Your book THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB follows the turbulent teen years of Karl Stern, a Jewish boy caught in the grip of doubts about himself, his family and his future in 1930s Germany. Where did you start when creating such an authentic character like Karl? Was he a little bit of you, friends, family? And how did you let the character grow?
First and foremost, I’m very flattered that you found the character authentic. There are certainly elements of Karl that are very directly connected to my life experience. Like Karl, I aspired to be a cartoonist and drew my own comic strips and caricatures. I also had somewhat ambiguous feelings about being labeled a “Jew” in school. I just wanted to be perceived as a normal assimilated kid. I also have a very close relationship with my sister, which in some ways forms the basis for the Karl/Hildy relationship.
I did a lot of research and spoke to people who grew up in Berlin in the 1930s, who were very helpful in giving me background on what German Jewish boys thought, felt, and did. One of the most shocking elements of the research was coming to the realization that in the beginning many of the Jewish boys admired Hitler and envied their friends who were able to join the Hitler Youth.
Yet, all of that said, I always find that characters take on a life of their own. Karl acts in ways that I never could’ve foreseen when I set out to write the book. As the character evolved, he became more dimensional and real to me and started making his own decisions.
When hearing about THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB, the integral story of German boxing legend Max Schmeling intrigued us. How much did you know about Schmeling before writing the novel? And how do you think history has treated Schmeling?
I was inspired to write the book after producing a story about the Louis/Schmeling fights for a show on the History Channel called This Week in History (I wrote and produced for the History Channel for several years). I became really interested in Schmeling and how different his image was from the reality of the man. The fact that he was an urbane, art lover, whose manager was Jewish and had lots of Jewish friends totally shocked me. Perceptions of historical figures tend to be very black and white, so I think most people assume he was a full blown Nazi. When, in fact, he never even joined the party. Yet, I don’t think people should walk away from my book thinking he was a hero on the level of Oskar Schindler. He was a very complicated man in an extraordinary situation, which is what drew me to him.
THE BERLIN BOXING CLUB hits many of the things that trouble boys transitioning to manhood. Tidal wave of interest in girls mixed with yearning for the freedoms of boyhood, coupled with questioning their physical strength and their capacity for self determination. These are timeless issues for young men, do you hope this book will find its way into teens today and inform them of life’s timeless tumult.
Absolutely. One of the reasons I’m drawn to historical subject matter is that it reminds me of how the same themes resonate through time. How a boy becomes a man. First love. Navigating complicated relationships with your parents and siblings. Finding courage and strength in the face of adversity. These are issues that Karl deals with that are universal and timeless.
What is your next project?
I always work on several projects simultaneously. Two in particular are on the front burner. The first is another work of historical fiction set at the turn of the last century about an immigrant teen girl and her experiences in gaslight New York City. The other is a contemporary story that I’ve mapped out in my head as a trilogy. Although set in modern times, that one has a intentionally Dickensian flavor, as it’s the story of an orphan who slowly uncovers the shocking truths of his origins which lead him into a extraordinary and dangerous world.
What are you reading now?
I was blown away by City of Thieves by David Benioff. And I laughed out loud reading This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper. I’m also loving the Japanese graphic novel series Oishinbo by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki, which is an epic exploration of Japanese food culture told through the adventures of a newspaper reporter trying to compile the “Ultimate Menu.” It sounds bizarre and obscure, but it isn’t. The characters are great and the stories are very compelling. It’s kind of like a Manga version of Iron Chef.
I’m originally from Lexington, Mass, and I’m a die hard Red Sox fan. So I always recommend David Halberstam’s The Teammates about the lifelong friendship between Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky, and Dom DiMaggio. Go Sox!
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