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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

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

By Any Other Name

The No. 1 New York Times bestseller for fans of HAMNET

They Never Met. But Their Lives Are Bound by a Secret, a Sacrifice, and a Story That Demands to Be Told . . . 
The #1 New York Times Bestseller 
'Her best one yet' JOJO MOYES 
'A timeless classic' CHRIS WHITAKER 
'[An] inspiring work of feminist literature' ELLE 
– 
New York playwright Melina Green has never seen her work on stage. In a man’s world, only through a lie can she get the recognition she yearns for. 
But Melina is not the first woman in her family to discover this. 
Her ancestor Emilia Bassano, mistress to one of Elizabeth I’s most valued noblemen, was no stranger to being silenced. 
She decided to do something about it. But her daring act of deception has consequences that will reverberate down the centuries. 
Yet to change a world can mean terrible sacrifices – your name, your family’s future, and your legacy. 
These two women will never meet. But together can they rewrite history? 
– 
PRAISE FOR BY ANY OTHER NAME 
‘A likeable heroine and a fun, readable evocation of Elizabethan court life and theatre’ THE TIMES 
'Stunning. So interesting, clever, educational and moving. One of the best books I've read in recent times' GILLIAN McALLISTER 
'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. Jodi Picoult is a genius' JENNIFER SAINT 
‘A fun jaunt through Elizabethan London, full of literary easter eggs’ INDEPENDENT 
 
PRAISE FOR JODI PICOULT 
'A writer the world needs to be reading right now' Independent 
'It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes' Financial Times 
'She is the master of her craft' Daily Telegraph 
'There are writers who try and do what Picoult does, and then there's Picoult' Marie Claire

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

Jodi Picoult is the author of 30 novels, with 60 million copies sold worldwide. She has had 17 Sunday Times number one bestsellers. Five novels have been made into movies and Between The Lines (co-written with daughter Samantha van Leer) has been adapted as a musical. 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 is also the co-librettist for the musicals BREATHE and THE BOOK THIEF. 
She lives in New Hampshire with her husband.

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

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

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

A tale told with brio, imagination and racy romance

On September 11, 2001, two-month-old Molly Fitzgerald’s mother goes to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never comes home. 
She is raised by her father and new stepmother, but grows up with a healthy dread of disasters. 
She now runs the local Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, mapping out plans to save lives in disasters. She and her husband Jesse – a police polygraph expert with his own history of crisis – have found a love that is a solace in a dangerous world. 
Until the unexpected upends their marriage, leading them to question everything they thought they knew…

Jodi Picoult

Praise for Hollow Bones

Impressive, important, and fun to read

Praise for By Any Other Name

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

Impressive, important, and fun to read

Praise for By Any Other Name

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

Impressive, important, and fun to read

Praise for By Any Other Name

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

Books by Jodi Picoult

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

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

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