The Monument presents a new discovery about the form and content of "Shake-Speares Sonnets" of 1609. The book offers a new edition of the 154 verses to demonstrate that Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford constructed a "monument" to preserve "the living record" of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton as the rightful successor by blood to Queen Elizabeth I of England. In the exact center of the elegant monument is a 100-sonnet diary from the Essex Rebellion of 1601 to the Queen's death and funeral in 1603, when the Tudor dynasty ended. This breakthrough edition shows why Oxford was forced to sacrifice his own identity to save the life of Southampton, his unacknowledged royal son, and secure the promise of his release from the Tower of London with a royal pardon. Here is the "smoking gun" of the Shakespeare authorship mystery, preserved in the Sonnets of Shakespeare.
“Monument” is the correct word in the title of this book. It not only describes the monumental work of Edward de Vere to enshrine and commemorate his son, Henry Wriothesley, the 3rd Earl of Southampton. It is also monumental work of research by the author, Hank Whittemore, into the background and meaning of the so-called “Shakespeare Sonnet’s.” Anyone who wants to understand the Shakespeare authorship controversy behind the Shakespeare plays needs to read The Monument for solid foundation on the Edward de Vere side of that argument. The evidence is overwhelming. It’s hard to read The Monument and not be convinced.
I understand why this ponderous tome was listed as being a "reference edition." It was set up like a reference work. The introductory material was fairly readable, but then each of the sonnets was flogged and cited and freighted with meaning and facts and allusions and references. I wish I could've put more effort into following and absorbing the argument, but I'm not in such a place right now. In any case, what I did manage to take away from it was a respect for the author's diligence in formulating and supporting his thesis.