Customer Reviews

The Divided Nation: A History of Germany, 1918-1990

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having seen the vicious review on file for this book I went out and had a look at the actual text. Nothing can be that bad. As ever, the one star rating tells you rather more about the reviewer than the book! This is a superb history, but of course it tramples over some toes of those who have a simplistic right and wrong view of the GDR. No doubt there are old scores to settle here. But it would be asking too much for someone to rise above their own prejudices and judge a book on its merits.

Fulbrook writes in very informative and eloquent manner that makes this book very accessible to both college students and the casual reader. While introducing key themes of 20th-century German history, Fulbrook also offers her own very interesting perspectives rich with details. Finally, it was nice to see a book on German history that doesn't over-indulge on the Nazi period.

While some periods, like the Third Reich, make books upon books in themselves, Fulbrook's narrative is concise and gets straight to the point. It tells just enough to whet one's taste and push them toward other topics. The post war period is especially good and destroys the black and white Communism is bad and FDR is good by showing how certain aspects of each were beneficial to people in each country. Very unbiased and very well researched. Not the perfect history book, but a near perfect overview into the most turbulent period in German history.

Not well resourced. Oversimplified. Little knowledge of inter german relations. The former DDR did not simply send desenters to the former FRD, Their freedom was paid for by the FRD