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Winter: A Berlin Family, 1899-1945
Epic prelude to the classic spy trilogy, GAME, SET and MATCH, that follows the fortunes of a German dynasty during two world wars.
Winter takes us into a large and complex family drama, into the lives of two German brothers - both born close upon the turn of the century, both so caught up in the currents of history that their story is one with the story of their country, from the Kaiser's heyday through Hitler's rise and fall. A novel that rings powerfully true, a rich and remarkable portrait of Germany in the first half of the twentieth century.
In his portrait of a Berlin family during the turbulent years of the first half of the century, Len Deighton has created a compelling study of the rise of Nazi Germany.
With its meticulous research, rich detail and brilliantly drawn cast of characters, Winter is a superbly realized achievement.
Winter takes us into a large and complex family drama, into the lives of two German brothers - both born close upon the turn of the century, both so caught up in the currents of history that their story is one with the story of their country, from the Kaiser's heyday through Hitler's rise and fall. A novel that rings powerfully true, a rich and remarkable portrait of Germany in the first half of the twentieth century.
In his portrait of a Berlin family during the turbulent years of the first half of the century, Len Deighton has created a compelling study of the rise of Nazi Germany.
With its meticulous research, rich detail and brilliantly drawn cast of characters, Winter is a superbly realized achievement.
544 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 1987
362 people are currently reading
1767 people want to read
About the author
Len Deighton
221 books928 followersDeighton was born in Marylebone, London, in 1929. His father was a chauffeur and mechanic, and his mother was a part-time cook. After leaving school, Deighton worked as a railway clerk before performing his National Service, which he spent as a photographer for the Royal Air Force's Special Investigation Branch. After discharge from the RAF, he studied at St Martin's School of Art in London in 1949, and in 1952 won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1955.
Deighton worked as an airline steward with BOAC. Before he began his writing career he worked as an illustrator in New York and, in 1960, as an art director in a London advertising agency. He is credited with creating the first British cover for Jack Kerouac's On the Road. He has since used his drawing skills to illustrate a number of his own military history books.
Following the success of his first novels, Deighton became The Observer's cookery writer and produced illustrated cookbooks. In September 1967 he wrote an article in the Sunday Times Magazine about Operation Snowdrop - an SAS attack on Benghazi during World War II. The following year David Stirling would be awarded substantial damages in libel from the article.
He also wrote travel guides and became travel editor of Playboy, before becoming a film producer. After producing a film adaption of his 1968 novel Only When I Larf, Deighton and photographer Brian Duffy bought the film rights to Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop's stage musical Oh, What a Lovely War! He had his name removed from the credits of the film, however, which was a move that he later described as "stupid and infantile." That was his last involvement with the cinema.
Deighton left England in 1969. He briefly resided in Blackrock, County Louth in Ireland. He has not returned to England apart from some personal visits and very few media appearances, his last one since 1985 being a 2006 interview which formed part of a "Len Deighton Night" on BBC Four. He and his wife Ysabele divide their time between homes in Portugal and Guernsey.
Deighton worked as an airline steward with BOAC. Before he began his writing career he worked as an illustrator in New York and, in 1960, as an art director in a London advertising agency. He is credited with creating the first British cover for Jack Kerouac's On the Road. He has since used his drawing skills to illustrate a number of his own military history books.
Following the success of his first novels, Deighton became The Observer's cookery writer and produced illustrated cookbooks. In September 1967 he wrote an article in the Sunday Times Magazine about Operation Snowdrop - an SAS attack on Benghazi during World War II. The following year David Stirling would be awarded substantial damages in libel from the article.
He also wrote travel guides and became travel editor of Playboy, before becoming a film producer. After producing a film adaption of his 1968 novel Only When I Larf, Deighton and photographer Brian Duffy bought the film rights to Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop's stage musical Oh, What a Lovely War! He had his name removed from the credits of the film, however, which was a move that he later described as "stupid and infantile." That was his last involvement with the cinema.
Deighton left England in 1969. He briefly resided in Blackrock, County Louth in Ireland. He has not returned to England apart from some personal visits and very few media appearances, his last one since 1985 being a 2006 interview which formed part of a "Len Deighton Night" on BBC Four. He and his wife Ysabele divide their time between homes in Portugal and Guernsey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
June 12, 2018
This is my first experience reading a book by Len Deighton, but it will not be my last. I noted that when this book was published in 1987 it was a national bestseller. The book opens with a German defense attorney interviewing a client just prior to the Nuremberg trials. After the prologue the book switches to 1899 Berlin and follows a Germany family particularly the two boys up to the end of World War II.
The book is well written, and the family’s life is woven in the history of the times. The meticulous research is apparent in the story. The ending was a surprise to me. If you enjoy an exceptional historical novel particularly about the rise of the Nazi regime, this book is for you.
I read this as a paperback. It is 536 pages published by Ballantine Books in 1987.
The book is well written, and the family’s life is woven in the history of the times. The meticulous research is apparent in the story. The ending was a surprise to me. If you enjoy an exceptional historical novel particularly about the rise of the Nazi regime, this book is for you.
I read this as a paperback. It is 536 pages published by Ballantine Books in 1987.
May 1, 2017
Spike Jones - Der Fuehrer's Face
Description: Winter takes us into a large and complex family drama, into the lives of two German brothers - both born close upon the turn of the century, both so caught up in the currents of history that their story is one with the story of their country, from the Kaiser's heyday through Hitler's rise and fall. A novel that rings powerfully true, a rich and remarkable portrait of Germany in the first half of the twentieth century.
In his portrait of a Berlin family during the turbulent years of the first half of the century, Len Deighton has created a compelling study of the rise of Nazi Germany.
Opening: 1899 'A Whole New Century': Everyone saw the imperious man standing under the lampost in Vienna's Ringstrasse, and yet no one looked directly at him.
When was the term Nazi first coined:
An older use of Nazi for national-sozial is attested in German from 1903, but EWdS does not think it contributed to the word as applied to Hitler and his followers. The NSDAP for a time attempted to adopt the Nazi designation as what the Germans call a "despite-word," but they gave this up, and the NSDAP is said to have generally avoided the term. Before 1930, party members had been called in English National Socialists, which dates from 1923. The use of Nazi Germany, Nazi regime, etc., was popularized by German exiles abroad. From them, it spread into other languages, and eventually was brought back to Germany, after the war. In the USSR, the terms national socialist and Nazi were said to have been forbidden after 1932, presumably to avoid any taint to the good word socialist. Soviet literature refers to fascists. (source: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?t... )
Ordered:
Berlin Game
Mexico Set
London Match
4* Winter
3* Ipcress File
3* SS-GB
3* XPD
November 22, 2008
One of the BEST books I've EVER read! I was impressed with how you're drawn into Germany's history, from the turn of the century thru WWI up until the end of WWII. He not only TELLS you about dates and situations but makes you feel like you're RIGHT THERE in the MIDDLE of it all...He knows how to bring history to life in a way that books and documentaries can't (trust me, I've read and seen a lot of them); by involving you in the lives of two brothers who are struggling to decide who they are. GO GET IT NOW!
