The Gestapo

A History of Horror

By: Jacques Delarue, Mervyn Savill - translator

Narrated by: Eric Brooks

Length: 19 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

A history of Nazi Germany's secret police written by one of their victims, with a new introduction by the author.

From 1933 to 1945, the Gestapo was Nazi Germany's chief instrument of counter-espionage, political suppression, and terror. Jacques Delarue, a saboteur arrested by the Nazis in occupied France, chronicles how the land of Beethoven elevated sadism to a fine art. The Gestapo: A History of Horror draws upon Delarue's interviews with ex-Gestapo agents to deliver a multi-layered history of the force whose work included killing student resisters, establishing Aryan eugenic unions, and implementing the Final Solution. This is a probing look at the Gestapo and the fanatics and megalomaniacs who made it such a successful and heinous organization: Barbie, Eichmann, Himmler, Heydrich, Mller. The Gestapo's notorious reign led to the murder of millions. The Gestapo is an important documentation of what they did and how they did it.

©1962 Histoire de la Gestapo by Jacques Delarue, World copyright ibrarie Arthème Fayard, 1962. (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Great book, awful reader

Would you try another book from Jacques Delarue and Mervyn Savill (translator) and/or Eric Brooks?

I would definitely try another book, as the information was interesting and pretty complete.

What other book might you compare The Gestapo to and why?

It's difficult for any book to live up to The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich for history, but this has a lot of good detail.

How could the performance have been better?

He had a very weird cadence--very slow, with overly long pauses and extremely dramatic flourish, as if he were reading a bedtime story to a small child. He also seemed to take longer pauses before names and foreign terms. It was extremely distracting.

Any additional comments?

Unfortunately, I didn't get through the whole book due to the performance; I just couldn't listen to him long term. I'd say, get this book in print, and skip the audiobook. Save your monthly credit for something else--I wish I had.

Once read never fogotten!!

Where does The Gestapo rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a great book. It reveals the Gestapo as it was, as it became, and what it caused - the uncountable lives that this wickness has consumed!!! Please after reading this book THINK the next time you or someone else calls someone, organization, and Government NAZIS GESTAPO what it really means - after reading this you will be changed.

This book is without peers for it reveals what once was a power for evil that once rule the huge land mass of EUROPE! This must never happen again!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Gestapo?

How the people so willing give up their freedom

Have you listened to any of Eric Brooks’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Excellent dictation and tone, he was terrific!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, it makes me realize that todays persons do not want to know, do not care to know as it could not happen again - sad so very sad!

Any additional comments?

Please buy and read

Excellent book

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the the period. But you will need a strong interest and a strong stomach to go through this horrifying history.

Gripping and informative.

This book really opened my eyes as to the enormity and scale of the savagery of the Nazis. Highly recommended.

Great listen

It's so very funny but when I first bought this book all I heard from many reviewers was how great the book is, but how poorly the reader performed. I didn't find that to be the case at all. I thought the entire production was great, including the reader. I'm thinking that the folks who trashed the reader ought to untwist their panties, listen to the book again, and enjoy it this time. It really is a good listen.
Mike

Dated, but still worth consideration

Also, written for a French audience, and there is an obvious focus on France, at the expense of the other regions in which the Gestapo operated.

Detailed History

Such a great in depth depiction of the individual members of the gestapo & associated events. Interesting but disheartening to see what depravity humans are capable of. Extremely important message to acknowledge.

Interesting Information but....

Where does The Gestapo rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was okay but hard to stay interested because of the narrator but not the worst I have heard.

Any additional comments?

I love WW2 and the stories of the Allies and the Axis and this one had really good info but not they best. I still recommend it....at least once.

Great History Book Terrible Narrator

Slightly out of date but it was well paced and I never felt confused as to where in history we were or whom we were delving into. Even if learned a little something here and honestly all I was thinking throughout the book is "I can't wait to read it again"!

Okay so I also read that the narrator was terrible and I usually never care nor believe when people say that a narrator is that bad... I believe now! At first I didn't even notice and thought he did a good job but I realized that I still had the narration speed set to 1.50 and I thought "huh? if he sounds like he is reading normally at this speed I wonder what it sounds like at the speed it's intended to?" Holy crap it was soooooooooo slow with unnecessary pauses everywhere. I would loss focus and just get impatient so I went up in speed again. That totally made it sooooo much better and I recommend it honestly.

good info bad voice over

probably a better read than listen but if you dont have the time its still very interesting