Based on the life of IBM founder Thomas J. Watson Sr., Watson is a dramatic play in which the true story of Nazi exploitation of IBM technology unfolds, shedding light on the world’s first personal information catastrophe: the systematic identification of Jews for extermination. In 1937, Watson became the first American to receive the Merit Cross, one of the highest honors Adolph Hitler ever bestowed on a non-German. Not until June 1940-and only after intense pressure from friends and Jewish leaders-did Watson return the medal. But why? Business reasons? Social pressures? Or was it genuinely an act of courage and conscience?
Author
The first thing you should know about bestselling author James Grippando is that he is no longer clueless—so says his wife, Tiffany, after “A James Grippando Novel” was a clue for #38 Across in the New York Times crossword puzzle. James is the winner of the Harper Lee Prize for legal fiction and a New York Times bestselling author of 28 novels of suspense, including the popular series featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. His latest, "The Big Lie" (HarperCollins 2020), is the sixteenth in the Swyteck series. His novels are enjoyed worldwide in 28 languages. As an adjunct professor he teaches "The Law & Lawyers in Modern Literature" at the University of Miami School of Law. He is also counsel at one of the nation’s leading law firms, where he specializes in entertainment and intellectual property law, representing clients who have won more than 40 Tony Awards. He lives in south Florida with his wife, three children, two cats and a golden retriever named Atlas who has no idea he’s a dog. Series: * Jack Swyteck