December 17, 2017
This book of historical fiction weaves political, military and historical facts related to the First and Second World War into a fictional story about two brothers - Peter, the older by three years, and Paul, the younger born in Vienna in 1900. Their father is German, their mother American. Through this family, of both German and American heritage, we come to see how Hitler came to power in Germany and how wars splinter and do not splinter family bonds.
The historical details are flawless. The research is thorough. BUT do you have to love a book, do you have to like a book, do you even have to think a book is OK simply because the facts are straight? Of course not! Now I am going to tell you why I didn’t like this book.
I found the fictional characters unconvincing, implausible or drawn without depth. Paul . Of course, people do have both good and bad qualities and a parent can both love and hate an offspring, but the words and behavior of the characters just do not ring true. The characters are not credible to me. The character portrayal of women is sketchy, paper-thin. I neither identified with nor felt empathy for a single character.
The book begins at the end (1945) and then flips back to the beginning (1900). You learn right off the bat that one of the two brothers will come to support Hitler and the other will not. We are told that the two brothers will be on opposite sides in a hearing at Nuremburg, one fighting for the defense of a war criminal, the other prosecuting him. We are not told which brother stands on which side. This gives you a puzzle to solve. The problem is that you soon figure out who will stand on each side and then there is nothing, nothing, nothing left to think about.
In my view, this is a book primarily about men and it is written in a language that reflects more how men talk to each other than how women do. The dialogs are often crude and abrasive. The frequency with which women are described as sex objects is just one example. For the same reason much of the humor doesn’t appeal to me.
Ironical humor is used in reference to how history is told by the victor. This observation is not new!
I disliked the simplicity by which cultural differences are drawn. Germans are seen as bad, Americans as smart, Austrians as sloppy, English as inconsequential and the paucity of the French in a book focusing on the two wars is perplexing. Bavarians are drawn as less strict and formal than their Prussians counterparts. Only this do I agree with.
Some authors add details, and I suck them up with glee. Not here. That which is detailed is of little importance. Fussy details about his and her clothes, makeup, complexions and food preferences bored me stiff. Deighton is fixated on pink-faced men. The frequency with which this is pointed out became repetitive.
The ending is weak. I am not convinced that either Peter or Paul would do what they do. We are supposed to believe that . That this might be a feasible solution is scarcely believable, and even if we are told repeatedly that Peter would bend over backwards to , I do not find their behavior credible, even if conveniently . The ending is too neat, too simple, too sweet. Neither do I appreciate that “Boy” is standing in the sidelines waiting / wanting . And tell me, is it in the least credible that a man would defend another!?
I listened to an audiobook narrated by James Lailey. The narration fits the author’s lines, but since the lines irritated me, the narration further exacerbated my annoyance. When Lailey laughs, dramatizing the characters’ laughs, I was repulsed. I wanted him to zip up his mouth pronto. Ugh, disgusting. You cannot hear from the intonations who is speaking, or even if the person is male or female. Furthermore, I find it inexcusable that well known historical personages are all too often mispronounced. Ernst Röhm’s surname is incorrectly pronounced as ”Rome”. Reinhard Heydrich’s surname is incorrectly pronounced as “Haydrich”. Both Eva Braum and Wilhelm Keitel are incorrectly pronounced too.
If you want history turned into a macho adventure story, this book might appeal to you more than it did to me. If I dislike a book, I think it is only fair to specify what annoyed me!
Are you looking for a multigenerational book of historical fiction about a German family? Read Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family instead. It is set before the First World War.
The historical details are flawless. The research is thorough. BUT do you have to love a book, do you have to like a book, do you even have to think a book is OK simply because the facts are straight? Of course not! Now I am going to tell you why I didn’t like this book.
I found the fictional characters unconvincing, implausible or drawn without depth. Paul . Of course, people do have both good and bad qualities and a parent can both love and hate an offspring, but the words and behavior of the characters just do not ring true. The characters are not credible to me. The character portrayal of women is sketchy, paper-thin. I neither identified with nor felt empathy for a single character.
The book begins at the end (1945) and then flips back to the beginning (1900). You learn right off the bat that one of the two brothers will come to support Hitler and the other will not. We are told that the two brothers will be on opposite sides in a hearing at Nuremburg, one fighting for the defense of a war criminal, the other prosecuting him. We are not told which brother stands on which side. This gives you a puzzle to solve. The problem is that you soon figure out who will stand on each side and then there is nothing, nothing, nothing left to think about.
In my view, this is a book primarily about men and it is written in a language that reflects more how men talk to each other than how women do. The dialogs are often crude and abrasive. The frequency with which women are described as sex objects is just one example. For the same reason much of the humor doesn’t appeal to me.
Ironical humor is used in reference to how history is told by the victor. This observation is not new!
I disliked the simplicity by which cultural differences are drawn. Germans are seen as bad, Americans as smart, Austrians as sloppy, English as inconsequential and the paucity of the French in a book focusing on the two wars is perplexing. Bavarians are drawn as less strict and formal than their Prussians counterparts. Only this do I agree with.
Some authors add details, and I suck them up with glee. Not here. That which is detailed is of little importance. Fussy details about his and her clothes, makeup, complexions and food preferences bored me stiff. Deighton is fixated on pink-faced men. The frequency with which this is pointed out became repetitive.
The ending is weak. I am not convinced that either Peter or Paul would do what they do. We are supposed to believe that . That this might be a feasible solution is scarcely believable, and even if we are told repeatedly that Peter would bend over backwards to , I do not find their behavior credible, even if conveniently . The ending is too neat, too simple, too sweet. Neither do I appreciate that “Boy” is standing in the sidelines waiting / wanting . And tell me, is it in the least credible that a man would defend another!?
I listened to an audiobook narrated by James Lailey. The narration fits the author’s lines, but since the lines irritated me, the narration further exacerbated my annoyance. When Lailey laughs, dramatizing the characters’ laughs, I was repulsed. I wanted him to zip up his mouth pronto. Ugh, disgusting. You cannot hear from the intonations who is speaking, or even if the person is male or female. Furthermore, I find it inexcusable that well known historical personages are all too often mispronounced. Ernst Röhm’s surname is incorrectly pronounced as ”Rome”. Reinhard Heydrich’s surname is incorrectly pronounced as “Haydrich”. Both Eva Braum and Wilhelm Keitel are incorrectly pronounced too.
If you want history turned into a macho adventure story, this book might appeal to you more than it did to me. If I dislike a book, I think it is only fair to specify what annoyed me!
Are you looking for a multigenerational book of historical fiction about a German family? Read Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family instead. It is set before the First World War.
September 7, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. I've seen other reviews that say this book is about a family living through World War II and to say that really short changes this magnificent novel. It's the story of a family from 1899 to 1945, as the title says. It focuses on the lives of two brothers, the youngest is born on New Year's Day of 1900. Through this family we witness the rise of Germany as a world power, it's defeat in WWI, the recovery of the country and the rise to power of the Nazis afterward to the eventual downfall of the regime and the ultimate ruin of the country.
It's one of those novels that leaves you a little down when you finish because you don't want it to end.
It's one of those novels that leaves you a little down when you finish because you don't want it to end.
August 3, 2023
Winter by Len Deighton is a prequel to a trilogy that centered around Bernard Sampson. In this novel Sampson is a minor character as this book tells the story of Peter and Paul Winter, two members of a wealthy German family, as well as their family and friends. Even though it is a prequel to a series of books, this can be read as a standalone.
