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By Any Other Name: A Novel Audiobook
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Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey comes an “inspiring” (Elle) novel about two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are both forced to hide behind another name.
“You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel.”—Kristin Hannah, author of The Women
Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.
In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.
Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.
This audiobook contains a bonus PDF with Shakespearean references, Sources and Resources, and an image from the book.
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"You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Jodi Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel. Picoult’s books always start passionate conversations, and this one is sure to get people talking. Book clubs will embrace this rich, inspiring story."
— Kristin Hannah, author of The Women
Quotes
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“Picoult’s fictional take on the real life of [Emilia Bassano]. She quite likely would have known Shakespeare, because they moved in the same circles. Did she write things attributed to the Bard? Who knows? But her own life is interesting enough.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Picoult’s many, many fans will pounce on her latest incisive, pot-stirring tale, while the Shakespearean theme will attract even more readers.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
An excellent addition to Picoult’s thought-provoking novels of human struggle and conflict . . . Beautifully crafted and compelling.
— The Historical Novels Review -
Masterful . . . Breathtaking . . . Picoult’s own writing reminds us that to be a truly magnificent author, one also must be a poet, a creator of imagery and metaphor.
— Bookreporter -
A fresh take on an age-old question—what if a woman really wrote Shakespeare's plays? . . . The more the novel lays the groundwork, the more convincing it is that the lauded playwright didn't act alone.
— People -
A heartfelt, inspiring and deeply thought-provoking look at identity, strength and struggle. Meticulously researched, beautiful and original, By Any Other Name is a timeless classic from one of our great storytellers.
— Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark -
A thought-provoking tale of two female playwrights and the similar compromises they make 400 years apart.
— The Washington Post -
Picoult’s fictional take on the real life of [Emilia Bassano]. She quite likely would have known Shakespeare, because they moved in the same circles. Did she write things attributed to the Bard? Who knows. But her own life is interesting enough.
— Los Angeles Times -
Her best one yet. Jodi Picoult has combined her trademark research with an astonishing and heart-rending story, embedded in truth, and turned it into a gripping novel.
— Jojo Moyes, author of Someone Else’s Shoes -
A blend of historical fiction and modern-day settings, the novel gives us timelines that intertwine and surprise. . .
— Harper’s Bazaar -
[An] inspiring work of feminist literature.
— Elle -
Picoult creates a richly detailed portrait of daily life in Elizabethan England, from sumptuous castles to seedy hovels. . . . It’s Emilia’s story, and Picoult lovingly brings her to life. . . . A vibrant tale of a remarkable woman.
— Kirkus Reviews -
The experience of reading a Jodi Picoult novel—the surge of being swept away in both story and enlightenment—is powerful.
— Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper -
Extensively researched and richly imagined.
— The Christian Science Monitor -
A moving story of courage and ambition.
— Woman’s World -
The acclaimed Jodi Picoult dives right into the did-Shakespeare-write-his-plays controversy with a novel that spans centuries.
— Parade -
Stunning. So interesting, clever, educational and moving. One of the best books I’ve read in recent times.
— Gillian McAllister, author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time -
[A] timely and affecting tale . . . Picoult’s many, many fans will pounce on her latest incisive, pot-stirring tale.
— Booklist, starred review
Awards
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A #1 New York Times Bestseller
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An Amazon Editor’s Top Pick in Fiction
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A Good Morning America Book Club Pick
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A People Magazine Pick of the Week
By Any Other Name Listener Reviews
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Barbara Stratton, 1/22/2025
About Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times and London Sunday Times bestselling author of twenty-four stand-alone novels and three series, through the genres of fiction, romance, young-adult romance, mystery, and science fiction. She is the recipient of multiple awards, including the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, the Alex Award from the YA Library Services Association, and the NH Literary Award for Outstanding Literary Merit. She studied creative writing at Princeton University and received her masters from Harvard. Visit her website at JodiPicoult.com.
About the Narrators
Andrew Fallaize is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.
Jayne Entwistle is a voice talent and Earphones Award–winning narrator.
Joe Jameson trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has narrated over a hundred audiobooks, including titles by Gillian Slovo, Bear Grylls, Malorie Blackman, and Susan Hill, as well as The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff. He also works extensively in theater and television.
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.
Steve West, the winner of multiple Earphones Awards for narration, is an international actor who has starred on London’s prestigious West End stage, including productions of Mamma Mia! and Oh, What a Night! He is widely known for his television and film work in both the United States and the UK, and he has performed for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. He hosts his own television show for the UK live from Los Angeles.
Nicholas Guy Smith, an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a highly rated and diverse voice-over actor who has been heard in feature films, television commercials, and video games. He has voiced characters for Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal, and the Cartoon Network.
Billie Fulford-Brown is a London-based actress, voice-over artist, and AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator.
Laura Benati is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.
Bleak December Inc. is a multimedia company founded by Canadian actor and filmmaker Anthony D.P. Mann.