What is the author's perspective in the biography, Will in the World?

In general terms, the point of view of this book is that of a scientist testing and proving a particular thesis. In this case, the thesis is that the work of William Shakespeare deeply connected to the playwrights' experiences of life. The book appears to have been written from a singular, some might say obsessive, point of view - that of an academic yet imaginative researcher with a sometimes critical, more often adoring, passion for Shakespeare's work. There is definite enthusiasm in this point of view, not to mention evidence of painstaking research and deep thought - this "scientist" has definitely done his homework. There is also the very strong sense that the author has both written and researched from an insistent conviction that his theory is correct, that in spite of offering frequent reminders that what is being presented is hypothetical, he firmly believes that the course of events he describes must have been the way things were. This is not to suggest an over-compensation for implausible theories - on the contrary, his theories are presented with such compelling evidence that they do in fact seem quite likely to be actual fact. But there is the sense that in his enthusiasm to draw connections between the actual and the created, a degree of diminishment of Shakespeare's imaginative accomplishment begins to creep in. The author is far too much of an enthusiast for Shakespeare's work for it to be allowed to creep in too far - in fact, he takes pains to point out that the accomplishment of transmuting the everyday into theatrical magic is even greater than the accomplishment of merely creating. But the fact remains that magic, once explained, becomes just a little less magical. It could be argued that the author's argument is that Shakespeare's illusions are all the more powerful because they're grounded in reality. Perhaps this is true - but the magic of Shakespeare lies ultimately in the wonder, transcendence and universality of what, and who, he created. Explanations of why and how he created become, in some ways, a disservice to a great writer.