It is a long book and covers the first forty-five years of the twentieth century. The majority of the plot revolves around the events of World War I and the 1920's and the 1930's. Geographically the work takes place mostly in Germany but there are scenes set in America as well.
This is well written and really moves along, and I very much enjoyed it. However, I was not a fan of the ending. I have read other Deighton books and he has a nice style.
It is a long book and covers the first forty-five years of the twentieth century. The majority of the plot revolves around the events of World War I and the 1920's and the 1930's. Geographically the work takes place mostly in Germany but there are scenes set in America as well.
This is well written and really moves along, and I very much enjoyed it. However, I was not a fan of the ending. I have read other Deighton books and he has a nice style.
August 29, 2016
I never understood how Hitler really came to power until I read Len Deighton's "Winter" - part of the Game, Set and Match, 10 book series. A masterpiece of writing.
April 11, 2015
It has been 25 years since I last read Len Deighton, and my mother lent me this copy because she was interested in checking the historical veracity of the events. This being so, that's where I'll start, by saying that Deighton clearly does his homework, and knows both wartime history and Germany very well indeed. Although the characters are Berliner, parts of the story are based around the Bodensee, which I know very well, and here again Deighton never puts a foot wrong. Except that he describes it as gloomy - locals call it the German Riviera. (Or the Schwäbische Meer.) The munitions industries of which Deighton speaks are still alive and well, and to this day Zeppelins from Friedrichshafen can be seen plying the sky above the Lake. I have worked in one of the Dornier factory sites which I suspect was the employer of the British agent Samson, making the book almost an eerie read.
Also to be found around the Bodensee are a network of tunnels built by Jewish slave labour, memorials to the Jews that died in this dependent enterprise of Dachau and to those people who died in the mass upheavals following the war. One of Deighton's Winter brothers is a contributor to the policies that led to these crimes, and as someone married to a German that I met within sight of these tunnels, the events of this book present me with some conundrums. How did this culture, the West's then most advanced civilisation, turn its hand to organised murder on a scale perhaps unique in all of history? The answers are beyond the scope of a mere review, but I think that if you read "Winter" you will have a better idea of how it came to pass, if not "why".
We meet one of the Winter brothers in the immediate aftermath of the war, as he is asked to defend a high-ranking countryman at Nürnberg. We find that one of the brothers is himself at risk of a war crimes tribunal while the other is flying to Germany as part of the American team to prosecute one. Clearly, Deighton also knows his Sophocles! We do not know which brother is which, though, and it is a considerable way into the plot that one can first make a good guess.
From here, the book follows the two brothers from their birth at the dawn of the Century up to the end of the Second World War. The brothers are old enough that both take part in the first war from which the second manifestly grows as the book progresses. One goes to the trenches as a young infantry officer and sees service in a punishment battalion and then in the storm troops which served as the basis for the coming German-made revolution in modern warfare. The other brother takes to the air, flying Zeppelins over London in one of the books' most rivetting and atmospheric passages.
After the war, both brothers turn to law, but their careers and lives diverge dramatically. One becomes a lawyer for the Nazis and investigator for the Gestapo; one, married to a Jew, eventually takes his daughter and escapes to the USA. Both brothers are driven in their own ways by their relationship to their father; both are recognisably human and sympathetic. But one is the "Good German", and his legal flair provides the spurious legitimacy for the worst acts of the Nazis in their rise to and abuse of power. It is this tension which makes the book vibrate with historical resonance; out of banality comes evil. I will be following up by reading Arendt's report on Eichmann (see below) to develop this idea further, While the goodness of this brother is a little artificial - doing evil to the many he still would not hurt a fly in the singular, and actively seeks to save personal acquaintances from the Shoah - the pattern is, I think, real. Bad things are not done by evil people, by and large. They are done by the banal out of conformity or out of weakness - of even for noble reasons. This striking and terrifying paradox is the central mystery of the Holocaust, and Deighton grasps it hard and thrashes you in the face with it.
The ending alone I found a little weak. It could hardly have ended well, but it did not end powerfully enough for my taste. Nevertheless, Deighton has produced a truly epic and enlightening account of this key climacteric of modern Western history.
Also to be found around the Bodensee are a network of tunnels built by Jewish slave labour, memorials to the Jews that died in this dependent enterprise of Dachau and to those people who died in the mass upheavals following the war. One of Deighton's Winter brothers is a contributor to the policies that led to these crimes, and as someone married to a German that I met within sight of these tunnels, the events of this book present me with some conundrums. How did this culture, the West's then most advanced civilisation, turn its hand to organised murder on a scale perhaps unique in all of history? The answers are beyond the scope of a mere review, but I think that if you read "Winter" you will have a better idea of how it came to pass, if not "why".
We meet one of the Winter brothers in the immediate aftermath of the war, as he is asked to defend a high-ranking countryman at Nürnberg. We find that one of the brothers is himself at risk of a war crimes tribunal while the other is flying to Germany as part of the American team to prosecute one. Clearly, Deighton also knows his Sophocles! We do not know which brother is which, though, and it is a considerable way into the plot that one can first make a good guess.
From here, the book follows the two brothers from their birth at the dawn of the Century up to the end of the Second World War. The brothers are old enough that both take part in the first war from which the second manifestly grows as the book progresses. One goes to the trenches as a young infantry officer and sees service in a punishment battalion and then in the storm troops which served as the basis for the coming German-made revolution in modern warfare. The other brother takes to the air, flying Zeppelins over London in one of the books' most rivetting and atmospheric passages.
After the war, both brothers turn to law, but their careers and lives diverge dramatically. One becomes a lawyer for the Nazis and investigator for the Gestapo; one, married to a Jew, eventually takes his daughter and escapes to the USA. Both brothers are driven in their own ways by their relationship to their father; both are recognisably human and sympathetic. But one is the "Good German", and his legal flair provides the spurious legitimacy for the worst acts of the Nazis in their rise to and abuse of power. It is this tension which makes the book vibrate with historical resonance; out of banality comes evil. I will be following up by reading Arendt's report on Eichmann (see below) to develop this idea further, While the goodness of this brother is a little artificial - doing evil to the many he still would not hurt a fly in the singular, and actively seeks to save personal acquaintances from the Shoah - the pattern is, I think, real. Bad things are not done by evil people, by and large. They are done by the banal out of conformity or out of weakness - of even for noble reasons. This striking and terrifying paradox is the central mystery of the Holocaust, and Deighton grasps it hard and thrashes you in the face with it.
The ending alone I found a little weak. It could hardly have ended well, but it did not end powerfully enough for my taste. Nevertheless, Deighton has produced a truly epic and enlightening account of this key climacteric of modern Western history.
September 18, 2012
This is probably one of the books that inspired me to write in the first place. It's an amazing story, so well told. The characters have stayed with me for fifteen years.
November 10, 2015
If you want a long saga that would do well on tv this is it. After 400 pages the charectors are still flat and without emotional depth. Deighton just isnt up to the level of LeCarre. Now with all that said, Deighton is good at bringing little known historical elements into his story. One gets a day to day picture of life in war torn Berlin, both WWI and WWII. Little things like street travel. herb tea, subway tunnels. For Deighton lovers there are charactors introduce here that will play out in later novels. I havent given up on Len yet. Gonna try Ipcress File soon. but his days are numbered.
