The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 57 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the twentieth century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.

Now, years after the end of World War II, it may seem incredible that our most valued institutions, and way of life, were threatened by the menace that Hitler and the Third Reich represented. Shirer’s description of events and the cast of characters who played such pivotal roles in defining the course Europe was to take is unforgettable.

Benefiting from his many years as a reporter, and thus a personal observer of the rise of Nazi Germany, and availing himself of some of the 485 tons of documents from the German Foreign Office, as well as countless other diaries, phone transcriptions, and other written records meticulously kept at every level by the Germans, Shirer has put together a brutally objective account of how Hitler wrested political control of Germany, and planned and executed his six-year quest to dominate the world, only to see Germany go down in flames.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is a vast, richly rewarding experience for anyone who wants to come to grips with the mysterious question of how this menace to civilization ever came into being, much less was sustained for as long as it was. The answer, unfortunately, is that most of Germany, for a whole host of reasons, embraced Nazism and the fanaticism that Hitler engendered.

©1990 William L. Shirer (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“One of the most important works of history of our time.” ( The New York Times)

”A splendid work of scholarship, objective in method, sound in judgment, inescapable in its conclusions.” ( The New York Times Book Review)

Excellent, deeply moving and truly educational.

What made the experience of listening to The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich the most enjoyable?

The detailed style got taught be a lot of things I did not know. A school's education of history could not prepare me for this level of detail -- nor can it being a german for over 40 years.

What did you like best about this story?

The authenticity, the reports (the author calls "objective")

What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?

Does a good job, speaks clearly

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Deeply moving, authentic and objective

Any additional comments?

The author has written a truly remarkable book. It has only a few downsides, they are minor, but I will name them nonetheless. He calls his book "objective" and it is, because he is writing from first hand observation, collected reports and brings in other sources. But as a journalist he should know that using so many adjectives when describing people is not a good "objective style" ("the narrow-minded X", "the dull-witted Y", etc).
I also have the feeling that the author falls into the same trap as the subjects he writes about when he talks about his opinion of germans, mainly in the prologue and epilogue. He simplifies and is prejudiced. The reduction of the german to "is used to obey commands since the middle ages (or was it the roman imperium?)" is ridiculous. In his prologue he is writing from a 1960s point of view and I could understand his hesitance towards germany at that time. But the epilogue written in the 1990s just after the Wiedervereinigung shows he did not change his view on germany as a whole -- that I found a bit unsettling, because I *know* germany as a country is *not* what it has been up to 1945. I speak as a german and -- I hope -- a world citizen.
I wrote too long about this small issue: The book is still truly remarkable, educational and deeply, very deeply moving. I regret that it has had better critiques outside of germany then inside it. I find it should be mandatory reading in schools, especially german ones. Only not forgetting will make it never happen again.

Fascinating journalistic piece but not perfect

If you could sum up The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in three words, what would they be?

Journalistic, opinionated, interesting

Would you recommend The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, with some reservations.

What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?

Pacing, timbre and expression all excellent.

Any additional comments?

Authors somewhat dated homophobia occassionally jars, even to this (straight) listener.. Cant use the word "homosexual" witout adding the word "pervert" for instance . This is not the fault of the performer, who is excellent. Overall a good book, but needs to be read/listened to with the understanding of the times in which the writer lived.
This is no dispassionate history, and the writers (very understandable) distaste for the subjects of the book occassionally detracts from the narrative. However, it covers many of the events well, and is an interesting and well-researched insight from a person who personally experienced some of the events in Berlin first hand.

One of those profound, mind-changing books

Phew, finally finished. This book is only exceeded in length by War and Peace and the Bible, and finishing it is a serious accomplishment.

This book is outstanding. The narration is flawless and perfect for the subject. When I bought it, knowing the length, I thought it was going to feel like a painful undertaking. Within a chapter, I was totally engrossed, and that continued to the end. I kept reading because I truly wanted to. I had no idea the history of the Nazis would be so fabulously entertaining. For one of the lowest moments in human history, it's an amazingly interesting. I think the 30s and 40s were so profoundly different than now, not to mention the German people so different, that it's compelling to learn about them in that time. Surprisingly, despite being nearly 60 years old, it does not read as old.

This book, in a way, plays with your psychology, in a way I had not expected. You know the horrors of the Nazis. You know they were horrible people, murderers, and heartless butchers. Yet while reading this, I'm almost embarrassed to admit, being written mainly from their point of view makes you almost root for them, at times. Of course, the book is quick to remind you of the millions who lost their lives (including millions of brave Americans), of the horrible treatment and annihilation of the Jews, and of the rampant racism that was seemingly acceptable at the time. This psychology makes it almost possible to understand how the German people could get wrapped up in a charismatic leader who propped them up as a superior race.

Part of the charm of this book is that it describes so many things completely unthinkable, yet it is a work of historical non-fiction. It's almost unthinkable today that the Nazis would speak openly at rallies of Jews needing to be eliminated, and of the superiority of the German race, while thousands in the crowd cheered. In fact, it was usually the main topic of their rallies. Hitler openly published his desires for the end of Jewry and the domination of Europe years before he was in power, and despite Mein Kampf being a best seller, the world didn't seem to pay attention, or didn't mind. Anything even remotely close to this today would be immediately condemned, so it is so hard to imagine that this was acceptable in the 1930s.

It was also amazing to learn how close the Nazis came to ruling Europe. It is quite possible that, if Hitler hadn't made some serious grievous mistakes (mainly, attacking Russia, and even then if he had attacked Russia before the winter), Germany would've ruled the entire European mainland. Had this happened, we may never have known of their butchery, of their crimes against humanity, or it may have been too late for European Jews, or we may have been powerless to stop it even if we had. History is written by the victors, and I doubt a victorious Germany would've let the world know of it's holocaust. It is highly doubtful we would have had the relatively peaceful second half of the 20th century that led to the modern and stable western world we have today. A dominant Nazi Germany with time to develop the atom bomb was shockingly not far from a reality, as this book makes all too clear.

This book is built from the personal experience of the author who was a reporter in Germany during the rise of the Nazis, as well as extensive research of the wealth of documents that survived. It does an outstanding job of wrapping your head around the unthinkable truth, supplying you with all the gory details, while being thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.

riveting, fascinating! best reader ever!

in reading the prior reviews, i was skeptical how a book, let alone an audiobook could keep one's attention for so long. this is the best audiobook i have ever listened to. the content is actually all very interesting with each chapter a treasure trove of new personalities, enlightened facts that all coelesce together. and.....the reader is flawless. he has an air of knowledge and authority while not being too much like a schoolmaster. this book got me thru 360 miles in preparation for a marathon. it is a must for anyone interested in nazi germany in the second world war. dont hesitate because of the size, it just makes it that much better.

well written

loved the book. brilliantly written. best narrated audible book i have listened to. important history

Best Audible Book Period

Where does The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have (as of this writing) 699 books in my Audible library. This one ranks as #1.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

When Hitler seized control of Germany.

Which scene was your favorite?

Probably when the author had to leave Germany for England after the US entered the war, and Germany expelled all US reporters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't know that it was moving, but I appreciate the fact that the "back story" of Hitler's youth was kept to a minimum. Just enough to give me the necessary info without the over analysis of his childhood claptrap too many books want to give.

Any additional comments?

Due to its size, for far too long this book has been the butt of too many jokes about the book everyone has but no one has read. I admit in print form I might not have tackled it either. But audio? Well that's another story.

Grover Gardner has the PERFECT voice. The book is written by a newspaper man who was actually in Germany during the first part of the war, then in England once the US entered the fray. Mr Gardner sounds just like the classic radio announcer from the 1940's, his performance wonderfully fits the time and story.

I fully admit to being consumed by this book. I was travelling for work a lot at the time I read it, many a night I'd return to my hotel room and instead of watching TV would instead put on this book.

Do yourself a favor. If you are at all interested in WW2 history, get this book! You'll get sucked in quickly, then all of a sudden those hours will have gone by fast.

Simply the most Definitive book on WW2.

A courtside view of the unfolding of the most seminal moment in modern history described in the most riveting manner

Classic!

This is the classic account of Nazi Germany written by an eyewitness to historical events. This book is thoroughly researched and brimming with painstaking references to the captured secret documents of the National Socialist regime and to the Nuremberg trial archives. A truly magnificent history book by a non-historian. Mr. Shirer was a journalist, one of Edward R. Murrow's "boys," which means this book is written in an engaging and dynamic fashion. I personally love how he repeatedly refers to Hitler as "the tramp from Vienna" or "the former corporal." This is a "big history" book, concerned with big men and big events. I would suggest listening to it along with Richard J.Evans' trilogy on the Third Reich, which gives a "man on the street" account of Nazi Germany, and you will have as good an understanding of this subject as can be expected from a lay person. The performance by Mr. Gardner is spot on.

Great historical book

If you could sum up The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich in three words, what would they be?

THE storry of rise and fall of Hitler

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

The weakness of will of the UK, France and USA at the time

What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?

Nicely done

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

While the west slept

Any additional comments?

none

Extraordinary book

I find this book really extraordinary. First, I was rather put off by the length. Then when I started, I was captivated. The book tells the story of the rise of Nazis from the perspective of someone who was a direct witness of the beginning of the tragedy. It is very well written and narrated.

It reminds one how terribly actual it is. Would Europe be able to stop a similar development if it were to arise now? It makes you think, remember recent tragedies like Yugoslavia, and see the events in Crimea in different light. And it makes you realize how special the time we live in is.

It is not an amusing book but it is really great and should be read by as many people as possible. Some parts made me literally shudder, and so they should.