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Interviews

Jodi Picoult on the theory behind Shakespeare’s plays

Photo of author Jodie Picoult talking in The Penguin Podcast studio

The Penguin Podcast: episode 7 – historical fiction with Jodi Picoult

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‘A lot has changed in 400 years, but a lot more hasn’t’: How Jodi Picoult wrote By Any Other Name

Best new paperbacks (2)

Reading lists

The best new paperbacks of 2025

Image showing some of the best books of 2024, including Think Again, PATRIOT, The City and its Uncertain Walls and An African History of Africa

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Features

Must-read books of 2024: A look back at the year’s most exciting releases

Jodi Picoult

A likeable heroine and a fun, readable evocation of Elizabethan court life and theatre

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

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. Jodi 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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale

Impressively researched and beautifully written. A gripping, masterful work

Stunning. So interesting, clever, educational and moving. One of the best books I've read in recent times

Gillian McAllister, bestselling author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time

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, Sunday Times bestselling author of All The Colours of the Dark

By Any Other Name had me absolutely captivated . . . I loved all the questions this novel raised about who gets to tell which stories and how complex that can become. The importance of women's role in storytelling is something very close to my heart, and this was such a thought-provoking, evocative, fascinating and moving exploration of the topic. Jodi Picoult is a genius and this might be my favourite of her books so far

Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne

A fun jaunt through Elizabethan London, full of literary easter eggs

Perennial best-seller Picoult takes on another hot-button topic sure to ignite controversy and conversation: the question of Shakespearean authorship. . . . [A] timely and affecting tale. . . . Picoult’s many, many fans will pounce on her latest incisive, pot-stirring tale, while the Shakespearean theme will attract even more readers

A blend of historical fiction and modern-day settings, the novel gives us timelines that intertwine and surprise . . . This one is definitely for fans of Shakespeare’s work; Picoult has done her research

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

A tale told with brio, imagination and racy romance

[An] inspiring work of feminist literature

By Any Other Name is such a powerful book, and Emilia is a heroine for the ages. I lost myself completely in her world - and emerged feeling furious and curious. It's rare that a writer can entertain us and inspire us, but Picoult does both brilliantly, and I think this is her strongest work yet.

Rich and inspiring . . . A searing, feminist tale about finding your voice

A wildly ambitious and intriguing two timeline story with delicious period detail

An insightful novel of female identity and inequality

By Any Other Name is an intriguing blend of speculation and feminism . . . it displays an empathetic grasp of women’s everlasting struggle to be heard, delivered in broad political strokes and fine historical detail

The twist halfway through is a jaw-to-the-floor moment

A powerfully evocative story of the resilience and triumph of the human spirit

It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes

A writer the world needs to be reading right now

Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios

An addictive read packed with twists and turns

Picoult, once again, grabs a razor-sharp issue and uses her brilliantly intricate pen to expose all the shades of grey with perfection

There are writers who try and do what Picoult does, and then there's Picoult

Jodi Picoult is that rare, one-in-a-million writer whose books both squeeze your heart and expand your mind

1581. Emilia Bassano is allowed no voice of her own, but finds a way to secretly bring her work to the stage. Yet by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. His name? William Shakespeare. 
 
Present day Manhattan. Young playwright Melina Green is determined to see one of her shows make the stage, but it appears a woman’s voice is still worth less than a man’s. So inspired by the life of her ancestor Emilia Bassano, she takes a lesson from history and submits a play under a male pseudonym . . . 
 
Women have long been written out of history, but have they held the pen all along?

Jodi Picoult

Praise for By Any Other Name

A likeable heroine and a fun, readable evocation of Elizabethan court life and theatre

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

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. Jodi Picoult’s books always sta ...

A likeable heroine and a fun, readable evocation of Elizabethan court life and theatre

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

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. Jodi Picoult’s books always sta ...

A likeable heroine and a fun, readable evocation of Elizabethan court life and theatre

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

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. Jodi Picoult’s books always sta ...

Articles featuring Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult on the theory behind Shakespeare’s plays

The Penguin Podcast: episode 7 – historical fiction with Jodi Picoult

‘A lot has changed in 400 years, but a lot more hasn’t’: How Jodi Picoult wrote By Any Other Name

The best new paperbacks of 2025

Must-read books of 2024: A look back at the year’s most exciting releases

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