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64 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing record of a time and place, December 15, 2000
The vision of Weimar Berlin as a bastion of decadence in increasingly Nazi-fied Germany is perhaps due in large part to our familiarity with the musical "Cabaret" or with Isherwood's "Berlin Stories." But in fact, the available documentation for that vision has been pretty slim until recently. Mel Gordon has spent years assembling the material he shares in this amazing book. Be warned; this is not a pleasant book to read. The images can be disturbing or downright upsetting, and the information therein is similarly unsettling. It is, however, an invaluable resource for any student of the period as it makes available material that has simply not been widely seen outside of Germany. If you are as fascinated as I am with the period between the wars, this book is a must-have. It gives depth to the glossy, Hollywood version of Berlin decadence, and shows it to be born as much out of poverty and hopelessness as out of the free expression of sexuality/sensuality. And please do take quite seriously the warning: This book is NOT for the faint of heart.
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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a horrifying and unprecedented view of pre-nazi berlin, March 18, 2007
I suppose there is the inherent interest and entertainment of antique hardcore erotica for some people, which this book provides, but the things depicted (photographically) and described in this book may completely alter your view of the past. I guess it is known that Berlin, prior to the rise of the nazis, was a decadant, burlesque place. But the variety and pervasiveness... and SEVERITY of this is not commonly known. In this book you will see gay nomadic boy scouts, theatrical spanking machines, nudist priests, gleefuly incestuous families (depicted in lifestyle journals for apparent mass consumption) and manuals of dentist chair molestation. It really is shocking - and all the more when you recognize these images as decisively in the past, and apparently NORMAL for this time period. I used to look through this book whenever i went to this bookstore in 2000-2001, mostly browsing and skimming. It made a lasting impression and i have never been able to find similar information elsewhere. According to some of the reviews I've read, the author makes an unsubstantiated claim/conclusion that this period ended not because of social outrage or exhaustion, but because of particular economic and political circumstances. But for myself, foreign to this place and time (and culture), it completely changes my picture of germany, world war ii and modernity. Apparently there were sprawling nihilist fiends BEFORE mankind was confronted with the possability of nuclear annihilation. I personally consider this a "coffee table book", albeit for S&M yuppies. It is way too flashy and consumable for research purposes. (I would hesitate to site it as a source for any paper.) However, as far as I can tell, it is one of the only accessable documentations of ...something I can't believe I've never heard of.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Weimar Berlin Is *ALIVE* and Electric!, July 25, 2006
This *is* the most comprehensive book about Weimar Berlin on the market. Full of never before seen pictures, illustrations, and information, this book is what any Deco era enthusiast needs. Mel Gordon's text is anything but dry, stuffy, or overly scholarly as these books can tend to be. No, instead, his enthusiasm and interests spill onto each page, with his tell-tale approach and overwhelming details about Pre-War Weimar Berlin's enigmatic history. If Neo-Weimar studies are your cup of tea, then this book is the "on the rocks", "straight up", cold hard shot of gin! I recommend the 5th Edition (2006 Version) hardback that includes the original 2 sections that are omitted in the first few before it. The replaced sections are wonderful and if you've seen the book before, you will be quick to notice that Gordon has added *more* pictures and has corrected the color on the illustrations and paintings. In short, Mr. Gordon's work is quite simply the *ONLY* work out there worth reading about this subject. Most shy away from the real debauchery of the era and underplay it's hedonistic proclivities, but Gordon lays it all out in this book with great panache. Gordon is a UC Berkeley professor, accomplished writer of several books, and former New York Actor's Studio alumni who can bring to life any lecture or essay with great ease. Gordon's writings and lectures are the most dead on and most effective out there on the subject. See him lecture, read his work, and keep tabs on this history agent provocateur; he is the future of our unique artistic and often risqué past. A treasure in researching circles and a great preservationist of a rich bygone era. - A Campa (of The Art Deco Society Of California)
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