Shakespeare has always been a big part of the author's life. This is the story of how he has stumbled, shambled and occasionally glided through the years with Shakespeare as his guide. It also shows us what Shakespeare's rough-and-ready genius can teach us about love, war, sex, death, drunkenness, friendship.

'An absolute delight ... boozy bawdy generous-hearted ... utterly original and relishable' Sunday Times Shakespeare has always been a big part of Dominic Dromgoole's life. This is the story of how he has stumbled shambled and occasionally glided through the years with Shakespeare as his guide - whether reading Julius Caesar aloud to cows as a boy listening to Peter O'Toole crack dirty jokes at his parents' kitchen table acting in car-crash student productions or putting on his own. Along the way he shows us what Shakespeare's rough-and-ready genius can teach us about love war sex death drunkenness friendship ... and just about everything. 'Friendly inclusive I warmed to it immediately ... A terrific book' Evening Standard 'The book is clearly a triumph ... You laugh out loud and cringe in equal measure' Spectator 'Superb ... thrillingly entertaining ... throbs with vigour honesty and passion' Daily Telegraph 'A record of a lifelong obsession - articulate intelligent and passionately set down ... Dromgoole's enthusiasm has a sincerity and warmth that are infectious' Observer 'Irresistibly seductive' Independent on Sunday