Every Man Dies Alone

By: Hans Fallada, Michael Hofman - translator

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 20 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Hans Fallada wrote this stunning novel in only 24 days - just after being released from a Nazi insane asylum. Based on a true story, Every Man Dies Alone tells of a German couple who try to start an uprising by distributing anti-fascist postcards during World War II. But their dream ultimately proves perilous under the tyranny that dominates every corner of Hitler’s Germany.

©2009 Melville House Publishing; Translation, Michael Hofman (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"The book has the suspense of a John le Carré novel, and offers a visceral, chilling portrait of the distrust that permeated everyday German life during the war." (The New Yorker)

A masterpiece

This book is a masterpiece. Although it is a tragedy, it powerfully argues for the power of small acts of resistance, not for their efficacy in overturning a vile political order, but for the dignity of living with vulnerability, risk, responsibility, and, in the end, a kind of freedom, and of dying with honor. The narrator's voice brings the characters to life.

Haunting

Great narrator, and amazing realization of some of the horrors of life in Nazi Germany

a difficult masterpiece

for anyone who wants to know what it was like to live in world war 2 germany, this is probably the best place to learn. for me the book was at times humorous, at times heart breaking, at times astonishing. the level of characterization rivals balzac at his best, the layers of political plotting are as good as dostoeyvsky. the writer apparently loved dickens and it shows. even in their darkest hours, fallada s good characters cannot be anything but good. which is good because evil characters abound in the book as they did in nazi germany. you can read a book like Hitlers Willing Executioners and be stunned into belief, but in a book like this you live the life of the revolutionary character in a way that gets into your soul. these two characters could be your parents, or your grandparents. they are difficult and loveable, and to the very end of the book nothing matters as much as their fate.

I do not agree that any of the characters or their dialogue feel dated. rather it is the reading given by this narrator that makes it sound that way. he gives one character a whiny voice that was probably accurate, but in an audio book, with no face to go along with it, it did seem exaggerated, even cartoonish. there were a few times when i thought the book would have been served better by a less exciteable acting. but that is only my opinion, someone else might love it. the narrator did a fantastic job otherwise, and obviouslsy gave it his whole heart. it was convincing and passionate.

a note about the translator. if you like this book, you should check out his other translations, particularly the books of joseph roth whom i had never heard of until moving to germany many years ago. he is now one of my favorite writers, and that debt is owed to this translator who is a poet, and who has a fantastic way with words.

this book should be read by anyone who thinks torture is a good idea, at any time, for any reason.

Well written novel of a disaffected Berlin couple

excellent narration of a well crafted story of life in Nazi Germany during the war.

Want to express my appreciation

Would you listen to Every Man Dies Alone again? Why?

Yes, although I have just started listening. I like how the narrator recreates the atmosphere of pre-war living conditions in Berlin. Like it must have been at the time before Herr Fallada wrote his story.

What other book might you compare Every Man Dies Alone to and why?

Not anyone just yet.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

He does it very well. I especially like his almost perfect pronunciation of the German words and names. I also like his restrained way of reading the story. It reminds me of the many German movies I have seen of the pre- and post-war periods.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I most probably will finish it over the weekend.

Any additional comments?

I'm amazed by the many different tastes of people writing these reviews.

A truly great novel.

I have just completed this novel and was blown away by it. The characters are complex and described beautifully. The story itself is multi-layered and brilliant. And of course the narration was superb.
Highly recommended to those who want to enter wartime Berlin and live among its inhabitants.

Great Book

A classic of fictional stories set in Nazi Germany, based on a real story, it gives a frightening view of day to day life. One of its most notable characteristics is how like it is to the similar works which came out of the Soviet Union describing life from the revolution to the fall of communism. Other than the change of labels it is almost impossible to tell the difference between life under fascism and communism. Totalitarianism, regardless of the flavor, is the true destroyer. Those today who think we are under a socialist, fascist, religious oppression would do well to read books such as this to understand how far off their claim is.

A Truly Great Story

I would consider this a fair and unflinching story that is accurate to the times. it is critical to listen to this book and understand the importance of remaining true to one's values. while it is lengthy it is also very dense both on plot and subject matter and not one minute is wasted

great book

Loved it, captured me from beginning to the end. Story is great and the characters are colorful. Would highly recommend.

A beutiful, despotic look at the ww2 Euro everyman

Loved it. Guidall has an uncanny knack for embodying voices that are nuanced and differentiated, even amongst the female characters- where his deep gruff voice lends suprisingly nicely to feminie readings without being humorous. If you are a fan of extensive character development that reaps huge rewards in their conclusion, this is for you. A grim and honest, yet hopeful without being blind to realness, the story represents many conflicting characters and themes often overlooked in contemporary ww2 fiction and factual accounts. The German housewife, resistance cells, gestapo interrogations, criminals, police, self growth, small kindnesses that spit in the face of such a regime. A beautifully written and narrated account of the nuances and forgotton sufferers under Nazi regime.