Best Selling Books by William L. Shirer

The famous war correspondent delivers an edge-of-your seat account of the naval chase and battle to take out one of Hitler’s most powerful warships. The Bismarck wasn’t just any warship. Its guns were much stronger and more accurate than any others in its day—meaning it could easily sink enemy ships without getting in range of their fire. It was one of Hitler’s most powerful weapons, and the Allied forces had to put it out of commission—before they lost the war. With the fate of the world in the balance, Allied forces chased the Bismarck across the stormy North Atlantic—culminating in a thrilling sea battle that changed the course of World War II. Unfolding with the taut suspense of a blockbuster movie, this book brings the excitement and danger of World War II to younger audiences—and demonstrates William L. Shirer’s mastery as a writer of history and a spinner of tales. “A book one reads with sustained excitement.” —Kirkus Reviews

National Book Award Winner: The definitive account of Nazi Germany and “one of the most important works of history of our time” (The New York Times). When the Third Reich fell, it fell swiftly. The Nazis had little time to destroy their memos, their letters, or their diaries. William L. Shirer’s sweeping account of the Third Reich uses these unique sources, combined with his experience living in Germany as an international correspondent throughout the war. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich earned Shirer a National Book Award and continues to be recognized as one of the most important and authoritative books about the Third Reich and Nazi Germany ever written. The diaries of propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, as well as evidence and other testimony gained at the Nuremberg Trials, could not have found more artful hands. Shirer gives a clear, detailed, and well-documented account of how it was that Adolf Hitler almost succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is a chilling and illuminating portrait of mankind’s darkest hours. “A monumental work.” —Theodore H. White

A concise and timely account of Hitler’s—and fascism’s—rise to power and ultimate defeat, from one of America’s most famous journalists. American journalist and author William L. Shirer was a correspondent for six years in Nazi Germany—and had a front-row seat to Hitler’s mounting influence. His most definitive work on the subject, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, is a riveting account defined by first-person experience interviewing Hitler, watching his impassioned speeches, and living in a country transformed by war and dictatorship. Shirer was originally commissioned to write The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler for a young adult audience. This account loses none of the immediacy of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich—capturing Hitler’s ascendence from obscurity, the horror of Nazi Germany’s mass killings, and the paranoia and insanity that marked the führer’s downfall. This book is by no means simplified—and is sure to appeal to adults as well as young people with an interest in World War II history. “For nearly 100 years William L Shirer has spoken to us of fascism, Nazis, and Hitler . . . [He] tells the unvarnished truth as he experienced it . . . I figured this school-type book wasn’t going to tell me anything new. But when I started reading, I realized that I wasn’t reading for the facts anymore. I listened to his story and heard the urgency in his voice: a voice from nearly 60 years ago telling us the truth about today.” —Daily Kos

The former CBS foreign correspondent provides an invaluable look back at his life—and the events that forged the twentieth century. A renowned journalist and author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer chronicles his own life story—in a personal history that parallels the greater historical events for which he served as a witness. In the first of a three-volume series, Shirer tells of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. In this surprisingly intimate account, Shirer details his youthful challenges, setbacks, rebellions, and insights into the world around him. He offers personal accounts of his friendships with notable people including Isadora Duncan, Ernest Hemingway, and Sinclair Lewis. This fascinating personal account also provides an illuminating look into a lost pre-World War II era—and is notable as much for its historical value as for its autobiographical detail. Ideal for anyone fascinated by this period in history.

The author of the international bestseller The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers a personal account of life in Nazi Germany at the start of WWII. By the late 1930s, Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Nazi Party, had consolidated power in Germany and was leading the world into war. A young foreign correspondent was on hand to bear witness. More than two decades prior to the publication of his acclaimed history, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer was a journalist stationed in Berlin. During his years in the Nazi capital, he kept a daily personal diary, scrupulously recording everything he heard and saw before being forced to flee the country in 1940. Berlin Diary is Shirer’s first-hand account of the momentous events that shook the world in the mid-twentieth century, from the annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia to the fall of Poland and France. A remarkable personal memoir of an extraordinary time, it chronicles the author’s thoughts and experiences while living in the shadow of the Nazi beast. Shirer recalls the surreal spectacles of the Nuremberg rallies, the terror of the late-night bombing raids, and his encounters with members of the German high command while he was risking his life to report to the world on the atrocities of a genocidal regime. At once powerful, engrossing, and edifying, William L. Shirer’s Berlin Diary is an essential historical record that illuminates one of the darkest periods in human civilization.

