David Schoen­baum, a pro­fes­sion­al his­to­ri­an, and life­long ama­teur vio­lin­ist, is the author of sev­en books and count­less essays. His wide-rang­ing inter­ests have led him to write exten­sive­ly about Ger­many and mod­ern Europe, the Mid­dle East, Jew­ish his­to­ry, and the his­to­ry of music. For­mer­ly a pro­fes­sor of his­to­ry at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Iowa, Schoen­baum has writ­ten for The New York Times, The Wash­ing­ton Post, and Econ­o­mist and now lives in Rockville, Maryland.