About Henry Grinberg

Henry Grinberg was born and educated in England, where he spent World War II as a schoolboy in London, sometimes subjected to severe bombing by the Nazi enemy. Grateful that Britain was never occupied by the Germans, he is haunted by questions of what if? But, far from a pessimist, he has pursued a satisfying career as a college English professor, a psychoanalyst, is a passionate World War II buff, an ardent lover of classical music, and an amateur pianist.

VARIATIONS ON THE BEAST, written from the viewpoint of his corrupt protagonist, reflects his interest in music, the giant egos to be found there, and the contradictions that arise when moral corruption and genius exist in the same person. He wrestles with a question that has no good answer: how did the German nation, described as the most cultivated and highly educated on earth, turn out during the Hitler years to be the most bestial?

Grinberg holds a Ph.D. in medieval studies and has taught literature and writing at the City University of New York and Yeshiva University. He is married to poet and playwright Suzanne Noguere.