SKU: 72521471307

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

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In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin"Larson is a marvelous writer superb at creating characters with a few short strokes." New York Times Book Review Erik Larson has been widely acclaimed as a master of narrative non fiction, and in his new book, the bestselling author of Devil in the White City turns his hand to a remarkable story set during Hitler's rise to power. The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany in a year

"Larson is a marvelous writer...superb at creating characters with a few short strokes."--New York Times Book Review

Erik Larson has been widely acclaimed as a master of narrative non-fiction, and in his new book, the bestselling author of Devil in the White City turns his hand to a remarkable story set during Hitler's rise to power.

The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history.

A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the "New Germany," she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance--and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler's true character and ruthless ambition.

Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre G ring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
Published: 05/10/2011
ISBN: 9780307408846
Pages: 448
Weight: 1.55lbs
Size: 9.40h x 6.40w x 1.40d
Award: Chautauqua Prize - Finalist
Award: Washington State Book Award - Winner

Review Citations: Booklist 03/01/2011 pg. 15
Library Journal 04/01/2011 pg. 94
Publishers Weekly 03/21/2011
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2011
People Weekly 05/23/2011 pg. 49
New York Times Book Review 06/12/2011 pg. 13
Men's Journal 07/01/2011 pg. 80
New York Times Book Review 06/19/2011 pg. 26
Publishers Weekly Best Books 11/07/2011 pg. 32
NY Times Notable Bks of Year 12/04/2011 pg. 26
Kirkus Best Books 12/01/2011 pg. 2207
Reference and Research Bk News 08/01/2011 pg. 41

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 152519 / In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
Reading Level: 9.7 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 22
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SKU: 72521471307

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Erik
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Somewhat niche but a treasure-trove nonetheless!
Format: Paperback
A somewhat niche topic but a small treasure-trove of a book nonetheless! Definitely something I would recommend to anyone thinking seriously about and planning on studying mission. More than just a descriptive history book, the various essays focus on what can be drawn and learned from particular figures and movements. I picked the book because I knew next to nothing about 16th century missions (and not very much about Protestant or Roman Catholic missions in general) and thought it would be good to fill in some of my knowledge gaps. I was not disappointed! There are essays on people I never even heard of before, and now wish I could know so much more! Who knew there was a Czech theologian (Jan Hus) who wrote a devotional for women in the early 1400s? I certainly didn’t. Also, the very first essay I found to be a healthy challenge to Gustav Warnack’s conceptualization of mission (that ...“it must be a systematic work, preferable by an institution outside the church that consistently sends missionaries to previously unevangelized areas.” (p.12)) and his critique of early Reformation missional work (namely that there was none). Plus, while I had heard that Calvin had sent some missionaries to Brazil, I never knew there was so much drama with Villegagnon behind it all! The whole ordeal and everything leading up to it sounds like it would make for pretty crazy reality show or a great movie. The book touches on missions to a variety of locations, Kongo, China, Brazil, Latin America, and Europe itself, and is especially helpful in understanding the origins and philosophies of Reformed, Anabaptist, Jesuit, and Franciscan missiologies. It also gives light to the many complexities of mission work, dealing with politics, economy, culture, competing religion, and language barriers. Not all of the essays are created equal but I definitely got something from each one. Also, as a small disclaimer, the book may be a bit more of a laborious read for some. It deals with a great many events, places, and names that may be unfamiliar to someone not studied in Christian missional work (like myself). But working through such things can yield some ripe fruit. Being a collection of essays around a particular topic, it is a great book to pick up and set down again, not requiring large chunks of time to work through. In fact, it may be better read in several small intervals, one chapter per sitting, to properly digest each essays significance. I received this book for free from Lexham Press in exchange for an honest review, whether negative or positive. The views of this expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2021
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Jamey smith
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Sturdy…quality finish
Color: Black
Super sturdy ..high quality metal
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Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2026
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Megs
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Shelf
Directions are easy to understand.. you will need another person to help you but, was able to assemble by myself. Took me about 20 mins to put it together. Looks great.. very sturdy and lightweight.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2025
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Rodolfo Salazar Jr
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
The shelf is sturdy and relatively easy to asseble.
The instructions were relatively easy to follow, and the assembly took about an hour to complete. The shelf is sturdy.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2025
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Sharon Willman
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Great quality
Color: Black
Bought this for my son's room granted he is a 21 or old gamer but he loves it . Very good quality. Would definitely buy again.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2026

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