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A Woman in Berlin

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A Woman in Berlin

By: uncredited
Narrated by: Diana Bishop
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Between April 20th and June 22nd of 1945 the anonymous author of A Woman in Berlin wrote about life within the falling city as it was sacked by the Russian Army. Fending off the boredom and deprivation of hiding, the author records her experiences, observations, and meditations in this stark and vivid diary. Accounts of the bombing, the rapes, the rationing of food, and the overwhelming terror of death are rendered in the dispassionate, though determinedly optimistic, prose of a woman fighting for survival amidst the horror and inhumanity of war.

©2002 Hannelore Marek, 2003 Eichborn Verlag AG, Frankfurt am Main, 2004 Antony Beevor - Introduction, 2004 Hans Magnus Enzensberger - Afterword, 2004 Philip Boehm - Translation (P)2006 Oakhill Publishing Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Inspiring War Russia
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What could be a dreary and laborious book turns out to be captivating in the sense that it becomes almost addictive just to follow the main characters trials and sufferings and their determination to survive with as much dignity as could be sustained during this dark period of German history.

A chilling truth long suppressed

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I chose this book after enjoying the Christopher Isherwood Berlin novels, I had some trepidation before actually starting it. But once I did I was gripped, knowing this was a true story made every character matter. I was I could not put it down and missed the heroine after I had finished reading.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author is the heroine.

Which character – as performed by Diana Bishop – was your favourite?

Yes

Any additional comments?

This book deserves the widest possible audience.

Intelligent and inspiring book.

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Written in a way that displays a deadness of the soul after years at war and the realisation that she is now in unpredictable and fragile territory. It is an honest diary of events which excludes any indications of political affiliation or national pride but is purely depicting the harrowing plight of females surviving at the very end of WWII in Berlin.

The deep sense of survival and strength in overwhelming adversity.

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This is a daily account of what it was like to be a thirty year old woman living through the final two months of WWII in Berlin. What makes it special is a combination of issues. First, it is a very well written flowing narrative, full of rich prose, that describes a momentous time in twentieth century Europe. Second, it is full of the dramatic tension and jeopardy that you might imagine being experienced by a civilian population that is being overrun by the battle-hardened front-line troops of an invading army. Third it provides a subjective, yet in some ways a journalistic view of what was happening from an intelligent and educated individual. Finally, it was simply a page turner that engaged my interest from start to finish.

Much credit should go to the translator and to the narrator of this book, as they both have excelled in making it believable, enjoyable, stirring and entertaining.

My main criticism is that there is a long introduction (approx. 23 mins) that, although well written, seems to me to be a bit of a spoiler. I wish that I had skipped it, and perhaps listened to it afterwards.

Often, books fit a narrow genre and are liked by some and loathed by others. In this case, I believe that this book will appeal to a wide range of readers. So, if the quality of the writing is as important as the subject matter and if you like biographies/diaries/ personal stories etc., then you should enjoy this book.

Page turner diary with historic and literary merit

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I’m left speechless. My grandmother was exactly where this book is set. My beautiful mother was a girl at the time. Such resonance for me. Should be compulsory worldwide school reading. Generations later we are still traumatised by the war. My mother an alcoholic: numbed, silent about what went on and self destructive in every facet of her life. The shockwaves live on.

The narration of this book is perfect. I will be looking for others narrated by this compassionate intelligent voice.

I wish there were more books likes this one. Nothing will ever be the same after hearing it. I feel like I did after listening to my first ever audiobook “Nothing to Declare”

Thank you, women of Berlin all of you

Nothing short of incredible

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