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)

Deepdive into the grittyness of the third reich

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

The fact that Shirer spent time in Germany in the prewar years really puts a unique and interesting perspective on the story. With great detail some of the international events of the prewar era is described splendidly with a human touch sucking you in, into not only a story but the history of what happened. The book is well scourced and gives a great and detailed insight to the machinations of the thousand year empire.

What other book might you compare The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich to and why?

There are no other books i would call similar, the blend of great detail, the personal perspective and the rigorous historical scourcing makes for a great and unique book.

What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?

Gardner gives a powerful performance never faltering no matter how pervertedly gruesome, and i do mean gruesome in the most severe sense of the word, the nazi brutallities described are.

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

Towards the end of the book the author spends some time vividly describing the quite frankly insane conditions of the concentration camps where i just had to stop listening. The experience was to harsh, the cruelty and the vivid imagery used by the book shook me to my core. I threw up listening to some of the worse parts.

Amazing

Phenomenal book!!! Modern journalists could learn how really reporting of the facts is done here.

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Very comprehensive & entertaining. This book goes back to the beginning of the Third Reich & follows the terror of WWII.

Great listen. But beware

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

This is an incredible telling of an extraordinary period of time in the 20th century. Very detailed and specific connecting

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

Grover is excellent. Giving character to what could be dry history.

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

The events at times can make me sick.

Rise and Fall...

Would you listen to The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich again? Why?

absolutely - great historical reference to Hitler's WWII

What did you like best about this story?

history and character descriptions - very well narrated

Which scene was your favorite?

all - is history

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

not possible due to length

Any additional comments?

eternally significant 'must read' to understand Hitler's Germany and his impact on the world

Worth the investment in time.

If you've wondered how and why WW2, you won't regret the time with this book.

50+ hours and enthralled the entire time!

This historical analysis about how Germany and Hitler rose to power, began the conquest of Europe, and ultimate demise is easily one of the most (if not the most) spell-binding listens I have come across. When I first got the book, I felt daunted by how long it is (57hrs), but once I started, I could not stop. The author provides incredible insight into the events that led up to Hitler's rise to power, and the responses to Germany's growing strength by the many countries of Europe.

This is a must-listen for any history buff.

Worth every hour spent listening to it.

Even knowing a lot about WWII, this book gives such a great background of the NAZI machine. It did a great job of explaining the how, why and when of Hitler. I feel like I almost lived it after finishing it. A great audio book.

A must read for World War Two buffs

What did you love best about The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

One was it's attention detail and tireless work to find the right information. Second was that the author gave it a personal touch by subtly giving his own thoughts and observations. It wasn't just a presentation of facts and documents. He was able to do this because he was there at the time and observed many of the ongoing events in person.

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

The most moving part was the stories of the Nazi atrocities that took place. I had no doubt that they occurred but wasn't aware of the extent and barbarity of the many of the actions.

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I have listened to Grover Gardner before in "The Civil War" by Shelby Foote, yes all three editions. So when I saw he narrated this story I knew it would be good. He read it in such a way that I felt he was the author that wrote it.

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

If it wasn't 50 plus hours I might have. I listen to books on my commute to work and I always looked forward to listening to this each day. Even though I thought I knew the basics of this time period I certainly learned much more after listening to this.

Any additional comments?

Anyone seeking to understand Adolph Hitler, the Third Reich and World War II should read this.

Insightful history listen. Amazingly non-boring!

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

able to listen to it whilst driving. It is quite a heavy book and not having to read every word was a blessing.