The Taming of the Bard

The Taming of the Bard by P.A O'Mahoney
Publishing: 13th November 2025
Gold gilded edges
ISBN: 9781068680113
For collection from Suddenly Bookshop in Daventry
 
Blurb:
A lusty, laugh-out-loud reimagining of Shakespeare’s lost youth. From priory plots and bawdy inns to countryside seductions and courtly ambitions, The Taming of the Bard follows young Will before the fame — all wit, wine, and wicked mischief.
 
Before the Globe, before the crown, before the quill, there was a curious boy from Stratford with ink in his veins and far too much interest in women and words. Sent to Welton Priory to be "cured" of his unruly appetites, young William Shakespeare discovers a world of political scheming, religious intrigue, strange medical cures — and a mead so potent it could inspire poetry. Told with raucous humour and warm irreverence, this is a speculative coming-of-age tale of the Bard as you’ve never seen him: spirited, scandalous, and not yet tamed. Perfect for fans of Upstart Crow, Blackadder, and Shakespeare in Love, The Taming of the Bard blends historical fiction with outrageous comedy in Suddenly Publishing’s most mischievous title yet.