What do you think?
Rate this book
Good Town
In Nazi Germany, a pious man makes a decision to protect his family, but at what cost?
Josef Haupt, once a staunch opponent of Hitler, now finds himself as a local Reich official, enabling the horror he once fought against. As the Jewish community is sent to their deaths and his sons are drafted to fight in the war, the evil of his choices ricochets against his family.
His eldest daughter, Margarete, watches as her once-peaceful town becomes an authoritarian outpost. She comes of age amidst the chaos of war while also fighting to keep her mother and sisters alive. When the war and the Soviet occupation decimate the family, Margarete is left to lead her mother and sisters out of their tragedies.
Good Town is a heart-wrenching tale of complicity and courage, told through the eyes of a father and daughter. Based on a true story, this gripping historical fiction will take you on a journey through one family's struggle to survive in the face of unimaginable evil.
Josef Haupt, once a staunch opponent of Hitler, now finds himself as a local Reich official, enabling the horror he once fought against. As the Jewish community is sent to their deaths and his sons are drafted to fight in the war, the evil of his choices ricochets against his family.
His eldest daughter, Margarete, watches as her once-peaceful town becomes an authoritarian outpost. She comes of age amidst the chaos of war while also fighting to keep her mother and sisters alive. When the war and the Soviet occupation decimate the family, Margarete is left to lead her mother and sisters out of their tragedies.
Good Town is a heart-wrenching tale of complicity and courage, told through the eyes of a father and daughter. Based on a true story, this gripping historical fiction will take you on a journey through one family's struggle to survive in the face of unimaginable evil.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2023
495 people are currently reading
1947 people want to read
About the author
Mary Louise Wells
1 book34 followersMary is a former environmental lawyer turned writer. A born Midwesterner and naturalized Texan, she now resides in California with her husband, two children, and rescue dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
July 18, 2023
There's not much I can add to others that reviewed this story. I am a reader of historical fiction (and non-fiction of WWII) and I found that Mary Louise Wells has done excellent research. There were many, many people that did not believe in not blindly follow the regime holding power over the European nation. But as it became more obvious that the Nazi stronghold was losing its grip, there were things the common folk had to do just to survive. And sadly, even they in the end, lost everything. Some, even their lives due to starvation and illness.
If you like reading well written, well researched historical WWII stories based on true , factual cease-fire then please read this one. I believe you'll like it. Perhaps you'll even find yourself reading even more of them.
I liked this story and my rating reflects that. As I said at the start, there are earlier reviews and there's not much more I can add. Except, go ahead, grab a copy, sit down where you're comfortable, have a snack and cold beverage on hand, open the book, and place yourself in 1939 Germany with a farmhouse, with a family and livestock to tend to ,listen to the forbidden radio to hear news that's truthful (Hitler declared all newspapers, magazines, radio journalists were "fake news" from 1933 when he became Chancellor, and put a target on journalists with death as punishment - he controlled ALL communications to the people including the church( he would be sending Priests, nuns, Lutherans, to the camps, right up to the fall of Berlin in 1945) and find yourself in a moral dilemma. And let yourself feel....P/
If you like reading well written, well researched historical WWII stories based on true , factual cease-fire then please read this one. I believe you'll like it. Perhaps you'll even find yourself reading even more of them.
I liked this story and my rating reflects that. As I said at the start, there are earlier reviews and there's not much more I can add. Except, go ahead, grab a copy, sit down where you're comfortable, have a snack and cold beverage on hand, open the book, and place yourself in 1939 Germany with a farmhouse, with a family and livestock to tend to ,listen to the forbidden radio to hear news that's truthful (Hitler declared all newspapers, magazines, radio journalists were "fake news" from 1933 when he became Chancellor, and put a target on journalists with death as punishment - he controlled ALL communications to the people including the church( he would be sending Priests, nuns, Lutherans, to the camps, right up to the fall of Berlin in 1945) and find yourself in a moral dilemma. And let yourself feel....P/
April 18, 2023
I just finished a brand new book that came out today (!)—Good Town by Mary Louise Wells. As a devoted fan of historical fiction—World War ll era stories in particular, I thoroughly enjoyed reading a story with a different point of view than most. Good Town is a story from the average German family’s point of view. Guttstadt ( German for good town) was a small village in East Prussia under German rule since the World War I. It was surrounded by family farms largely responsible for providing food for much of Germany. Josef Haupt has built a large and successful farm outside of Guttstadt providing well for his family of ten, largely ignoring the changes occurring in Germany and the world. His family are devout Catholics and not supporters of the Nazi Party but prefer to stay quiet and keep to their own business until the world and the war intrudes. Unable to refuse a position of heading the local agricultural office for the Nazi Party, Josef Haupt hopes his quiet involvement will provide his family with some protection as they try to remain separate as possible from Hitler’s government. However, as war drags on, that remains impossible. Haupt’s four older sons are drafted and sent to various theaters of war—the Eastern Front, Africa, and the Baltic regions. The rest of the family (his wife and four daughters) are left to try and farm enough to meet the government’s food demands. Day by day the news becomes grimmer and their lives get harder until the approach of the Russian army towards East Prussia forces them to flee leaving their home and farm behind. It is a harrowing tale to follow the family members as they try to attempt relocation and a new start in life.
