Books that offer perspective on the fall of the berlin wall, 30 years later. Top 10 books about the berlin wall books the guardian. The untold story behind the fall of the berlin wall. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the nightlife scene shifted to the east, where new clubs emerged with new styles of music. No travel writer has ever managed to capture the detail, both exotic and banal. Anna funder tells astonishing stories from the underbelly of the former east germany. Construction of the wall was commenced by the german democratic republic gdr, east germany on august 1961. But it was also a very concrete site of separation and suffering that claimed the lives of at least 6 people. It was published by random house on january 12, 1984. The system of walls, electrified fences, and fortifications extended 28 miles through berlin and extended a further 75 miles around west berlin.
As the 20th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall approaches, here are 10 books that best illustrate the damage it caused suzanne munshower tue 25 aug 2009 08. Forty autumns makes visceral the pain and longing of one family forced to live apart in a world divided by two. The story behind fahrenheit 451 this is the next article in our what was the author thinking. Ian mcewan, who wrote another fine cold war espionage story sweet tooth, is a great fan of another haunting book, peter schneiders the wall jumper. Stories from behind the berlin wall book depository. This work aims at analysing and understanding the role that literature played in bringing about the fall of the berlin wall in the 1980s, focusing on specific themes and authors that contributed to the end of an era and to the beginning of a new life for the reunited germany. Provocatively argues that beatlemania and not kennedy, ordinary letterwriters and not dissident elites, finally undermined the wall through people power. The author did a great job by studying the archives and press from the former gdr.
Behind the berlin wall east germany and the frontiers of power patrick major. Escapes under the berlin wall and the historic films the jfk white house tried to kill, out now from crown. As the 20th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall approaches, here are 10. My twoyearold hates this book and begs me to not read it, wrote another. These brilliant books about the cold war offer not just an insight into life. A selection of fiction books set in berlin score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. When the first barbed wire barrier went up, seidel immediately began snipping his. A society effectively run by the stasi, the secret police. Top 10 books about weimar and nazi berlin books the. Many east germans believed that communism was fairer than capitalist west german.
The crushing of eastern europe, 19441956 by anne applebaum doubledaydoubleday at this point the united states was the greatest power in human history. This is a very sobering book detailing the real life experiences of east germans behind the berlin wall. From now on, berlin will live with the memory of the wall for longer than it lived with. The surprising human factors behind the fall of the berlin. They start when a loved ones mental illness begins to manifest, changing the lives of everyone around them. Patrick major is the author of behind the berlin wall 3.
As with the other authors covered in this series, stephen king and philip k. Funder is actually australian but worked in berlin during the mid1990s sic. The 20th anniversary of the fall of the infamous berlin wall offers a chance to reflect on the german capitals long and often troubled past. Behind the berlin wall a dissident is on the trail of a killer this compelling series fiona rintoul is set in an east germany that didnt end in 1990. The butter battle book is a rhyming story written by dr. Among the voices gathered here are those of leading scholars, a dissident from a time when dissent required real bravery, and a journalist who was there when the walls came down all through eastern europe.
Anna funders bestselling stasiland brings us extraordinary tales of real lives in the former east germany. Christa wolf is undoubtedly one of the most iconic german authors writing behind the wall. Patrick major studied as an undergraduate and postgraduate at the university of oxford. Thats how it happened with the fall of the berlin wall. Berlin wall remedy illustrates ridiculous homeopathy. In this illuminating and deeply moving memoir, a former american military intelligence officer goes beyond traditional cold war espionage tales to tell the true story of her familyof five women separated by the iron curtain for more than forty years, and their miraculous reunion after the fall of the berlin wall.
It incorporates primary sources, including videos and pictures, to help you understand this significant topic in world history. Nielsen, edge of eternity by ken follett, cloud and wallfish by anne nesbet, black dogs by i. A book of travel, history and biography that reads like a documentary novel. Papa hemingway once said there is no friend as loyal as a book, and in a 1935 piece published in.
The butter battle book was a new york times notable book of the year. Mar 18, 2019 the surprising human factors behind the fall of the berlin wall. On the morning of august, 1961, the residents of east berlin found themselves cut off from family, friends and jobs in the west by a tangle of barbed wire that ruthlessly cut a. Stories from behind the berlin wall by anna funder isbn. The story behind a bestselling childrens bedtime book. After the fall of the wall, tatiana experiences a city busy with reconstruction and activity, but.
Robert orlando and i are co authors of the companion book. In spring 1948, teenage cousins erich and katarina are simply trying to survive in warravaged berlin when the soviets blockade the east side of the city. The divine plan for ronald reagan and john paul ii the. As her narrative builds, stasiland records heartbreaking tales of bravery and betrayal, of. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. History professor authors timely book on walls eastern. Reading it put me very much on mind of george orwells nightmare vision of the future 1984. Life behind the wall east berlin simple book production. Between entertaining narratives of his own archeological digs and his research as a historian, fryes book manages to tell 4,000 years of history in less than 300 pages. Three authors on why the berlin wall fell newsweek. Stories from behind the berlin wall by anna funder. Spread the word on this inspiring story of two men and the divine plan behind the fall of the berlin wall. Aridjiss debut novel takes as its main character a mexican girl, tatiana, who comes to modernday berlin and begins to trace the long and tortured legacy of the citys history.
