In the Garden of Beasts Book Reviews

We transfer money over €4 billion every month. We enable individual and business accounts to save 4 million Euros on bank transfer fees. Want to send free money abroad or transfer money abroad for free? Free international money transfer!

Inside their pants & minds. I really appreciated how the book was both objectively factual and emotionally revealing. It really showed the deep personal struggles, denial, and strange brew of contradictory ideologies that were polarizing people on the international stage. The access Martha Dodd unwittingly gained thru her indiscriminate romancing also reveals the internal deceits, paranoia and calculated savagery of the Reich's inner circle.

Informative. I enjoyed getting a different perspective on this subject. Obviously many hours of research went into this book proven by the great deal of details that presented by the author. Now I want to read his other novels as well. Everyone who's interested in WWII history should read this.

Compelling Histo-Narrative. Immersive character portraits of a dark and rapidly passing generation. Reads with imagery of rich detail and precise, well-documented accuracy. A must read for those seeking to understand how true humanity and personality guide and influence the glossy, media accounts of our history, scandals, and events.

Dull. Hard to read since know what happens. Demeaning of daughter. Just did not like.

A Great Read. Once again Erik Larson writes a compelling book that is a real page turner. I couldn't put the book down because it is a refreshing story in the early days of Nazi Germany. While I wished to have more details the book itself was very good. Popular history is something I rarely read any more because they always seem to be dumbed down for the masses. This is not the case here as in previous books by this author. I look forward to see what he has next in the pipeline. If you want something new And refreshing to read might I suggest picking this book up.

Cautionary tale for our time. Usually, I read action adventure and thrillers, but this historically set narrative carries all the inducement of my favorite reads. How startling to me when what the book described found parallels in today's goings on. The saying goes that history repeats itself, unless the players make themselves informed.

Get Ready!. We all know about the horrors that slowly but surely rose in Germany,under the approving eye of HItler and his thugs. Ha! Read this book and you will soon realize how oblivious we all really remain. As you progress through these pages and read about the gradual but constant rise of evil, no longer recognized as such by the German people, you might become a little more aware of what is going on in your own country. I know I have.

Riveting. This is a riveting detail of Germany in the 1930s as viewed by the Americans there. At times I felt I was watching a horror movie, with that urge to yell to the characters, "Get out! get out!" It was terrifying to realize how few people could see and understand the evil threat posed by Hitler. Even better and more compelling than Larson's "Devil and the White City."

Zoom engsbeld. Title

Interesting read. I thought this was well done. It does get a bit dry at times and the author seems to keep things going often by revealing the details of Martha's romantic life which are sultry but become a little boring after a while. Still, the author's gift for writing is evident throughout and I found his viewpoint on the Nazis very grounded and refreshing. Any history buff should love this one.

No love...no terror..... The subtitle is "Love, Terror, and an American family in Hitler's Berlin". IMHO the author only got two of the four right. I never felt the love or the terror. Admittedly, people fell in love (more like lust) and unspeakable things were happening everywhere but I did not feel either emotion while reading the book. The portrayal of the characters never came off the pages...they were flat without real personalities. It was my book club choice In the 7 + years of our club it was the first book that I was forced to skim thru. Unfortunate given the importance of this story in our history.

In the garden of the beasts. Denial, appeasement, and compromise are as ineffective against tyrants and bullies as they are against cancer. That is brought to the fore as the theme of this 1933-1934 diary of the early days of nazi Germany. The book brings the reader, as a fly on the wall, into the bedrooms, embassy back rooms, and dinner parties of the principals, mainly through the eyes of the American ambassador, William Dodd and his daughter, Martha. The theme is timeless; the story is fascinating and well told; ttthe text is fast moving.

In the garden of beasts. Interesting history. The details of Martha's possible spying were given short shrift. Not much assessment of the ambassador.

In the Garden of Beasts. Very good book. A great look at Nazi Germany leading up to WWII.

Not his best. This book is informative if you care for this particular point in history. The characters are not as appealing as in his other works. It gets slow at points, but I still found myself interested in what was to become of most of the characters in the end. The book does a good job describing what life must have been like for those involved at the birth of the third reich. It also paints a vivid portrait of America's view of Nazi germany in the early to mid thirties.

Incredible.. Incredibly well written, surprisingly gripping, and rich historical account. Highly recommended!

Good Book Not Great. It was an enjoyable read but I honestly didn't get much out of it other than a good diversion.

