The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

De: William L. Shirer

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

Duración: 57 h y 11 m

Resumen del Editor

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.

©1990 William L. Shirer (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“One of the most important works of history of our time.” ( The New York Times)

”A splendid work of scholarship, objective in method, sound in judgment, inescapable in its conclusions.” ( The New York Times Book Review)

This is worth the time to listen to!

This is a book everyone should read but listening to it here is just as valuable and perhaps more doable when you want to bath in all the facts and thorough reporting.

Inside the belly

The author's perspective as an eye witness reporter lends to us a unique opportunity in the telling of history to see it from the inside. The account is evidenced with primary sources, including captured Nazi war and political documents; speeches of Hitler and Goebels are re-examined for context and insight into their strange machinations. Hitler's Mine Kamp is surveyed for historical and philosophical relevance. It is as comprehensive a book on the subject of the military and political rise of Nazi Germany as I would expect or want in a single work and the Narration is excellent, taking the listener fluidly through foot notes, quotations, and narratives. This is an excellent product both in content and delivery.

The most comprehensive single book on WWII

Would you listen to The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich again? Why?

Yes and I will probably will in the future. If you had to encapsulate the role of the Third Reich in foreign policy and war in a single book, this would be that single book. Shirer is writing in 1960 which looking back isn't very long after the war and he acknowledges that. But he's also writing with the release of Nazi foreign office papers that were suddenly accessible and with his own personal experience as a journalist in the Third Reich. He was with the German army the day France surrendered to the Nazis. It's fascinating to listen to the details of the discussions between Chamberlain and Hitler, the relationship between Hitler and Mussolini, and the relationship between Hitler and his generals. This is where Shirer's work really shines, each step that was first hand in these documents is dutifully explained, as if you were there for the discussions themselves. Anyone with some time and an interest in the Third Reich will likely enjoy it. Anytime I try to watch a documentary now on the Nazis I find it too one-dimensional compared to this book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

Shirer discusses Hitler's misconceptions about the United States. Hitler's advisors and informants on the US had told him something to the effect of that the US wanted to annex Canada. Hitler believed this and wondered why the US would cooperate with the UK if we wanted to annex one of their colonies. This was an interesting anecdote I was not familiar with.

Have you listened to any of Grover Gardner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to anything else by him. But he was very good. Excellent.

Any additional comments?

In the epilogue, Shirer discusses a lot of the criticism he had from historians at the time he wrote this. But it's become one of the standard books on the Third Reich. I would also recommend Evans' trilogy of the Third Reich. I haven't listened to the audio, but I think if you liked that series you will like this. Or if you like this you might want to check out Evans' take. Shirer focuses on foreign office papers that were available after the war and a lot of the diplomacy that took place before as well as events and troop movements in the war. Evans' trilogy is more in depth (because he had three books, and many more decades and the work of other historians to help him put it together) and goes into a lot more of the day to day and the experiences of the German people themselves, the non-elites. As well as a lot more on what was happening to the Jews. Shirer, despite living there, doesn't touch on that as much. Maybe he felt at the time there was a lot of contemporary coverage of that. Similarly, Evans doesn't cover a lot of the play by play of the diplomacy or the war. Since he uses Shirer's diaries as a source sometimes, it's likely he wanted his series to compliment Shirer's series. So the two really compliment one another for those interested in the Third Reich.

very good read

excellent story and narrator. timely read with what is going on in the us today

Worth Every Minute

I cannot fathom the effort required to create this book, but it is excellent. It flows like a fictitious adventure novel, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat the entire time. I learned so much. I feel conflicted about finishing the book.

Compelling and chilling

While long, the content is engaging, compelling, and chilling. I, at least, found it a sobering parallel to some of the events in this century, and it informed several warning signs in various parts of the world. Humans haven't changed since the mid-20th century and Hitler's rise is proof that apparently sane populations can allow terrible thing to happen.

The Third Reich first hand

Based om first hand witness and original documents this is a sometimes riviting, somerimes horrifying account of exactly what its title describes, Hitler’s Thrid Reich. I had no idea I would make it through seven volumes, but the narrator is first rate, the details exhaustive and its relevance to our current times chilling. Even if you think you don’t like “history,” you will find a compelling story here.

Masterful book

As someone who majored in history and always enjoyed enjoyed it this book is a must listen. Mr. Shirer let’s the facts speak for them selves, using first hand accounts and documents as well as being a journalist during the war. So he saw first hand the rise one of the world most evil dictators ever.

I truly believe that even if you are not a big history person, you will learn things and find this book interesting. If you are willing to read it with an open mind than you are willing to learn that is.

* please note that I absolutely support this author and this book. In NO WAY DO I CONDONE OR SUPPORT THE HEINOUS NAZI’S in this book. Sorry for the caps but unfortunately a number of people seem to jump to conclusions these days :-(

Long, but well worth it

What did you love best about The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

This book was obviously extensively researched and therefore both convincing and convicting. That a cultured, educated, modern society like Germany of the 1930s could be duped by a madman, megalomaniac, criminal, bigot (take your pick) like Adolf Hitler is a definitive reason that we must learn from history or risk repeating it. The book produced the strongest possible evidence that indeed "absolute power corrupts absolutely." As my "headline " says, this is a lengthy book (I actually listened to it in "pieces"), but it was extraordinarily engaging, the more so because the reader's intonation and emphases added immeasurably to the compelling content. I consider that several professional historians negatively criticized this "history written by a journalist" nothing less than petty jealousy.

An extremely fascinating listen

Even with this book's extreme length it never became a chore to listen to. Highly recommended.