Sunday book event includes lecture on military cuisine

A reception, lecture and book signing in honor of Agostino von Hassell, author of Military High Life, will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 1, at The Country Inn.

The new book tells the story of the unique culinary journey of the world's military forces through history. The event is sponsored by the Written Word and Bath Bookworks of Berkeley Springs.

Von Hassell is the husband of Berkeley Springs native Elizabeth Harmison.

Born in 1953 as Christian Augustin, he grew up in Rome (where he was called Agostino); Brussels, Belgium, and Bonn, West Germany. His father, a diplomat for the new Germany, retired in New York City after serving as German ambassador to the United Nations.

Receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and a graduate degree from the Columbia School of Journalism, von Hassell began a career as a photojournalist. He has worked for various new services and publications, including Reuters, Newsweek, Boston Globe, The Charlotte Observer, Paris Match, Interview (Spain), Gemte (Italy), and West German television. He heads a consulting group in New York engaged in national security issues and trade problems.

His recent book Alliance of Enemies tells the story of the World War II relationship between Nazi Germany's espionage service, the Abwehr and the American OSS, predecessor of the CIA.

Warriors: The United States Marines was the first of his two illustrated books on the U.S. Marine Corps. He is a life member of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Assoc.

A portion of the proceeds of his books is given to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation for the education of children of U.S. soldiers killed in action.

He makes his home in New York City and Virginia.