Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival

"Author Greenblatt and Golden Voice Edoardo Ballerini match well in this insightful biography of Shakespeare’s predecessor and early model, playwright Christopher Marlowe. Little is known for certain about Marlowe’s life, or more mysteriously, his murder at age 29. His sparse biography is fleshed out and enriched by a marvelous evocation of Elizabethan theater before and during his brief career—and his impact on a string of his contemporaries, particularly Shakespeare . (9.75 hours)"