This book is everything! I bought it as a reference material as I was writing my novel set in the 2os and I couldn't be happier with this particular pThis book is everything! I bought it as a reference material as I was writing my novel set in the 2os and I couldn't be happier with this particular purchase. It has all the minutest details of Fritz Lang's life and work and more! Plus, the photos and copies of every possible document, letter, even Lang's drawings from his war days--I was thoroughly impressed and devoured it in one go. Highly recommended as a research material or if you're really interested in life and work of one of the most influential directors of the first half of the century. ...more
A very detailed, thoroughly researched biography that truly brought the personality of Louis XIV to life. I was somewhat familiar with the Sun King’s A very detailed, thoroughly researched biography that truly brought the personality of Louis XIV to life. I was somewhat familiar with the Sun King’s reign before diving into this book, but I must admit, I learned so much after reading it; many aspects of Louis XIV’s rule became much clearer, let it be his decisions to wage wars or build Versailles, or place such importance on etiquette. I learned that most of the times it wasn’t indulgence or pride that motivated him to act in a certain way but a calculated strategy. I won’t go into details, but I’ll just say I’m so very glad I read it. Very eye-opening, extremely detailed, the most meticulously researched biography I’ve read to date. ...more
A very detailed and meticulously researched biography of this truly enigmatic woman. Using Zelda’s contemporaries’ accounts, Zelda and Scott’s correspA very detailed and meticulously researched biography of this truly enigmatic woman. Using Zelda’s contemporaries’ accounts, Zelda and Scott’s correspondence against the drop of a historical background, the author paints a complicated and fascinating portrait of a woman who served as a muse to one of the most distinctive voices of 20th century literature and who herself could have become a rather prominent writer - or a dancer, or even an artist, had it not been for… multiple factors, actually. Her marriage, her mental illness; simply living during an era that didn’t favor women trying to follow a career path - there were so many things staked against her, one can’t help but feel for her even while reading a seemingly unemotional biography. A must read for anyone interested in the Fitzgeralds and Zelda in particular. ...more
A very well-researched biography of Gabrielle Chanel and what exactly was going on between her, her German lover von Dinklage, and their French-GermanA very well-researched biography of Gabrielle Chanel and what exactly was going on between her, her German lover von Dinklage, and their French-German espionage ring that operated during WWII. Generously supplied with photos, documents, private correspondence, and witness accounts, this study helps not only shed light on Chanel’s wartime activities but presents a fascinating portrait of her as a person and fashion icon and what motivated her to act the way she did. Highly recommended to all history buffs!...more
Informative and riveting - thanks to a most talented narrator, I could easily visualize everything and everyone right before my eyes and couldn’t waitInformative and riveting - thanks to a most talented narrator, I could easily visualize everything and everyone right before my eyes and couldn’t wait to take my dogs out so I could listen to more of this spellbinding audiobook. Meticulously researched and wonderfully presented - I couldn’t get enough of it and recommend it highly!...more
All of us heard of Jack the Ripper, but do we truly know his victims? Spoiler alert: no, we don’t. It was always assumed that Ripper was the killer ofAll of us heard of Jack the Ripper, but do we truly know his victims? Spoiler alert: no, we don’t. It was always assumed that Ripper was the killer of prostitutes but in fact, only one of his victims, Mary Kelly, was a sex worker. The rest of them were unfortunate victims of the Victorian society, its double standards when it came to men and women, and the general desperate state of London’s lower class that had doomed them to hunger, poverty, and eventually, death at the hands of one of the first serial killers. In this meticulously researched study, the author sheds light on Jack the Ripper’s five victims’ lives, fates, personalities and - for the first time - shows them for the women they were and not just Ripper’s nameless victims. I can only imagine the amount of research that went into this incredible study that made Victorian London truly come alive along with women who lived and died in its streets and I applaud the author for writing a familiar story from such an important angle. I really can’t recommend it highly enough! Absolutely brilliant. ...more
I read this book for research purposes and I can only applaud Mr. Ohler for all the work he has put into this incredibly detailed and so very well-wriI read this book for research purposes and I can only applaud Mr. Ohler for all the work he has put into this incredibly detailed and so very well-written biography. Harro and Libertas Schulze-Boysen aren’t as well-known to the WWII history buffs as Claus von Stauffenberg for instance, and I think it’s a great pity as this couple did what few people managed to do - with their own example and passion they organized an entire resistance movement in the very heart of Germany and risked their own lives fighting for freedom from Hitler’s yoke and for the end of the blood-shedding war they both loathed. Their brave action and determination are truly worth applauding. Without any formal training (well, with minimal training in Harro’s case), they improvised and worked with what they had to spread their anti-Nazi message and get as many people on their side as possible, all the while knowing that they did so at the risk of their own freedom and life. I’m still in awe of their selfless, heroic sacrifice and I can only hope that their names will become more well-known in the future as they most certainly deserve it. Highly recommended to all history buffs! ...more
