Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
- A History of Nazi Germany
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 57 hrs and 11 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Buy Now for £29.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Editor reviews
Summary
Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the twentieth century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.
Now, years after the end of World War II, it may seem incredible that our most valued institutions, and way of life, were threatened by the menace that Hitler and the Third Reich represented. Shirer’s description of events and the cast of characters who played such pivotal roles in defining the course Europe was to take is unforgettable.
Benefiting from his many years as a reporter, and thus a personal observer of the rise of Nazi Germany, and availing himself of some of the 485 tons of documents from the German Foreign Office, as well as countless other diaries, phone transcriptions, and other written records meticulously kept at every level by the Germans, Shirer has put together a brutally objective account of how Hitler wrested political control of Germany, and planned and executed his six-year quest to dominate the world, only to see Germany go down in flames.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is a vast, richly rewarding experience for anyone who wants to come to grips with the mysterious question of how this menace to civilization ever came into being, much less was sustained for as long as it was. The answer, unfortunately, is that most of Germany, for a whole host of reasons, embraced Nazism and the fanaticism that Hitler engendered.
Critic reviews
More from the same
What listeners say about The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Peter
- 08-03-11
great book!
absolutely recommending this book. great book with plenty of answers why?when?how? about the 2nd world war... and great narrator!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Paul Billington
- 21-05-14
Cute and pointless. Hobby writer.
What would have made The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich better?
Having read just the preface, I think I am in for a hurrah for US of A book. Why? Because it start by referring to Chamberlain's appeasement in Münich as a surrender. Any competent historian would realise that there can no surrender before war is declared, and Britain was the first nation to declare war on Germany, without first being attacked. It is as a fact that the USA only reluctantly aligned with the Allies, halfway through the war, which left the UK and France heavy in debt to the USA and the USA benefitting from the war premium.
What was most disappointing about William L. Shirer’s story?
Baias and pointless personality digging which many historical figures would not stand up to.
Would you be willing to try another one of Grover Gardner’s performances?
I doubt very much.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
Poetic and clear prose.
Any additional comments?
This should be listed under amateur historian, so as to clearly separate it from real historians like Simon Schama,
I would suggest those who like David John Cawdell Irving works might also like William L. Shirer's work.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Val Pope
- 16-05-11
Very, very long.
Oh, dear. I really wanted to listen to this, having read some very glowing reviews but I'm afraid I gave up before the invasion of Poland. I just couldn't face any more of the horror of a thoroughly evil man and his megalomaniac rise to power. Sorry, but it's for serious history buffs and I'm not one of them.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- graeme s.
- 01-09-21
Disgraceful homophobic references
A sound book undermined by the author’s unnecessary bigotry. Cut the foul bigoted comments and report on the facts.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Michael Bushnell
- 29-08-22
Biased
Coloured with the author’s personal bias from the get go. And skips over important historical facts. Amateurish.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
- David
- 03-10-11
Very interesting but
A very interesting view on history, some of which was very informative. I did struggle with some of the author’s comments however around sexuality where he at least appeared to miss the point of the Nazi’s bigotry and hatred.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Eva
- 21-03-11
pronunciation please!
The book itself is great. I really enjoyed the details of some communications and the deserving amount of detail in what led to WWII as well as needed background on many other facts. The narration is good except for one very important thing. That being the really bad pronunciations of many names, places and German words. Forgiving the last bit, I have to admit that in part where I heard G?bbels mispronounced again and again (I did not count, but the name must have been mentioned at least hundred times) I did growl louder and louder and twitched every time it came up, I could come up with another 10 without thinking too hard. So 5 stars for book itself, 3 for narration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Lucy
- 29-05-20
Dated History
I'd be wary before listening to this. Often the writer's personal views are portrayed as fact. In particular his views on homosexuality as a 'perversion' (which he states multiple times) make for difficult listening. If you want a book on the Third Reich Ian Kershaw's 'Hitler' (also available on Audible is much more recent and a far less dry read).
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Peer Nelz
- 18-09-15
Insulting, Incorrect, Ignorant
What would have made The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich better?
This is not a history book. It is a subjective story from the authors perspective!
Would you be willing to try another one of Grover Gardner’s performances?
The Performance is gripping.
Any additional comments?
This book is not to be taken serious but its a good story... . Its not an objective account of history.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- julien
- 22-07-17
history by the victors
i was looking for a detailed explaination of why did the third reich work, from a german point of view, what did the germans found in it that was so overwhelmingly appealing.
Well, apparently, according to the author, Hitler was only a demonic, lying madman, the nazi party top official were all without exception, ignorant, vain, conceited gangsters, and the german people where gullible puppets.
somehow, i think there might have been a little bit more to it, but you won't find it in this book.
what you will find in this book however is a very thorought, detailed rendition of the sequence of events that were the rise and fall of the third reich. still enjoyable and very informative, if somewhat marred by its frenetic revultion at mentioning anything positive about hitler or the nazis, which while understandable, is risky, as we are condemned to repeat history if we dont actually understand it...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful