A monumental work of history that captures the last days of the Third Reich as never before.Swansong 1945 chronicles the end of Nazi Germany and World War II in Europe through hundreds of letters; diaries; and autobiographical accounts covering four days that fateful spring: Hitler’s birthday on April 20; American and Soviet troops meeting at the Elbe on April 25; Hitler’s suicide on April 30; and finally the German surrender on May 8. Side by side; we encounter vivid; first-person accounts of civilians fleeing Berlin; ordinary German soldiers determined to fight to the bitter end; American POWs dreaming of home; concentration-camp survivors’ first descriptions of their horrific experiences; as well as the intimate thoughts of figures such as Eisenhower; Churchill; Stalin; Joseph Goebbels; and Hitler himself.These firsthand accounts; painstakingly collected and organized by renowned German author Walter Kempowski; provide the raw material of history and present a panoramic view of those tumultuous days. The more than 1;000 extracts include a British soldier writing to his parents to tell them there are no baths but plenty of eggs and chocolate; an American soldier describing “the tremendous burst of lilacs†as he approaches the Elbe; Mussolini wishing Hitler a happy birthday; Eva Braun bragging to a girlfriend about what a “crack shot†she’s become; and much more.An extraordinary account of suffering and survival; Swansong 1945 brings to life the end of Nazi Germany and the war in Europe.
#187660 in Books Mayer; Henry 2008-05-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.80 x 6.10l; 2.26 #File Name: 0393332365768 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. One of the best biographies everBy Shamgar with an Ox GoadI have read a lot of history books; in doing so I had largely given up on the idea of finding a "hero" in the past. Usually historical study reveals any figure you read about to be utterly human; with feet of clay. Henry Mayer has deftly crafted a fine work of scholarship that shows that William Lloyd Garrison to truly be a hero whose arguments for equality and abolition resonate even today. Mayer does not shy away from the controversial bits of Garrisons character; in particular giving ample coverage to Garrison's feud with his friend Fredrick Douglass; but the portrayed ultimately is an average man whose human compassion leads him to do the extraordinary.The book is very readable thanks to Mayer's considerable skill as a writer. Certain scenes are dramatic to the point where I felt they had come from a feature film and Mayer maintains a tension that is rare for a history book. Mayer also is careful to explain the 19th century world that Garrison lives in; so the book should be valuable to anyone curious about the era.This is my favorite biography. It is readable enough for a layman and through enough for a scholar. Finally; it shows the life of a man that should be an held up as an example for all Americans and the world. If you have any interest in the subject the book is certainly worth the time and money.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. a great big book to enjoyBy CustomerThis book traces W. L. Garrison's life from boyhood to his demise. His personal story is interwoven with the political events of his life. However; it is not about everything that was transpiring in the 1830; 40's and 50's - only those directly touching on what Garrison thought pertinent in the struggle against slavery.The author admires Garrison; that is plain to see and by the time I was finished reading I admired him very much; too.I enjoyed sitting down with this book over a span of several days. I was always eager to get back and see what Garrison was up to or what setbacks he was suffering.Lots of history; lots of family love; lots to be proud of. A truly outstanding American character was William Lloyd Garrison.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A great American biography for a great American lifeBy Mark PaulA few days before his death; Abraham Lincoln said; “I have only been an instrument. The logic and moral power of Garrison; and the anti-slavery people of the country and the army; have done all.†Henry Mayer's All on Fire captures Garrison; and the logic and moral power he gave to his country; as no other work has. It is one of the great American biographies of one of the greatest Americans: psychologically acute; sympathetic but open-eyed about its subject; deeply knowledgeable about the times it chronicles; keenly analytical; gracefully and powerfully written. For anyone who cares about American history; the place of religion in public life; and the role of the agitator in democratic politics; it is a book worth pondering and savoring.
