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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
- A History of Nazi Germany
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 57 hrs and 11 mins
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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.
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What listeners say about The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
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Overall
- Ico
- 01-01-12
Mesmerising
A truly staggering work. Downloaded this as i wasn't sure i'd be able to read it but thought i'd be able to listen to it. It's a huge volume of information to take in and given the amount of name and historical figures involved would surely take multiple listens to take it all in.
It is however truly fascinating and terrifying all in one. The narration is tole in a suitably sombre tone but still manages to bring it to life. This is the sort of work that should, along with tv such as the world at war, be mandatory for history classes. How the author managed to structure the book so well is amazing. It's such a wealth of information and I will likely listen to it again in the future.
Thoroughly recommended.
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- david
- 08-01-19
Fascinating!
I’m not particularly interested in history but I took a chance on this book and all 50+ hrs were riveting. It’s astonishing how an ideology can drive people to do such hideous crimes.
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- John M. Howitt
- 22-02-18
A very digestible overview of Hitler & 3rd Reich
If you could sum up The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in three words, what would they be?
A comprehensive introduction
Any additional comments?
Written both close to the actual events, by an author who was actually at some of the events and places in the history as they happened and not by a historian this is a very accessible overview of the Third Reich. Because it was written near the time it’s gets a number of things wrong or makes assumptions that later turn out to be false but does not detract from the story.It is also good because it passes over detailed analysis of people and events that later works cover therefore giving (in my opinion anyway) a clearer feel for events and timelines. Reading or listening to it thus makes it an interesting if horrifying at time view of the events.The reader also has a pleaseant listenable voice and amny time i thought it was Shirer himself reading.
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- Sean M
- 07-11-20
Odyssey
The hatred and horror. It’s incredible to think that Hitler could have won had he not made some poor decisions. What would the world be now? What would the world be if Hitler had been accepted to art school. It defies my ability to even imagine the horror behind the numbers and statistics of war casualties and casualties of a sick small minded man. An immense topic extremely well told. This history has to be told over and over and over and never forgotten.
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- Anonymous User
- 05-11-18
Utterly enthralling!
The author combines an immense wealth of resources to write a personal account of the rise and fall of the 3rd Reich. The reader blesses the text with a compelling charm that keeps the content gripping and honest without diminishing it's horror.
The book is exhaustive in its content and attention to detail. Be prepared to be shocked and disturbed by its dispassionate retelling of the macabre details of the latter half of the war. The quality of the writing is superb and never wanes.
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- Les910
- 11-03-17
Brilliant!!
What made the experience of listening to The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich the most enjoyable?
This is a fantastic audio book, never lost interest once. Brilliantly narrated too. Highly recommended!
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- Kdl
- 27-02-15
Remarkable account
I love to listen to long and detailed historical accounts. This is a fantastic piece of work that draws together the political and human events and the madness of a group of men that had lost all sense of reality that allowed the Third Reich to be born and its inevitable death. For anyone interested in history or with an ounce of curiosity of why Europe is shaped the way it is today, this book is a must. I listen to it over and over again and never get bored.
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- Bar Thom
- 17-04-17
Up to the forth part. Great Britain at war.
Would you listen to The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich again? Why?
In view of its length I would; after a year or so.
Who was your favorite character and why?
None in the book. The Narrator if he was allowed!
Which scene did you most enjoy?
There was no scene. The book itself was enthralling.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
The same as the title.
Any additional comments?
I find this way of commentating difficult to do for this book. It is a progressive account with no scenes. At least no scenes to pick out. There are places where Hitler is shown in his true colours, with lies and deceits. Also his infantile attitude. I found it explained Chamberlain's innocence of dealing with such a man. I have only listened to the first 4 'CD's' as it were, as it is such a long book and needs a lot of digesting. I look forward to listening again in a while.
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- TreeMunky
- 20-04-17
An amazing publication
A fantastic testament to a dark period in time. Grover Gardner's narration is excellent throughout.
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- Jonathon jones
- 20-11-16
Good first part
Good start to the series, there's a fair amount of politics, which, unless you are really into politics is hard to follow. Overall tho I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this part of history.
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