We have all read many books recounting the struggles of Jewish refugees, concentration camp horrors, daring and dangerous stories of resistance fighters in the many occupied countries under Germany. It was somewhat eye-opening to read about Germans who tried to avoid participating in any with the Nazis and how their lives were upended by the end of the war and life in displaced person camps. This book serves as a reminder that there were so many casualties on both sides of the War and it seemed that in Europe literally no one escaped the maelstrom. I think this is a less-often portrayed view on the history of the war and I recommend it highly. Ms. Wells has done a masterful job on this story.
I was able to receive an early arc of this book thanks to Net Galley and Book Whisperer.
We have all read many books recounting the struggles of Jewish refugees, concentration camp horrors, daring and dangerous stories of resistance fighters in the many occupied countries under Germany. It was somewhat eye-opening to read about Germans who tried to avoid participating in any with the Nazis and how their lives were upended by the end of the war and life in displaced person camps. This book serves as a reminder that there were so many casualties on both sides of the War and it seemed that in Europe literally no one escaped the maelstrom. I think this is a less-often portrayed view on the history of the war and I recommend it highly. Ms. Wells has done a masterful job on this story.
I was able to receive an early arc of this book thanks to Net Galley and Book Whisperer.
March 25, 2023
Stories from WWII usually involve someone on the winning side or victims of the atrocious acts that were committed. I have never read one from the view point of a German. This story takes the reader to Germany under Nazi rule. The Haupt family are devout Catholics who are proud of their German heritage but do not agree with the ruling Nazi party. It is easy to forget that not all Germans supported Hitler and his desire for world domination while killing off so many people. The reminder comes from this story. I think that the fact this is based on the author's own family history makes it all the more real to me as a reader.
The author opens the door to a world that we have seen only from one side of the glass. We are taken to a prospering family farm where life seems nearly perfect until war pulls the family apart and reveals horrors that one can never forget. Sons are sent to the front. Old men are conscripted to dig trenches. Women are beaten and raped. Hope and faith are something one either clings to or completely gives up on.
To say this story is emotional is an understatement. I found myself anxious to find out what happened next. Then the tears would flow as I felt the characters' pain or joy as they pushed forward to an uncertain future. When I get emotional with a story, it has been written with a very powerful voice.
The sign of a good book is when you finish reading it the story stays with you. I can't stop thinking of the Germans who did not want to exterminate the Jews or treat anyone badly. They did exist. I want to know more about them. I want to read up on that viewpoint. Good Town got me thinking.
If you like historical fiction, you have to give this book a try. I think you'll find it one that will change you.
The author opens the door to a world that we have seen only from one side of the glass. We are taken to a prospering family farm where life seems nearly perfect until war pulls the family apart and reveals horrors that one can never forget. Sons are sent to the front. Old men are conscripted to dig trenches. Women are beaten and raped. Hope and faith are something one either clings to or completely gives up on.
To say this story is emotional is an understatement. I found myself anxious to find out what happened next. Then the tears would flow as I felt the characters' pain or joy as they pushed forward to an uncertain future. When I get emotional with a story, it has been written with a very powerful voice.
The sign of a good book is when you finish reading it the story stays with you. I can't stop thinking of the Germans who did not want to exterminate the Jews or treat anyone badly. They did exist. I want to know more about them. I want to read up on that viewpoint. Good Town got me thinking.