September 11, 2014
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm shattered.
Why do I like it so much? Hmm, where to begin....
The historical scope. The sheer breadth of it is staggering. The book encompasses the time from the beginning of the 20th century and up until 1945, just after the end of World War II, so it spans over nearly half a century. It tells Germany's history of that period through the lives of one family, the Winters. We experience the early 1900s, buzzing with excitement over bold new inventions and miraculous flying machines, with all the luxuries, and the newly emerging art, and the servants and the extravagant balls. We are then thrown in the midst of bloody, flea-infested, brutal, stinking trench war that changes everything and everyone lucky enough to emerge from it alive. We see the dark years that follow, with the hunger and the plundering, and the gangs of ex-soldiers criss-crossing the country. The hurt German pride, the sense of injustice, the hatred towards the victorious powers and the desire to show them how great Germany really is, the secret rearmament and preparation for war... We begin to understand how and why the Nazi party emerged, and we see the ensuing nightmare unfold, little by little, from several different angles. The months immediately after the end of WW2 in Berlin are especially haunting.
The characters. They are alive, realistically portrayed people of different backgrounds, each one with his or her own stark individuality. We see them develop from small children, through youngsters, into adults, and sometimes into their old age, changing and evolving all the time. They are all shaped by their surroundings and they respond differently, and very convincingly, to the overarching historical events. We know some of the names from the Bernard Samson series, and that makes reading "Winter" even more interesting. Those are the predecessors, or sometimes the young versions, of the characters we see later in Berlin and London.
The story. It is terribly exciting. The complex relationships and the realistic interactions between the characters make this book an irresistible page-turner. An absolute masterpiece!
Why do I like it so much? Hmm, where to begin....
The historical scope. The sheer breadth of it is staggering. The book encompasses the time from the beginning of the 20th century and up until 1945, just after the end of World War II, so it spans over nearly half a century. It tells Germany's history of that period through the lives of one family, the Winters. We experience the early 1900s, buzzing with excitement over bold new inventions and miraculous flying machines, with all the luxuries, and the newly emerging art, and the servants and the extravagant balls. We are then thrown in the midst of bloody, flea-infested, brutal, stinking trench war that changes everything and everyone lucky enough to emerge from it alive. We see the dark years that follow, with the hunger and the plundering, and the gangs of ex-soldiers criss-crossing the country. The hurt German pride, the sense of injustice, the hatred towards the victorious powers and the desire to show them how great Germany really is, the secret rearmament and preparation for war... We begin to understand how and why the Nazi party emerged, and we see the ensuing nightmare unfold, little by little, from several different angles. The months immediately after the end of WW2 in Berlin are especially haunting.
The characters. They are alive, realistically portrayed people of different backgrounds, each one with his or her own stark individuality. We see them develop from small children, through youngsters, into adults, and sometimes into their old age, changing and evolving all the time. They are all shaped by their surroundings and they respond differently, and very convincingly, to the overarching historical events. We know some of the names from the Bernard Samson series, and that makes reading "Winter" even more interesting. Those are the predecessors, or sometimes the young versions, of the characters we see later in Berlin and London.
The story. It is terribly exciting. The complex relationships and the realistic interactions between the characters make this book an irresistible page-turner. An absolute masterpiece!
December 4, 2022
I’ve been listening to Deighton’s Bernie Samson series, which plays out over three trilogies and involves Cold War espionage. After I listened to the first trilogy, I learned about this prequel. It’s set in Germany, mostly Berlin, from the 1899-1945. While the focus is the two sons of the Winter family, and they don’t appear in the Samson books, there is a whole constellation of characters around them whose names resonate through the series and provide great background depth to the characters and history in the series.
But just on its own terms, Winter is an excellent novel. It’s insightful about the 20th-century German character and how otherwise decent-seeming people were attracted to Nazism after World War I. The sad truth then—and now—is that people are guided by their own self-interest and can easily ignore anything, however horrific, that doesn’t touch them or their loved ones. A political movement promises to restore the country’s glory and put its people back to work? Great, and if all it asks is to hate the Jews, as one character says, then fine.
To depict 45 years of such tumultuous history, Deighton uses vignettes, depicting his characters at times and places important to their lives within the history. It’s a clever choice and the story and character development don’t lose anything from it.
I thought the ending was confusing and muddled, which is unfortunate in an otherwise strong work.
But just on its own terms, Winter is an excellent novel. It’s insightful about the 20th-century German character and how otherwise decent-seeming people were attracted to Nazism after World War I. The sad truth then—and now—is that people are guided by their own self-interest and can easily ignore anything, however horrific, that doesn’t touch them or their loved ones. A political movement promises to restore the country’s glory and put its people back to work? Great, and if all it asks is to hate the Jews, as one character says, then fine.
To depict 45 years of such tumultuous history, Deighton uses vignettes, depicting his characters at times and places important to their lives within the history. It’s a clever choice and the story and character development don’t lose anything from it.
I thought the ending was confusing and muddled, which is unfortunate in an otherwise strong work.
June 6, 2023
An interesting novel that explores the lives of a Berlin family spanning both World Wars, with a special focus on 2 brothers within that family whose divergent life journeys prove fateful in startling ways.
July 3, 2019
This is a huge bear of a book about a family living in Berlin during the period from 1899 to 1945. It is the story of two boys, Peter and his younger brother Pauli, sons of Harold and Veronica Winter and follows their lives from the days of the Kaiser to the fall of Adolf Hitler.
Harald Winter is a wealthy industrialist, a shrewd businessman with a reputation of being ruthless and selfish, a self made tycoon who trusts no one and leaves nothing to chance. His beautiful wife and the mother of his two sons is Veronica Rensselaer, the daughter of a wealthy American family. Harold has had a long standing affair with Martha Somolo, the young Hungarian daughter of a Jewish tailor who lives in Vienna. Harry has set her up in her own apartment with a ladies maid, regular hairdressing appointments and an account with a dressmaker. He regularly gives her beautiful jewelry and brings her fine art to decorate the walls of her home. Harold’s wife Veronica knows about Martha but never confronts her husband with his infidelity and although both boys come to know about the relationship and love their father, they loath his extramarital behavior and are angry that he would treat their beautiful mother with such disregard.
The two boys live the sheltered life of wealthy Germans and Deighton weaves their personal lives with historical events as they occur during this period. The story begins with the birth of Pauli, Harold’s second son and it is his story that is the focus of the novel. As readers follow the boys' privileged childhood there is one significant life threatening event that occurs when Peter is fourteen and Pauli is ten. The boys were learning to sail in their dinghy and were blown out to sea. Peter fell overboard and was pulled to safety by his brother Pauli the stronger swimmer, but both would have drowned without the quick action of Fritz Esser, the crude son of a local peasant pig farmer. He pulls both boys to safety and a relationship begins that is destined to impact all three lives.
Time moves on and events soon push Germany to the Great War. The boys who remain close become soldiers, but their military experience, like their personalities is quite different. Peter is slim and handsome, a composed and thoughtful young man. He loves music, is a talented piano player and is also quiet, polite and charming with the ladies. He does well in his studies and is favored by his father who speaks frequently of his eldest son’s achievements. Harold is already steering Peter into the family business although Peter would prefer to become a musician, a career his father considers out of the question. When war begins, Peter joins the military, becomes a member of the officer’s corps and is trained to fly zeppelins, the famous flying machines.
Pauli is less academically inclined and struggles in school. He has no head for business, is clumsy and careless but always cheerful, smiling and fun to be around. There is nothing Pauli wants more than the love and respect of his father, but despite his efforts to gain his favor he fails and is more often the focus of his criticisms than his praise. Unable to be successful at school Pauli enters military training and endures the rigors of a military life. When war comes he joins the infantry and the horrific fighting in the trenches while Peter joins the naval forces and learns to fly the zeppelins. At one point, desperate to see his brother, Pauli breaks the rules to be with Peter and is caught by his commander, a sadistic cruel tyrant named Brand who takes every opportunity to make the lives of those who report to him, a torment. Such a breech of discipline on Pauli’s part would normally put a soldier before a firing squad but Pauli is saved by the glowing reports of his bravery and devotion to duty on the battlefield. Instead he is assigned to a punishment battalion for six months, forced to the front lines where the fighting is worse. He is considered to be expendable. There, crawling through mud and in the direct path of bullets, he is reduced to despair by the cold, the filth and the loss of friends. But Pauli survives and learns to suffer without complaint, to hurt without whimpering and to kill without emotion. The horrific experience hardens his soul and turns him into a ruthless fighter. When his sentence is completed, he returns to active duty until the end of the war. Meanwhile Peter, injured when his zeppelin is downed, fights the rest of the war behind a desk and has no idea of the kind of war Pauli has fought on the front lines.
When the armistice is signed and the Kaiser flees to Holland, the army disintegrates and there is chaos as the nation tries to right itself. There are riots and marauding bands of troublemakers as several competing groups fight for power. Pauli is drawn to the Freikorps, a group of right wing soldiers who fight the communists in the street fights that erupted in many of the cities.
We also follow Alex Horner, the cadet who helped Pauli endure the spartan food and strict discipline that were part of his military training. The two will cross paths many times in the future as both their careers unfold. The two share an enduring hate for their NCO, the man who assigned Pauli to the punishment battalion and who they will both encounter again as Brand rises in the Nazi Party. Another tough soldier named Graf also becomes a friend and rises in the Party only to meet a difficult end as Pauli looks on and his friend is executed by a firing squad.
We are also introduced to Veronica’s American family, her father Cyrus and her brother Glenn. And then there is Frau Wisliceny and her three pretty daughters in Berlin. Inge the eldest is obsessed with Peter, but Peter sees Inge only as a friend and falls for Lisl the youngest daughter. When Lisl marries Erich Hennig Peter’s rival at the piano, Peter marries Lottie Danzinger, an American Jew and the daughter of a wealthy business man. Her heart broken, Inge marries Pauli after a short courtship and is a great support to him when he trains to become a criminal lawyer and eventually takes a job with the Nazi Party. But Inge has never been entirely happy and eventually betrays her husband.
The lives of the two brothers take separate tracks as Pauli becomes more deeply embedded with the Nazi party and creates ways they can legitimize their crimes. He is the one who suggests that Hitler can consolidate his power after the death of the President by keeping the office permanently vacant and leaving it open to be taken over by the office of the Fuhrer. It is Pauli who devises a short form of sentencing so the SS can quickly execute their victims and it is Pauli who suggests that the concentration camps should become self-sufficient.
Meanwhile Peter returns to Berlin to run his father’s business but is forced to flee to America because of his Jewish wife. Later he will fight on the side of the Allies in World War II and when the conflict ends he meets his brother Pauli again at the Nuremberg War Trials.
This book is filled with meticulously researched and historically accurate social, political, cultural and military details. It includes everything from what is eaten, the style of women’s fashions and the various political tensions that pulled that country apart. We learn much about the war years from the perspective of those living in Europe, although it focuses on the wealthy elite rather than the poorer lower classes. But it all comes at a cost to the characters who readers get to know only superficially, without a deeper understanding of their personalities or their thinking. There are times when Deighton seems to move them about to fit the critical events that make up the broad forces of history rather than having them move through life driven by their own needs and desires. We know little about their inner lives and never fully understand why they behave the way they do or learn in any detail what they feel about everything going on around them. We have little insight into their thinking or what makes them tick. At times I just wanted to get on with the story and a more in depth description of how events were viewed by the characters and affected or changed them. And I found it difficult to understand how Peter, whose Jewish wife is persecuted, seemed entirely oblivious to the role his brother plays in what goes on around them, never confronting his brother with his role in the Nazi Party and the atrocities they commit. Gaps such as these diminish the impact of the characters Deighton has created.
However, despite those faults, Deighton has created an interesting portrait in Pauli in that he successfully leads readers to have some sympathy for someone who has done some horrific things. He has accomplished this through his simple portrayal of Pauli as the disappointed second son who is never able to please his demanding father. He is a young man who loves his parents, has a close relationship with his older brother, fights bravely for his country and does what he thinks is best for Germany under Hitler’s leadership. But Pauli is not a deep thinker and does not weigh the consequences of his behavior and Deighton leads readers to see him simply as a good man who has taken a dark path. They come to like him while at the same time being appalled by his actions which one must admit is a literary achievement.
Deighton uses the historical events in his narrative to move the plot forward, showing how individuals can be carried along by the broad events of history that change their lives. The details are all in the narrative dialogue between the characters and it is within that context we learn about the Zeppelin flights, the political intrigues between Hitler, Goering and Himmler, the allied landings on Omaha Beach, the grim reality of Auschwitz, the conspiracies to assassinate Hitler and the tentative peace initiative Himmler put to the Allies towards the end of the war.
Like other books about the war, it is once again striking to learn how much luck or being in the right place at the right time could be the deciding factor in whether you lived or died. There are several examples of that in this story.
This is a lengthy read, strong on historical detail, weaker in its portrayal of character but with an interesting plot. For those who enjoy reading about this time in history, it is well worth the read.
Harald Winter is a wealthy industrialist, a shrewd businessman with a reputation of being ruthless and selfish, a self made tycoon who trusts no one and leaves nothing to chance. His beautiful wife and the mother of his two sons is Veronica Rensselaer, the daughter of a wealthy American family. Harold has had a long standing affair with Martha Somolo, the young Hungarian daughter of a Jewish tailor who lives in Vienna. Harry has set her up in her own apartment with a ladies maid, regular hairdressing appointments and an account with a dressmaker. He regularly gives her beautiful jewelry and brings her fine art to decorate the walls of her home. Harold’s wife Veronica knows about Martha but never confronts her husband with his infidelity and although both boys come to know about the relationship and love their father, they loath his extramarital behavior and are angry that he would treat their beautiful mother with such disregard.
