Thanks for visiting – This website presents rare photos and fascinating history linked to US international relations with an emphasis on U.S. Japan engagement during the first half of the Twentieth Century.
My interest in world affairs is linked to being the first born American son of European immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island, after having survived World War II. My family settled in the lower East Side of New York City, an exciting melting pot of diverse cultures.
I’m an alumni of Brooklyn College with a Bachelors of Science Degree, with minors in Sociology and Greek Classical Literature. Followed by a DDS Degree from Georgetown University School of Dentistry. And then a California Teaching Degree from Alliant International University.
To better understand the inner workings of current events, for many years I’ve been a member or Board Member of the San Diego World Affairs Council, a local chapter of the World Affairs Councils of America, our nation’s largest non-profit, non-partisan, political affairs/educational organization. Through this fine educational forum, I’ve attended many fascinating presentations and met ambassadors, consul generals, and other political, economic, academic, and military representatives from around the globe. I have also given presentations through this organization.
Other interests include hiking in nature, bicycling, pocket billiards, founded an active table tennis club for my community, do a fair amount of volunteering utilizing my health background, and promoting environmental causes.
My passion for reading has included historical sagas by James Michener and James Clavell, and war and espionage novels by John LeCarre, W.E.B. Griffin, and Ian Fleming, as well as assorted biographies and autobiographies of individuals who shaped our world. This love of books guided me to become the owner of antiquarian and out-of-print bookstores. It was through these establishments that I serendipitously acquired the fascinating personal library and official documents and photo collection of a master spy, Colonel Sidney Forrester Mashbir. NEVER had I seen anything like the Mashbir collection: Those one-of-a-kind, primary source historical documents made me feel like an investigative reporter, as I researched the secrets hidden within. This unsung hero was bigger than life and deserved to be known about leading to the historical novel The Emperor and the Spy.
The Emperor and the Spy was followed by illustrated biographies on Prince Tokugawa Iesato, a leading Japanese international statesman and humanitarian who allied with Colonel Mashbir in the cause of peace. The Tokugawa biographies comes in two versions: The Art of Diplomacy (Print and Kindle EBook) and with the expanded Ebook version titled: The Art of Peace.
These books and this website offer an exotic journey to an fascinating and tumultuous period of history, highlighting outstanding individuals who supported peace, democracy, and fought racism. Offering a significant new perspective history that continues to strongly influence international relations today.
In 2023, based largely on historical research and writing, I was nominated for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award by the City of Oceanside, California and the North San Diego County NAACP.
Best regards,
Stan