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  • The Germans and Europe

  • A Personal Frontline History
  • By: Peter Millar
  • Narrated by: Damian Lynch
  • Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (472 ratings)
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The Germans and Europe cover art

The Germans and Europe

By: Peter Millar
Narrated by: Damian Lynch
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Summary

Based on a lifetime living in and reporting on Germany and Central Europe, award-winning journalist and author Peter Millar tackles the fascinating and complex story of the people at the heart of our continent.

Focussing on nine cities (only six of which are in the Germany of today), he takes us on a zigzag ride back through time via the fall of the Berlin Wall through the horrors of two world wars and the patchwork states of the Middle Ages to the splendour of Charlemagne and the fall of Rome, with side swipes at everything on the way, from Henry VIII to the Spanish Empire.

Included are mini portraits of aspects of German culture, from sex and money to food and drink. Not just a book about Germany but about Europe as a whole and how we got where we are today - and where we might be tomorrow.

©2017 Peter Millar (P)2018 Audible, Ltd
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Germans and Europe

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Spoiled by unpleasant undercurrent

A bitter and intemperate anti-Brexit diatribe in its concluding chapter rather spoiled my enjoyment of this book, as did a gratuitous and unpleasant undercurrent of anti-British negativity.

The nadir of this is a bizarre claim that a prominent British figure, a decorated WW2 veteran and intellectual, was a Nazi sympathiser because he was also a German scholar!

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not great

Having read and loved Neil MacGregor's "Germany: Story of a Nation" a few years ago, I thought this would complement that nicely. However, it doesn't stack up.

As for the story, I was often unsure where it was going and what its point was. It always felt like the meaning of each chapter was around the corner, but it never quite got there. The chapter on food, which is surprisingly long, is borderline pointless.

The narration is also uninspiring, with the narrator sounding indifferent and bored overall. My previous listen was the effortlessly charismatic John Julius Norwich in his fantastic book "France: a History from Gail to De Gaulle", which maybe set the bar too high, however...

Overall, not great and not worth the money I spent on it.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Jo
  • 26-01-18

Superb Highly Recommended

This is a really good book. I knew of Peter Millar from his earlier book, The Berlin Wall: My Part in its Downfall. Here he takes his readers back to scenes from that book and goes on to explain many aspects of Germany's history and culture. His writing is clear, interesting and with a touch of humour. Damian Lynch reads well and with good pronunciation of German words.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The book that I’ve been looking for

An excellent and easily absorbed History of the Germans interspersed with fascinating anecdotes that both inform and entertain. It also forms a partial travelogue for the cities and areas that it features. An excellent starting point for anyone with an interest in European History who wants to form a broad picture of the History of the German speaking area.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Balanced, Light and Informative

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, as an introduction to the long sweep of German history, also its current attitudes and mores, it's very good.

What did you like best about this story?

The conversational style, filled with tangents that could be confusing in less capable hands, but always drew back carefully and concisely to the original point.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The chapter on Vienna gives the kind of potted, concise history of the Habsburg dynasty that many more sprawling efforts get lost in and consumed by.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The utter contrast between actual German attitudes to the country's place in Europe and the jaded, jingoistic perception by many in the UK. A sad gulf that doesn't look like being filled any time shortly.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommended and very enjoyable read.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great overview for anyone that wishes to understand the German.

This for me was revaluation of Germany it’s history and a great introduction to all the private thoughts than one has had but never gotten round to asking. I admit that I had never heard of Peter Miller but wow this guy has at talent for writing which I guess was recognised by Reuters, really enjoyed the delivery by Damian Lynch, one of those books that I wish I had read 30 years ago when I first started to travel for business throughout Germany and Europe, well worth reading, highly recommended.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Germany

There are very few books on German history. This is one of the few and has an intriguing way of doing so via the story of Germany's cities. However the issue with this is that it can feel a bit "jumpy" as a history rather than a chronological flow. But well worth it.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not what I expected

Funny one this.
I expected this to be packed with historical details of nation building , living space tussles with neighbours and racial aggressive outbursts. Instead it came across as a culinary book on German food and drink, but thin gruel on hard history. A lot of personal experiences. A very softly softly written guide to how the Germans are now all very nice and friendly and are doing their level best to not show any assertiveness as well as reluctance to give any signs of leadership.
The narrator did a good job.

This book is written by a journalist who worked and lived in Germany, definitely not a historian.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wunderbar!!

This perfectly very clever, pitched, beautifully written blend of Half History, Half Culture of the German Peoples via it's cities & regions was pure joy to listen to. I can't think a better book to use as a introduction to all of European history too. Will definitely listen to again.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enlightening

Cuts to the quick, with interesting breakdown of subjects that come together to supply a meaningful primer for central European history.

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2 people found this helpful