Fascinating. Much of this was unknown to me and I found it educational as well as illuminating. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

McKay examines the life of Berlin from 1945-present, with most of the emphasis on the aftermath of WWII, Occupation, and then division.
Berlin is a survivor as the main character and focal point. The author ruminates on the changing edifice of the city and every challenge that was tossed it’s way.’
It’s an interesting read for anyone intrigued by the capital of Germany and all the different roles and functions it has served.

Life and Death in the City at the Center of the World

“Berlin”, explores the city’s human history from the end of the Great War to the Blockade, rise of the Wall and beyond. The author begins in 1919 when Berliner’s went through stages of deprivation, disorder, intolerance and inflation was crippling their economy. Berliners were nevertheless resilient even with all the constraints their creativity in cinema and literature was flourishing. Then, the Nazi came to power and by the end of 1945 Berlin was a city in rubble. The Nazi regime collapsed, Russian arrived and the city divided soon after the Berlin Wall went up and stood there till it was dismantled in 1989.

What an overwhelming and dissatisfying read this portrayed of one of the world’s great city turned out to be. The author devoted inordinate amount of details to the fall of the Third Reich and the action Red Army towards Berliners and raced through the years of the Weimar Republic between the construction of the wall till it was torn down. Nevertheless he did mention the American airlift, the Soviet blockade and the atomic research at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. Considering the years covered in this book it is to be expected that the author may have overlooked some major topics along the way.

I may not have enjoyed this book at its fullest it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be read. The style although I did find it to be quite heavy is nevertheless richly written to pique our interest in learning more about Berlin and her turbulent years..... Right, this book reads like a textbook....

A fascinating read for any history buff who wants to learn more about the World Wars and their consequences. As I began to read this book, I realized that, through my university studies and my continued interest in the wars that shook the foundations of the last century, I had spent little time looking at the period from the standpoint of the German people. BERLIN, LIFE AND DEATH IN THE CITY AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD takes the reader into the reality of life for average Berliners who were left with Hitler's legacy. While many may have followed his extreme philosophies long after it became apparent that they were inhumane and contrary to their own beliefs, it seems that few realized the import of the consequences that today seem inevitable once the Allies united to bring about Germany's defeat as their singular goal.

This book takes an even-handed look at what happened when the call to arms, the depiction of glorious victory for German forces and the development of a ruthless military became the country's goals. The lies of a deranged, unstable man blessed with a remarkable charisma, his potent call to nationalism for a proud people and the elimination of Germans who did not fall in line placed the country on a collision course with most of the rest of the world. The book does not forgive the lack of morality or the lust for conquest Hitler bred in his people or their weakness in refusing to admit what must have become the horrific truth of his regime to those who knew the full story. But it does give a compelling look at the world the Nazis left behind and those who were forced to deal with it. Many of the regular people, the country's "silent majority" were left bewildered by the horror Hitler left behind and, seemingly, a lack of understanding at how complicit they were in creating the misery with which they were left.

Perhaps I'm not typical of most World War history buffs. Many others may already have considered the war from the standpoint of the consequences to the German state and the people who survived it. While I highly recommend it for anyone interested that period, I believe it is a particularly great read for those who have given this side of history little attention.

I anticipated a different book. Having now read BERLIN: LIFE AND DEATH IN THE CITY AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD, I am left wondering what exactly I thought I was going to learn in this book before I started it.

I thought I would be reading a book about Berlin 1918 - 1980. But really this book is centered around WWII with brief forays into other eras, mostly to explain how Nazism came to be, with a focus on events in Berlin. The point of view is peculiar in this book because it’s ephemeral. Whose are we exploring? Berliners who lived? Died? Fled? Returned? Or perhaps others who seized power and ran amok?

Author Sinclair McKay offers much in this book but it is by and large idiosyncratic. His curiosities were fulfilled but the framework for them are never well articulated. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

To say that Berlin is a city of multitudinous cultural and historical layers is a massive understatement. But Berliners before, during and after the world wars have proven their resiliency and perseverance. Author Sinclair McKay has meticulously researched and gathered information to write this book which focuses on the people, culture, art, history, music, cinema and architecture from 1919 to just after the tearing down of the wall seventy years later.

Berlin is raw and open in spirit and mentality, cosmopolitan and fiercely proud. The monuments to the past are real and emotive, not glossed over or glorified as they can be elsewhere. Berliners have lived through heartache after heartache, the building of the infamous wall which severed families and friends, the Cold War and despicable propaganda. Yet Berlin remains.

We all know about indescribable atrocities of the Holocaust but this book also describes what led to it and what happened after. Amongst other things I learned more about the Spartakus League, brilliant minds such as Rosa Luxemborg and Leise Meitner, atomic fission discovery which led to atomic weaponry, Nazi worship of Hitler with the adding on of extra stanzas to hymns, the fate of Berlin zoo animals during WWII, "allotment colonies" and "Uncle Wiggle Wings". Also included are the aftermaths including Soviet rapes of women (some men took gifts to their victims later), Goering's intense greed of priceless art, Grosz's "Degenerate Art" and the world's discovery in 1945 of the heinous wholesale murder of Jews. It is the ordinary people whose stories are emotionally charged as desperate times in time of starvation which caused people to do unimaginable things such as the mother who killed her children in a barrel, the sixteen year-old boy who tender searched fresh corpses and a boy's International Detective Agency.

Those interested in learning more about Berlin and her turbulent history ought to read this compelling, emotional and important book. In ways it reads like a textbook with dense information yet grabs emotions in a thoughtful and caring way by drawing on written documents and anecdotes.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the privilege of learning more about incomparable Berlin.

Berlin is outstanding among cities for its unique industrial, intellectual, scientific and artistic vigor. McKay (journalist, The Fire and the Darkness) traces the spirit and history of Berlin from the end of World War I through the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The city’s novel culture is illustrated through Berlin luminaries like Albert Einstein, film director William Wyler, actress Hildegarde Knef, and artist George Grosz. Contrasting the celebrity lives are those of everyday Berliners, especially during World War II, whose lives are explored through memoirs and diaries. Berlin’s contradictory mix of tradition, avant-garde, rich, poor, obedience, anarchy, history and modernity thrives despite being at the heart of global geopolitics for most of the twentieth century. The Nazis caused almost total destruction of the city by 1945, and the Soviets literally split it with a wall, but when the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 Berlin’s spirit was triumphant. Verdict: Readers with an interest in the life of cities, twentieth century European history, World War II and the Cold War will appreciate McKay’s well researched book.

This is thoroughly researched and well written book by the author. It is very detailed and sometimes the reader might get bogged down with minute details. It is not written as a history textbook would provide us facts. It is interspersed with the accounts of some residents who gave their honest opinion.

This book is for anyone who wants to read about the happenings and incidents inside Berlin and what the city and its inhabitants had to endure who had nothing to do with any politics and were trying to make a living or helping their neighbors. We have seen or read a lot of books and accounts about various atrocities that made our hearts crumble when we read about what inhumane activities a human could do as well as endurance of the survivors. This book takes us inside the place where a part of it was happening and it's effects on it's population.

I thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ecopy

A very good account of the culture and life of Berlin before WWII followed by a step by step account of the entrance by the Russian troops. Lots of insights from ordinary Berlin citizens. This is followed by a information about the division of the city between the allies, and the subsequent building of the wall and the two Germanys. A very informative book

History books are not my forte, but this account had my attention from the beginning. I was both appalled and impressed by the Berlinites (my word). It is easy for me to pass judgement for things done during this period, but it was a hard life lived by people in Berlin through the years. They suffered so much by everyone that made decisions for them and rolled over/through their city. This account had me crying for numerous reasons. These people had to rebuild multiple times. They had to be very resilient and resourceful. This book is an incredible account of people who were determined to stand the test of times and get through any trial. This book is a very well written unbiased account, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about history.

Berlin ,from the aftermath of World War I to the echos of the Wall falling, sets the fascinating stage for Sinclair McKay’s latest work. This history examines the upheavals, defeats, crossroads, and successes of the city and its people.


One theme presented throughout the book : Berlin has always managed to survive, if not thrive. In the 1920s following the devastating war, communist uprisings, and the Spanish flu , Berlin dazzled the world with its art, architecture, and nightlife.

Unfortunately, another theme highlights how Berliners suffered under two brutal authoritarian governments, the Nazis and then the Moscow influenced communists who ruled East Berlin/East Germany. Both used spying and violence to crush any dissent.

The chapters concerned with Berlin after the 1945 provide the most insightful material that readers might not know, for example, the Soviet reaction to the Berlin Airlift in 1948. They stockpiled both food and fuel which they then offered to West Berliners as special rations , however only 5% of West Berliners accepted. In addition, the Soviets supplied fuel to factories in the British sector of the city.

The book as a whole was quite interesting, but McKay gave too much space to the fall of the Third Reich, a historical period that’s been well documented. Moreover, the period of communist rule in East Berlin could have been covered more substantially. Nonetheless, the book is well researched , well written and the inclusion of personal anecdotes adds an emotional element.

Free ARC from NET GALLEY

I loved the fact that someone was willing to shout (write) the warning that the past, as terrible as it was may be repeated.. How the common current German perceives their history is troubling to say the least. Good Work

So intense, I got bogged down at times. Much I had heard before, such as the nobility trying to accommodate the Nazis but still held in contempt, or the Soviet rapists and the Berlin women. There is much more detail here.
This was the first I’d heard of the Soviets rushing to Berlin to grab the German physicists and uranium oxide for atomic weaponry. Or how they lured the Germans to accept communism by bringing back cinemas, art, and music.
Well researched, but it ends too soon. The wall came down, but how the two sides of Germans accommodated each other as they blended into one country isn’t addressed.

This is a well researched and compelling look at one of my favorite cities in the world and a model for urban life. I hope this does well in bookstores.

From a marvelously poetic introduction springs forth the history of the City of Berlin, starting in 1945. Most of the history of the bombing and wartime deprivations in the City are told anecdotally by civilians who were there. Throughout, it is a story by and of the people of Berlin.

This is a highly engrossing read starting with commentary going back and forth between 1919 and 1945. The beginning itself explains a lot of German history and HOW the Nazi Party rose to control the country by talking about previous events and personalities. Later, the story continues to move on through the end of the war and the post-war years. There is a lot covered about the Cold War years that I didn’t know.

The most notable aspect about this text is that it is really about the people who lived in Berlin, both celebrities and average citizens. That’s why it was so hard to put down as the people who were there were quoted as to feelings and events, and even when they weren’t, we learned so much about their lives.

Only a couple of quibbles about the technical aspects of the text. One is an issue at about 87% of the text which is about what a punk rocker’s hairstyle should be called. The style in which the head is shaved except for the ridge of hair running along the middle of the skull is called a “Mohawk,” NOT a “Mohican.” I’m of the age group that saw them in person (London) and won’t forget what a real one looked like (not a cute one on a female singer or model!). Maybe this terminology is different outside of the U.S.? Also, the author is very fond of the word “bathos;” that’s not one that you usually see in print in the U.S., or even the U.K. as I read a lot of books by U.K. authors. It stuck out a bit. Finally, there are some typos that I expect will be fixed prior to publication.

This is a great book and not at all what I expected. Engaging and interesting, I was very crabby when interrupted while reading it! Please DO read this history of Berlin.

A special thank you to Sinclair McKay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a pre-publication eGalley of this work! I didn’t receive anything for reading or reviewing it except for knowledge and enjoyment. Cheers!

The beginning is a lyric word picture that creates the exciting world of Berlin. I loved the locations and places I have visited and enjoyed Berlin at different times. As the book evolves, the word pictures of the city to the actions of people living in Berlin as the ends of WWII. The stark realism of the captured places grabbed the Reds. The writing brings the times and places to learn you the ordinary people rather the infamous as the features of Berlin is brought to the dramatic changes. I find book to help me the great times of the late 1945s.