Berlin in fiction 115 books meet your next favorite book. Robert orlando and i are coauthors of the companion book. The wall cut off west berlin from surrounding east germany, including east berlin. Covers the entire history of the gdr and beyond, from 1945 to the present day. Berlin wall, 196189, a barrier first erected in aug. The fall of the berlin wall signifies the end of the cold war and the victory of liberal democratic values. The story behind a bestselling childrens bedtime book cbs. Specifically, hilbig depicts the perspective of workingclass people living behind the wall as well as their adjustment to reunified germany. History reads features the work of prominent authors and historians. In 1997 she was writerinresidence at the australia centre in potsdam. Berlin wall, barrier that surrounded west berlin and prevented access to it from east berlin and adjacent areas of east germany during the period from 1961 to 1989.
As her narrative builds, stasiland records heartbreaking tales of bravery and betrayal, of suffering and stoicism amid the daily chaos. Meanwhile, the renaissance of the newly dubbed city west has begun. In his most personal work to date, awardwinning author peter sis offers a brilliant graphic memoir, taking readers on an extraordinary journey as he recalls his youth growing up in communist czechoslovakia in the 1960s and the events leading up to the fall of the berlin wall. During its 28year existence, the berlin wall was the foremost symbol of the cold war division of germanyand of europe as a whole. He came to know east berlin during a year living in west berlin in 198586, and was one of the first western researchers allowed into the east german communist partys archives after the fall of the wall in february 1990, for a phd on the death of the kpd. Young womans berlin wall diary revealed world news. This occasionally moving history of the berlin wall details many hundreds of escapes into west berlin and many failures. The rise and fall of the berlin wall and why it matters today. The surprising human factors behind the fall of the berlin wall.
Book of clouds delves into berlins dark past as the key to its future direction. The role of literature in bringing about the fall of the. May 31, 2017 top 10 books about weimar and nazi berlin. Pages in category writers from berlin the following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 381 total. The berlin wall 1961 1989 begins with a brief history of berlin, the origins of how the city came to be and the characters who ruled it before moving on to the purpose of the book the berlin wall from its inception, construction, operation and sudden fall on 9 november 1989.
Willners book follows her east berlin family up to the destruction of the wall in 1989 and their reconciliation with hanna. The berlin wall and the fall of soviet communism serge schmemann, author. Few historical changes occur literally overnight, but on august 1961 18 million east germans awoke to find themselves walled in by an edifice which was to become synonymous with the cold war. On the 30th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall. While she has garnered many critiques on both sides. The berlin wall is the first comprehensive account of a divided city and its people in a time when the world seemed to stand permanently on the edge of destruction.
Translated into english in 2015, the sleep of the righteous by author wolfgang hilbig is acclaimed for its ability to articulate the stifling angst of being ideologically sequestered in a very literal way behind the berlin wall. Sarottes behindthescenes history attributes this peaceful revolution to. This lively and thoughtprovoking book is a must for. Farther south, there may be no visible, no obvious wall.
The berlin wall is a fascinating and brilliantly written history of the two germanys that existed side by side for 44 years, glaring at each other in mutual distrust. Young womans berlin wall diary revealed on the day the berlin wall fell in 1989, anke domscheit bergs journal described joy, sorrow, doubt. West berlin today with the fall of the berlin wall, not only did east germany but also the old west berlin disappear. Stories from behind the berlin wall by anna funder 2011. Although he writes briefly on modern walls such as the berlin wall, the majority of his book is dedicated to the walls of mesopotamia, babylon, greece, china, rome and others. Stories from behind the berlin wall, anna funder winner of the baillie gifford prize formerly the samuel johnson prize, stasiland is the true story of life under stasi observation.
Although nearly 20 million americans suffer from a serious mental illness, there remains a stigma against brain disorders, discouraging honesty and understanding. Oct 18, 2016 greg mitchell is the author of the tunnels. This textbook outlines the rise and fall of the berlin wall and the key themes around the time. Popular berlin wall books meet your next favorite book. Intertwined throughout is the story of harry seidel, who became known as the pimpernel of the wall. Mary widdifield and elin widdifield behind the wall. Berlin wall, german berliner mauer, barrier that surrounded west berlin and prevented access to it from east berlin and adjacent areas of east germany during the period from 1961 to 1989. This historically accurate, actionpacked, three books inone edition features three generations of resourceful teens living in the shadow of the berlin wall. People had excellent healthcare facilities and free public transport.
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