Shakespeare, The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea

Perfection. This was exactly what I expected it to be. Judi is one of my favorites — as a person above all else (though I will miss her as M in the Bond films), and O’Hea gives her so much space to wax poetic about her life on stage (and screens) in a plethora of Shakespearean roles. Broken down by the plays and then the characters she’s portrayed, this oral history was an absolute delight. Her insight into the characters, the plays themselves, the process of how to best embody the roles, and her experiences on and off the stage throughout her career — all while keeping her marvelous voice intact — made for one of my favorite books this year.

I don’t think you need to be a Shakespeare enthusiast or well-versed in his works because Judi doesn’t hesitate to translate every nuance, understanding, and motivation of the characters. Grab this book for the storytelling soon-to-be nonagenarian and walk away with new and relatable insights into the works of 450+ year old bard and playwright.

One thing I really liked about it was how grounded it helped Shakespeare stay in my mind as a playwright rather than as this huge historical figure who has works of prose and verse that have lasted through centuries.

Also, a great pairing with this would be the 2018 British documentary film that features Judi with three other Dames, Maggie, Eileen, and Joan, as they banter and chat about their careers with each other. I still pull quotes from this one — one of which is used in the book when Judi laments about not wanting to be patronized as she gets older.

“That’s what a paramedic once said to me: ‘Do we have a carer?’ I wanted to say: ‘I’ve just done eight f—ing weeks at the Garrick.’”