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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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Berlin Diary
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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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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mrs m plank
- 11-09-18
Brilliant read Fascinating from start to finish
An insight into Germany during the Hitler years from a man who
saw it from the front seat.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Magnus H. Smith
- 03-04-17
firsthand account as it happened
captures perfectly the uncertainty of the future as the events of the second world war unfolds.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- J H
- 22-10-19
Awful narration
Great author.
I could not get past a few chapters with the Darth Vader voice which was a shame.
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