What if Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare—but someone else wrote him first? Michael Blanding (The Map Thief) presents his new book, North by Shakespeare, which follows obsessive scholar Dennis McCarthy on his quest to prove that Shakespeare used now-lost plays by 16th-century courtier and translator Thomas North to write his greatest works. McCarthy’s theories present a fascinating “middle ground” between orthodox views of the Bard and conspiracy theories that someone else wrote the plays—and explain many mysteries, including Shakespeare’s knowledge of Italy, war, and the law— if they can be believed. North by Shakespeare is part literary mystery/part royal intrigue, as Blanding and McCarthy travel together across England, France, and Italy, and back in time through Elizabethan history to investigate his audacious claims. For more information, visit the Newburyport Literary Festival.