The famous journalist and author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich documents his front row seat at the pivotal events leading up to World War II. In the second of a three-volume series, William L. Shirer tells the story of his own eventful life, detailing the most notable moments of his career as a journalist stationed in Germany during the rise of the Third Reich. Shirer was there while Hitler celebrated his new domination of Germany, unleashed the Blitzkrieg on Poland, and began the conflict that would come to be known as World War II. This remarkable account tells the story of an American reporter caught in a maelstrom of war and politics, desperately trying to warn Europe and the United States about the dangers to come. This memoir gives readers a chance to relive one of the most turbulent periods in twentieth century history—painting a stunningly intimate portrait of a dangerous decade. “Mr. Shirer stirs the ashes of memory in a personal way that results in both a strong view of world events and of the need for outspoken journalism. Had Mr. Shirer been merely a bland ‘objective’ reporter without passion while covering Hitler’s Third Reich, this book and his other histories could never have been written.” —The New York Times

The National Book Award–winning historian’s “vivid and moving” eyewitness account of the fall of France to Hitler’s Third Reich at the outset of WWII (The New York Times). As an international war correspondent and radio commentator during World War II, William L. Shirer didn’t just research the fall of France. He was there. In just six weeks, he watched the Third Reich topple one of the world’s oldest military powers—and institute a rule of terror and paranoia. Based on in-person conversations with the leaders, diplomats, generals, and ordinary citizens who both shaped the events and lived through them, Shirer constructs a compelling account of historical events without losing sight of the human experience. From the heroic efforts of the Freedom Fighters to the tactical military misjudgments that caused the fall and the daily realities of life for French citizens under Nazi rule, this fascinating and exhaustively documented account brings this significant episode of history to life. “This is a companion effort to Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, also voluminous but very readable, reflecting once again both Shirer’s own experience and an enormous mass of historical material well digested and assimilated.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

As European correspondent for a number of American newspapers during the 1930s, William L. Shirer witnessed at first hand many of the pivotal events in the buildup to World War II. At the Nuremberg rallies, when Hitler roared through the streets celebrating his newly-won domination of Germany, Shirer was there. In Munich, as Chamberlain abandoned the Czechs, Shirer was there. In Vienna during the night of the Anschluss, in Berlin, when Hitler loosed his Blitzkrieg on Poland and began the war, Shirer was there. Through articles, broadcasts and translations of Hitler''s speeches, Shirer tirelessly tried to warn the world of the terrible evil that was growing in Germany. The Nightmare Years, a No. I bestseller when first published in America in 1984, is not only the fascinating eyewitness account of this cataclysmic decade, but also the more personal story of a young American caught in tense and desperate times, struggling to survive and provide a life for himself and his family as the world lurched inexorably towards war. ''More than any conventional history book, Shirer''s memoirs let a reader relive history'' -People ''A superb journalist. ..Shirer was close enough to Hitler to feel the Nazi leader''s messianic personal force. ..An unusually fine book'' -Time ''No one ever did more to explain the rise of the Nazis'' -Barbara Tuchman ''An outstanding achievement of journalistic history; indeed it is the best kind of accurate and absorbing history'' -Washington Post

“A vivid and unforgettable word picture of the destruction of Nazi Germany” (The New York Times). A radio broadcaster and journalist for Edward R. Murrow at CBS, William L. Shirer was new to the world of broadcast journalism when he began keeping a diary while on assignment in Europe during the 1930s. It was in 1940, when he was still virtually unknown, that Shirer wondered whether his eyewitness account of the collapse of the world around Nazi Germany could be of any interest or value as a book. Shirer’s Berlin Diary, which is considered the first full record of what was happening in Germany during the rise of the Third Reich, appeared in 1941. The book was an instant success—and would not be the last of his expert observations on Europe. Shirer returned to the European front in 1944 to cover the end of the war. As the smoke cleared, Shirer—who watched the birth of a monster that threatened to engulf the world—now stood witness to the death of the Third Reich. End of a Berlin Diary chronicles this year-long study of Germany after Hitler. Through a combination of Shirer’s lucid, honest reporting, along with passages on the Nuremberg trials, copies of captured Nazi documents, and an eyewitness account of Hitler’s last days, Shirer provides insight into the unrest, the weariness, and the tentative steps world leaders took towards peace.

Now in one volume: the three-part autobiography from the National Book Award–winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. The former CBS foreign correspondent and historian provides an invaluable look back at his life—and the events that forged the twentieth century. The Start (1904-1930): In the first of a three-volume series, Shirer tells the story of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. The Nightmare Years (1930-1940): In the second of a three-volume series, Shirer chronicles his time in Europe as Hitler dominated Germany and began one of the most dangerous conflicts in world history. A Native’s Return (1945-1988): The most personal of the three volumes, this edition offers an honest look at the many personal and professional setbacks Shirer experienced after World War II ended—and delivers a fascinating take on the aftermath of the war. Series praise “Mr. Shirer stirs the ashes of memory in a personal way that results in both a strong view of world events and of the need for outspoken journalism. Had Mr. Shirer been merely a bland ‘objective’ reporter without passion while covering Hitler’s Third Reich, this book and his other histories could never have been written.” —The New York Times “Included in Shirer’s well-wrought narrative are such little-known events as the trials of American broadcasters who propagandized for the Third Reich during WWII, as well as such more familiar matters as the McCarthyism of the 1950s. The author’s comments are refreshingly unfettered by self-consciousness . . . A fine, fitting conclusion to an important work of autobiography.” —Kirkus Reviews

The legendary CBS news journalist’s selection of iconic World War II radio broadcasts from countries throughout Europe. William L. Shirer was the first journalist hired by CBS to cover World War II in Europe, where he continued to work for over a decade as a news broadcaster. This book compiles two and a half years’ worth of wartime broadcasts from Shirer’s time on the ground during WWII. He was with Nazi forces when Hitler invaded Austria and made it a part of Germany under the Anschluss; he was also the first to report back to the United States on the armistice between France and Nazi forces in June of 1940. His daily roundup of news from Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, and London, which documented Nazi Germany and the conditions of countries under invasion and at war, became famous for its gripping urgency. Shirer brought a sense of immediacy to the war for listeners in the United States and worldwide, and his later books, including the seminal Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, became definitive works on World War II history. This collection of Shirer’s radio broadcasts offers all the original suspense and vivid storytelling of the time, bringing World War II to life for a modern audience.

