Germany Century

For nearly a century, historians have depicted Germany as a rabidly nationalist land, born in a sea of aggression. Not so, says Helmut Walser Smith, who, in this groundbreaking 500-year history, challenges traditional perceptions of Germany's conflicted past, revealing a nation far more thematically complicated than 20th-century historians have imagined. 

Here, from New York Times best-selling historian Francis Russell, is the dramatic story of Germany - from the rise of Charlemagne to the age of Martin Luther, from the 30 Years' War to the iron rule of Otto von Bismarck, and from the formation of the Weimar Republic to the fighting of two world wars.

With Germany in the World, award-winning historian David Blackbourn radically revises conventional narratives of German history, demonstrating the existence of a distinctly German presence in the world centuries before its unification—and revealing a national identity far more complicated than previously imagined.

Germany is one of the richest and most influential countries in the world, which is amazing when you consider that the nation is only about the size of the US states of Oregon and Washington combined. It’s even more astounding when you consider that at the end of World War II, every major German city (and many minor ones) had been flattened by the Allied bombing campaign. Still more amazing is that the country has gone from international pariah and home of the Holocaust to one of the most well-regarded and humanitarian nations on Earth.

Written by two of the world's leading authorities on the subject, Imperial Germany and War, 1871-1918 examines the most essential components of the imperial German military system, with an emphasis on such foundational areas as theory, doctrine, institutional structures, training, and the officer corps. In the period between 1871 and 1918, rapid technological development demanded considerable adaptation and change in military doctrine and planning. 

On 1 August 1714 George I was proclaimed king, bringing Britain and his native Hanover into personal union and founding the dynasty that has ruled Britain ever since. It marked the beginning of a close yet fraught relationship that would shape the destiny of both Britain and Germany, with...

Discover how a provincial brewing powerhouse morphed into the turbulent epicenter of modern European political history. Perfect for a captivating daily commute, this atmospheric urban history explores the gripping transformation of a Bavarian royal residence into a battleground of radicalism and...

Uncover modern European history through the gripping architectural saga of a single building surviving war and division. Perfect for a captivating daily commute or an immersive historical deep dive, this narrative transforms stone and glass into a silent witness of democratic triumph and...

“Vonnegut is George Orwell, Dr. Caligari and Flash Gordon compounded into one writer . . . a zany but moral mad scientist.”—Time Mother Night is a daring challenge to our moral sense. American Howard W. Campbell, Jr., a spy during World War II, is now on trial in Israel as a Nazi war...

Explore gripping European political history as fractured medieval states violently forge a modern democratic powerhouse. Trace ten monumental turning points that redefined borders, sparked cultural nationalism, and tested the limits of human resilience. This narrative captures the dramatic rise...