A new book supporting the theory that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the real author of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets has just been released in Germany to critical acclaim.

The Telegraph has reported that Kurt Kreiler's new book, The Man Who Invented Shakespeare, has "uncovered the most conclusive evidence to date that the works of William Shakespeare were in fact written by Edward de Vere." If this is true - if Kreiler has actually managed to uncover new evidence - then I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

Certainly, De Vere is the strongest candidate in the Shakespeare authorship debate, but I suspect that Kreiler will only add to the mounting circumstantial evidence - compelling as it is, it does not prove a link.

Unfortunately, I can't read German, so I'll have to wait until the English translation becomes available next year. If we have any German-speaking readers who have been reading Kreiler's book, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

This week, the Shakespeare Quartos Archive has lined up a real treat for Shakespeare enthusiasts. They have collated all 32 surviving quarto editions of Hamlet in a free online archive.

This new venture enables you to compare Hamlet online and annotate high-quality page reproductions without the need to source copies from the greatest libraries around the world.

I think that this venture, led by the Bodleian Library in Oxford and the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, is a fantastic new resource in the arsenal of Shakespeare scholarship. Access to original manuscripts is often perceived as near impossible - that barrier has now been removed.

I hope that the accessibility that this new project affords will inspire a new generation of Shakespeare scholars and inspire new studies of Hamlet.

Photo © British Library

When a big-name Hollywood celebrity returns to the stage, it's always a risk. Jude Law has taken the biggest risk by playing Shakespeare's most complex and multi-faceted character, Hamlet.

Well, it seems that Jude Law's risk has paid off with the production becoming an official Broadway hit. Last week, it was revealed that his $2.5 million production of Hamlet is in profit after less than a three-month run at the Broadhurst Theater in New York.

I think that high-profile productions like this are important because they connect with new audiences like never before. Already, Jude Law has attracted hundreds of young audience members and exposed them to Shakespeare for the first time.

Also, it's heart-warming to see Shakespeare become a huge commercial success on Broadway.

The production runs until 6 December 2009 - Have you seen it? Do you rate Jude Law's Hamlet? Share your reviews here for other theater goers.

Photo © Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images

Last week, the UK government barred state schools from offering a new IGCSE qualification because it would allow students to opt out of studying Shakespeare.

I think that the very idea that an entire generation of students could leave school without being exposed to Shakespeare at all is terrifying. The study of Shakespeare forges a link with our culture, our history, our heritage and our language - factors that will give the adults of tomorrow a solid grounding in life.

The importance of Shakespeare in our schools was expressed perfectly by Jacqui O'Hanlon, director of education at the Royal Shakespeare Company, in her letter to the Guardian this weekend:

There is a reason why Shakespeare is the only compulsory writer on the secondary English curriculum ... we know that when students engage actively with the plays, when they are up on their feet saying the words and making choices about character motivation and setting, they are also exploring living dilemmas about democracy, leadership, family loyalty, love and power. They increase their confidence, self-esteem and communication skills in the process.

Can we really study the English language without Shakespeare? I think not because his writing provides the essential context to our modern language and his influence pervades our every word.

Let's keep our children exposed to Shakespeare.

Photo © NYPL Digital Gallery