“Stalin’s Daughter” is an incredibly well-researched and compelling biography of Svetlana Alliluyeva - Stalin’s only daughter. Written in an objective“Stalin’s Daughter” is an incredibly well-researched and compelling biography of Svetlana Alliluyeva - Stalin’s only daughter. Written in an objective manner, it draws a portrait of a woman who was forced to spend her entire life in her father’s shadow. I personally found Svetlana’s story to be truly tragic. Despite being seen by many as a so-called “Kremlin Princess,” she was a highly intelligent, rebellious, down-to-earth, freedom-loving person whose main goal since childhood was to be treated as someone ordinary instead of being hated or revered solely due to her last name. Several marriages, defections and re-defections, unfortunately, didn’t help Svetlana find her place in a world to which she was either an object of propaganda or counter-propaganda and never just a writer and a woman in desperate need of friendship and love. Stalin destroyed many lives and, inadvertently, his own daughter’s life as well even though I do believe that he sincerely loved her - it’s evident from their correspondence, at least when she was still a young girl.
This biography is remarkable because it’s written relying on multiple sources - Svetlana’s daughter, relatives, friends, colleagues, and people who helped her or were in contact with her during different stages of her life. I appreciated that the author wrote it about Svetlana as a person and not Svetlana as a political figure; I feel, this is exactly the biography Svetlana herself would have liked to be written about her. There’s no political agenda of any sort here. The author simply states the facts and lets the readers draw their own conclusions. For these reasons, I would strongly recommend “Stalin’s Daughter” to everyone interested in history and Svetlana as a person. ...more
A short but informative account. I wouldn’t call it a biography, but considering how little information is available concerning Irma Grese, this summaA short but informative account. I wouldn’t call it a biography, but considering how little information is available concerning Irma Grese, this summary is well worth reading. It’s mostly comprised of the survivors’ witness accounts, but through them, one can definitely draw a picture of depravity and sadism that Grese was certainly prone to. I would definitely classify her as a sociopath as even in her testimony given to the military tribunal she had not once expressed an ounce of remorse or even a shadow of genuine feeling. If you’re interested in the history of the Holocaust, I would certainly recommend it. ...more
I first read about the controversial Auschwitz Kommandant Liebehenschel in H. Langbein’s study, “People in Auschwitz.” According to Langbein’s personaI first read about the controversial Auschwitz Kommandant Liebehenschel in H. Langbein’s study, “People in Auschwitz.” According to Langbein’s personal observations and the testimonies he gathered from other inmates, Arthur Liebehenschel was “the humane Kommandant,” who immediately put a stop to the standing cells practice in Auschwitz, prohibited the beatings, actively fought with the camp’s political division, and tried to stop systematic gassings and selections. I need hardly add, I was intrigued. Naturally, as soon as I came across Liebehenschel’s daughter Barbara’s memoir/biography, I just knew I had to pick it up and I wasn’t disappointed.
Barbara’s memoir is basically a search for a father she never knew (he left his first wife and their four children in 1944 when Barabara was still a very small child and therefore, she has virtually no memories of him). It’s always a challenge for a family member, and particularly a child, to paint an objective picture of their parent and to her credit, Barbara did a great job in this respect. Meticulously piecing together the memories of her own siblings and Liebehenschel’s second wife whom she interviewed for this book, survivors’ witness testimonies, transcripts of interrogations, and Liebehenschel’s own journals, she paints a portrait of an essentially soft-hearted man who pledged his allegiance to the regime he had later grown severely disappointed in (just to name one incident: during a party given at his house, Liebehenschel got drunk and threw an empty glass of champagne at the portrait of Hitler in front of his guests - an act of defiance, for which he was later placed under house arrest by Himmler and later transferred to Auschwitz in punishment). It was actually uplifting to read about a Kommandant, who was firmly against beatings and torture and forbade the SS and Kapos to physically abuse the inmates while he was in charge; who personally tasted the soup in the kitchen and spoke to the inmates about the matters that concerned them the most and tried to help them as much as he could. He was eventually removed from his post for being too soft prior to the so-called Hungarian Aktion and replaced by Höss once again, who had no such qualms concerning the inmates or their extermination.
