My First Novel Was Published
In 2021 I had my first novel published. “Before the Books Were Burned,” tells the story of Adolf Hitler’s rise, concluding with his becoming dictator of Germany. My interest was sparked by a desire to understand human evil. The worst people wrap their evil in a layer of charm, enabling them to seduce their victims. Hitler, a misanthropic failed artist became among the most effective of criminals, his legacy being World War Two in Europe, and the holocaust.
My novel delves into the question of what he was like on a personal level. In order to come to the conclusions that I came to, I did extensive research into what was known about his earlier life. I believe I found all that was available. What was remarkable wasn’t what I found about him but what I didn’t find. Although I have read very detailed accounts of the early lives of other notorious historical figures, there was very little on Hitler. There was information on his childhood as far as his family and where he lived and went to school but it left off at that. Not much about his adolescence and early adulthood except for his artistic endeavors. Why was this the case? The conclusion I came to was that his early life was intentionally kept secret. And I wrote my story with that in mind and what possibly could be the reason for this. My conclusions ticked off a number of boxes, while telling the story of his military life and rise to power.