The best 5 German Politics books

1
Bloodlands

Bloodlands

Timothy Snyder
Europe Between Hitler and Stalin
4.4 (141 ratings)

What's Bloodlands about?

In Bloodlands (2010), author Timothy Snyder tells the tragic story of the people caught in the crossfire between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II. The victims of the “bloodlands,” or territories that after the war became the Eastern Bloc, were pushed and pulled by two ruthless powers and treated like pawns both before the conflict and afterward.

Who should read Bloodlands?

  • Historians with a particular interest in World War II
  • People interested in the modern history of Eastern Europe
  • Students of German or Russian history

2
World Order

World Order

Henry Kissinger
Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History
4.2 (135 ratings)

What's World Order about?

World Order (2014) is a guide to the complex mechanisms that have governed international relations throughout history. These blinks explain how different countries conceive of different world orders and how they are held in balance or brought into conflict.

Who should read World Order?

  • Anyone who wants to learn more about the intricacies of global politics
  • Students of political science, governance and international relations
  • Everyone with an interest in globalization and clashes of cultures

3
Germany

Germany

Neil MacGregor
Memories of a Nation
4.3 (48 ratings)

What's Germany about?

Germany (2014) is about the culture and history of the Germanic nations that eventually came together to form modern Germany, a state which has had its share of dramatic historical moments.

Who should read Germany?

  • Culture vultures
  • Historians
  • Travelers to Germany

4
The Origins of Totalitarianism

The Origins of Totalitarianism

Hannah Arendt
4.6 (324 ratings)

What's The Origins of Totalitarianism about?

The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) is a landmark work by Hannah Arendt, in which she traces the anti-Semitic and imperialist roots of modern-day totalitarianism in Europe. Starting with the rise of the nation-state in the seventeenth century, Arendt reveals the prejudices and myths that empowered the Nazism and Stalinism of the early twentieth century, and that can lead to the erosion of free-thinking democracy. She also gives clear warning on how to avoid predatory totalitarian movements in the future.

Who should read The Origins of Totalitarianism?

  • Students of philosophy and political science
  • Anyone interested in how history can teach us about the present
  • People concerned about human rights

5
Bedtime Biography: Stasiland

Bedtime Biography: Stasiland

Anna Funder
Scenes From Behind the Berlin Wall
4.6 (279 ratings)

What's Bedtime Biography: Stasiland about?

Read to you by Karen Cass.

In East Germany, a spy agency called the Stasi built the most sophisticated surveillance network the world has ever seen. For almost 30 years, East Germans were confined physically by the Berlin Wall, but the Stasi’s network of spies and informers was responsible for keeping them in check mentally. It’s hard to imagine what everyday life is like for victims of a surveillance state. Stasiland is their story.

Who should read Bedtime Biography: Stasiland?

  • Cold War buffs
  • People interested in true-life espionage
  • History fans

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