Great job by Larson. Another great piece of history told by Erik Larson. His research is impeccable. Makes for a great read.

Mediocre. I was looking forward to reading this book as I am fascinated by this period in history and politics. I found myself bored in several sections, especially the first half and the more interesting sections were far to short. Ending was abrupt and unfulfilling.

In the Garden of Beasts. This book is excellent - it is excellently researched, thrilling, chilling, and exquisitively enlightening - however, the ending is underwritten, and thus frustrating. I felt the same about Thunderstruck, but not Devil in the White City (one of my favorite books of all time). Definitely worth the read!

Boring. The book had some interesting stories, but I thought it was too long.

Wow. Just wow…. This mostly chronicled spectacle was impeccably researched, and horrifyingly captivating. One cannot help but wonder, what does the future hold for humankind during the next half-decade? Which prophetic voices will be heard yet inaccurate: which will be unheard and factual? History is the only observer who knows knows the truth for certain. Kudos to the author and the mostly forgotten-to-history Dodd family…

In the Garden of Beasts. I thought The Nazi era had examined from every angle. This book was a surprisingly fresh and personally intimate look at their reign of terror. Written from the perspective of the US ambassador and his daughter in the 1930s it makes for compelling reading. Well worth a look from those interested in this remarkable period of history.

Could not put it down!. This book, although historical, read like a novel. Exceptionally written. Could not put it down!

Not a good read. Not a good story. Not interesting.

Amazing. I absolutely loved this book. If you are interested in WWII or German history this is it!

In the Garden of Beasts. Though this book chronicles events that take place in 1933-1934, before Hitler's rise to total domination is complete, there is a lesson for today's America. I found the descriptions of the various factions of the Nazi regime, and what they stood for, to be eerily similar to what we're witnessing taking shape among the right-wing evangelical Christians who are trying to assume political control of all facets of American life. (As a point of reference see, for example, Rick Santorum.) By reading this book, there's a lesson to be learned about those who wish to control without respect for the rights of others. What the Dodds witnessed was not only the beginning of the oppression of Europe's Jews, but the oppression of anyone whose views were not the same as those of this evil and maniacal government. There was no respect for differences of opinion. There was no respect for those who simply wished to live their lives without threat or fear. The rise of Hitler's Germany, in so many respects, seems to be the blueprint that the ultra-right in today's America is following in its quest for the White House. All should read this book and be warned that it could happen here.

Fascinating, Disturbing & Downright Shocking!. I downloaded the free sample of this book on a whim, and I'm glad I did. It's very well written, with a smooth, engaging style that transports you back to Germany during the rise of Hitler. Told from the perspective of Americans stationed there- the new Ambassador and his family- the author captures the uncertainty and unrest that followed the disastrous economic policies of the Weimar Republic. As the story heats up, their concerns grow to fear and downright alarm. It's hard to imagine now, but American tourists were beaten in the streets because they failed to return a Nazi salute. This is a captivating story and well worth reading.

Nice book. Nice work Mr Larson, A bit long at times but a solid and interesting work.

Fast moving personal insight. Great read. Let's you know who was the villain and hero in prewar germany.

Decent story. Good enough story... Worth the time

Where are the footnotes?. I found this book fascinating, but I was disappointed in no being able to see the footnotes as I read. I could get to them, if I wanted to flip hundreds of pages, but I couldn't simply link to then because the don't show up in the text. Please fix this! DShinn

Camino island. Great

Good read. Fascinating

In the Garden of Beasts. I learned a lot about per World War 2 Germany from this book. I was well-educated on the topic in both High School and then in college as an International Relations major, but this book revealed a perspective to which I was not previously exposed. It was most interesting to understand how the Third Reich slowly chipped away at people's sensitivities until they were able to get away with the most abominable forms of brutality and murder and justified it, not just to the point where society silently accepted it, but actually applauded it. And it was interesting to see it all through the eyes of a misfit of the finest democratic ethics and morality. I would recommend this as required reading in high schools so that our youth can identify what it looks like and feels like to have the government slowly take away freedoms and prevent it from occurring.

Could not put it down.. I don't generally read books about WWll but this is after all Erik Larson. I have never been disappointed by his work and after reading "In The Garden of Beasts" I am glad to say that it delivered everything I have come to expect from this author. The level of research is extraordinary in this oh so readable book. Mr. Larson is a storyteller of the highest caliber. His characters are so well developed you feel like you were there at these pivotal points of history. Fair warning, once you pick this book up you may find you can't put it down.

