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Berlin Diary
- The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934–1941
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
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Summary
By the acclaimed journalist and New York Times best-selling author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, this day-by-day eyewitness account of the momentous events leading up to World War II in Europe is the private, personal, utterly revealing journal of a great foreign correspondent.
CBS radio broadcaster William L. Shirer was virtually unknown in 1940 when he decided there might be a book in the diary he had kept in Europe during the 1930s—specifically those sections dealing with the collapse of the European democracies and the rise of Nazi Germany.
Shirer was the only Western correspondent in Vienna on March 11, 1938, when the German troops marched in and took over Austria, and he alone reported the surrender by France to Germany on June 22, 1940, even before the Germans reported it. The whole time, Shirer kept a record of events, many of which could not be publicly reported because of censorship by the Germans. In December 1940, Shirer learned that the Germans were building a case against him for espionage, an offense punishable by death. Fortunately, Shirer escaped and was able to take most of his diary with him.
Berlin Diary first appeared in 1941, and the timing was perfect. The energy, the passion, and the electricity in it were palpable. The book was an instant success, and it became the frame of reference against which thoughtful Americans judged the rush of events in Europe. It exactly matched journalist to event: the right reporter in the right place at the right time. It stood, and still stands, as so few books have ever done, a pure act of journalistic witness.
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Overall
- Mark
- 23-11-11
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
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Overall
- R. Fowler
- 29-12-11
Unique and fascinating
This story is best listen to with a good Knowledge of the events. As a diary the author of course does not know what will happen next so some of the accounts are based purely on his own interpretation of the situation and was some times incorrect. This is not a criticism as it actually shows how isolated the German population where from events outside there own country much like North Korea today. Every book written about World War 2 is started by an author who knows the outcome so this is a unique account in every way. Don’t expect a traditional structure to this book and you'll be fine. There is a lot of everyday detail in this account that does not appear in the Rise and Fall. A great listen.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Ms
- 15-11-13
Excellent listen
What made the experience of listening to Berlin Diary the most enjoyable?
I had the book on my reading wish list, and when I saw it was available on audible I took a chance. It was wonderful, and as I do most of my listening on the bus to and from work, the 'bite sized' chunks that a diary affords, made it perfect for my commute.
What did you like best about this story?
Historically it is fascinating to hear what someone living in Berlin at the time thought - I had read that it didn't really address the issue of anti-semitism and genocide; but I felt that it did. Maybe not to the detail that we now know, but it was made clear that journalists were not being given all the information they required.
Have you listened to any of Tom Weiner’s other performances? How does this one compare?
I haven't listened to any of Tom Weiner's other performances but I most certainly will now.
Any additional comments?
I only wish that William Shriver had stayed longer in Berlin - although he of course didn't want to!
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4 people found this helpful
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- woodwild
- 26-09-13
Fascinating, human and insightful
If you could sum up Berlin Diary in three words, what would they be?
A MUST READ
Which scene did you most enjoy?
The author is actually shoved aside by Hitler who has a “feminine, dainty walk”
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
yes
Any additional comments?
Despite its title the first third of this book deals with Prague and the shabby sellout of Czechoslovakia by Europe and Britain. A fascinating human focused insight into terrible times-
Geneva March 14th - “Slovakia has declared its independence, there goes the remains of Czechoslovakia, I should go to Prague but I haven’t the heart, am I growing to softhearted to sentimental to be a good reporter? I don’t mind the killings the bloodshed…but Prague, I can’t face it.”
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Francis
- 04-11-12
Great insight into 1930s/40s Germany
Well worth listening to for anyone interested in the second world war. I liked the fact that it was written at the time, so without the benefit of hindsight - and William Shirer got a lot of things right about how countries would fall to the Nazis. He also showed how the German tactics were the same, country by country, which I hadn't known before.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Brian
- 06-09-11
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
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- C. Hart
- 21-02-23
A historic piece of writing.
In an era when journalism and the writing of history has descended into a quagmire of crude, tribal mediocrity and the celebritising of everything (Ben Macintyre for example), there existed a time of journalism that had gravitas and courage. Shirer’s work stands above today’s dross because of that courage and integrity. Every journalist should be made to read this.
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- stewart
- 06-12-22
Review
Really interesting to hear things from a different vantage point. Well worth listening 2 his story
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- Battleton
- 04-09-22
Excellent narration and great writing
Shirer’s contemporary diary writing was spot on. A great first draft of history which clearly evidences his credentials to later write the famous Rise and Fall. This book deserves to be better known.
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- Saintandy
- 11-06-22
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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