Was he an innocent man? Of course, not. But he is not your typical callous, brutal SS officer either. In the end, my personal opinion of him and his sentence is pretty much the same as Dr. Danimann’s, an Auschwitz survivor: “It is my belief that Arthur Liebehenschel’s death sentence was probably historically and legally a just verdict but because of his diverse and positive initiatives, which helped many prisoners, he should have been given an amnesty.”
I read it as part of the research for my own project but I would definitely recommend it to everyone interested in the history of WWII and the Holocaust. ...more
A meticulously researched biography of a truly outstanding woman. I read it for research purposes and the further I read, the more I began to admire AA meticulously researched biography of a truly outstanding woman. I read it for research purposes and the further I read, the more I began to admire Alma’s strong personality and boldness. Not only was she a true pioneer in conducting a highly-successful female orchestra when the music scene still mostly belonged to men but managed the impossible in a place where all hope was lost - create a new women’s orchestra out of nothing and thus save multiple lives (almost all members of her orchestra survived the camp). Mr. Newman did an outstanding job with his research. By the time I finished this remarkable biography, I felt like I knew this brilliant woman personally, and not only her, but her entire family and the girls she shared the last months of her life with. By providing historical documents and eyewitness accounts, the author creates a vivid and objective portrait of a woman who refused to bow down to the new world order and remained an artist and a rebel till the very end. A biography I’d highly recommend to everyone! ...more
“The Girl with the Leica” is a novel-like biography of Gerda Taro, a famous Spanish Civil War photographer who, unfortunately, is famous not only for “The Girl with the Leica” is a novel-like biography of Gerda Taro, a famous Spanish Civil War photographer who, unfortunately, is famous not only for her photos of the conflict but for being the first female war correspondent to die in the battlefield. It’s told through the eyes of three people who were close to her during different (though, sometimes, interloping) periods of time - Willy Chardack, Ruth Cerf, and Georg Kuritzkes. I did appreciate the idea to tell Greta’s story this way but it had its cons; for instance, I never felt like I actually got to know Gerda. Even at the very end of the book, she still remained this obscure figure who consists of bits and pieces of other people’s memories instead of coming forward as a strong and unforgettable personality. Don’t get me wrong, Gerda was definitely a fascinating personality with a sharp sense of justice, who was incredibly strong and fearless, who never thought twice about fighting for her beliefs, and who most definitely was a very gifted photographer, it’s just I wish I got to know her better through this book. The positive thing is that the story is meticulously researched and it shows in the tiniest of details. Germany, France, and Spain of the 1930s, with all their political unrests and the threat of fascism spreading over them like a dark shadow, come alive as the characters gather secretly in their apartments, have run-ins with the SA and get jailed, leave one country and then the other while they still can, ponder the fates of the ones who were left behind and do what they can to shed light on the war and its terrors. The issues of politics, feminism, xenophobia are set against the most touching personal stories and the contrast came out delightful. Recommended. ...more
“Escape from Paris” is an excellent true story of WWII which I would highly recommend to all fans of the genre. It’s non-fiction and is full of detail“Escape from Paris” is an excellent true story of WWII which I would highly recommend to all fans of the genre. It’s non-fiction and is full of details, yet it doesn’t read like a dry historical account but more like a work of fiction at times and really places you in the middle of the action and makes you root for the “characters.” It’s a story of personal bravery of American and British pilots and the people of the French Resistance, but it mostly revolves around four particular ones. Joe Cornwall, a B-17 “Flying Fortress” gunner, who narrowly escapes death and capture after his “Fortress” is downed by the enemy fire over occupied Paris, and the Morin family - George, his wife Denise, and their daughter Yvette - who put their own lives at risk to help guide downed pilots like Joe to safety.
