Russell Martin interview

Russell Martin discusses his book, “Beethoven’s Hair.” He begins by explaining how his book is a non-fiction account that follows how a lock of 18th century composer Ludwig Van Beethoven’s hair ended up where it is today. Dr. Alfredo Guevara and Ira Brilliant were two men who decided to pool their money together to bid $7,300 at a Sotheby’s auction to buy the lock of hair. Martin talks about a young composer named Ferdinand Hiller who cut the hair from Beethoven’s body two days after the famous composer died. The lock of hair was passed down for generations until it somehow ended up at auction. He also talks about how recent DNA specialists have studied the hair and found it to contain almost 100 times the normal amount of lead. Martin ends the interview by discussing how lead poisoning was the probable cause of Beethoven’s death and contributed to his long line of health problems and deafness.