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Nightmare Years: 1930 - 1940 Paperback – March 5, 2008
'More than any conventional history book, Shirer's memoirs let a reader relive history' -People
'A superb journalist. ..Shirer was close enough to Hitler to feel the Nazi leader's messianic personal force. ..An unusually fine book' -Time
'No one ever did more to explain the rise of the Nazis'
-Barbara Tuchman
'An outstanding achievement of journalistic history; indeed it is the best kind of accurate and absorbing history' -Washington Post
- Print length654 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBirlinn
- Publication dateMarch 5, 2008
- Dimensions6.25 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches
- ISBN-101841581224
- ISBN-13978-1841581224
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To my consternation most Germans joined joyously in this Nazi barbarism.64 Kindle readers highlighted this
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There is nothing more dangerous in the shaping of foreign policy than ignorance—of foreign lands and peoples.58 Kindle readers highlighted this
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Were the Western democracies in an increasingly totalitarian world becoming too soft or too stupid or too tired to defend themselves and the freedoms and decencies they had won and maintained for their peoples? It was a question I began to ponder more and more from that night on through the next few years until the answer became increasingly and appallingly clear.56 Kindle readers highlighted this
Editorial Reviews
Review
Houston Chronicle
"More than any conventional history book, Shirer's memoirs let a reader relive history"
People
"A superb journalist. ..Shirer was close enough to Hitler to feel the Nazi leader's messianic personal force. ..An unusually fine book"
Time
"No one ever did more to explain the rise of the Nazis"
Barbara Tuchman
"An outstanding achievement of journalistic history; indeed it is the best kind of accurate and absorbing history"
The Washington Post
Product details
- Publisher : Birlinn (March 5, 2008)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 654 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1841581224
- ISBN-13 : 978-1841581224
- Item Weight : 2.76 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,937,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18,818 in World War II History (Books)
- #31,417 in European History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

William Lawrence Shirer (February 23, 1904 – December 28, 1993) was an American journalist and war correspondent. He wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, a history of Nazi Germany that has been read by many and cited in scholarly works for more than 50 years. Originally a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and the International News Service, Shirer was the first reporter hired by Edward R. Murrow for what would become a CBS radio team of journalists known as "Murrow's Boys." He became known for his broadcasts from Berlin, from the rise of the Nazi dictatorship through the first year of World War II (1940). With Murrow, he organized the first broadcast world news roundup, a format still followed by news broadcasts.
Shirer wrote more than a dozen books beside The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, including Berlin Diary (published in 1941); The Collapse of the Third Republic (1969), which drew on his experience living and working in France from 1925 to 1933; and a three-volume autobiography, Twentieth Century Journey (1976 to 1990). His brother was an analyst for the Securities and Exchange Commission and his niece, Jean Ingold, was an employee of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia. Photo by US State Department [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book excellently written, autobiographical, and quick to read. They also find the content fascinating, realistic, and unique.
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Customers find the book excellent, fascinating, and well-written. They also say it's informative, factual, and a tremendous work. Readers also mention that the book reads quickly.
"...This was a tremendous work that I read alongside the author’s work “ The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich...." Read more
"First hand account of Hitler's march to war. Great storytelling. Could have been avoided many steps along the way. Fascinating." Read more
"This excellent account of a prolonged, true nightmare is a very personal story that does not shy away from giving the author's understandable human..." Read more
"...This book is well written, but more about personal struggles. However, I was able to pull several bits of information from it...." Read more
Customers find the book fascinating, realistic, and highly recommended for history lovers. They say it's particularly relevant in light of current events, riveting, and never loses its appeal. Readers also say it provides a contemporary view and a unique perspective on Nazi Germany.
"A full and compelling account of the Reich’s rise in Germany and its treacherous expansion both east and west throughout Europe...." Read more
"...Could have been avoided many steps along the way. Fascinating." Read more
"This excellent account of a prolonged, true nightmare is a very personal story that does not shy away from giving the author's understandable human..." Read more
"...It's a contemporary view which helped me better understand the rise of Hitler and why others followed him." Read more
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The author provided great context to the events and players throughout the book.
This was a tremendous work that I read alongside the author’s work “ The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. In tandem, the books solidified the readers grasp of the compelling nature of WW 2 events and the key figures of the period.
A very full and excellent work.

