This is an excellent biography. Ackroyd says he wrote this book, not as an expert. The end result is a very readable cradle to grave narrative. Be warned that readers looking for a discussion about whether Shakespeare is the writer of all the plays attributed to him should look for a different book.
Each chapter is about 3 to 4 pages. This makes for easy reading. Rereading this book for my trip to Stratford upon Avon in Aug 2019, I find this by a mile one of the easiest to read and yet comprehensive life. I highly recommend this book.