If you like historical fiction, you have to give this book a try. I think you'll find it one that will change you.
April 24, 2023
Good Town is a gut wrenching story that will tug at all of your emotions. This book had me turning the pages so fast to see what would happen!
Not only is this an amazing story, but it is based on true events. It tells the story of a Catholic, German family, living in East Prussia. It focuses on Josef, a pious husband and father of eight, and his daughter Margarete, a young girl coming into womanhood. It is a heart wrenching story of one family’s survival. I didn’t want the story to end, but I loved the ending!
I never knew that East Prussia, which is now mostly part of Poland, was once part of Germany. I went down a rabbit hole of research, and I learned so much about the war and people in East Prussia. Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
READ THIS BOOK IF YOU
Want to “ugly” cry
Are looking for a “different” type of WWII story
Not only is this an amazing story, but it is based on true events. It tells the story of a Catholic, German family, living in East Prussia. It focuses on Josef, a pious husband and father of eight, and his daughter Margarete, a young girl coming into womanhood. It is a heart wrenching story of one family’s survival. I didn’t want the story to end, but I loved the ending!
I never knew that East Prussia, which is now mostly part of Poland, was once part of Germany. I went down a rabbit hole of research, and I learned so much about the war and people in East Prussia. Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
READ THIS BOOK IF YOU
Want to “ugly” cry
Are looking for a “different” type of WWII story
April 19, 2023
I have read many books about the World War II period, but very few from the point of view of the German population living under the Nazi's rule. This book tells the harrowing story of the Haupt family, a catholic family who has been living for generations as farmers in East Prussia, and at the same time the story of their town Guttstadt, how it changed with the arrival if the SS, and how the whole region changed.
The book is based on the real life events of the Haupt family, how the father was forced to work for the SS, how the four sons were sent to war, how the family had to flee their farm when the Russians were close and the fate of the parents and the eight children.
This is not a book with fictional romances or love stories, but one that tells the real story of the struggles of one family to survive a war as much intact as possible, and the consequences and casualties of the war on each member of the family.
You know a book is good when you can't stop thinking about it after you finish reading it, this is that kind of book.
The book is based on the real life events of the Haupt family, how the father was forced to work for the SS, how the four sons were sent to war, how the family had to flee their farm when the Russians were close and the fate of the parents and the eight children.
This is not a book with fictional romances or love stories, but one that tells the real story of the struggles of one family to survive a war as much intact as possible, and the consequences and casualties of the war on each member of the family.
You know a book is good when you can't stop thinking about it after you finish reading it, this is that kind of book.
April 23, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.
I have read many books on the holocaust though this is the first coming from the gentile Germans experience. A heartbreaking story told via a loving and beautiful family who endured a living hell as well as many other Germans. This book opens your hearts and minds to so many people who you may not have even thought about when the words Holocaust, Hitler or Nazi are heard…this brought me to tears many times.
I have read many books on the holocaust though this is the first coming from the gentile Germans experience. A heartbreaking story told via a loving and beautiful family who endured a living hell as well as many other Germans. This book opens your hearts and minds to so many people who you may not have even thought about when the words Holocaust, Hitler or Nazi are heard…this brought me to tears many times.
April 14, 2023
The Good Town by Mary Louise Wells tells the story of The Haupt Family during their time in WWII in their hometown of Guttstadt in East Prussia. Each chapter switches back and forth between the patriarch of the family, Josef, and the eldest daughter of the family, Margarete. The Haupt Family is an upper-middle class farming family that has lived in Guttstadt for generations, until one day, Josef is forced to join the Nazi Party, or face immediate shipment to a concentration camp. From that day on, the war has a huge impact on the Haupt Family, forcing the families sons to all enlist into the military and fight Hitler's bloody war, while the women remain at home and try and keep the farm running with very little help.
As the story goes on, it's filled with a variety of trials and tribulations, and the Haupt's are not often dealt the strongest cards at life. This family and their story through WWII is heart-breaking, nerve wracking and sometimes downright depressing, which the author did a great job at, because the truth is, not every family or person experienced a happy ending. It is very well-written and I think the author did such a good job at making the story such a raw and real experience for the reader. There is such raw emotion and such truth to what Mary writes and brings alive in the chapters. It's a bit slow to start, but once the pace picks up, it is a great story.
