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In the Garden of Beasts : Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

Larson, Erik, 1954- Book on CD - 2011 Adult BOCD / Nonfiction / History / Larson, Erik 3 On Shelf No requests on this item Community Rating: 4.1 out of 5

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Call Number: Adult BOCD / Nonfiction / History / Larson, Erik
On Shelf At: Malletts Creek Branch, Westgate Branch

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Adult BOCD / Nonfiction / History / Larson, Erik 4-week checkout On Shelf
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Adult BOCD / Nonfiction / History / Larson, Erik 4-week checkout On Shelf
Westgate Adult A/V
4-week checkout
Adult BOCD / Nonfiction / History / Larson, Erik 4-week checkout On Shelf

Compact discs.
Read by Stephen Hoye.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

The Story of a Terrible Ambassador in a Dangerous City, or, Way To Blow It, Dodd submitted by Sara W on August 14, 2011, 9:45am The premise of this book is excellent - an American academic is named ambassador to Berlin in the early 1930s after Hitler's rise to chancellor. This places an absolutely green diplomat as the US representative in a city that is about to wreak havoc across Europe and attempt to wipe out an entire race of people. Needless to say, he's not great at his job.

Ambassador Dodd takes his wife and two adult children, Bill and Martha to Berlin with him - calling this the experience of a lifetime. In reality, he entered into the diplomatic corps hoping to have more free time to dedicate to his multi-volume work on the history of the American South. It begins to be impossible not to roll one's eyes at the repeated mention of Dodd's beloved "Old South" and his irresponsible folly in taking on an ambassadorship as a means to gain free time.

Much of the story centers on Martha, who eventually sees the light, but begins her journey simply infatuated with the lovely progress the Nazi party is making and all the well-mannered, interesting people she meets at parties. She becomes romantically entangled with a fair number of these gentlemen, including the head of the Gestapo, a Russian who isn't at all what he seems and practically everyone else who crosses her path. Oh Martha. Have some self-respect.

The premise is interesting but the telling is quite drawn out and I struggled to relate to these characters who were doing so little and behaving so foolishly when I know all the time what's coming and how incredibly world-changing it's going to be. For example, Ambassador Dodd dislikes the Nazis and registers his disagreement with their violence and their politics by not going to their dinner parties. You tell 'em, Dodd!

There are interesting details and glimpses into life in the Nazi ranks and as a German citizen at this time in history, but as a whole I found that the book dragged and the characters were beyond maddening. Still, Erik Larson is a good writer and I'll always be interested to learn about his latest subject.

Interesting submitted by 0liviap0pp on August 22, 2011, 7:53am This is an interesting film taking place in WWII.

American Ambassador and his daughter's story in Nazi Germany submitted by Kimberlyrol on July 16, 2014, 11:05am This book provided a look at the beginning of the Nazi regime from the standpoint of an American Ambassador, a former college professor, and his family. However, the book focused as much on the Ambassador's daughter, Martha, and her romantic exploits, as it did on the Ambassador's foreign endeavors. Both figures met Hitler briefly and descriptions of these meetings are within the book.
Those who are interested in WWII Nazi Germany may find this book interesting. It held my attention to the end. However, I found Eric Larson's previous book, The Devil in the White City to be more engaging. In addition, the narrator's manner of reading In the Garden of Beasts detracts from the story.

an unlikely ambassador submitted by sumsaylor on July 29, 2015, 3:22pm Erik Larsen is a meticulous researcher and writer.This book tells the story of William Dodd, American ambassador to Germany in the pre-war years. This book was an interesting view of a slice of history when the world was on the verge of a catastrophic war.

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PUBLISHED
Westminster, MD : Books on Tape, p2011.
Year Published: 2011
Description: 11 sound discs (12 hrs., 53 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
Language: English
Format: Book on CD

ISBN/STANDARD NUMBER
9780307914590 :
0307914593 :

ADDITIONAL CREDITS
Hoye, Stephen.

SUBJECTS
Dodd, William Edward, -- 1869-1940.
Diplomats -- United States -- Biography.
Historians -- United States -- Biography.
National socialism -- Germany.
Germany -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945.