General introduction Paul Edmondson and Stanley Wells; Part I. Family: 1. His mother Mary Shakespeare Michael Wood; 2. His father John Shakespeare David Fallow; 3. His siblings Catherine Richardson; 4. His sister's family: the Harts Cathy Shrank; 5. His wife Anne Shakespeare and the Hathaways Katherine Scheil; 6. His daughter Susanna Hall Lachlan Mackinnon; 7. His son-in-law John Hall Greg Wells; 8. His son Hamnet Shakespeare Graham Holderness; 9. His daughter Judith and the Quineys Germaine Greer; 10. His granddaughter Lady Elizabeth Barnard René Weis; 11. His 'cousin': Thomas Greene Tara Hamling; Part II. Friends and Neighbours: 12. A close family connection: the Combes Stanley Wells; 13. Schoolfriend, publisher and printer Richard Field Carol Chillington Rutter; 14. Living with the Mountjoys David Kathman; 15. Ben Jonson David Riggs; 16. Richard Barnfield, John Weever, William Basse and other encomiasts Andrew Hadfield; 17. Last things: Shakespeare's neighbours and beneficiaries Susan Brock; Part III. Colleagues and Patrons: 18. His fellow dramatists and early collaborators Andy Kesson; 19. His theatre friends: the Burbages John H. Astington; 20. His fellow actors Will Kemp, Robert Armin and other members of the Lord Chamberlain's Men and the King's Men Bart Van Es; 21. His literary patrons Alan H. Nelson; 22. His collaborator George Wilkins Duncan Salkeld; 23. His collaborator Thomas Middleton Emma Smith; 24. His collaborator John Fletcher Lucy Munro; 25. His editors John Heminges and Henry Condell Paul Edmondson; Closing remarks Paul Edmondson and Stanley Wells; Afterword Margaret Drabble; Index.

'Wonderfully conceived and executed, and drawing on the expertise of some of the finest literary historians at work today, The Shakespeare Circle offers a richly rewarding alternative to the 'cradle to grave' biography, allowing us to see Shakespeare afresh through the lives of his friends, relatives, neighbours, fellow actors and rivals.' James Shapiro, Columbia University, New York