Such a great book

Since purchasing, I have played this book many times at night or when pottering around the house. It is really interesting and the reader brings you into the story in a subtle and calm manner that really works for me. I found this book after hearing Shirers book on the Third Reich. The writing is superb again. If you like real history described by someone who lived through it don't miss out on this book.

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An Insight into Reporting from war-time Berlin

This is an excellent book. it gives a great insight of the difficulties of reporting from Germany and in particularly Berlin. in the run up and the early part of the war. The tight-rope of operating under ever-increasing government interference is clearly shown. The challenges of delivering accurate in-partial news and the lengths journalists went to to do it.

it would be interesting to know if there is a British journalists diary from Germany in the same period or a German journalist reporting from London just prior to the out-break of war.

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First hand history

Shirer gives a unique and compelling account of his experience of Germany before and during the start of WW2. A justly famous book and very well read.

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Excellent timeline of WW2

Superb book that gives the account of an American journalist that keeps a diary of his time in Germany up to 1942. fantastic listen as does not state well known facts as he is not aware of NAZI atrocities when published. very addictive listen.

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Exhilarating and informative

An amazing journey through a time we rarely hear about. A completely new perspective on the war and the litany of errors made before it even started.

Excellent content and well read.

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2 people found this helpful

Review

Really interesting to hear things from a different vantage point. Well worth listening 2 his story

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Unique and clear sighted view of Nazi Germany

With the exception of In The Garden of the Beasts you will not find a better account of Germany during the first 8 years of its existence.

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Stunning and beautifully read

I had read bits of the book years ago but I had forgotten how compelling it was. Shirer's day-by-day picture of life under the Nazis is uncannily accurate with the hindsight of history. He wrote beautifully although his growing loathing of the Nazis makes the later parts of the book more tirade than report -- loathing the Nazis was, of course, justified but I wish Shirer had tried harder to understand why otherwise-rational Germans didn't share his hatred. He often resorts to sweeping stereotypes about "the German character" and he fails to pursue insights on the Nazi use of class resentment and modern media. Still, worth every minute of listening and the reading adds extra resonance to every sentence.

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9 people found this helpful

A Fascinating Account of a Dark Time in History

Shrirer writes as only the men and women of a more literate and stylish age can, and in this personal account you get an eyewitness view of Europe’s spiral towards the Second World War and the first years of that conflict. Superbly narrated as well.

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Behind-the Scenes Bulletins from an Insightful Man

If you could sum up Berlin Diary in three words, what would they be?

A fascinating account of the acquisition of power by the Nazis, their use of propaganda, the acquiescence of the population-and indeed other governments-the momentum towards war and the brutally efficient execution of the early phases of that war by the German military. If I had to choose just three words to sum up the story, they would be evil, capitulation, hope. My three words to characterize the book would be humane, perceptive, life-affirming.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I particularly enjoyed the scene in which Shirer was approached by a Nazi censor wielding a transcript of a radio transmission made by one of Shirer's colleagues. After reading it and concluding that the correspondent's ironic tone had perhaps been slightly overdone, Shirer was preparing, nevertheless, to defend the script. "What's the matter with it?" he asked. He was astounded to hear the German praise the script and tell Shirer that it was the sort of broadcast that Shirer might someday make if he could only overcome his anti-Nazi prejudice!

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

When illusions of civilization are shattered, can hope survive?

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