As the story goes on, it's filled with a variety of trials and tribulations, and the Haupt's are not often dealt the strongest cards at life. This family and their story through WWII is heart-breaking, nerve wracking and sometimes downright depressing, which the author did a great job at, because the truth is, not every family or person experienced a happy ending. It is very well-written and I think the author did such a good job at making the story such a raw and real experience for the reader. There is such raw emotion and such truth to what Mary writes and brings alive in the chapters. It's a bit slow to start, but once the pace picks up, it is a great story.
April 10, 2023
Good Town relates the story of the Haupt family living in a small farming community in East Prussia (Germany) through the years 1937-1950. The Haupts are “good” Germans who are Catholic and live peacefully and conduct business with their neighbors who are Jewish and Protestant. Things begin to change when the SS arrive and demand that Haupt must serve the Party. Neighbors start to disappear and one by one his four sons are conscripted to serve Hitler’s army,
The reader is easily swept along by the excellent prose and can empathize with the family throughout their travails. Without giving away what occurs, I can say the atrocities of the war on the Easter front are well depicted as are the horrors of the interment camps. Several incidents are portrayed with a tremendous amount of poignancy.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel to any reader and thank Mary Louise Wells, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.
The reader is easily swept along by the excellent prose and can empathize with the family throughout their travails. Without giving away what occurs, I can say the atrocities of the war on the Easter front are well depicted as are the horrors of the interment camps. Several incidents are portrayed with a tremendous amount of poignancy.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel to any reader and thank Mary Louise Wells, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.
June 26, 2023
As a college student in the late 1980s, I often found myself in a history, or philosophy, or political science class wrestling with the question of how a highly educated and seemingly moral society such a Germany in the 1930s could have accepted, and in some cases celebrated the rise of Adloph Hitler.
Kevin McCarthy’s visit to Mar-a-lago in the days following January 6, 2021 and the general fealty of many seemingly sensible people to the MAGA inanity that swept the United States in recent years has done much to answer those earlier questions. But Mary Louise Wells provides an even more compelling description in her historical fiction Good Town, detailing the one east Prussian family’s struggle to survive the growing influence of the SS in Germany without becoming an accomplice to its evil.
Good Town is a brutally honest and heart-wrenching account of how non-Nazi germans tried, and in many ways failed, to lie low and avoid participation in the Third Reich. This account, based on the true story of Mary Louise Well’s family, makes for a gripping and poignant read that even non-fans of historical fiction will find fulfilling.
Kevin McCarthy’s visit to Mar-a-lago in the days following January 6, 2021 and the general fealty of many seemingly sensible people to the MAGA inanity that swept the United States in recent years has done much to answer those earlier questions. But Mary Louise Wells provides an even more compelling description in her historical fiction Good Town, detailing the one east Prussian family’s struggle to survive the growing influence of the SS in Germany without becoming an accomplice to its evil.
Good Town is a brutally honest and heart-wrenching account of how non-Nazi germans tried, and in many ways failed, to lie low and avoid participation in the Third Reich. This account, based on the true story of Mary Louise Well’s family, makes for a gripping and poignant read that even non-fans of historical fiction will find fulfilling.
September 19, 2023
Good Town: Great Book, Awesome Story! By Sharon S.
I was mesmerized, horrified, informed, uplifted, saddened, and humbled by this story. As a patriotic American, it is not often that we get an inside picture of what the real, true, and emotional cost of WW II was to the German public, as they endured unimaginable experiences, losses,changes, chaos, disasters, and so much more, not of their own choices or plans. I found it very informative, and perhaps even a little bit cautionary.
I would recommend this book to all who love historical fiction, to all who believe in the resilience of the human spirit, to all who seek truth, justice, and freedom, and to anyone exploring differences in their own opinions, judgments, and beliefs, that also desires to find understanding and balance within circumstances and relationships. To me, the theme of this book was seeking and finding truth, light, hope, freedom, understanding; then pressing ever onward.
The book was well written, well researched, and thought provoking.
I was mesmerized, horrified, informed, uplifted, saddened, and humbled by this story. As a patriotic American, it is not often that we get an inside picture of what the real, true, and emotional cost of WW II was to the German public, as they endured unimaginable experiences, losses,changes, chaos, disasters, and so much more, not of their own choices or plans. I found it very informative, and perhaps even a little bit cautionary.
