Shakespeare country, the area lying within a radius of some fifteen miles around Stratford-upon-Avon, is one of the loveliest and most popular parts of Great Britain: an area of rural charm, scenic beauty and immense historic interest. Novelist and literary critic Susan Hill has lived in the area for much of her adult life. Here, she brings to life the literary, historical, theatrical and romantic associations in which this region is steeped. As well as the familiar landmarks of Stratford-upon-Avon--Shakespeare's birthplace, Anne Hathaway's cottage, Mary Arden's house, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre--the book covers many features of the surrounding countryside, as well as some of the lesser known villages of the area. Rob Talbot has photographed the area through the changing seasons and, with the help of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the National Trust, has produced a collection of pictures of landscapes, buildings and local countryside which complement Susan Hill's prose.--From publisher description.