Alone in Berlin

10 replies

Deaddei · 30/04/2011 19:38

this was recommended by a friend as the best book she'd read.....started well, but I just lost it in the middle.
It did pick up at the end but it was a long read.
Written in 1948 by a German, and I do struggle a bit with translations.
Has anyone read it?
About a factory worker who starts leaving postcards in Berlin, denouncing Hitler and the Nazis.

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GypsyMoth · 30/04/2011 19:39

my dd is 16 and she devoured this!! didnt see her all weekend!

Penelope1980 · 01/05/2011 07:22

I loved it! I love history though, and espcially liked the fact it was written by a contemporary to the war so had lots of details about what it was like for ordianary Germans I'd never heard before

Original poster

Deaddei · 01/05/2011 10:05

I love history too, but I thought there was too much emphasis on the guy who kept going from woman to woman, rather than the couple writing the postcards.

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Ruthie32 · 15/05/2011 19:08

I'm trying to read this at the moment but just can't get into it. The main guy has gone a bit weird and is not talking to his wife at the moment, and doubling back on journeys to make sure he's not being followed. I reckon I'm near to the part where it all starts but it's been a long slog to get this far!

Having seen the other comments I'll perservere....

cejay · 15/05/2011 20:16

Love history, love Berlin, love reading, but I just couldn't get to the end of this book.Sorry!

Ruthie32 · 16/05/2011 15:17

having seen Cejay's comment, may not bother. Have umpteen other books to get on with!

enidroach · 18/05/2011 11:30

I loved this book - but agree that the translation/wroting is a bit dull and flat. Ruthie32 - read the end section about the real couple the novel is based on (I enjoyed that more) and also the brief biography of Hans Fallada.

Penelope - I also learnt lot a about what it was like for ordinary germans - so frightening. I always wondered why there seemed to be so little oppostion to Hitler - I know now - I was never taught this although my DD2 who is doing GCSE did have to write a little about the police state during the nazi regime for homework last week.

charitygirl · 18/05/2011 11:34

A great book, although a terrifyingly bleak read. I read it on honeymoon in Berlin which made everything described seemed very real. I think it fantastically conveyed the hopelessness of anyone trying to rebel even in tiny ways, as well as the way that 'ordinary' sub-criminal life went on.

A book I'll never forget.

enidroach · 18/05/2011 11:41

has anyone read other Hans Fallada books? Are they any good - they seem fairly pricey and I'm on a strict book budget at the moment.

JeremyVile · 18/05/2011 11:43

This was a strange book for me, I'm glad I read it but cant say I actually enjoyed it.
I wanted to know what happened but was almost relieved when I'd finished it.
Very good story but very, very bleak.

Flip