By Any Other Name: A Novel Hardcover – August 20, 2024

I am astounded by the amount of research that Jodi PIcoult invests in each novel. It is as profound as the subject matter and the sweeping novel I just finished. Every obscure reference the novel brought up, I would stop and look up and they were all true!I always love how novels find me when I am the most in need of a companion. Telling the true story of Emilia Basano through the journey of an aspiring Playwirght Melina Green was a brilliant device. As a believer in equality, I work hard to make sure women have the same opportunities as men and I rarely believe we get the same opportunities or respect as men. As a theatre founder, I related to Melina’s fear of submitting her play and the fear she experienced. It helped to articulate some of the uncertainty I am currently experiencing.My early reservation about the novel is that I am not a Shakespeare aficionado, even though we have the Shakespeare Tavern down the road and I spent many years going to Georgia Shakespeare. I was pleasantly surprised by how many references I understood and related to how the pain of our real lives gets translated into the ART we create.The epic tale of Emilia’s lifelong deception hooked me. Her words felt stolen by Shakespeare although she monetized her ART which I talk about all the time to our Apprentices. She undervalued her worth and she longed to be with the love of her life.Melina’s story was just as compelling. Living in New York with her best friend Andre (the name of my best high school friend) both trying to make it as playwrights, rooting for her to get her play produced was exciting. Proving the critics wrong! That is what have been spending my entire career doing.Having just returned from London, my greatest regret may be that I didn’t go to Victoria and Albert Museum to see the miniature portraits of Emilia and Southampton “the unknown man” for myself, but I will fondly remember our boat ride on the Thames past the Old Globe Theatre in 2025.If I had one small quibble, it would be that Goodspeed Opera House was producing someone’s play! The Main Opera House only produces musicals and their Norma Terris Theatre may host a casual play reading, they are known for producing MUSICALS ONLY! However, I smiled remembering my wonderful 2 years there as a musical director when I was early on my journey to be a producer half as good as Michael Price and now Donna Lynn Hilton. (Again, it was the novel I needed during this uncertain time.)Thank you for a wonderful novel Jodi. The friends I was traveling with insisted I read MAD HONEY next, so I immediately downloaded it to read in the next few weeks. They also suggested I look into producing the musical you wrote with your daughter called, “Between the Lines.” You continue to inspire me as a powerful and outspoken woman ARTIST!

4.5 ★I loved this book for many reasons, including the characters, the plot, and the emotions of the characters. I've been reading Jodi Picoult since I was in college for my associate’s degree, and while there were some that I loved more than others, there hasn't been a single book of hers that I didn't enjoy reading. I've heard a lot about her recent book, By Any Other Name, and the title alone will make anyone curious enough to pick it up and check it out. I'm so glad I finally got the chance to read this book, and now that I've done so, I can see why so many people were talking about it and why it was nominated for favorite historical fiction in the Goodreads Choice Awards. This is unlike any other Picoult book I've read, and it had me up until 1:00 a.m. because I wanted to know what happened to all the characters, particularly Melina and Emilia.I liked how it was done in two timelines and from the perspectives of Melina and Emilia; I thought it brought the story to life more. I liked how the play's writing intertwined Melina and Emilia's experiences and how the two timelines related to each other. I liked reading about Emilia and Melina because, despite their own perceptions, they were both strong and inspirational women. Nevertheless, I found Emilia's story to be more engaging to read; I sensed that more was happening in hers. I was impressed by Emilia's determination; she never gave up and continued to write despite everything that was going on in her life. A part of me wondered if the real 'author' would be uncovered; I didn't think it was fair that she wasn't receiving credit for all her writing. Throughout the novel, I was rooting for her happy ending. I was cheering for Melina to get her play produced because I had a sense there would be problems if a real writer was discovered.I studied and read William Shakespeare's plays in high school. Never did it occur to me that he was not the author. That surprised me, and it motivated me to conduct my own research on the topic. Picoult's novel, By Any Other Name , reflects her deep research. It's one of the reasons I adore her books. However, I believe the book was a little too long, and some portions dragged on and were difficult to get into. Despite that, the book was difficult to put down. This is the novel that will make you think; a story that you will be unable to forget. Following this book, I'm eager to see what Jodi Picoult has in store for us next!

This is my favorite book of 2025 — Jodi Picoult does it again!By Any Other Name dives deep into themes of equity, especially in the world of theater, and even explores the idea that Shakespeare might not have written all of his own work. As always, the story is incredibly well-researched, beautifully written, and thought-provoking.The only thing I didn’t like about this book was when it ended — I didn’t want to leave the characters or the world Picoult created. Absolutely recommend!

Made me wonder if Shake-speare really existed! Well done, JCO! I am so happy I was introduced to you in my college years in the 60’s. You have never failed to intrigue and enliven me with your creative spirit. This historical masterpiece is your best yet. I am so pleased for you that you were able to validate your fictional renderings after seeing and more sleuthing of the actual miniature portraits of Emilia and Southampton.