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In Search Of Berlin

'A masterful portrait of one of the world's greatest cities' PETER FRANKOPAN
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( 382 ratings, 50 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Search of Berlin by John Kampfner offers a captivating exploration of Berlin's complex history and its position as a city of contradictions. The book examines the city's evolution from its Prussian roots, through the tumult of war and division, to its contemporary status as a vibrant cultural hub. Kampfner delves into the influence of political and social changes on Berlin's identity, offering an engaging narrative that reveals the city’s resilience and dynamism.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by Berlin's complex history and its transformation over time. John Kampfner explores the city's unique character and resilience through its rich past, making it a compelling read for history enthusiasts and those intrigued by urban evolution.

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The new book from Sunday Times bestselling author John Kampfner: a sweeping history of Berlin, city of haven and hell, disaster and reinvention

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

No other city has had so many lives, survived so many disasters, and reinvented itself so many times. No other city is like Berlin.

Ever since John Kampfner was a young journalist in Communist East Berlin, he hasn't been able to get the city out of his mind. It is a place tortured by its past, obsessed with memories, a place where traumas are unleashed and the traumatised have gathered.

Over the past four years, Kampfner has walked the length and breadth of Berlin, delving into the archives, and talking to historians and writers, architects and archaeologists. He clambers onto a fallen statue of Lenin; he rummages in boxes of early Medieval bones; he learns about the cabaret star so outrageous she was thrown out of the city.

Berlin has been a military barracks, industrial powerhouse, centre of learning, hotbed of decadence – and the laboratory for the worst experiment in horror known to man. Now a city of refuge, it is home to 180 nationalities, and more than a quarter of the population has a migrant background. Berlin never stands still. It is never satisfied. It never believes it has the answer. But it is now the irresistible capital to which the world is gravitating.

In Search of Berlin is an 800-year story, a dialogue between past and present; it is a new way of looking at this turbulent and beguiling city on its never-ending journey of reinvention.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The reviews of In Search of Berlin by John Kampfner highlight the book's engaging style and deep insights into the city's complex history and character. Kampfner is praised for his use of anecdotes and vivid observations, capturing Berlin's unique atmosphere of chaos and charm without attempting to define it conclusively. The book is described as both educational and entertaining, offering readers an accessible and richly detailed exploration of Berlin's past and present, with many reviewers noting Kampfner's skill in weaving personal narrative with historical analysis.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781838954819

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 05 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Atlantic Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 29.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 638g

Pages: 416

About the Author

John Kampfner is an award-winning author, broadcaster and foreign-affairs commentator. He began his career reporting from East Berlin (during the fall of the Wall) and Moscow (during the collapse of communism) for the Telegraph. After covering British politics for the Financial Times and BBC, he edited the New Statesman. He is a regular TV and radio pundit, documentary maker and author of six previous books, including the bestselling Blair's Wars. His most recent book, Why the Germans Do it Better, was a top ten bestseller, Book of the Year in the Guardian, Economist and the New Statesman, and sold over 100,000 copies in all editions.

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