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, where I enjoyed living in this melting pot of diverse cultures.
An alumni from Brooklyn College with a Bachelors of Science Degree, with minors in Sociology and Greek Classical Literature. This was followed by a graduate degree from Georgetown University and a California Teaching Degree from Alliant International University.
I’ve long had a curiosity for history and world affairs – In order to better understand the inner workings of current events, for many years I’ve been a member and am now a Board Member of the San Diego World Affairs Council. This is 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.
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 have shaped our world.
This love of books went further, guiding me to become the proprietor of antiquarian and out-of-print bookstores. It was through these establishments way back in 1999, that I unexpectedly acquired the fascinating personal papers and official documents 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NEVER had I seen anything like the Mashbir collection: Those one-of-a-kind, primary source historical documents made me feel like an investigative reporter, as I researched the secrets hidden within.
The following twenty-plus years have led to the creation of the historical novel The Emperor and the Spy, followed by an illustrated biography on Prince Tokugawa Iesato, a leading Japanese international statesman and humanitarian. This biography comes in two versions: The Art of Diplomacy (Print and Kindle EBook) and also with the former title of The Art of Peace (a digital EBook). These books present a significant new perspective on US / Japan relations during the first half of the twentieth century, which continues to strongly influence international relations today.
This website offers blog posts and related archival materials with many rare photos and documents which give further insights into an exciting and often tumultuous period of history.
I hope you enjoy this window to the past!
Best regards,
Stan