2024 the best name review

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(as of Nov 11, 2024 17:54:06 UTC - Details)

From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey comes an “inspiring” (Elle) novel about two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are both forced to hide behind another name.

“You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel.”—Kristin Hannah, author of The Women

Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.

This audiobook contains a bonus PDF with Shakespearean references, Sources and Resources, and an image from the book.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Reviewer: CNich
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Utterly Amazing
Review: This book was one of the best researched and well thought out dual timeliness novels I've ever read. The history as well as the fiction held me captive and drew me so far into the story that I've researched things on my own to explore the people Jodi brought (back) to life. Jodi shines a spotlight on the most uncomfortable aspects of society; racism, lack of equality, and the silencing of women.I lived for Emilia. I was heartbroken, triumphant, broken, resigned, and determined right along with her.All of the characters; the Countess, Hunsdon, Bess, Kit, Shakespeare, Henry, Alphonso, and Alma were all so well thought out and realistic that I had genuine attachments and feelings about all of them.The world was so well built and outlined that I could see the places described and live those moments as if I were there.I hope the things from the book actually somewhat lined up with her real life. I agree with Jodi that she deserves that little bit of happiness. I'd love for more to be found to support this alternative history and for credit to be given where it's rightfully due.

Reviewer: R. Andrea
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great Story; Not So Great Storytelling
Review: “I believe we can help each other. You wish for everyone to know your name. I wish for no one to know mine.”Outstanding historical fiction, with sides of literature, romance, and humor. With a slight blush of fantasy. Two novels and a play interlace. From such limited and dubious sources as an astrologer’s diary, Picoult creates a fully realized, sympathetic Elizabethan protagonist. A Shakespearean tragicomedy of errors, mistaken identities, and star-crossed lovers. Picoult expands her reputation.“Your play isn’t about history. What happened to Emilia is still happening, every day.”This who-really-wrote-Shakespeare theory works better than most. Certainly more entertaining. Like The Da Vinci Code, Picoult wraps her advocacy in fiction. Better fiction than Brown’s. Modern parallel story is equally satisfying and frustrating—intentionally—despite it being her hand puppet for data dumps and lectures."Explosives. Opioids. Nuclear weapons. None of them could hold a candle to hope, the most dangerous commodity in the world."Loved the story but miss the subtlety of Picoult’s earlier works. Could be dozens of pages shorter if Picoult resisted the urge to explain everything. Occasionally two or three times. To assure you get it, she underlines key points. Let the reader figure it out. The first hundred pages are the worst, so stick with it. Wanted to rate it higher—even read the book a second time—but while the story is great the storytelling isn’t quite.“I can’t believe you’re quoting Shakespeare to convince me.” “I’m quoting Emilia Bassano.” “Just think, two weeks ago you only wanted a play produced. Now you want biblical vengeance.” “I’m an overachiever.”Quibbles? The veneer over her agenda is occasionally transparent. Of course it’s agenda-driven; isn’t most art? (Agenda are like noses: we all have them but see our own less than others.) Even though I agree with some of her polemics, they’re still polemics. Hard sell; Soft pornography; coarse language. You’re warned."Being named was important. It gave you credit for the work you put into the world, but it also held you responsible for your words and deeds when you hurt the people you loved, even inadvertently."

Reviewer: suzy hallock-bannigan
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Shakespeare and Company
Review: Back in my colleges days, I wondered about William Shakespeare: why is it that such a learned storyteller and a fella who must have been familiar with Elizabeth’s court did not leave a library to his beneficiaries. Though his son had died, he had a living daughter (I think). And then there was this thought—that Shakespeare was a pen name, as in “to shake a spear” at some person, some concept, some event. I discussed this once with my daughter (who had performed in several Shakespeare plays in college and after) and she just said, “Well, it doesn’t really matter. It’s the work that endures and that is what is important.”But the historian in me, remembering when I could not get a credit card in my own name without a struggle and tense negotiation with a banker, and being aware of the need for unions for women mill workers, the Triangle factory fire, and even Ruth Bader Ginsberg, I think my generation of women may wonder at the notion of the major thing—-that the work endures. Nowadays we take women inventors and writers more seriously. Is the longevity of the work more important than the identity of the creator? Nowadays we have patents and something called plagiarism.So when Jodi Picoult pens this historical novel about Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano, I’m in. Emilia, a young mistress of Lord Chamberlain, is both lovely and learned, and when he dies (or is with his less valued but legal wife), Emilia is left with little and struggles with an abusive and worthless husband. She has a baby but aborts another, finds herself madly in love with Southampton, and in an even more unlikely role of a gifted storyteller at a time when women could not appear on the stage and were even less welcomed as authors. She sells some stories (As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus) to actor William Shakespeare who gets them produced.Emilia’s struggle is countered with modern writer Melina Green, a gifted storyteller whose work is dismissed by a theatre critic when she is a student at Bard. Somewhat traumatized by the critic’s scathing review of her work, Melina’s work is entered into a competition in which her gay male roommate—a person of color—-assumes her identity as “Mel” Green.Aye, and there’s the rub.It’s a great romp-read with queries to take to heart: maybe don’t allow outside evaluation to cause you to abandon work you love, value your ancestry and research it understanding that some of your talent —-such as linguistic intelligence—-might just be on a gene which is relentless, and take control of your reproductive freedom to fit your life circumstances.And just be open to thinking that at least some of Shakespeare’s work might have been penned by a woman. It would not be the first time a man took credit for a woman’s work.

Reviewer: S. Kerr
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I love Jodi Picoult and she has never disappointed me yet and this book is quite simply a stunning love letter to storytelling.A time split novel set between the present time and the Tudor/Stuart era.Both parts of the story show the struggles of how women throughout the ages, have been bought and sold, deliberately uneducated, used, abused, ignored all under the acts of law, religion, society classes of the realm etc.The main character Melina and her ancestor Emilia, are both writers.One is stopped because she a woman and isn't allowed to write, while the other is blocked because she a woman and isn't good enough to write.Now add into the mix of the controversy of Shakespeare not actually the author of his most famous plays and sonnets (Which is in my opinion, completely obvious!) backed up with a LOT of reasearch and fact based arguments and you have the back bone of this book.Your heart will break for Emilia, just as it will rage for Melina.Yes, women (including those of different genders, race, sexuality, disabilities) have it much better now than 500 years ago but there are still hurdles to jump and walls to break down.A quote that will stay with me is; "Don't just save a seat at the table. Build a bigger table!!"

Reviewer: Fran
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book was so beautifully timed. it touched me very deeply. I loved all of the characters and the premise that it was a woman who actually wrote many of Shakespeare’s best plays. The thing about being seen, touched me very deeply. I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer: Helen81
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors and I always buy her books when they come out. I have to admit I was not sure I was going to enjoy this as it didn't sound like her usual style. However I stand corrected, it was amazing and I've devoured it. Thoroughly engaging, giving me lots to think about and consider regarding women and how far (or not as the case may be) we have come in the past few hundred years. It also made me reflect on aging as a woman and how we measure our worth. Really excellent book, and left me thinking about it's subject matter long after I've finished it.

Reviewer: Susan Prosser
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book held me captivated - I feel so grateful to have lived with both Emilia and Melina. What a gift and treasure !

Reviewer: Mrs H.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I can't express how much I enjoyed this book. Characters are brought to life, the females of the book are the protagonists, driving the story forward, a story which every female has endured since time immemorial. The fight for acknowledgement, recognition, and acceptance of our worth, equal to any man. It's a fight that continues, and Jodi Picoult shows us how it's done.