A Radio 4 Book of the Week. From the author of 1599, a fresh perspective on the history of the United States - and a timely reminder of Shakespeare's indelible influence. Shakespeare's position as England's national poet is established and unquestionable. But as James Shapiro illuminates in this revelatory new history, Shakespeare has long held an essential place in American culture. Why, though, would a proudly independent republic embrace England's greatest writer? Especially when his works enact so many of America's darkest nightmares: interracial marriage, cross-dressing, same-sex love, tyranny, and assassination? Investigating a selection of defining moments in American history - drilling into issues of race, miscegenation, gender, patriotism and immigration; encountering Presidents, activists, writers and actors - Shapiro leads us to fascinating answers and uncovers rich and startling stories. But perhaps most pressingly, we learn how, in Trump's America, the staging of his work has provoked threats of violence and has become a battleground for freedom of speech. "With the lightest touch and the most formidable scholarship, James Shapiro, once again, proves himself to be an irresistible storyteller. And what an exhilarating and disturbing tale he has to tell. Here is proof that Shakespeare's power remains undiminished in our divided world." SIMON RUSSELL BEALE "In the brilliantly conceived Shakespeare in a Divided America, James Shapiro deftly demonstrates the playwright's intimate presence in the culture and politics of the New World... This richly researched book is a continual revelation both about Shakespeare and about ourselves." STEPHEN GREENBLATT "With the lightest touch and the most formidable scholarship, James Shapiro, once again, proves himself to be an irresistible storyteller. And what an exhilarating and disturbing tale he has to tell. Here is proof that Shakespeare's power remains undiminished in our divided world." SIMON RUSSELL BEALE "Just when you thought you had read every angle, along comes James Shapiro and mines his deep knowledge of Shakespeare to apply it to Trump's America with devastating effect. A fantastically readable meditation on humanity's eternal verities." SUE PRIDEAUX "A thrilling book from first page to last. James Shapiro has discovered that Shakespeare is the canary in the coalmine of American history, always the surest guide to the way things are headed." NICHOLAS HYTNER "James Shapiro excels at bringing Shakespeare's works and worlds to life for our time. Now, in this fascinating book, he ingeniously explores how unending disagreements over the plays illuminate our national past as well as the present. Selecting powerful stories where history and literature meet, he spares his readers none of America's violent passions-or Shakespeare's." SEAN WILENTZ "Impeccably researched, the book focuses on how key figures in American history have experienced Shakespeare... A thought-provoking, captivating lesson in how literature and history intermingle." KIRKUS "Richly detailed.Shapiro's wit and well-sourced anecdotes enliven his incisive analysis of more than a century's worth of American history. Written with broad appeal and expert insight, this sparkling account deserves to be widely read." PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY