Killing Hitler, a novel by Gerald Williams
Killing Hitler is a fictionalized account of an early attempt to assassinate Hitler, by Gerald Williams, who died last summer (2020). The book is beautifully typeset and bound by Michael Coughlin, owner of Letterpress Book Publishing. I was pleased to be associated with the project as a proofreader.
In Mike’s words:
At Robert Roth’s suggestion, I am sending you information about Killing Hitler, a new book written by Gerald Williams. Jerry was a long-time, mostly long-distance friend of mine. I met him in New York City and that encounter sparked our continued mail and then email correspondence, interspersed by occasional phone calls. Over the years we collaborated on another short book (also about Johann George Elser) and two pamphlets.
Our discussions often focused on our writing projects and I was forever intrigued by the breadth of his interests. After together publishing Blowing Up Hitler: A Life of Johann Georg Elser, Would-Be Assassin, he told me that he was working on a novel about Elser and was putting out feelers to create a movie script. I was intrigued by his project and encourage him in his work. But as the years passed, he grew discouraged with the lack of interest he experienced. During the last year of his life, our discussions focused increasingly on his pancreatic cancer and the treatment he was enduring. He always was positive about the life he had lived and reassured me he was ready to die. So I again inquired about his Elser novel, only to be told he had given up on getting it published. I had hoped his book would be picked up by a major publisher, but it was obvious it would vanish with him when cancer claimed him. So, I asked if he would consider letting me publish it.
He immediately accepted my offer and sent an electronic version of his manuscript. Together we worked on editing it (mostly minor changes) and as we corresponded, his enthusiasm seemed to mushroom. Then his computer went silent. Weeks passed and I grew concerned, but I knew he went through spells where the cancer made his days uncomfortable. Then, I received Robert Roth’s call—Jerry had died.
Robert knew how much the book meant to Jerry and he encouraged me to continue working on it. At that point, Robert Perron volunteered to help finish the editing and, together, we completed it. My only regret is that Jerry never lived to hold it in his hands.
I welcome you to check out Jerry’s marvelous novel. I believe you will enjoy the story of a young, obscure German man who came so close to changing the course of human history.