The two boys live the sheltered life of wealthy Germans and Deighton weaves their personal lives with historical events as they occur during this period. The story begins with the birth of Pauli, Harold’s second son and it is his story that is the focus of the novel. As readers follow the boys' privileged childhood there is one significant life threatening event that occurs when Peter is fourteen and Pauli is ten. The boys were learning to sail in their dinghy and were blown out to sea. Peter fell overboard and was pulled to safety by his brother Pauli the stronger swimmer, but both would have drowned without the quick action of Fritz Esser, the crude son of a local peasant pig farmer. He pulls both boys to safety and a relationship begins that is destined to impact all three lives.
Time moves on and events soon push Germany to the Great War. The boys who remain close become soldiers, but their military experience, like their personalities is quite different. Peter is slim and handsome, a composed and thoughtful young man. He loves music, is a talented piano player and is also quiet, polite and charming with the ladies. He does well in his studies and is favored by his father who speaks frequently of his eldest son’s achievements. Harold is already steering Peter into the family business although Peter would prefer to become a musician, a career his father considers out of the question. When war begins, Peter joins the military, becomes a member of the officer’s corps and is trained to fly zeppelins, the famous flying machines.
Pauli is less academically inclined and struggles in school. He has no head for business, is clumsy and careless but always cheerful, smiling and fun to be around. There is nothing Pauli wants more than the love and respect of his father, but despite his efforts to gain his favor he fails and is more often the focus of his criticisms than his praise. Unable to be successful at school Pauli enters military training and endures the rigors of a military life. When war comes he joins the infantry and the horrific fighting in the trenches while Peter joins the naval forces and learns to fly the zeppelins. At one point, desperate to see his brother, Pauli breaks the rules to be with Peter and is caught by his commander, a sadistic cruel tyrant named Brand who takes every opportunity to make the lives of those who report to him, a torment. Such a breech of discipline on Pauli’s part would normally put a soldier before a firing squad but Pauli is saved by the glowing reports of his bravery and devotion to duty on the battlefield. Instead he is assigned to a punishment battalion for six months, forced to the front lines where the fighting is worse. He is considered to be expendable. There, crawling through mud and in the direct path of bullets, he is reduced to despair by the cold, the filth and the loss of friends. But Pauli survives and learns to suffer without complaint, to hurt without whimpering and to kill without emotion. The horrific experience hardens his soul and turns him into a ruthless fighter. When his sentence is completed, he returns to active duty until the end of the war. Meanwhile Peter, injured when his zeppelin is downed, fights the rest of the war behind a desk and has no idea of the kind of war Pauli has fought on the front lines.
When the armistice is signed and the Kaiser flees to Holland, the army disintegrates and there is chaos as the nation tries to right itself. There are riots and marauding bands of troublemakers as several competing groups fight for power. Pauli is drawn to the Freikorps, a group of right wing soldiers who fight the communists in the street fights that erupted in many of the cities.
We also follow Alex Horner, the cadet who helped Pauli endure the spartan food and strict discipline that were part of his military training. The two will cross paths many times in the future as both their careers unfold. The two share an enduring hate for their NCO, the man who assigned Pauli to the punishment battalion and who they will both encounter again as Brand rises in the Nazi Party. Another tough soldier named Graf also becomes a friend and rises in the Party only to meet a difficult end as Pauli looks on and his friend is executed by a firing squad.
We are also introduced to Veronica’s American family, her father Cyrus and her brother Glenn. And then there is Frau Wisliceny and her three pretty daughters in Berlin. Inge the eldest is obsessed with Peter, but Peter sees Inge only as a friend and falls for Lisl the youngest daughter. When Lisl marries Erich Hennig Peter’s rival at the piano, Peter marries Lottie Danzinger, an American Jew and the daughter of a wealthy business man. Her heart broken, Inge marries Pauli after a short courtship and is a great support to him when he trains to become a criminal lawyer and eventually takes a job with the Nazi Party. But Inge has never been entirely happy and eventually betrays her husband.
The lives of the two brothers take separate tracks as Pauli becomes more deeply embedded with the Nazi party and creates ways they can legitimize their crimes. He is the one who suggests that Hitler can consolidate his power after the death of the President by keeping the office permanently vacant and leaving it open to be taken over by the office of the Fuhrer. It is Pauli who devises a short form of sentencing so the SS can quickly execute their victims and it is Pauli who suggests that the concentration camps should become self-sufficient.
Meanwhile Peter returns to Berlin to run his father’s business but is forced to flee to America because of his Jewish wife. Later he will fight on the side of the Allies in World War II and when the conflict ends he meets his brother Pauli again at the Nuremberg War Trials.
This book is filled with meticulously researched and historically accurate social, political, cultural and military details. It includes everything from what is eaten, the style of women’s fashions and the various political tensions that pulled that country apart. We learn much about the war years from the perspective of those living in Europe, although it focuses on the wealthy elite rather than the poorer lower classes. But it all comes at a cost to the characters who readers get to know only superficially, without a deeper understanding of their personalities or their thinking. There are times when Deighton seems to move them about to fit the critical events that make up the broad forces of history rather than having them move through life driven by their own needs and desires. We know little about their inner lives and never fully understand why they behave the way they do or learn in any detail what they feel about everything going on around them. We have little insight into their thinking or what makes them tick. At times I just wanted to get on with the story and a more in depth description of how events were viewed by the characters and affected or changed them. And I found it difficult to understand how Peter, whose Jewish wife is persecuted, seemed entirely oblivious to the role his brother plays in what goes on around them, never confronting his brother with his role in the Nazi Party and the atrocities they commit. Gaps such as these diminish the impact of the characters Deighton has created.
However, despite those faults, Deighton has created an interesting portrait in Pauli in that he successfully leads readers to have some sympathy for someone who has done some horrific things. He has accomplished this through his simple portrayal of Pauli as the disappointed second son who is never able to please his demanding father. He is a young man who loves his parents, has a close relationship with his older brother, fights bravely for his country and does what he thinks is best for Germany under Hitler’s leadership. But Pauli is not a deep thinker and does not weigh the consequences of his behavior and Deighton leads readers to see him simply as a good man who has taken a dark path. They come to like him while at the same time being appalled by his actions which one must admit is a literary achievement.
Deighton uses the historical events in his narrative to move the plot forward, showing how individuals can be carried along by the broad events of history that change their lives. The details are all in the narrative dialogue between the characters and it is within that context we learn about the Zeppelin flights, the political intrigues between Hitler, Goering and Himmler, the allied landings on Omaha Beach, the grim reality of Auschwitz, the conspiracies to assassinate Hitler and the tentative peace initiative Himmler put to the Allies towards the end of the war.
Like other books about the war, it is once again striking to learn how much luck or being in the right place at the right time could be the deciding factor in whether you lived or died. There are several examples of that in this story.
This is a lengthy read, strong on historical detail, weaker in its portrayal of character but with an interesting plot. For those who enjoy reading about this time in history, it is well worth the read.
April 20, 2019
Novela histórica que describe desde dentro, desde una familia alemana un periodo en la historia alemana, moralmente muy complejo: el nacimiento y auge del nazismo. Lo interesante es que el punto de vista no es el habitual y Len Deighton describe perfectamente esos matices de grises que tuvieron que vivir los alemanes.
