakespeare.”

My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

When I started reading this book I was like "oo yay a new way to think of the portraits we see in museums." Because if they didn't have photos taken at around the same time (Empress Sisi and Queen Victoria), how can we actually verify who these sitters are?

I also like the fact that the author didn't gloss over the fact that that there are many theories that Shakespeare was either a pseudonym or that part of his plays were not written by him, by comparing the portraits that have been verified versus those in contention with being the Bard of Stratford and Avon.

The part I didn't and did not sign up for was the memoir part of this book. I honestly do not care about the author's struggle with abusing his son's pills nor did I care for his dating life after being divorced. There are huge chunks of the book I just skipped because I did not care.

Maybe one day I'll come up with an annotated version, so you can skip the memoir parts but still enjoy the breakdown of the portraits.

I wanted to love this book because the topic sounded so interesting. I disliked how Durkee's drug and alcohol abuse was almost glamorized. I am sure it needed to be mentioned in order to show his mental condition but it was too much. It was difficult to follow with all the different portraits and parts of it were just boring to me. I think that someone who really knows the topic would find this very interesting but if you have just a passing interest, I think that it's going to be not as enjoyable.

Highly recommend this one! This was my first book to read by this author but definitely won't be my last. The characters will stay with you long after you finish the book and you will find yourself wishing the story would never end.

This is a very interesting story conceptually. Durkee's voice is wry and witty and snarky and very engaging. That said, without an absolute obsession of the type the author experienced, it is a slow-going read as a whole simply because it is so detailed. His quest is so involved and so much of the story lies in the minutiae that, if you are not personally obsessed with, can start to feel monotonous and difficult to slog through after a while.

I must confess I skimmed at times, jumping to his color commentary after getting a grounding in each new attempt at finding the *real* Shakespeare. It helped. Still, despite the slow-going, it was very interesting story and a very full journey, and one worth the time...

Will the real Bard please stand up?

This book was a fascinating read that almost read as fiction. It is however the memoir of a struggling author, post divorce and full blown into his obsessive search for the true depiction of the infamous and mysterious William Shakespeare. It delves into that mystery and exposes the dark and twisted tales that follow his search and the history that surrounds the literary genius. It is interesting for enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. I found myself enjoying his humor and this book definitely fed the curious person that I am! It is important to note that he also shares his issues with mental health and I think that made his story relatable. In the end I really was entertained by the author’s clever writing and further into how I was left wondering which portrait was truest to form and if Shakespeare truly authored his works? I have delightfully fallen down the rabbit hole! I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys history and or a memoir with a twist!

I did not finish this book at this time. I tried to read it and it was not my taste. However, what I read was well-written. The topic was just not what I thought it would be. I thank NetGalley and the publishers, editors, and author for the opportunity. I may come back to this book at another time and try again. I will not be posting a review on this title anywhere.

What's new about William Shakespeare? In STALKING SHAKESPEARE, Lee Durkee brings impressive storytelling skills to answer that question. An obsessive search is rendered as vividly as a novel, studded with fascinating facts. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the opportunity and pleasure of an early read.

Stalking Shakespeare reads like fiction with fantastic storytelling. What could have been a boring topic if you are not familiar with The Bard, was spellbinding, drawing you into Lee Durkee's sometimes obsessive search. I found myself stopping to consider the facts and details as if I was the detective alongside "Detective Durkee." By setting this up as a memoir, I was given just enough personal information to see not only a vulnerable side to the author, but one I can connect to while providing the backstory to understand why Shakespeare and why now. Without such buildup, the audience wouldn't become invested. So once you begin reading, you're hooked to the end. Well-written, interesting, and clever! I will recommend this to my teacher friends in the English Department.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the electronic copy. This book is unique. I thought I had read almost all of the books written about Shakespeare...obviously, not all...but quite a few...I enjoyed this book...the author is talented and gifted at writing about a playwright/poet long gone...Because the subject of Shakespeare is special to me, having studied the Bard...and taught him...it is a favorite read...some topics I am not sure should have been included, but that is okay. My hat is off to this author for this challenging subject...this is a new and innovative story about a famous person...I studied at the Folger's and enjoyed the prints...also visited the places in England when on Shakespeare...trips...thanks to the author for this ingenious work.

I really enjoyed reading this, William Shakespeare is a very mysterious figure that we don't totally know if he was real or not. I was invested in what was going on in it memoir, I really felt like Lee Durkee was a natural storyteller and enjoyed reading this so much. I can't wait to read more from Lee Durkee.

"We were midway through Tennessee when the southern sun swung out like a prison searchlight and caused me to shield my eyes and hiss. After pulling into a rest stop, I left my haggard of bards in the car with the window cracked and plopped down on a wooden bench, a vampire committing suicide by sunlight. A half hour later I opened one eye and noticed a state trooper studying me."