From the best-selling author of V2 and Fatherland—a WWII-era spy thriller set against the backdrop of the fateful Munich Conference of September 1938. Soon to be a Netflix film.With this electrifying novel about treason and conscience, loyalty and betrayal, “Harris has brought history to life with exceptional skill” (The Washington Post).Hugh Legat is a rising star of the British diplomatic … is a rising star of the British diplomatic service, serving at 10 Downing Street as a private secretary to the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Paul von Hartmann is on the staff of the German Foreign Office–and secretly a member of the anti-Hitler resistance. The two men were friends at Oxford in the 1920s, but have not been in contact since. Now, when Hugh flies with Chamberlain from London to Munich, and Hartmann travels on Hitler’s train overnight from Berlin, their paths are set on a disastrous collision course.
And once again, Robert Harris gives us actual events of historical importance–here are Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini, Daladier–at the heart of an electrifying, unputdownable novel.
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I am admittedly biased in favor of Robert Harris. I have read everything he has written…just about. I find the depth of his research remarkable. Munich does not disappoint. Harris’s portrait of Chamberlain is poignant to the point of being tender. Without any trace of sentimentality, the reader is placed squarely in the shoes of a man willing to go to any lengths to prevent another horrific slaughter of young men. Harris’s convention of telling the story through the alternating views of former Oxford college friends cleverly reveals both German and British perspectives on Hitler. Munich is a terrific read and one senses the countdown to war with each page.
Robert Harris cleverly creates two leading fictional characters in England and Germany to give us the realistic experience of joining them in the historical meeting of world leaders, including Adolf Hitler and Neville Chamberlain, at the Fuhrerbau in Munich, 1938, which ultimately proved to be of monumental importance for World War II shortly thereafter. Hitler and Chamberlain, among many others, are brought to life with numerous personal details and behavior characteristics. This is an extraordinary account of the fateful events in southern Germany that impacted the world.
Two old Oxford classmates are caught up in this thriller as they work across the Channel from one another, both embroiled in political conflict. Hugh Legat is an unhappily married Secretary working for Chamberlain in Downing Street, whilst his former friend Hartmann is German & undecided where his loyalties lie. There is a great deal of detail, both factual & fictional, in this novel & it builds slowly as each key element is slotted into place. Questions are answered, mysteries uncovered & lies revealed, until finally neither man has a place to hide. Well written & carefully plotted.
Munich contains the plot and familiar tropes of a spy thriller, but the story’s heart is the friendship between two characters, an Englishman and a German, and the events leading up to the Second World War. Hugh Legat and Paul von Hartmann met at college, but now Hugh works for the British diplomatic service and Paul is a Nazi official who secretly aids the resistance. Events bring them together in at the infamous Munich conference where Neville Chamberlain’s desire for peace brings the world one step closer to war. It’s an interesting novel, but not a pulse-pounding thriller.
The world teeters on the brink of war due to Hitler’s demand in September 1938 that the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia be returned to Germany. Mr. Harris deftly drops us into the resultant political maneuvering through the eyes of junior diplomat protagonists Hugh Legat and Paul Von Hartmann, and their British and German delegations. We are immersed in the settings of the peace conference and the home bases of the diplomats, and in the motivations and insecurities of real historical figures, such as Neville Chamberlin, Sir John Simon and Lord Halifax, and Hitler, General Keitel and Ribbentrop. Mr. Harris masterfully paints the context of the conundrum facing Chamberlin so that his appeasement policy becomes a reasonable choice. This work of historical suspense turns a political peace conference that merely delayed the inevitable into a sharply-paced tale of espionage with two ill-equipped central actors.
Was this review helpful? I am an avid world war based fiction reader and author. You can read more of my takes at https://brodiecurtis.com/curtis-takes/.
An excellent novel based on historical facts
Gave me a new insight into the machinations surrounding the Chamberlain-Hitler interactions
Another solid historical novel from Harris, but the readers’ enjoyment is somewhat blunted by knowledge of the plot’s ultimate resolution.
Unusual book looking back at an important and shattering event in history.
It was an interesting book with several unpredictable twists and turns.
Excellent historical fiction/fact which carefully re-enacts the men and their actions during the days before WWII.
Good historical background and characters used in plausible fictional plot.
This is an excellent historical novel about the Munich Pact. Even non WWII buffs will enjoy this due to the characterization.
This book added to the many questions as to how Germany evolved into the Nazi War Machine. In hindsight, it is hard to imagine how ignoring what is right in front of us can be a formula for disaster.
Interesting idea for historical fiction – gives great insight to WWII beginnings. However, if you know a bit about the topic conference and surrounding issues, it can seem a bit predictable.
Harris wore a little story on a big affair.
Since Harris realized that he had nothing, a pistol that appeared in the third act also did nothing at its finale. Because of this understanding, the descriptions of the places, the trees, the furniture, the faces were endless.
If the reader has learned a thing or two from this particular chapter in history, so be it. Otherwise, this book has no justification. Certainly not literary.
I love anything written by Robert Harris, but I found this book hard going. Perhaps it’s because we all know the story – Chamberlain’s return from Munich with a piece of paper in his hand and the “Peace in our time” speech (fortunately no spoilers there).
The books is an impressive piece of research (probably), but is let down by the fictional elements and the uninspiring characters. It seemed to get lost in a number of byways because some side-issues had to be included which added very little to the story.
I will buy the next Robert Harris book, but for me this was a pale version of what I know he is capable of producing.
A great fictional story based around a real event of historical importance. It was exciting from beginning to end.