The research for this work must have taken a lot of time and effort and it shows in the tiniest of details. The names and dates of the missions flown; the aerial battles and the enemy’s techniques; the layout of the Hôtel des Invalides and its history; the Resistance cells functioning around Greater Paris area at that time and details of their operations and even the names of the agents - all these factual details will be a true feast for any history buff. And of course, the human factor which the author presents with such emotion is extremely important to mention. It turned an already-compelling WWII story into a truly amazing and riveting read. By the way, the author actually met with Yvette, so her part was narrated to him personally, and what can be better for any history lover than stories told by the people who lived to tell them, right? A perfect choice for everyone who’s interested in the history of the French Resistance....more
A wonderful research source for anyone interested in the detailed process of denazification, the Allies’ reasons for establishing the process itself, A wonderful research source for anyone interested in the detailed process of denazification, the Allies’ reasons for establishing the process itself, and its consequences. What I highly appreciated was the abundance of original documents (the translation for each is provided) and photographs. The summons, the transcript for the trial, affidavits, witnesses’ testimonies, and even an old Gestapo file’s transcript - all this made the research process extremely interesting for me. Highly recommended for all history buffs!...more
“SS Elite Trilogy” is a great research source for anyone interested in the top members of Hitler’s protection squadron. In the third volume (R to W) M“SS Elite Trilogy” is a great research source for anyone interested in the top members of Hitler’s protection squadron. In the third volume (R to W) Mr. Williams provides detailed accounts of service of these top officers, along with details of their personal lives and interesting bits associated with their service, family life, or relationship with their comrades. Each chapter is rather short and to the point; it’s more of a summary and not a fully-presented portrait (most likely you won’t get a personal feeling of what kind of person this or that Party functionary was just based on “their” section) but it’s perfect for obtaining general knowledge concerning their role in the Nazi hierarchy. As with volumes one and two, it’s meticulously researched and rich in photographic material - you’ll definitely be amazed at the sheer number of them! Highly recommended as an excellent research source. ...more
“SS Elite” trilogy is a great research source for anyone interested in the top members of Hitler’s protection squadron. In the second volume (K to Q) “SS Elite” trilogy is a great research source for anyone interested in the top members of Hitler’s protection squadron. In the second volume (K to Q) Mr. Williams provides detailed accounts of service of these top officers, along with details of their personal lives and interesting bits associated with their service, family life, or relationship with their comrades. Each chapter is rather short and to the point; it’s more of a summary and not a fully-presented portrait (most likely you won’t get a personal feeling of what kind of person this or that Party functionary was just based on “their” section) but it’s perfect for obtaining general knowledge concerning their role in the Nazi hierarchy. As with volume one, it’s meticulously researched and rich in photographic material - you’ll definitely be amazed at the sheer number of them! Highly recommended as an excellent research source. ...more
“SS Elite” is a great source of research for anyone interested in digging deeper into the highest echelons of power in Nazi Germany. Volume I, which i“SS Elite” is a great source of research for anyone interested in digging deeper into the highest echelons of power in Nazi Germany. Volume I, which includes the highest-ranking SS members from A to J, presents an objective, even if sometimes somewhat dry, picture of the SS elite. Each chapter, dedicated to a certain man, summarizes his family’s history, his first involvement with the Party and the SS, SS career itself, promotions, relationship with his comrades and commanders, interesting facts from his personal life, summary of his war service (for those who participated in active combat), war crimes (if there were any committed), and circumstances of his death. Undoubtedly, it’s meticulously researched and I can only imagine the years of collecting the information and rare multiple photographs that went into creating this book. Such well-known names as Werner Best, Martin Bormann, Kurt Daluege, Josef Dietrich, Theodor Eicke, Karl Hermann Frank, Rudolf Hess, Reinhard Heydrich, and Heinrich Himmler are among those included, as well as more obscure figures which nonetheless played an important role in the formative years of the SS organization itself. I’d definitely recommend it to everyone interested in the history of Nazi Germany. ...more
