Stalking Shakespeare

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Following his divorce, down-and-out writer Lee Durkee retreated to a Vermont fishing shack, where he became obsessed with the mystery of Shakespeare's true likeness. Despite the abundance of popular portraits, the actual appearance of the Bard remains unknown, with modern depictions often portraying him as increasingly handsome. Durkee's memoir chronicles his quest to uncover a lost portrait of Shakespeare created from life, employing X-ray and infrared technologies in his search. As he skillfully persuades curators to allow testing of their paintings, readers are drawn into the captivating enigmas surrounding various portraits attributed to Shakespeare. Durkee's journey takes him from Vermont to Tokyo, Mississippi, Washington, D.C., and ultimately London, where he confronts the curators who safeguard the Bard's image. As a writer with nothing to lose, he emerges as an unexpected challenger in the world of English portraiture. This lively and bizarre exploration blends biography, art history, and personal madness, offering an entertaining yet rigorous examination of one of history's most iconic literary figures.