I would recommend this book to all who love historical fiction, to all who believe in the resilience of the human spirit, to all who seek truth, justice, and freedom, and to anyone exploring differences in their own opinions, judgments, and beliefs, that also desires to find understanding and balance within circumstances and relationships. To me, the theme of this book was seeking and finding truth, light, hope, freedom, understanding; then pressing ever onward.
The book was well written, well researched, and thought provoking.
March 26, 2023
An amazing heart stirring story of one family trying to survive a war and a regime they opposed with dignity and the aftermath as victims. Unlike other WWII stories, there isn’t romance against the odds or yet another story of survival in Auschwitz, but there is heart enough to make this one of the best. I hope there will be more stories about the Haupt family and how they put their lives back together.
April 15, 2025
This harrowing book is situated in Germany leading up to the war. It is based on the true story of the author's mother, who was a young child in 1937. It is told from the perspective of both the fictional child, Margarete, and her father Joseph. The sheer horror of what the family of 10 endured, prior to, during and after the war, is a grounding example of what many 'ordinary' German people went through.
The family were well off, respected, hard working, church going citizens and didn't come from any of the ethnicities that the Nazi's persecuted. The story illustrates some of the many ways, from sheer terror and brutality, to subtle coercion, by which some members of the population were subjugated. Joseph is tormented by overwhelming guilt at taking a position of responsibility, thereby supporting the Nazi's. It flew in the face of his beliefs and something he opposed politically before they assumed total power. The protection and survival of his family though, was paramount to him.
The book also raises greater awareness of the brutality of the subsequent occupation by the Russians and the industrial scale rape of German women before and after the war ended. Ultimately, Joseph's family pay an awful toll and there are no winners here.
For me, the book almost rattled along too quickly through the years and I would have liked to have had more pause for depth of character to develop and more depth and understanding as to how the family and some members of the local populace became cowed into compliance. It is almost too big a story for the pages.
The family were well off, respected, hard working, church going citizens and didn't come from any of the ethnicities that the Nazi's persecuted. The story illustrates some of the many ways, from sheer terror and brutality, to subtle coercion, by which some members of the population were subjugated. Joseph is tormented by overwhelming guilt at taking a position of responsibility, thereby supporting the Nazi's. It flew in the face of his beliefs and something he opposed politically before they assumed total power. The protection and survival of his family though, was paramount to him.
The book also raises greater awareness of the brutality of the subsequent occupation by the Russians and the industrial scale rape of German women before and after the war ended. Ultimately, Joseph's family pay an awful toll and there are no winners here.
For me, the book almost rattled along too quickly through the years and I would have liked to have had more pause for depth of character to develop and more depth and understanding as to how the family and some members of the local populace became cowed into compliance. It is almost too big a story for the pages.
April 19, 2023
I have read many books about the World War II period, but very few from the point of view of the German population living under the Nazi's rule. This book tells the harrowing story of the Haupt family, a catholic family who has been living for generations as farmers in East Prussia, and at the same time the story of their town Guttstadt, how it changed with the arrival if the SS, and how the whole region changed.
The book is based on the real life events of the Haupt family, how the father was forced to work for the SS, how the four sons were sent to war, how the family had to flee their farm when the Russians were close and the fate of the parents and the eight children.
This is not a book with fictional romances or love stories, but one that tells the real story of the struggles of one family to survive a war as much intact as possible, and the consequences and casualties of the war on each member of the family.
You know a book is good when you can't stop thinking about it after you finish reading it, this is that kind of book.
The book is based on the real life events of the Haupt family, how the father was forced to work for the SS, how the four sons were sent to war, how the family had to flee their farm when the Russians were close and the fate of the parents and the eight children.
This is not a book with fictional romances or love stories, but one that tells the real story of the struggles of one family to survive a war as much intact as possible, and the consequences and casualties of the war on each member of the family.
You know a book is good when you can't stop thinking about it after you finish reading it, this is that kind of book.
April 20, 2023
Featuring a different look at life leading up to, during, and after World War II. A farmer and his family located in East Prussia are doing what is needed to survive the demands leading up to and during the war. But simply surviving the war isn't enough. Forced to flee their farm, the family follows the thousands of citizens heading towards West Germany to try to stay ahead of the advancing Red Army. This marks the start of their harrowing journey of life after the fall of the Third Reich. Told through the eyes of a father and his daughter, this gripping tale gives a fresh perspective of life after the war that one of many families had to face.
Overall, I was captivated from the start. Wells does an excellent job of developing both the story and the characters. She provided great detail where it was needed and was able to touch on the violence without focusing on the graphic and gory details as often accompanies this time period.
Overall, I was captivated from the start. Wells does an excellent job of developing both the story and the characters. She provided great detail where it was needed and was able to touch on the violence without focusing on the graphic and gory details as often accompanies this time period.
September 10, 2023
I have always had an interest in the war years era, I guess because we lived near an AF Base where many of the airmen and aviation cadets were stationed, and my mother actually married an aviation cadet in 1945, after the war ended. I have developed a fascination with the Holocaust and learning more about the details and what actually took place during that time - and have learned so much more than I ever knew happened. This book was so good I could hardly put it down until I finished it; great story; highly recommend!!
April 22, 2023
This was an intriguing book and offers a perspective not seen in the World War II genre. What would happen if your family found themselves on the wrong side of history. Humans are complex and often history is complex. The characters are multidimensional and the story is handled with compassion. There is reference to atrocities and hatred, but I did not find it overly graphic. Overall a very engaging read.
April 19, 2023
This story was so good. I love Margerete. She seemed to carry a lot of life’s weight for such a young person. Josef is the kind of father or even husband that would make for a great relationship. I loved everyone even Dorothea.
The struggles of the Jewish is so heartbreaking. I hope to make sure my kinds never forget this black mark on history.
I would highly recommend this book.
The struggles of the Jewish is so heartbreaking. I hope to make sure my kinds never forget this black mark on history.
I would highly recommend this book.
June 12, 2023
Thanks you NetGalley and The Book Whisperer, Posit Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Overview:
Following Margarette and her families struggles during WW2, a large German family who owned and ran a farm. Their lives turned upside down by the reign of Hitler. Highlighting the raw and honest account of German citizens who were opposed to Nazi ruling and struggled to morally accept the fate dealt to them and their friends/ neighbours.
Review:
A heartbreaking story of family, love and loss.
It really highlights the tragedy’s faced by German citizens who were victims of war in their own country.
This was truly a great read, I could not put it down. I adored Margarette and her father Joseph. It hit home how love always wins and family is the true meaning of peace and happiness.
I cried multiple times. This book is so important to highlight the German citizens and the devastation they faced to endure a war they did not support or believe in, to turn their backs on their friends and neighbours due to their religious beliefs is terrifying and heartbreaking. Based on a true story.
Overview:
Following Margarette and her families struggles during WW2, a large German family who owned and ran a farm. Their lives turned upside down by the reign of Hitler. Highlighting the raw and honest account of German citizens who were opposed to Nazi ruling and struggled to morally accept the fate dealt to them and their friends/ neighbours.
Review:
A heartbreaking story of family, love and loss.
It really highlights the tragedy’s faced by German citizens who were victims of war in their own country.
This was truly a great read, I could not put it down. I adored Margarette and her father Joseph. It hit home how love always wins and family is the true meaning of peace and happiness.
I cried multiple times. This book is so important to highlight the German citizens and the devastation they faced to endure a war they did not support or believe in, to turn their backs on their friends and neighbours due to their religious beliefs is terrifying and heartbreaking. Based on a true story.
July 11, 2023
A captivating, gut-wrenching, and historically accurate story about the horrors of the Nazi-era
I recommend it as a must-read to anyone who wonders about the "why" behind ordinary people getting sucked into politics of authoritarianism and indoctrination.
I recommend it as a must-read to anyone who wonders about the "why" behind ordinary people getting sucked into politics of authoritarianism and indoctrination.
August 12, 2023
WW II with a little different look
I enjoyed this book since it showed the other groups affected by Hitler’s movement. Of course
it covered the horrible way the Jews were treated but also showed how people of other beliefs were also mistreated. It also showed that not everyone in Germany at this time agreed with Hitler’s movement.
I enjoyed this book since it showed the other groups affected by Hitler’s movement. Of course
it covered the horrible way the Jews were treated but also showed how people of other beliefs were also mistreated. It also showed that not everyone in Germany at this time agreed with Hitler’s movement.
