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Their Cemetery Sown With Corn: An Englishman’s Stand Against the Nazi Storm
In this ‘factional’ novel, lost for more than 70 years, hero John Arnold is a post graduate student at Bonn University in the early 1930s. He is caught up in the insidious rise of the Nazis in the village where he lodges. His position is complicated by his love of Germany itself, as well as by his increasing fondness for two women; Tilde, the maid of the house where he lodges, and Rachel, a beautiful and powerful Jewish woman. Being semi-autobiographical,
Their Cemetery Sown With Corn has intense authenticity. Binder captures the atmosphere of the time and place, and his narrative explains how the Nazis achieved their grip over a fraught and divided population.
He brings to life a rich cast of characters, and we witness how they develop in the face of Hitler’s oppression. This is a poignant human story of loyalty, love and courage in the face of extortion, treachery, blackmail and murder. There is humour, too, as Arnold learns that his best weapons are ridicule and cunning. Readers of this intriguing book will find themselves in a ringside seat witnessing one of the most extraordinary and sinister social and political phenomena of the 20th Century.
Their Cemetery Sown With Corn has intense authenticity. Binder captures the atmosphere of the time and place, and his narrative explains how the Nazis achieved their grip over a fraught and divided population.
He brings to life a rich cast of characters, and we witness how they develop in the face of Hitler’s oppression. This is a poignant human story of loyalty, love and courage in the face of extortion, treachery, blackmail and murder. There is humour, too, as Arnold learns that his best weapons are ridicule and cunning. Readers of this intriguing book will find themselves in a ringside seat witnessing one of the most extraordinary and sinister social and political phenomena of the 20th Century.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 1, 2014
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Netgalley gave me this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Their Cemetery Sown With Corn by Frank Binder
John Arnold has loved Germany ever since he started living there. He loves the culture, the people, and just Germany in general. However, everything changes when the Nazis rise to people and the people he used to know aren’t who they used to be. He doesn’t know what to do, but he also has problems leaving the land that he loves so much.
This novel was interesting. It had some good parts that made me think about what happened in Germany. I liked to read about how all the people changed once the Nazis took over. It was sad, but it was realistic.
However, I didn’t like how many little details that were in this novel that could have been cut. This novel is much longer than it needed to be and it could be a bit slow at times making it very hard to finish.
Overall I would give it three out of five.
Netgalley gave me this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Their Cemetery Sown With Corn by Frank Binder
John Arnold has loved Germany ever since he started living there. He loves the culture, the people, and just Germany in general. However, everything changes when the Nazis rise to people and the people he used to know aren’t who they used to be. He doesn’t know what to do, but he also has problems leaving the land that he loves so much.
This novel was interesting. It had some good parts that made me think about what happened in Germany. I liked to read about how all the people changed once the Nazis took over. It was sad, but it was realistic.
However, I didn’t like how many little details that were in this novel that could have been cut. This novel is much longer than it needed to be and it could be a bit slow at times making it very hard to finish.
Overall I would give it three out of five.
June 26, 2025
Gripping book that I couldn’t lay down.
Taking place in Germanys 1930’s, the book gave me a new understanding of Hitlers rise to power. I recommend it to everyone I “talk books” with.
Taking place in Germanys 1930’s, the book gave me a new understanding of Hitlers rise to power. I recommend it to everyone I “talk books” with.
November 4, 2015
The author, Frank Binder, died in 1962, but an old student of his found the manuscript left with Binder's daughter and had it published. Binder was a student and teacher in Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime in the 1930s and saw the effects on ordinary townsfolk of the brutal and horrific doctrine first hand. His "factional" novel, somewhat autobiographical, deals with the young teacher and his efforts to figure out the right thing to do when forced to lie for the truth. Brilliantly written, plotted and characterized, one of the best in its genre I have read. Not sentimental or judgemental, the author is able to place a poignant story of love and betrayal amidst history's worst social and political phenomena of the 20th century. Absolutey 4****.
May 4, 2014
Unfortunately a DNF for me.
I usually am fascinated by books dealing with different perspectives of Germany during WWII, but this one was just too slow and bogged down in details that it never really grabbed my attention.
I usually am fascinated by books dealing with different perspectives of Germany during WWII, but this one was just too slow and bogged down in details that it never really grabbed my attention.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews