In Search of Shakespeare

By Pauline Montagna

An ambitious scholar from the fourth millennium stakes his reputation on the genius of an obscure Elizabethan poet, one William Shakespeare.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pauline Montagna
• Release date: Nov 20, 2012

Pauline Montagna

Pauline Montagna was born into an Italian family in Melbourne, Australia. After obtaining a BA in French, Italian and History, she indulged her artistic interests through amateur theatre, while developing her accounting skills through a wide variety of workplaces culminating in the Australian film industry. In her mid-thirties, Pauline returned to university and qualified as a teacher of English as Second Language, a profession she pursued while completing a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing. She has now retired from full-teaching to concentrate on her writing.

Book preview

In Search of Shakespeare

A story

by Pauline Montagna

Copyright © Pauline Montagna 2012

Other titles by Pauline Montagna on Smashwords:

The Taming of the Shrew

Not Wisely but Too Well

The Slave

Suburban Terrors

Desideratum

Ever the Bridesmaid

Out of the Ashes

Secrets and Suspicions

Echoes and Other Stories

In Search of Shakespeare

Kendall looked up nervously when his name was called by the gentle electronic voice. ‘Dr Kendall, Dr Sheldon will see you now. Please follow the blue trail-lights.’ The lights led him down a long, softly lit metallic corridor to a door that quietly swooshed open as he approached.

His old adversary, Crecy Sheldon, stood to greet him as he entered. ‘Henrik, how good to see you after all these years. I was so pleased when the University asked me to review your manuscript. It’s been interesting reading.’ Sheldon’s grin did nothing to hide his insufferable arrogance.

Kendall tried to smile politely as he stretched out a hand to Sheldon. A misstep at this point of the proceedings might stymie his academic career forever. ‘I’m flattered that they would ask the best in the field to look at it. It almost repays all those years of work.’

‘I hear you’ve been at it for fifteen years, Henrik. Quite a large chunk of time to devote to so specialised a subject,’ Sheldon remarked as their armchairs moulded themselves to their bodies.

‘It is specialised,’ Kendall admitted, ‘but I think it is a most important one. I believe that Garrick’s Playbook holds a collection of the most remarkable and powerful works of the English Literary Renaissance. Christopher Marlowe could not equal a King Lear nor Ben Jonson A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I feel it is essential that we know the identity of the genius who wrote them.’

‘You’ve set yourself quite a difficult task, Henrik. Academics have debated this point for hundreds of years. They’ve put