Faust's Metropolis: A History of Berlin

This is a big book in every sense. It covers not just the political and military history of the city but also the cultural and architectural history. Berlin has always fascinated me and this book did no disappoint, full of facts information and opinion. It doesn't just concentrate on the 20th Century but gives equal weight to the other periods of Berlin's history.I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone interested in the history of this city or Germany as a whole.My only problem is the lack of pictures/illustrations. When the author spends so much time and effort describing the city and its buildings it would have been nice to actually see the buildings or at least get some indication of how the city looked at various times in its history.

This is one of the best books written on german 20th century history. I can't recommend it enough - detailed and readable -a rare combination

Brilliant book....wears deep scholarship with light touch.

This book is not for the faint hearted, not least because of it's length, but every page is essential to understanding the history of such a complicated and historically significant city. If you have an interest in Berlin, or modern European history, in which this place played such a critical role several times over, then this book is a must. I began reading it a month before my first visit to the city, and although I didn't finish it until a month after I'd left, I was unable to put it down and it gave me such detailed and extraordinary insight into the places I'd seen. Although the language is accessible and easy to read, the book extraordinarily well researched, peppered with a lot of fascinating, and also harrowing detail. The most difficult and gruesome parts of this history are not glossed over and are a gruelling read, but so very important to understand. An outstanding book, I'd highly recommend it.

Cannot comment as purchased for someone else