William Odom studied at the Freie niversit t Berlin, entering the university in 1961 as construction on the Wall was beginning. He holds a Ph.D. in German from Tulane University. He is the author of German for Singers and translator of JAZZ: A Photo History by Joachim-Ernst Berendt, H rspiel: A Collection of Contemporary German Radio Plays, and Tomorrow We'll Be in Switzerland: Saving the Children of La Hille by Klaus Ihlau. He has been a professor of German for over forty years.