Loved it. Well-written and intense

Not nearly his best work. I'm about halfway through this book and losing interest. I love E.L. And have read both "Dead Wake" and "Devil in the White City". I loved both of those books. This should be a fascinating story of the Nazi rise told through the eyes of American observers. All of the characters and events are there but the story plays slowly and most of it is only mildly interesting. Martha's many lovers grow tiring. Dodd is a disappointed lead character that is unimpressive and hard to feel much for. Later in his life, he ran over a child by accident causing severe injury and immediately fled the scene. This gives you insight into the fortitude of his character. Perhaps another American character would have had a more compelling story. Disappointed.

In the garden of beast. It was good. But much to long

Good not great. Interesting view of the the rise of Hitler. Disappointing anti-semitism and America's concern that Germany would repay it's debts, helped evil grow while other stood silent

Larson's best?. If you read Larson's works like The Devil in the White City and Thunderstruck, you know this isn't his best piece. I enjoyed Martha Dodd and Ambassador Dodd but both "characters" were flat and I never really cared about either. During several areas of the book, I felt as if I was reading a listing of daily activities with no details other than describing the day's weather. However, I was curious and enjoyed reading about Martha and her Russian lover. And, I did appreciate Larson's ability to hide the twist in their relationship- that I liked! If you like Larson, you have to read this book. It's good, just not his best.

Read Like An Engrossing Novel. This is the first I have read this author and it left me wanting to read more from him and the subject. Great read could not put it down!

In the garden of beasts. An insight into the horrors of man and how such things occured in a modern day society. How the rest of the world as proven in today’s world that such atrocities can continue to go on. A fantastic book that should be read by all!

Eye Opening. I found this book to be just as engrossing as others by this author. Many anecdotes were new to me although the pre-war Nazi Germany period has been covered many times. A sad story of a well meaning intelligent man serving in a thankless, impossible position. The ambassador's daughter could not possibly have been a worse diplomatic family member and that makes for some jaw dropping stories.

In The Garden of Beasts. Wonderful! I could not wait to read this book about a terrible time in our history. It delivered in every way. We should never forget and we should learn more. Silverswan

Sorry, but no cigar!. As you can guess, I did not enjoy this book. To me it was just a compiling of interesting historical materials. I could not believe Martha wasn't shot or at least shone the exit door to Germany. Why didn't her parents the Dodd's ,exercised control over their daughter's every whim? I thought diplomats had control over their children. I also thought this book was about Mr. Dodd, not his daughter. thank you Susan

Insightful and intelligent. I have read two of Larson's books and I am now an avid fan! His are the first historical books I've not been able to put down. Wonderfully written, entertaining and informative all rolled into one.

Great story teller. My favorite books are typically narrative non-fiction. I am glad to have stumbled upon Larson. This one had me the entire way through the notes section! I will now go read all of his others.

Great Book. Great book with a very interesting perspective on the events leading up to World War II.

In the Garden of Beasts. An absolutely fantastic book which will teleport you in time to the 1930's and pre World War II America and Germany! It gives great insight into the politics of Roosevelt and of the barbaric mentally unstable Adolfo Hitler. Set during the great depression in America it reveals the sights, sounds and the fear which grew into a new normal in Germany. The Ambassador to Germany Dodd, while prejudiced and I suspect not pro jewish himself still was able to foresee and speak out against the coming holocaust of jews in Germany which was downplayed by public opinion and later caused Dodd's own isolation. He was then opened to ridicule rather than being taken serious by the status seeking bean counters in our State Department who had finally gotten him fired by Roosevelt. It's a sad and scary tale of events which really occurred during this time period. An excellent book!!!!

Did you know that you can earn 25 USD from our site just by registering? Get $25 for free by joining Payoneer!

Imagine you at your best. All the time. Picture yourself at your sharpest and most productive. Your most alert and focused. Your most lucid, creative and confident. At work. At play. In every area of your life. Add Mind Lab Pro® v4.0 to your daily routine and uncap your true potential. Buy Now!

Adsterra is the most preferred ad network for those looking for an alternative to AdSense. Adsterra is the ideal choice for new sites with low daily traffic. In order to advertise on the site in Adsterra, like other ad networks, a certain traffic limit, domain age, etc. is required. There are no strict rules. Sign up!