Captured by history : one man's vision of our tumultuous century

This is a personal story of a hugely inquisitive man who became a historian not by accident or design, but by fate. John Toland's unorthodox approach to history came from his early desire to be a playwright. He found that he saw history as a play, with narrative structure and drama, not as a dry series of dates and names. Few historians have interviewed as many men and women who helped shape the most momentous events of our century. Here, for the first time, he reveals how he found these key players and how he persuaded them to talk to him. From disgraced Japanese generals to the German doctor who nearly succeeded in assassinating Hitler, Toland's sources are remarkable for what they reveal about their subjects. It was Toland's ability to listen, more than anything else, that persuaded those he interviewed to divulge secrets and stories they would tell no one else.--From publisher description. 1st ed. xiv, 415 pages ; 25 cm