like all eric larson's book this was interesting and well written. He didn't have as many side stories as usual, which for me was disappointing. Still, an interesting peek at what life must have been like in Germany as the Nazis came to power ( )

Very well-written and an interesting read. However, it is very much unlike his other books with two protagonists who live parallel lives that eventually intersect with one experience. In this book, Larson has also failed to prevent the one thing that historians must be careful not to do--viewing history through the lens of hindsight. His questioning of why certain people in America did nothing to stop Hitler does not truly take into account the political, economic, and social climate of the time. He states the isolationism of the people and the Great Depression, but does not really represent what that entails and so passive-aggressively questions the US government's ineffectual policies regarding Germany (and really, all of Europe).

Regardless, it is extremely interesting to view Nazi Germany from the point of view of those who lived, worked, and loved in what became the most hated regime of all time. ( )

The tale of 1933 - from May of 33 to July of 34, really, in Berlin, from the perspective of the American ambassador and his family. Same material as in '1933' by Metcalfe, but much better written. The end was a bit abrupt and somewhat disconnected, but overall a superb page turner. Very disconcerting to see parallels 90 years later. ( )

(2011)Another very good up close history. This one explores the Dodds, as William becomes the United States ambassador to Germany during 1933 and 1934 just as Hitler and his gang of thugs start to come to real power. Also a lot of time is spent on Martha, his daughter, who apparently sleeps with every high-ranking German official and Russian spy in the country. The really interesting arc is how William changes from an apologist for the German regime to what appears to be the only wise person in the State Department who realizes that Hitler is a very bad man and only horror will come from his rule.Amazon Best Books of the Month, May 2011: In the Garden of Beasts is a vivid portrait of Berlin during the first years of Hitler's reign, brought to life through the stories of two people: William E. Dodd, who in 1933 became America's first ambassador to Hitler's regime, and his scandalously carefree daughter, Martha. Ambassador Dodd, an unassuming and scholarly man, is an odd fit among the extravagance of the Nazi elite. His frugality annoys his fellow Americans in the State Department and Dodd's growing misgivings about Hitler's ambitions fall on deaf ears among his peers, who are content to ?give Hitler everything he wants.? Martha, on the other hand, is mesmerized by the glamorous parties and the high-minded conversation of Berlin's salon society�and flings herself headlong into numerous affairs with the city's elite, most notably the head of the Gestapo and a Soviet spy. Both become players in the exhilarating (and terrifying) story of Hitler's obsession for absolute power, which culminates in the events of one murderous night, later known as ?the Night of Long Knives.? The rise of Nazi Germany is a well-chronicled time in history, which makes In the Garden of Beasts all the more remarkable. Erik Larson has crafted a gripping, deeply-intimate narrative with a climax that reads like the best political thriller, where we are stunned with each turn of the page, even though we already know the outcome. --Shane Hansanuwat

Amazing story, terrifically told, as always by Erik Larson. I don't know how he stood to immerse himself in the horrors mainly only foreseen here. The story was to me unknown, and I suspect the same will be true for most readers. Highly recommended; hard to put down. ( )