I've been eyeball deep into research and uncovered a terrific new source: "Quest for Shakspeare" by Joseph Pearce. Published by Ignatius Press in San Franscisco, this book came out in 2008. I couldn't put it down, and if you love research, you'll find lots of interesting detail with referenced sources that address both the issue of proving Shakespeare's Catholicism and confronting detractors of the theory. More importantly, Pearce embeds his research with heartfelt insights into the motives and emotional responses to the historical events of this period. Shakespeare, Pearce points out, was a man of great intelligence who was sensitive to the plights of his fellow Englishmen, passionate in his beliefs and dedicated in his efforts to address the political injustices common throughout his life. This is a time that is too often sanitized by historians. Yet, we can't truly understand Shakespeare or his work without understanding his world. I'm still digesting much of this book. I've no doubt it will inform my continued study of Shakespeare and his immortal works.
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