Y por otra parte, la famosa teoria de "la banalidad del mal" de Hannah Arendt" está aqui perfectamente planteada en la figura de Pauli Winter y otros personajes. Sobre este análisis Arendt cuando habla de la "banalidad del mal"es para expresar que algunos individuos actúan dentro de las reglas del sistema al que pertenecen sin reflexionar sobre sus actos. No se preocupan por las consecuencias de sus actos, sólo por el cumplimiento de las órdenes. La tortura, la ejecución de seres humanos o la práctica de actos "horribles" no son considerados a partir de sus efectos o de su resultado final, con tal que las órdenes para ejecutarlos provengan de estamentos superiores.
Soberbia escenificación de Len Deighton y una novela para comprender a la Alemania de aquella época desde dentro. Deighton se moja y cuestiona tanto a los vencidos como a los vencedores.
Y por otra parte, la famosa teoria de "la banalidad del mal" de Hannah Arendt" está aqui perfectamente planteada en la figura de Pauli Winter y otros personajes. Sobre este análisis Arendt cuando habla de la "banalidad del mal"es para expresar que algunos individuos actúan dentro de las reglas del sistema al que pertenecen sin reflexionar sobre sus actos. No se preocupan por las consecuencias de sus actos, sólo por el cumplimiento de las órdenes. La tortura, la ejecución de seres humanos o la práctica de actos "horribles" no son considerados a partir de sus efectos o de su resultado final, con tal que las órdenes para ejecutarlos provengan de estamentos superiores.
Soberbia escenificación de Len Deighton y una novela para comprender a la Alemania de aquella época desde dentro. Deighton se moja y cuestiona tanto a los vencidos como a los vencedores.
February 17, 2013
Originally published on my blog here in July 2004.
After the phenomenal success of the first trilogy of Bernard Samson novels, Deighton wrote Winter as a sort of prequel. "Sort of" because it doesn't actually involve many of the characters from the trilogy - being mainly about their parents and grand parents during the first half of the twentieth century - and has a very different focus - it is really about the rise of Hitler. This is Deighton's attempt to explain just why so many Germans came to support the Nazis.
The plot is more a family saga than a thriller; two brothers, who grow up close but are divided later when one is caught up by the Nazi bandwagon while the other marries a Jew and plays the piano for Brecht and Weill. While Deighton really has nothing new to say about the early days of National Socialism, which must be one of the most closely studied parts of twentieth century political history, the story of the Winter brothers illuminates the history and makes it personal; they are exactly the sort of well drawn, well placed fictional characters which are a part of many good historical novels. And that is really what Winter is - an excellent historical novel, not a thriller. It's closest companion in Deighton's work is the alternative history SS-GB, but it is also like his Second World War novels Bomber and Goodbye Mickey Mouse in that its purpose is to put well realised imaginary characters in immaculately researched historical settings. Of all these four novels, Winter is the most successful, the Winter brothers being two of the best written characters in all of Deighton's output. Winter is by a large margin Deighton's longest novel, but it is definitely worth the read.
After the phenomenal success of the first trilogy of Bernard Samson novels, Deighton wrote Winter as a sort of prequel. "Sort of" because it doesn't actually involve many of the characters from the trilogy - being mainly about their parents and grand parents during the first half of the twentieth century - and has a very different focus - it is really about the rise of Hitler. This is Deighton's attempt to explain just why so many Germans came to support the Nazis.
The plot is more a family saga than a thriller; two brothers, who grow up close but are divided later when one is caught up by the Nazi bandwagon while the other marries a Jew and plays the piano for Brecht and Weill. While Deighton really has nothing new to say about the early days of National Socialism, which must be one of the most closely studied parts of twentieth century political history, the story of the Winter brothers illuminates the history and makes it personal; they are exactly the sort of well drawn, well placed fictional characters which are a part of many good historical novels. And that is really what Winter is - an excellent historical novel, not a thriller. It's closest companion in Deighton's work is the alternative history SS-GB, but it is also like his Second World War novels Bomber and Goodbye Mickey Mouse in that its purpose is to put well realised imaginary characters in immaculately researched historical settings. Of all these four novels, Winter is the most successful, the Winter brothers being two of the best written characters in all of Deighton's output. Winter is by a large margin Deighton's longest novel, but it is definitely worth the read.
July 13, 2016
The story is supposed to be tragic but leaves one cold. The style of informing the reader of momentous events in the protagonists's lives through casual conversation (as against actually describing them as they happen) makes for a dull reading experience. It's a shame as here was a tale that held the promise of being epic. Instead Deighton settles for the just-above-average. Not bad but not good enough..
March 10, 2019
This book was great in that I learned things about German history I never knew. I am embarrassed to admit that I had no clue about some of these things. It's a decent story of two brothers living in tumultuous times. However, there are so many references to things I had no idea about, and no further explanation, that at times, it just lost me. Overall, I would recommend it because of what I've learned. But just prepare to google while you're reading.
December 24, 2014
Magnificent. It highlights beautifully the moral complexity of the choices that Germans have to confront during this critical period of European history. Highly recommended to anybody interested in this tragic and fascinating period.
August 13, 2020
Winter is a well-written novel full of historical details that are woven seamlessly throughout the story. As the subtitle states, this is a tragic story and while I prefer happier tales, I was still very glad that I read this book.
January 27, 2016
I got this book because I wanted a novel that took an in-depth look at Germany during the Weimar Republic. It most certainly delivered. Unlike most readers of this book, I haven't read any of Len Deighton's other work, so I can't (yet) fit it into the overall story arc. But as a stand alone historical novel, it's excellent.
It is also really, really depressing. But how could a story about two brothers in Germany during the first four decades of the 20th century not be? Deighton shows us, in no uncertain terms, how Germany descended into chaos after the end of WW I. The sheer brutality of things in 1919, with various Friekorps armed gangs fighting in the streets of Berlin, is enough to make any thoughtful person realize the wisdom of the Marshall Plan which followed WW II and prevented a repetition of the awful horror.
There is a widely held opinion that the Nazis represented the "banality of evil." Deighton certainly illustrates that with his sharply drawn characters. But he also shows us people with basically good intentions going down the road to hell. I thought, as the novel progressed, that he made a good argument for widespread, undiagnosed PTSD on the part of many survivors of the first World War. He never came right out and said that, but his illustration of the behaviors of the war veterans suggested that he understands how the horrors of war change good people forever.
It's a good story. It's a sad story. It's a story to be read if you want to understand what happened in that time and place.
It is also really, really depressing. But how could a story about two brothers in Germany during the first four decades of the 20th century not be? Deighton shows us, in no uncertain terms, how Germany descended into chaos after the end of WW I. The sheer brutality of things in 1919, with various Friekorps armed gangs fighting in the streets of Berlin, is enough to make any thoughtful person realize the wisdom of the Marshall Plan which followed WW II and prevented a repetition of the awful horror.
There is a widely held opinion that the Nazis represented the "banality of evil." Deighton certainly illustrates that with his sharply drawn characters. But he also shows us people with basically good intentions going down the road to hell. I thought, as the novel progressed, that he made a good argument for widespread, undiagnosed PTSD on the part of many survivors of the first World War. He never came right out and said that, but his illustration of the behaviors of the war veterans suggested that he understands how the horrors of war change good people forever.
It's a good story. It's a sad story. It's a story to be read if you want to understand what happened in that time and place.
March 23, 2012
If you don't like this then you don't like historical fiction. This book is a prequel to the extensive trio of trilogies Len Deighton wrote starting with Mexico Game, going through Hook, and then Faith. The latter trilogies are cold war spy thrillers that are complicated (is that spy a double or a triple agent?) while Winter is more classic historical fiction which provides the background for the characters in the cold war trilogies. Winter tracks the post-WWI German family, establishes the forces that bear upon them and then watches the characters politics and fates evolve. Excellent.
August 14, 2012
A stunning tour de force by Deighton, linking as a pre history of some of the characters of his earlier Game, Set, and Match. Incorporating factual history with his own fictional world I often refer to it when rereading the earlier series and the later continuations. His favourite subject of Airships take a starring role together with references to to the beginnings of the film industry in America, the film world being another favourite.
June 27, 2013
One of the best epic stories I have ever read: family drama, WWII, espionage, adventure, even a bit of romance. Four stars becasue some of the writing lags in places.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
May 27, 2023
3.5stars ish??
It took me so long to get through this one. Not my normal reading ground, but I really did love the story. It was fascinating following this fictional German family through many turbulent years.
The story itself was great, focusing mainly on two brothers and many close acquaintances as they navigate through Europe in the midst of war. As far as historical accuracy goes I can't comment, but it has made me want to read more on certain areas.
I think this book's shortcomings really come from the length of time it aims to cover. As much as the story covers some of the most important events of the last century, I could never truly connect to the characters involved. Whilst there is some great character building, I never feel that I can truly understand their intentions. Many of them (especially the one I would argue is at the centre of this book), just seem to drift from one set piece to another.
However, the set pieces in this book really feel like one of its greatest strength as well. The points of history Deighton chooses to focus on are meticulously planned and although every chapter is one year, you never feel lost with the story.
I just found myself being frustrated, especially with Pauli's character, as he was right at the centre of some of the worst possible atrocities being committed and has very little to comment on? But maybe this is purposeful, showing how ordinary people can be swept up by great tides and partake in the horrors of fascism and in a sense I feel this was at the heart of Pauli's character, he was just swept along, desperate to make his father happy.
Anyway, too much rambling. This was a great read overall and I found it a fascinating look at Europe's history. Give it a try if you fancy something different. Looking forward to trying out some more of Deighton's works :)
It took me so long to get through this one. Not my normal reading ground, but I really did love the story. It was fascinating following this fictional German family through many turbulent years.
The story itself was great, focusing mainly on two brothers and many close acquaintances as they navigate through Europe in the midst of war. As far as historical accuracy goes I can't comment, but it has made me want to read more on certain areas.
I think this book's shortcomings really come from the length of time it aims to cover. As much as the story covers some of the most important events of the last century, I could never truly connect to the characters involved. Whilst there is some great character building, I never feel that I can truly understand their intentions. Many of them (especially the one I would argue is at the centre of this book), just seem to drift from one set piece to another.
However, the set pieces in this book really feel like one of its greatest strength as well. The points of history Deighton chooses to focus on are meticulously planned and although every chapter is one year, you never feel lost with the story.
I just found myself being frustrated, especially with Pauli's character, as he was right at the centre of some of the worst possible atrocities being committed and has very little to comment on? But maybe this is purposeful, showing how ordinary people can be swept up by great tides and partake in the horrors of fascism and in a sense I feel this was at the heart of Pauli's character, he was just swept along, desperate to make his father happy.
Anyway, too much rambling. This was a great read overall and I found it a fascinating look at Europe's history. Give it a try if you fancy something different. Looking forward to trying out some more of Deighton's works :)
June 6, 2010
An actual paperback! Have had this for ages. Was re-shelving my books and found this. Deighton is a good writer and I'm fascinated by anything German, as I've studied the language. This did not disappoint, although it took me awhile to understand the reason for the ending.
The value of the book is that we get to see Germany from the inside in this fictional account of two brothers with an American mother and a seemingly cold German industrialist father. Wealthy, raised in Berlin, one goes the way of the Nazis, while the other winds up working as a spy for the Allies. It's the view of Germany that's best here, but the complicated family ties keep the narrative moving. Starting in 1900 with the Jan 1st birth of the youngest brother, we go through to just after the end of World War Two.
Deighton uses an interesting device by beginning with a glimpse of a scene after the war: a reichsminister has called his old friend, a Nazi lawyer to defend him in the Nuremburg trials. We know he's Herr Doktor Winter, but which brother is it? We know the other brother will work for the other side. Nicely done, because it takes us at least a third or more of the way through the book before we realize which brother will go which way. Also, there's good suspense in meeting all the various, and highly varied, characters and seeing what happens to them. Deighton does a good job of evolving his people.
Quite worthwhile. Enjoyed it.
The value of the book is that we get to see Germany from the inside in this fictional account of two brothers with an American mother and a seemingly cold German industrialist father. Wealthy, raised in Berlin, one goes the way of the Nazis, while the other winds up working as a spy for the Allies. It's the view of Germany that's best here, but the complicated family ties keep the narrative moving. Starting in 1900 with the Jan 1st birth of the youngest brother, we go through to just after the end of World War Two.
Deighton uses an interesting device by beginning with a glimpse of a scene after the war: a reichsminister has called his old friend, a Nazi lawyer to defend him in the Nuremburg trials. We know he's Herr Doktor Winter, but which brother is it? We know the other brother will work for the other side. Nicely done, because it takes us at least a third or more of the way through the book before we realize which brother will go which way. Also, there's good suspense in meeting all the various, and highly varied, characters and seeing what happens to them. Deighton does a good job of evolving his people.
Quite worthwhile. Enjoyed it.
August 30, 2018
What is there to say about a Len Deighton novel? It's just damned good reading. For anybody who has read, or is planning on reading, his Game, Set and Match trilogy, do yourself a favour and read this one first as it provides such a wonderful backstory to that trilogy and explains much about the characters to be found there.
I can't even remember what year I read this, but it really is one of those books that you could easily revisit a few years down the track and still find yourself sitting way into the night with a cup of tea - or a glass or two of port - and losing yourself in the world Deighton creates.
I can't even remember what year I read this, but it really is one of those books that you could easily revisit a few years down the track and still find yourself sitting way into the night with a cup of tea - or a glass or two of port - and losing yourself in the world Deighton creates.
October 4, 2011
I read this because it seemed to be a natural progression from the Hook Line and Sinker Trilogy, which I am really enjoying. It is an excellent waltz through 50 years of German history, and the plotting is neatly done. I thought it ended far too abruptly, with still many questions unanswered - and at the speed I read, which many would say is too fast, it didn't strike me as great literature -- none of the characters are sympathetic or even very likeable. But it was gripping and fun, and the choice of snapshot rather than continuous storytelling seemed effective.
October 11, 2010
I always have been intrigued at how the Holocaust could happen and how a people could be okay with it. This book answers it and is pretty well summed up in the quote about "...then they came for the trade unionists and since I wasn't a trade unionist I said nothing." But it goes beyond tells how families/societies made room for the Nazi's and Hitler's policies.
December 10, 2011
Fine historical montage of early twentieth century Germany. Even finer when read in conjunction with the Sansom novels.
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