'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. (In fact, you could say he's obsessed). 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.