May 16, 2023
The story of the Haupt family growing up on a large farm in East Prussia, 4 boys and 4 girls. It starts before the Second World War and highlights the opportunities the family has, education and every means to live well. One day The father Josef and one of his daughters Margarete head into town for groceries. Dad sees one of his very good friends, an elderly well respected man sweeping the streets. He approaches and asks him what on earth is he is doing. The gentleman ignores him, but the gestapo don’t! He is ordered to the police station. He is interrogated and screamed at for talking to a Jew. It is the era of Hitler! The family has a choice, support the Reich or……..How their life changes, it is a very sad emotional story. Albeit a fascinating one that is extremely well researched and written but be aware it is the war and there are some very powerful agonizing accounts. It is based on a true story of the authors family and reminds us that not all Germans were against the Jews.
July 15, 2023
What a great book
I really liked this book, I'm so used to reading the English side or the Jewish side of the war. But this book opened up the German side of the story and how they were affected by the war and hitlers lunatic ideas.
I really liked this book, I'm so used to reading the English side or the Jewish side of the war. But this book opened up the German side of the story and how they were affected by the war and hitlers lunatic ideas.
July 26, 2023
Different side of WWII story
I often read stories about the Jews life during the war. This story showed how difficult it was for German people who weren't Nazis.
I often read stories about the Jews life during the war. This story showed how difficult it was for German people who weren't Nazis.
October 1, 2023
War is He’ll
It doesn’t matter what side you’re on. It’s the power structure that determines how we live. This story was mesmerizing. It shows how war can destroy lifestyles, values, and loyalties. I was so impressed at how the story reinforced the family. They had everything and it was gradually taken from them. Love, family, values, faith , and constant courage gave them the ability to survive. We have no idea in the US at the sacrifices, the disease, the starvation, the robbery of your life had on the world because of the obsession of a maniac. It’s a great story that gives us an idea of the other side. We must never let it happen again.
It doesn’t matter what side you’re on. It’s the power structure that determines how we live. This story was mesmerizing. It shows how war can destroy lifestyles, values, and loyalties. I was so impressed at how the story reinforced the family. They had everything and it was gradually taken from them. Love, family, values, faith , and constant courage gave them the ability to survive. We have no idea in the US at the sacrifices, the disease, the starvation, the robbery of your life had on the world because of the obsession of a maniac. It’s a great story that gives us an idea of the other side. We must never let it happen again.
May 26, 2024
the emotional damage this book caused was beyond. the author did such an incredible job of capturing the mundane details of personalities that authors often overlook when developing a character.
April 13, 2023
I devour stories that are about the Holocaust and WWII and the people that it affected whether Jewish or French or German, Polish or any other ethnicity . This family saga and the story of what happened to them and their community during those dark and heartbreaking years is another one that earns a place on my bookshelves.
December 28, 2023
I have read many of the reviews before reading 'Good Town' and there's really nothing I can really add that hasn't already been touched on. It's an emotional story and touches on the lives of so many during that era of Hitlers reign. I suggest you get a snack, a beverage and immerse yourself in our history. And pray history doesn't repeat itself.
May 2, 2023
Thank you to @marylouisewells for writing such a great read focusing on a little explored aspect of the devastation caused by the Nazi regime with additional harm from the Soviets. In following a family from a region squeezed between Germany and Poland we see the good and bad of WW II. I would follow this family further if given the opportunity. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher, Posit Publishing for this arc of #goodtown to read and review, all opinions are my own.
October 11, 2023
outstanding
The book is honest, clear and insightful. I read from start to finish, not wanting to put it down. Loved it.
The book is honest, clear and insightful. I read from start to finish, not wanting to put it down. Loved it.
March 26, 2024
Only the Strong Survive
I loved everything about this novel. It demonstrated that not all people are evil and the difficult choices we have to make to save those we love. The role faith played was also appreciated since I am a Christian. If you appreciate a novel with strong characters and unconditional love of family, I highly recommend this World War II novel.
I loved everything about this novel. It demonstrated that not all people are evil and the difficult choices we have to make to save those we love. The role faith played was also appreciated since I am a Christian. If you appreciate a novel with strong characters and unconditional love of family, I highly recommend this World War II novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews