As early as 1941; Allied victory in World War II seemed all but assured. How and why; then; did the Germans prolong the barbaric conflict for three and a half more years?In The German War; acclaimed historian Nicholas Stargardt draws on an extraordinary range of primary source materials—personal diaries; court records; and military correspondence—to answer this question. He offers an unprecedented portrait of wartime Germany; bringing the hopes and expectations of the German people—from infantrymen and tank commanders on the Eastern front to civilians on the home front—to vivid life. While most historians identify the German defeat at Stalingrad as the moment when the average German citizen turned against the war effort; Stargardt demonstrates that the Wehrmacht in fact retained the staunch support of the patriotic German populace until the bitter end.Astonishing in its breadth and humanity; The German War is a groundbreaking new interpretation of what drove the Germans to fight—and keep fighting—for a lost cause.
#256479 in Books 2000-09-01 2000-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x .60 x 6.00l; .67 #File Name: 0452282020272 pagesPaperback with scene of hills and a photo of Rasamond Halsey Carr and A nn Hard Halsey248 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. UN Women Book Club; Sarasota FL; reads "Land of a Thousand Hills"By Leita Kaldi DavisThe UN Women/USNC Gulf Coast Book Club meets every second Monday at the Sarasota North County Library from 2:30–4:00. For further information; please contactLeita Kaldi Davis; lkaldi@hotmail.com. Our UN Women Book Club met on Monday; May 13; 2013 at Cafe of the Arts; Sarasota; to sip African red tea while discussing Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda by Rosamond Halsey Carr with Ann Howard Halsey. Everyone agreed it was a fascinating read about an extraordinary woman who; in 1949; left a career as a fashion illustrator in New York City to accompany her hunter-explorer husband; Kenneth Carr; to the former Belgian Congo. Some years later; after their marriage fell apart; Rosamond moved to Rwanda where she grew pyrethrum at first; then a flower plantation near the Virunga volcanoes. Her life as an American single woman surrounded by Hutu; Tutsi; Batwa and other peoples is reminiscent of certain blissful sections of Out of Africa. Rosamond also befriends many distinguished westerners and becomes especially close to famed primatologist; Dian Fossey. (She is actually profiled in the film; Gorillas in the Mist.) Portraits of other Europeans; like the Bielskis; the deMuncks; Madame Giscard d'Estaing; and a few Italian entrepreneurs are vivid. Rosamond struggles to keep her enterprises afloat; but faces bankruptcy more than once due to natural and political upheavals; the worst being; of course; the Hutu-Tutsi genocide in 1994. Though she is forced to return to America; Rosamond soon comes back at the age of 82 to her beloved; ruined Rwanda to turn her devastated farm into a shelter for orphans. She died in 2006. Much of the exquisite writing; especially descriptions of the stunning countryside and charming people; is from Rosamond's memoirs; edited by her niece; Ann Howard Halsey. Many fascinating photographs illustrate the book. Our conversation centered; however; on the in-depth historical narrative within the book; from colonial times to independence to the genocide to present-day Rwanda; Burundi and Uganda. We all learned things we hadn't known before about the impact a small African country can have upon the world.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful Story MemoirBy PLSBeautifully written; so much interesting detail; and a wonderful story about a great woman.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. ExcellentBy wjbThere have been many books written about one of the greatest human tragedies; the Rwandian genocide; however; Mrs. Carr's book revealed some details I didn't know about. I was not aware that horrific killings continued well into the late 90's which caused her to leave her beloved home. But I am getting ahead of myself. Mrs. Carr's book revealed her deep love for Rwanda and the people who worked for her and who she interacted with all of those years. To return into a country still so unstable after such a tragic event took courage and determination. I can only imagine the beauty of this country that she so vividly described. Even though she described political events leading up to the genocide very well; it was a very well-written memoir of what Africa meant to her. Well worth reading. Rest in peace.
