I’d be the first to admit that Larson’s complex and intelligent writing style, coupled with nearly four hundred pages of extremely factual detail, makes for a pretty intimidating work of nonfiction. Larson, however, is internationally renowned for his ability to make his nonfiction works read like works of fiction. Once I really dove into this book, it became a relatively fast, captivating, and enjoyable read.
The story mainly follows Mr. Dodd, a professor at the University of Chicago turned U.S. Ambassador in Hitler’s Berlin, and his family, more specifically his daughter, Martha Dodd, an attractive young woman with a passion for writing and for having affairs with high-ranking officials, on their journey from America to Germany. The Germany the Dodd family came to know in their first few weeks there was much, much different than the downward-spiraling, violence infested Nazi country many Americans had warned Dodd he was headed for. Ironically, the Dodds found Hitler to be a rather nice guy, though a little awkward. However, Germany soon betrayed the peaceful image they made to the world prior to World War II. The Nazi Regime’s true colors revealed themselves, and Germany became a place of fear and restraint. Completely unreasonable laws persecuting Jewish people became a common thing, banning them from places such as restaurants and prohibiting their employment at certain companies. Attacks against American citizens who failed to return the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute to the German Army started to become more common, along with disagreement among American officials concerning how Dodd carried out his diplomatic duties. Nazi control over everyday German life became extreme. Hitler transformed Germany into a militaristic, aggressive, prejudiced nation right in front of the Dodds. Mr. Dodd spoke out as much as his position as a diplomat permitted, but ultimately returned to America with his family in 1937, and made it his personal mission to speak out against restrictive Nazi policies and ideas.
Overall, I found this book intriguing, particularly at the parts where Martha Dodd delineated her encounters with infamous Nazi men in her diary. She spoke of high ranking Nazi officials Rudolf Diels and Putzi Hanfstaengl as both romantic interests and friends. Mr. Dodd’s, combined with Martha’s, personal notes and letters added an incalculable degree of intimacy to this book. I recommend this novel to all the World War II history buffs out there, the individuals who believe they know everything there is to know about Hitler’s Germany, and to anyone who might want a true insight to why Germany became the way it did during World War II.
Larson, Erik. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin. New York: Random House Large Print, 2011. Print.
The story mainly follows Mr. Dodd, a professor at the University of Chicago turned U.S. Ambassador in Hitler’s Berlin, and his family, more specifically his daughter, Martha Dodd, an attractive young woman with a passion for writing and for having affairs with high-ranking officials, on their journey from America to Germany. The Germany the Dodd family came to know in their first few weeks there was much, much different than the downward-spiraling, violence infested Nazi country many Americans had warned Dodd he was headed for. Ironically, the Dodds found Hitler to be a rather nice guy, though a little awkward. However, Germany soon betrayed the peaceful image they made to the world prior to World War II. The Nazi Regime’s true colors revealed themselves, and Germany became a place of fear and restraint. Completely unreasonable laws persecuting Jewish people became a common thing, banning them from places such as restaurants and prohibiting their employment at certain companies. Attacks against American citizens who failed to return the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute to the German Army started to become more common, along with disagreement among American officials concerning how Dodd carried out his diplomatic duties. Nazi control over everyday German life became extreme. Hitler transformed Germany into a militaristic, aggressive, prejudiced nation right in front of the Dodds. Mr. Dodd spoke out as much as his position as a diplomat permitted, but ultimately returned to America with his family in 1937, and made it his personal mission to speak out against restrictive Nazi policies and ideas.
Overall, I found this book intriguing, particularly at the parts where Martha Dodd delineated her encounters with infamous Nazi men in her diary. She spoke of high ranking Nazi officials Rudolf Diels and Putzi Hanfstaengl as both romantic interests and friends. Mr. Dodd’s, combined with Martha’s, personal notes and letters added an incalculable degree of intimacy to this book. I recommend this novel to all the World War II history buffs out there, the individuals who believe they know everything there is to know about Hitler’s Germany, and to anyone who might want a true insight to why Germany became the way it did during World War II.
Larson, Erik. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin. New York: Random House Large Print, 2011. Print.