William Shakespeare is perhaps the world's greatest literary figure, famed for his insights into the human condition. Records show that he married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 and had three children with her. At some point he went to London and joined the theatrical profession, as an actor, playwright, poet and, latterly, theatre manager and impresario. He died in April 1616, aged 52. The body of work left by Shakespeare included 37 plays, four poems and a collection of sonnets.

Over the course of his two-decade career as an author and editor, Chris McNab has written more than 100 titles, on topics ranging from history to popular culture to biography. He holds a Ph.D in English Literature and Theology and some of his recent titles include A History of War, and J. Robert Oppenheimer. He has also written several scholarly introductions to Shakespeare's plays, including Julius Caesar and Much Ado About Nothing. In addition to his writing work, Chris has made regular contributions on radio and television