A modern-day actress finds herself transported back in history and into the arms of a passionate young bard in Erica Jong's sensuous spin on Shakespeare'sThe Merchant of VeniceA glamorous Hollywood film star, Jessica Pruitt fears the best days of her career are behind her. Arriving in Italy soon after losing custody of her young daughter, she hopes to forget her woes by serving as a judge at the Venice Film Festival and immersing herself in preparations for her starring role in a new cinematic take onThe Merchant of Venice. For the aging but still beautiful actress, this ancient, crumbling city of canals is the perfect escape, enchanting her withits history, its magic, and its mystery.Then one day, while strolling through the old Jewish quarter, she finds herself in a very different Veniceone that hasn't existed for five hundred yearsas the heroine of a new theatrical endeavor by an enigmatic young playwright named Will Shakespeare. Suddenly, impossibly, Jessica has found a new beginning, a new audienceand, in the arms of a genius fledgling bard, a love affair more stimulating, satisfying, and liberating than any she will ever know, even five centuries on.Originally published asSerenissima, Erica Jong'sShylock's Daughteris a magical tale set in a magical citya wonderfully imaginative and delightfully uninhibited love story that transcends time.This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erica Jong including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.