National Book Award Winner: The definitive account of Nazi Germany and “one of the most important works of history of our time” (The New York Times). When the Third Reich fell, it fell swiftly. The Nazis had little time to destroy their memos, their letters, or their diaries. William L. Shirer’s sweeping account of the Third Reich uses these unique sources, combined with his experience living … with his experience living in Germany as an international correspondent throughout the war.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich earned Shirer a National Book Award and continues to be recognized as one of the most important and authoritative books about the Third Reich and Nazi Germany ever written. The diaries of propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, as well as evidence and other testimony gained at the Nuremberg Trials, could not have found more artful hands.
Shirer gives a clear, detailed, and well-documented account of how it was that Adolf Hitler almost succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is a chilling and illuminating portrait of mankind’s darkest hours.
“A monumental work.” —Theodore H. White
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If you want to read the one book that will explain to you how WWII came to be, then this is the book you need. This brilliant account of all the events that led up to the outbreak of war, the details of the conflict itself and the eventual fall of the Nazi regime, is unsurpassed in its impact. Shirer lived it, being a US correspondent based in …
If you’re interested in World War Two, this is a must read. I’m only about half way through, but the insight provided by the author on the rise of Hitler in Germany is some of the most interesting reading I’ve ever done. The author, William L. Shiver, was an American journalist who was actually in Germany to witness much of what he wrote about. He …
Despite its age, this remains the definitive history of Nazi Germany. And it is a critical must-read for Americans in the age of Trump. It is truly shocking how frequently one hears nearly-direct Hitler quotes when Trump opens his mouth.
It’s only potential drawback is its size, which can intimidate some. It is worth the effort, however, …
Like most scholarly works, it’s a bit dry, but a must-have book for all WWII libraries.
Amazing, highly recommend.
The title pretty much says it all. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is an exhaustive chronicle of Germany under Germany. It takes its time with background, reaching all the way to Martin Luther and giving a detailed biography of the Hitler clan as well as Hitler himself’s early years, but the bulk of it fixates on the period between 1933 and …
History that I hope we are not repeating
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know abour WW2. As far as I know it was well researched and the chronological order was well done. Some people I’ve talked to said it seemed too long. I would agree but I felt this was necessary to get the full impact of this time in history.