By Any Other Name: A Novel

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 9,181 ratings

Price: 21.66

Last update: 01-10-2025


About this item

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Vero Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful exploration into whether Shakespeare wrote everything attributed to him!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2025
    I had read about on this subject in the past, but M’s. Picoult’s tome sheds new light - and bolsters the thoughts - that many different people contributed to works for which William Shakespeare has been credited. Women were not allowed to be playwrights in Elizabethan England: their only hope was to write for authors that already had a following and credibility with Court. Emilia Bassano was one of the most talented writers of her time, doing whatever she had to do to provide for her family and make a living for herself.
    Melina Green is a student at Bard College and is determined to write the story of her ancestor, Emilia Bassano, while navigating gender bias and being looked at as “less than.” Written in dual timelines, this story has wonderful characters and dialogue while immersing the reader in the history and background of life as a woman in England in times of the plagues.
    Highly recommended - though it is an involved deep dive with a lot of poetry and stage play language.
  • Jenia.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2025
    4.5 ★

    I loved this book for many reasons, including the characters, the plot, and the emotions of the characters. I've been reading Jodi Picoult since I was in college for my associate’s degree, and while there were some that I loved more than others, there hasn't been a single book of hers that I didn't enjoy reading. I've heard a lot about her recent book, By Any Other Name, and the title alone will make anyone curious enough to pick it up and check it out. I'm so glad I finally got the chance to read this book, and now that I've done so, I can see why so many people were talking about it and why it was nominated for favorite historical fiction in the Goodreads Choice Awards. This is unlike any other Picoult book I've read, and it had me up until 1:00 a.m. because I wanted to know what happened to all the characters, particularly Melina and Emilia.

    I liked how it was done in two timelines and from the perspectives of Melina and Emilia; I thought it brought the story to life more. I liked how the play's writing intertwined Melina and Emilia's experiences and how the two timelines related to each other. I liked reading about Emilia and Melina because, despite their own perceptions, they were both strong and inspirational women. Nevertheless, I found Emilia's story to be more engaging to read; I sensed that more was happening in hers. I was impressed by Emilia's determination; she never gave up and continued to write despite everything that was going on in her life. A part of me wondered if the real 'author' would be uncovered; I didn't think it was fair that she wasn't receiving credit for all her writing. Throughout the novel, I was rooting for her happy ending. I was cheering for Melina to get her play produced because I had a sense there would be problems if a real writer was discovered.

    I studied and read William Shakespeare's plays in high school. Never did it occur to me that he was not the author. That surprised me, and it motivated me to conduct my own research on the topic. Picoult's novel, By Any Other Name , reflects her deep research. It's one of the reasons I adore her books. However, I believe the book was a little too long, and some portions dragged on and were difficult to get into. Despite that, the book was difficult to put down. This is the novel that will make you think; a story that you will be unable to forget. Following this book, I'm eager to see what Jodi Picoult has in store for us next!
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, tough read, worth it
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2024
    I am not a scholar of the 1500's. This book was hard for me to read at times because of that. But learning how women were treated, I grew more angry over it with ever page. I loved the grit and strength witnessed against all odds. As in our country right now today, this brought strong feelings front and center. In the only way Jodi Picoult knows how, there is a very strong message pertinent for 2025 and on.
  • Nicole
    5.0 out of 5 stars Flawless & Beautiful
    Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2025
    This book is well written, tastefully romantic, and explores gender inequity while weaving a fantastic parallel between today's female playwright woes and those during the Elizabethan era. I love historical fiction novels and have read dozens of them, but this by far is a new favorite that I'll be recommending to my friends.
  • Nikki Ivers
    3.0 out of 5 stars Wanted to love it…but didn’t
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2024
    I have read, and will continue to read, everything and anything Jodi Picoult writes. I would read her grocery list if I could. That’s how much I love her writing, but I didn’t love this book. My first problem is that I’m not a fan of historical fiction (my issue, not Ms. Picoult’s). I detest the language of the Elizabethan Era, and I find it hard to relate to the characters when I have a hard time following the conversations. The second issue I found with this book was that none of the characters, including modern day Melina, felt real to me. The only one that I really grabbed on to was the best friend, Andre. He was a fantastic character with a ton of energy, humor and light.

    What I love about Ms. Picoult’s books is how I get so wrapped up in the characters that I feel like I know them personally. I am so sad when I finish her books because I feel like I’m losing a friend. I didn’t feel anything like that with “By Any Other Name”. I struggled through the first half hoping it would get better with either more character development or more focus on Melina rather than Emilia. It got a bit more interesting in the second half, but not enough for me to love it, unfortunately.

    As always, the writing itself is superb, but the characters and storyline fell flat for me. It very well could be due to my distaste of historical fiction and the language of the 1500-1600’s. I really wanted to love it, but I’m sure I’ll love her next one in 2025.

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