Quick Update

I will give you a quick update. Thanks to God, my health has improved and I can work almost as much as I did before my second heart attack. However, I have decided to focus on finishing the new book on mercantilism. This also meant giving my sister Beate time to edit and summarize it (see her report below). There is still work to be done before publication, but we are in the final phase. The German version of the book will be published in about a month, and the English translation will be released in about two to two and a half months. Following the publication of the original books, the respective abridged versions will be published. In contrast to the original books, they will be written in a popular style and will not include footnotes or a bibliography. All of the books will have an extensive index.

Once the books will have been published, I will resume writing "Court Jester" posts.

Warm greetings,

Dr. Martin Erdmann

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Today, I would like to share some insights with you about my collaboration with Dr. Martin Erdmann on our current book project, Die Gier nach Gold und Ruhm (The Greed for Gold and Glory). As both a journalist and a theologian, I am pleased to contribute to this project. I am learning a great deal. I have finished editing the manuscript. I recommended that Martin write an afterword. When he sent me a 24-page draft, however, it was too long. At my suggestion, he expanded it into a seventh chapter. I consider the seventh chapter to be the highlight of the entire book.

My job is to create headings and subheadings, proofread the text—Martin dictates it into the computer, so sometimes a word is misunderstood—and ensure proper grammar and punctuation. For instance, I correct the use of subjunctive I instead of subjunctive II in quotations. If I don't understand something, I ask Martin about it. Occasionally, I research something online and suggest he add an explanatory footnote. Sometimes, I also notice repetitions. The finished book will be 500 pages long, including the bibliography and index. To help those who are not accustomed to reading such books, I am currently compiling a summary of each chapter that includes a key phrase, brief description, and assessment. I'm aiming for 150 pages. Martin wrote the book in both German and English. A friend of his in the U.S. is currently editing the English version. Another friend designed the cover.

Dear friends, your prayers, donations, and encouragement strengthen us, as expressed in 1 Thessalonians. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Despite all the joy, the work requires a high level of concentration.

Warm greetings!

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 says, "We always thank God for all of you when we mention you in our prayers. We remember your work of faith, your labor of love, and your steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father."