Max Williams indeed did a wonderful job with this biography. It’s probably the most detailed one out of all of them; I was actually amazed at the exteMax Williams indeed did a wonderful job with this biography. It’s probably the most detailed one out of all of them; I was actually amazed at the extent of Mr. Williams’s research - just the appendix section, which includes an autopsy report, is worthy of separate praise. The book is cleverly organized into two parts: the biography itself and the section with photos, many of which I haven’t seen before. What I also appreciated was how the author offered different versions given by different sources concerning certain events, without heavily relying just on one source. For instance, he explains why Lina Heydrich could have been confused concerning her husband’s whereabouts on the night of the Kristallnacht, and why the doctors’ and the investigators’ accounts concerning the assassination, differ slightly. If you’d like an objective, meticulously researched biography - this one is definitely it. Extremely detailed and informative, it’s a great research source for anyone interested in the history of Nazi Germany and its most prominent figures....more
Erich Hartmann, the highest-scoring fighter ace in history, will always remain one of my favorite historical figures, and not only due to his incredibErich Hartmann, the highest-scoring fighter ace in history, will always remain one of my favorite historical figures, and not only due to his incredible achievements in aerial combat but due to his personality and principles, which remained unchanged throughout his whole life, and which I admire greatly. Son of the parents who can definitely consider themselves citizens of the world, he was exposed to a contagious bug of freedom which hadn’t left him since. Learning the ropes of glider flying from his mother, he soon realized that flying was his passion and his second biggest love in life - after his faithful future wife Usch, of course, whom he met when both were still teenagers. He demonstrated skills in gunnery already in the flying school, but it was the Eastern front and one of his very first instructors, who taught him his future mantra of attack: observe-decide-attack-coffee break. The evolution of Erich Hartmann as a fighter pilot told from his own words, is wonderfully presented in this biography, followed by numerous successful accounts of his victories. What I also particularly enjoyed was the camaraderie of the JG-52 and their chivalrous treatment of their Soviet captives, which only demonstrates that one can remain human even in the most hellish situations. Numerous anecdotes dotted throughout the narration, including Heinz “Bimmel” Mertens (Hartmann’s faithful crew chief) and their joined antics, Walt “Graf Punski” Krupinski and his stunts, and even the infamous encounter with the Führer’s hat, not only made this biography even more interesting to read, but put a human face on their uneasy service on the Eastern front. The Soviet incarceration was probably the most difficult section of the book and I simply can’t imagine how a man could go through ten years of unlawful captivity and yet remain the same at heart - kind, incredibly honest, and a loving person who even later in his life didn’t condemn the whole Soviet nation but solely his NKVD captors for their stealing a decade of his life. A love story between him and his wife Ursula deserves a separate novel written about them, but I’ll just say that it’s probably due to her that he managed to survive the Soviet Gulags hell. Very well-written, thoroughly researched and approved by Hartmann himself, this official biography is certainly a must read for all WW2 buffs. Highly recommended! ...more
“The Star of Africa” is a biography of one of the most brilliant and controversial aces of the Luftwaffe. “Marseille was the ultimate role model for t“The Star of Africa” is a biography of one of the most brilliant and controversial aces of the Luftwaffe. “Marseille was the ultimate role model for the German youth - until he opened his mouth,” is a perfect quote to describe Jochen Marseille’s personality. A bohemian Berliner, who was openly anti-Nazi in the era when one careless word could send you packing off to a concentration camp, was definitely born in a wrong place, if not in the wrong time. Freedom-loving and eccentric, honest and kind-hearted, Marseille simply didn’t belong in Nazi Germany. Of course, in a country where military service was an obligation and not a choice, the liberal Luftwaffe was probably the only suitable option for him. This is where his star truly shone, and here’s where he celebrated every victory over the downed aircraft and mourned the death of every killed enemy pilot. A brilliant pilot who wasn’t afraid to tackle ten enemy aircraft at once, he remained a true humanitarian. Against Göring’s standing orders and risking being shot down, he would fly to the enemy airbase just to drop a note to the downed pilot’s comrades to let them know of their friend’s fate. He would entertain the captured enemy pilots like personal guests and protect his African mechanic (and good friend) in front of the highest-ranking Wehrmacht generals. Eventually finding himself more and more disillusioned with his country’s new nationalistic values, he tried his best to act like a human in the army where humanism was frowned upon. This wonderfully written biography is great not only because it offers a glimpse into Marseille’s unforgettable personality but due to the detailed study of his flying career and techniques, all based on actual documentation sources and interviews given by his comrades and people who were lucky to know him. I laughed at Jochen’s numerous exploits and I cried at his tragic and untimely death. An invaluable research source and just a great read for all WW2 history buffs. I can’t recommend it highly enough! ...more
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