By Any Other Name

Over the years much has been written about William Shakespeare and the many plays and poems he is credited with having written. Part of the speculation has occurred because little has been documented about the life of William Shakespeare. How did he receive the education to write the plays? How did he achieve the knowledge to write on the variety of topics and places depicted in his plays?  In By Any Other Name Jodie Picoult puts forward the theory that a number of writers wrote the plays that carry Shakespeare's name including a woman, Emilia Bassano.

The story is told in two time frames. In this work of historical fiction the life and writing of Emilia Bassano is portrayed as she attempts to have her writing recognised. Meanwhile in the twenty-first century Melina Green, a descendant of Emilia, is also attempting to have her own work published and performed.

In the novel, when she is thirteen Emilia becomes the mistress of the Lord Chamberlain until she becomes pregnant. She is then dismissed from the Lord Chamberlain's household and forced to marry a cousin who only wants her money. Kit Marlow introduces her to a man names Shakespeare who is prepared to pay her for her plays though she never receives any credit.

Meanwhile Melina Green has written a new play inspired by the life of her ancestor, but when a friend submits it to a competition without her permission, life suddenly becomes difficult for all involved. 

The novel is largely a discussion on the discrepancy of the value of a work of writing or art depending on whether it is produced by a man or a woman or a minority group. We learn much about life of women during Elizabethan England as they struggle to survive in a world largely dictated by men.

Throughout the book quotes from Shakespeare's plays and poems become part of the general text and a listing of these quotations appears at the end of the work. The author also includes information about many of the people who appear in the novel and admits that there is no concrete evidence as to how the plays attributed to Shakespeare were written. The debate continues. Meanwhile Jodi Picoult provides an interesting take on the debate in this work of historical fiction.

Musical - The Dark Lady 

Emilia Lanier (Bassano) - Wikipedia

Shakespeare's Dark Lady of Spitalfields - Spitalfields Life

Emilia Bassano Lanier - Historical Research - City Theatre

House rules

Jacob Hunt is 18 and has Asperger's syndrome. He lives with his mother, Emma and 15 year old brother, Theo. His father left the family when Jacob was 3 and has since remarried and has two young daughters. Jodi Picoult's book provides an insight into lives of members of a family where one of the members has special needs, is unable to communicate efficiently, takes verbal communication literally, is easily upset when routines are changed yet wants to be accepted as a normal human being. Jacob is highly intelligent and has a photographic memory. He is fascinated by forensic science and enjoys recreating crime scenes and watching CrimeBusters at 4.30 each week day afternoon. Jacob also believes that people should tell the truth and his life is conditioned by a series of 'house rules'.

When Jessie Ogilvy, Jacob's tutor, goes missing and her body is later found wrapped in Jacob's handmade quilt, Jacob is arrested. A major theme of the book examines how the legal system copes, or fails to cope, with providing a fair trial for someone whose everyday actions would normally indicate that he is guilty and who is unable to fully comprehend questions put to him.

The story told by Emma, Jacob, Theo, Rich (the detective) and Oliver (the lawyer defending Jacob) often provides different perspectives of an event. This book would provide many discussion possibilities for members of book clubs.

Handle with care

Jodi Picoult's latest book deals with ethical and social issues revolving around the birth of a child born with with a disability. Willow has OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) - brittle bones. At birth a number of her bones were broken and broken bones were a constant part of her life placing a strain on family members emotionally as well as financially.

When Willow was five Charlotte (Willow's mother) started legal proceedings against Piper Reece (her obstetrician) for not recognising the early symptoms of OI and therefore preventing Charlotte having the choice to terminate the pregnancy. The repercussions of Charlotte's actions are told by those most affected - Charlotte, Sean (her husband), Amelia (Willow's sister), Piper who had been Charlotte's best friend, Marin (Charlotte's lawyer). Each character addresses Willow when recounting what is occurring. The last episode belongs to Willow.

Disintegration of relationships, living with community reaction, trying to do something for the best reasons (in this case creating a secure future for her daughter), blame, guilt, ethics of abortion, strain of disability on family members including concentration on the needs of one family member to the detriment of siblings are some of the issues covered in this novel.

Other novels by Jodi Picoult with medical ethics themes include Change of Heart (a convicted murderer wants his heart donated to the sister of the child who was killed) and My Sister's Keeper (a family has another child in order to save the life of a child).

Jodi Picoult also wrote a novel, about a school shooting where a teenage boy kills nine students and a teacher. The Nineteen Minutes in the title refers to the time taken to execute the killings. 

Another of Jodie Picoult's novels that I read around the same time was The Tenth Circle about the rape of a fourteen year old girl and the affect this has on members of her family and friends. 

I respect Jodie Picoult for writing about social issues. However after reading several of her novels in a short period of time I decided that I had had enough and did not need to read anymore at that time.