The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 57 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's 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.

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

Critic reviews

“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)

A Tale of Momumental Evil, Stupidity and Hatred

Never before had I read a firsthand account, from primary sources, as damning as this book. All of the negative superlatives that one could pen I have not the number of commas in my repertoire to string them together. You get a striking picture of Hitler, who he was, what he did and how he failed. As grotesque as he may be, the intellectual flyweights he surrounded himself with defy understanding. How, intelligent and gifted military leaders allowed themselves to be led into the manifest slaughter of innocent people – well I have no words. Read the book and you too will be speechless.

The book is built on primary reference materials and hence, I confess, unless I had listened to it, I would not have been able to get through it. It is essentially a 50 hour audio documentary. Although I could not listen at my usual three to four hours a day because I was so disturbed and depressed by the subject matter, I had to finish. And, to think, how close Hilter came to winning on at least four occasions makes me breathless about what evil he would have wrought and what the world would have been like today.

Hitler came to power and in twelve short years of rule and conquest - five of them in war - caused over 30 million people to be killed, not mention the number of people forced to kill on his behalf or to fend off those trying to kill them. It is a testament to how a single perverted point of view with power to influence the masses can spin lies and deceit that move ordinary people to be puppets. Looking to today’s world situation, you have to ask yourself whether parallels exist. You must listen to this book! I also highly recommend the Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk which is a true story set with fictional characters. For a Japanese view of history, read Flyboys by James Bradley.

This is must read for a serious historian. Do not expect to find gruesome details; expect to find a documented story that causes you to reconsider history and today’s world.

Best book on the subject

The book is the best book about the Third Reich i ever read. It grabs you from the first chapter. It tells a story from the point of view of someone who was present at the time. Who experienced the Reich at first hand. Every (almost) statement has been verified from official papers.

I can only recommend it in the highest praise.

Maybe the most important book I've ever read

I was hesitant to tackle this one simply because of the hour count. What helps make the audible version enjoyable is the spot-on, flawless narration. This is an amazing, heavy and shocking book. It is not a perfect book. For example, the author claims to have written only facts, but there are opinions in it regarding why the nazis were able to rise to power. To me, that is opinion. Nonetheless, there were literally some parts of this book that I had to pause and take a mental break from because of the weight of this work. It is a breathtaking work.

Simple amazing

If you could sum up The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in three words, what would they be?

Incredible potential; lost

Who was your favorite character and why?

Such a fascinating horrible man you were Adolf. You could have lead all germans to greatness

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The numerous character voices provided as he read

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

At the point the Allies lost the ability to stop Hitler and the Nazis was an emotional point.

Hope the narrator was paid well!

I've wanted to read this enormous volume for some time. This audible book made it much easier to digest. For a 48 hour audible book, the narrator does a pretty darn good job - I think some may find him slightly monotone, but I found that he added inflection appropriately. The quality of the very last chapter is the same as the first chapter. For this to be a single-credit option, it's a definite must-have in your library.

Impeccable scholarship...

...told by one who was there.

This is a monumental work, but I haven't found an extra word. Very well-crafted and compelling. I'm sure there have been many discoveries that would alter some of the author's assertions, but this is an excellent primer if you're interested in what happened in Germany in the Nazi era.

Grover Gardner delivers a meticulous performance which is a joy to hear.

Those who cannot remember the past.....

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". George Santayana.
As we look at what is passing for Leadership in Government in states in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa, one hears echoes of the vile hate spouted by Germany's Nazi gangsters and are able to recognise the despotic machinations of would be dictators in once proud democracies. Women and men of good will would do well to listen to or read this still great work and rise up against the present crop of fascists in political life.

Excellent book read by an excellent narrator!!

I delayed starting this audio book for quite some time due to its listed length - almost 60 hours. Once I finally started it, I was pulled right in by the content and the narration. William Shirer did a tremendous job of researching and then objectively writing about the Third Reich. The book kept my mind engaged throughout all 57 hours. There were a few times I found myself hoping I was almost to the end of the book, but it wasn't because the book was no longer good; it was because there was something else I wanted to start listening to, but I wouldn't allow myself to do that until I had finished this one. The narration by Grover Gardner is flawless and perfectly fitted to this work. I am not a serious student of history, but I do enjoy reading/listening to good historical works and this is easily one of the best I've ever consumed. Grab a copy for yourself and take the plunge!

Definitive Work

How can one argue with Trevor Roper. extensive, generously annotated, the author having personal acquaintances among the participants and access to sources close to the events. it is easy to see why it has remained widely read.

Great Read for History Enthusiasts

A very thorough book if you want to learn about Nazi history. It is disheartening to see the similarities between today's world (October 2020) and the Nazi era. Hopefully, better days are coming.