The Coming of the Third Reich

By: Richard J. Evans

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 21 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

There is no story in 20th-century history more important to understand than Hitler’s rise to power and the collapse of civilization in Nazi Germany. With The Coming of the Third Reich, Richard Evans, one of the world’s most distinguished historians, has written the definitive account for our time. A masterful synthesis of a vast body of scholarly work integrated with important new research and interpretations, Evans’s history restores drama and contingency to the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazis, even as it shows how ready Germany was by the early 1930s for such a takeover to occur. The Coming of the Third Reich is a masterwork of the historian’s art and the book by which all others on the subject will be judged.

©2005 Richard J. Evans (P)2010 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"[A]n impressive achievement.... [Evans'] opus will be one of the major historical works of our time." ( The Atlantic)

OK, but not as a stand alone work.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this is a friend provided my friend also had read other books about this period of history. This book is good at showing you what was going on in germany through the eyes of citizens while hitler/nazi party were making their moves for dominance. It does not provide a detailed enough picture of the politics to understand the complex rise of the 3rd Reich. It is essentially a sharing of diaries and happening in Germany at this time and also pretty much just stating facts like (for example) the nazi's did not gain a large enough vote but the storm troopers etc. a so-and-so wrote in their diary "I did not like the way I had to . . ." then people were dismissed from blah blah. So it is a telling of the story but not with much analysis and not enough for you to fully understand why things are going down the way they were at the time. It does however give you enough of a cultural understanding at the beginning to allow you to understand the mindset of the average person during the time. I can appreciate much more now how the regular German "allowed" the third reich to "happen."

Did Sean Pratt do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

There was no differentiation. His style was monotone and slow. I listened at 2x speed for the majority of the book and it felt very natural at that speed.

Any additional comments?

Read other works on the third Reich first. I very much enjoyed the rise and fall of the third Reich by William L. shirer. I would recommend that one first, then this one. I hope the other books in this series are better. There is almost no mention in this book of how other nations are seeing/viewing/reacting to any of the goings on. I realize it is not about foreign policy, but I find those details important.

Outstanding

Brilliant synthesis, great narration. Along with Ullrich’s first Hitler biography, the best book I’ve read or listened to on the Third Reich.

Has content I didn't know previously

I read WWII history, and I've read/listened to the "classics" like the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and other books focusing on different aspects of the Third Reich, and this book has content I wasn't aware of before. This is exceptionally detailed, and this first volume embeds the Third Reich in Germany's history. Sean Pratt is an excellent narrator, and he keeps your attention. I highly recommend it. My only complaint is that the maps in the physical version aren't included as a PDF, but that's a quibble.

An ok book w/ an ok narration

Evans fails to create a narrative. Instead he creates an adequate review off the facts.

1920 to 1938 Looks a lot like today

If the USA isn't careful the coup we witnessed in 2020 will end in disaster.

Excellent..

I loved the book… although a little repetitive at times, it explains a great deal about the roots and causes of Naziism.

… and will take the author’s word for it, that it is founded on research…

A good good listen!

Well read

Lots of great info for WW2 and Third Reich enthusiasts. Nice calm reading. I prefer to listen while falling asleep for the night

very good detailed

there's some dry parts to pass the time but they go by quickly. nothing to complain about

great analysis; great narration

exactly as my title says. the series is unique in that it covers domestics, including economy, daily life

Great book, annoying narrator

This is a thorough and well-organized history of late Weimar Republic Germany. There are many disturbing similarities to 2010 America.

My only gripe would be the narrator, who often pauses mid-sentence (not at a comma) and reminds one of a high school student. He mispronounces even some common words. To top it off, he narrates with a sarcastic tone which makes his mediocre reading ability even more annoying. BTW, you won't notice these things in your "sample listening." It will take you about an hour of listening for him to really begin getting on your nerves.