Books
The Truth Will Out
James, B., and Rubinstein, W. Livingstone, 2006
Begins with a discussion of the Authorship Question and a critical evaluation of the leading candidates. It then proceeds to show how Henry Neville's life, work and background fit perfectly the required attributes for "Shakespeare", including his education, travels, political activities, disgrace and imprisonment following the Essex rebellion, and ultimate release after the death of Elizabeth I. The decryption of the Dedication to the Sonnets is only mentioned briefly and in passing, and none of the decryptions procedures are given.
Dr John Casson has applied the identity of Sir Henry Neville to Shakespeare's apocryphal works and proposes: Neville’s first nom-de-plume (before he used the name ‘Shakespeare’; Neville’s first published poem - The Phaeton sonnet; Neville’s first comedy - Mucedorus; Shakespeare-Neville’s first tragedies: Locrine and Arden of Faversham; Neville’s first Falstaff - ten years before the Henry IV plays.
Casson explores Thomas of Woodstock and A Yorkshire Tragedy, revealing the connections between them and Henry Neville’s life and letters. He also reclaims the lost play Cardenio in the surviving text of Double Falshood, showing that this is a genuine work by Shakespeare-Neville and John Fletcher.
“A welcome and intriguing addition to the quest for the true authorship: deeply researched and persuadingly presented. A fascinating picture of a man whose qualities, life and qualifications plead his case very tellingly: Henry Neville is, henceforth, a contender.” Sir Derek Jacobi
Banned by Elizabeth I, the political tract, Leicester’s Commonwealth, was an attack on Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, the Queen’s favourite. Sexed up with scandal and murder, this dangerous document eluded all attempts to destroy it. Amongst the evidence discovered in the Worsley collection of Neville papers were two hand-written copies of Leicester’s Commonwealth. Dr. John Casson now reveals how these are connected with three other ‘Shakespeare’ manuscripts: the annotated Halle’s Chronicle, the Hand D section of Sir Thomas More and the Northumberland Manuscript. This book provides compelling evidence that Leicester’s Commonwealth was a source for ‘Shakespeare’.
James, B. In press, 2008.
Gives a detailed account of the decryption of the Dedication to the Sonnets, which led Brenda James to Henry Neville. She had never heard of Neville prior to the decryption. The book also contains extensive new information from primary sources which supports the proposition that Neville is the true author of the works of "Shakespeare".
Duncan-Jones, K. Arden Shakespeare/Thomson Learning. 2001.
Examines what is known about the life of William Shakespeare, and reveals a life that is surprisingly different to what might be expected from the true author.
Michell, J. Thames and Hudson, 1996.
John Michell explores the numerous paradoxes and puzzles in relating the works of "Shakespeare" to what little is known about the life of William Shakespeare. He explores the ambiguities present in the prefatory material for the First Folio. He concludes that there is serious doubt concerning authorship.
Price, D. Greenwood Press. 2001.
Following an exhaustive review of the literature and primary sources, Diana Price concludes that "Shakespeare" is a pen-name, and the true author is unknown.
Ogburn, C. Cardinal. 1988. (First published in the USA by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1984, under the title "The Mysterious Shakespeare").
The first half of this massive tome of nearly 800 pages explores the overwhelming evidence against William Shakespeare being the true author. The arguments are well presented. The second half argues in favour of the Earl of Oxford (Edward de Vere) as the true author.
Phillips, G., and Keatman, M. Century, London. 1994.
Despite its off-putting title, this book is a reasonable account of the Authorship Question. It documents the lack of evidence to support William Shakespeare of Stratford as the true author, and the numerous inconsistencies between the works of "Shakespeare" what little we know of his life. It explores the leading candidates, notably Bacon, Marlowe and Oxford. The book concludes with the message that none of the candidates make much sense, and the authorship remains a mystery.
Pauline Kiernan. Quercus, London, 2006. This book reveals how the Poet used often extreme sexual puns for both comic and serious intent. Kiernan shows how he entertains the audience to encourage them to question the larger issues. Her selected extracts illuminate how the Poet uses sexual resonances to make a scene variously more intense, absurd or poignant.
Anonymity. A secret history of English LiteratureMullan, J. Faber, London. 2008.
In this very recent book, Mullan examines the long history of anonymous and pseudonymous authorship, which includes Donne, Marvell, Defoe, Swift, Austen, Byron, Walter Scott, Thackeray, Lewis Carroll, Tennyson, Mark Twain, George Eliot, Sylvia Plath, and Doris Lessing. The book explores the reasons for hiding their identity and their desire for recognition, as shown by the deliberate and accidental clues they left behind. The Authorship Question for Shakespeare is not mentioned.
Richard Proudfoot, Ann Thompson, David Scott Kastan. Arden Shakespeare. 2000.
Web Sites
henryneville.com
Brenda James site presents:
- Keypoints regarding Sir Henry Neville
- primary research material
- original essays about Henry Neville and Shakespeare
- pointers and links to other information
- details of seminars and journals
Royal Berkshire History - Biog. of Sir Henry Neville
This site covers the 'historic county' of Berkshire. Berkshire is the county in which Henry Neville's home Billingbere was located.
Sir Henry Neville on Wikipedia
The Wikipedia entry on Sir Henry Neville.
John Casson on Sir Henry Neville
This page provides a summary of Dr John Casson's discoveries in relation to Neville as the author of Shakespeare "juvenalia" as well as information about his publications in this area.
The Shakespeare Authorship Coalition We have nothing against the man from Stratford-on-Avon, but we doubt that he was the author of the works. Our goal is to legitimize the issue in academia so students, teachers and professors can feel free to pursue it. This is necessary because the issue is widely viewed as settled in academia and is treated as a taboo subject. We believe that an open-minded examination of the evidence shows that the issue should be taken seriously. Your signature on the Declaration will help us make the case that there is reasonable doubt about the author.
