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The Book Has Arrived on my Doorstep

The first copies of Hitler’s Holy Relics have arrived on my doorstep. I’m excited—the book looks great. A day to celebrate. I’m especially looking forward to the reaction from my eighteen-year-old son Alexander when he discovers that I’ve dedicated the book to him. Like his older brother Nicholas, he has grown up in a literary family and tends to take the writing and publishing business for granted. That’s all they’ve ever seen me doing—toiling away behind a keyboard, and their aunt, author Katherine Kirkpatrick, included them in her dedication in her first book, Redcoats and Petticoats, published in 1999. Hitler’s Holy Relics, however, has engaged them personally. Alexander took time out from his junior year in high school to accompany my wife and me to Germany and Austria to do the research. Alexander was a loyal and helpful foot-soldier—exploring Nuremberg’s underground bunkers, joining us on interviews with Wehrmacht veterans, digging through archives, and spending a sleepless night in Heinrich Himmler’s castle in Wewelsburg. I’m proud to dedicate this book to Alexander, soon to be a freshman at Bard. And I’m equally proud that the author photo on the dust jacket was shot by his brother Nicholas, a college senior at Corcoran, who is interning at the Washington Post.

Audio Excerpt

Listen to an audio excerpt of the forthcoming Hitler's Holy Relics!

http://www.highbridgeaudio.com/hitlersholyrelics.html

Hitler's Holy Relics Release


I’m pleased to announce that it is only days away from the publication of my most recent book, Hitler’s Holy Relics, a True Story of Nazi Plunder and the Race to Recover the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, which will be released by Simon and Schuster on May 11, 2010.

In this, my latest true-crime thriller, readers can follow the footsteps of First Lieutenant Walter Horn, whom Generals Patton and Eisenhower pulled from the ranks of the U.S. Third Army and sent to Nuremberg, Germany on a mission to recover and secure the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, a collection of holy relics Hitler plundered from the Austrian treasury in March 1938. As knowledgeable readers will know, this priceless collection of ancient treasures include the Holy Lance or Spear of Destiny, the spear-point that Roman centurion Longinus was alleged to have used to pierce the side of Christ at the Crucifixion.

I’ve already posted background materials and an interview which describes how I came to write this book—my sixth—along with the first of five short mini-documentaries I’ve made on the subject. In this first mini-doc, compiled from motion-picture footage from the National Archives, in College Park, Maryland, is film which was shot by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1946 that has never before been broadcast or made available on the internet. The actual Army Corps of Engineers film can from which I retrieved this footage was rusted closed and sealed when I found it. I had to use my pen-knife to pry it open. The footage was in very poor shape; you’ll note the deterioration at the edges of the screen. It is, however, remarkable in just about every way.

In the days ahead I’ll be posting four other mini-docs with original movie footage on subjects I cover in the book—ranging from Heinrich Himmler’s secret bunker under Nuremberg Castle to his Wewelsburg castle fortress. I’ll also be giving lectures in various cities around the country, so keep an eye on my calendar to see my upcoming tour dates. I’ll be pleased to meet you in person and share with you details of what I’ve found in my research and how I found it.

Pre Order Hitler's Holy Relics HERE

Part 1: Hitler's Holy Relics Video