The Germans and Europe

A Personal Frontline History

De: Peter Millar

Narrado por: Damian Lynch

Based on a lifetime living in and reporting on Germany and Central Europe, award-winning journalist and author Peter Millar tackles the fascinating and complex story of the people at the heart of our continent.

Focussing on nine cities (only six of which are in the Germany of today), he takes us on a zigzag ride back through time via the fall of the Berlin Wall through the horrors of two world wars and the patchwork states of the Middle Ages to the splendour of Charlemagne and the fall of Rome, with side swipes at everything on the way, from Henry VIII to the Spanish Empire.

Included are mini portraits of aspects of German culture, from sex and money to food and drink. Not just a book about Germany but about Europe as a whole and how we got where we are today - and where we might be tomorrow.

©2017 Peter Millar (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

Admitted German-o-Phile

This is the best history of Germany out there. Its interwoven with the Author’s own story living in Germany. And he tells the history of the country through different German cities. Incredibly interesting. I would highly recommend this audiobook

Enjoyable informal survey of Germany

I mostly listen to books while walking in the morning, and I kept taking longer and longer walks in order to keep listening to this one. Best endorsement I can offer. It's really difficult to pull off a combo history-memoir-travelogue, but Millar adeptly threads that needle. Sure, I enjoyed some chapters more than others, and some of the cities (Vienna, Strasbourg) feel slightly forced—just a means to get to some part of history he wants to discuss. But overall, a thoroughly enjoyable and deftly constructed mix of history, culture and personal reminiscence.

One of the best books I have listened to on here

This is a great book; to quickly sum it up it's a look at Germany through the major cities in (or what was) the German speaking world: Berlin, Vienna, Hamburg, Dresden, Munich, Konigsberg (formerly in East Prussia, now Kalingrad in Russia) and Strasbourg (now in France). The author weaves his insanely interesting personal experiences living, working (as a Reuters journalist), and visiting these places to tell their histories. Some great ones included living in East Berlin in the 1980's and being under surveillance by the Stasi, accidently starting a pro-Democracy protest in Dresden (then in the DDR), and having a friendship with the late Otto von Hapsburg. But this isn't just a travel book; the history is seamlessly weaved in. Ignore the crazed review below and take the plunge on this book if you are interested in Germany.

Left of reality

Author is a self described hippie who refers to the National Socialists (Nazi's) as "right wing" and communist East Germans as "conservative". Apparently nobody on the left is capable of horrors such as Dresden etc. Of course the Soviets proved differently as they raped and killed all the way through Berlin.
Much excuse making from this Berlin native. Hand wringing over WW2 Allied bombing is tiresome and ridiculous. Germany got the total war it sought to inflict on the world.
I'm sending this book back.

This could have a much more interesting tale.

The story was narrated well.
My problem was the way this reporter mix personal experience, concurrent history and politics with cold war history. I just could not maintain an interest in continuing the story.
On the other hand if your like hearing a personal view of the happenings on the closing of the cold enjoy.