Seven Weekend Reads

In a controversial debate about Shakespeare’s authorship, Mark Twain’s eccentric theory that he might have been Francis Bacon was dismissed by literary critic Northrop Frye, who noted the paucity of evidence—just a few scattered details and an outdated depiction of Shakespeare as “clearly an idiot.” Similarly, Ron Chernow’s biographical work on Twain paints a tragic, flawed figure, reinforcing the idea that Shakespeare may have been no match for his own peculiar brand of insanity.