In this notable memoir, William Shirer reflects on the year he spent in India alongside the leader of the independence movement in India as he highlights Ghandi’s frailties and accomplishments. Keywords: ghandi; india; Indian independence movement; nonviolent civil disobedience; history; Indian history; buddhism; Indian leader; memoir of ghandi; ghandi biography; biography of leaders; notable leaders of history; peaceful leaders

The prominent journalist, historian, and author—an eyewitness to some of the most pivotal events of the twentieth century—tells the story of his final years. In the last book of a three-volume series, William L. Shirer recounts his return to Berlin after the Third Reich’s defeat, his shocking firing by CBS News, and his final visit to Paris sixty years after he first lived there as a cub reporter in the 1920s. It paints a bittersweet picture of his final decades, friends lost to old age, and a changing world. More personal than the first two volumes, this final installment takes an unflinching look at the author’s own struggles after World War II—and his vindication after the publication of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, his most acclaimed work. It also provides intimate details of his often-troubled marriage. This book gives readers a surprising and moving account of the last years of a true historian—and an important witness to history.

Love and Hatred is a groundbreaking, brilliant, and touching work that explores the marriage of Leo Tolstoy, an extraordinary Russian writer, and his wife, Sonya. Bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L Shirer, portrait of a long and stormy marriage that serves as a biography and historical recount of the lives of both Tolstoys.

Diario de Berlín es un clásico, la mejor crónica de la Europa de entreguerras, un libro que sigue siendo de lectura obligada para conocer el período más oscuro y fascinante del siglo XX. Publicado por vez primera en 1941, la clarividencia, la pasión y la tensión de Diario de Berlín encontraron un público ávido de información y lo convirtieron de inmediato en un texto de referencia sobre el torrente de acontecimientos que se sucedían en Europa. La férrea censura de los nazis obligó a Shirer, corresponsal en Berlín de la CBS, a reservar lo mejor de su lucidez e inteligencia para su diario personal. Sus extraordinarias anotaciones constituyen la crónica periodística que no pudo transmitir. Iluminado por un profundo conocimiento de la vida alemana y europea de la época y la comprensión de las corrientes más profundas de la política internacional, en sus páginas presenciamos el arrogante avance del Tercer Reich y la imparable marcha de Europa hacia la guerra. Diario de Berlín demuestra que el periodismo a veces no solo es el primer borrador de la historia, sino su mejor versión. Reseñas: «Sin duda alguna el mejor libro sobre el ascenso del Tercer Reich. Una visión fascinante y estremecedora desde dentro de la Alemania de Hitler». Lamar Graham «Este extraordinario testimonio de la Alemania anterior a la Segunda Guerra Mundial se lee como un thriller, un thriller especialmente desolador». Eric Larsson «El libro, enorme, de William Shirer empieza en Lloret de Mar, en los primeros días de 1934 (...) No he leído nada más vivo sobre el apogeo nazi que este Diario de Berlín. Escribe un periodista, inmenso, en medio de la peor tragedia de la humanidad (...) Junto a Edward Murrow inventa la radio en agónicas transmisiones, moral y técnicamente dificilísimas (...) Lo que dice no puede dar cuenta de lo que pasa. Pero cada día escribe secretamente las páginas de un diario, hondas, contenidas, minuciosas y veraces». Arcadi Espada, El Cultural «La peripecia de un periodista de raza en los convulsos años treinta tiene algo de emocionante. Entonces un profesional de la información rastreaba, contradecía las versiones oficiales, pateaba las calles incansable, estaba lleno de curiosidad y cultura, se enfrentaba a la censura con habilidad». David Trueba, El Periódico de Catalunya «El diario, el verdadero diario, nos devuelve un pasado tal como lo vieron los contemporáneos, antes de que fuera reescrito por el futuro». José Luis García Martín, ABCD las artes y las letras

Regreso a Berlín completa el relato de la Segunda Guerra Mundial iniciado por Shirer en Diario de Berlín , interrumpido en 1941. Una narración fascinante y otra lección de periodismo. Willliam Shirer ejerció como corresponsal en Berlín para la CBS desde 1934 hasta 1941. Sus apasionadas crónicas, pioneras en ese género, pronto llamaron la atención de los censores nazis, que escrutaban con atención su trabajo. El avance de la guerra propició el crecimiento de la propaganda y dificultó enormemente el trabajo de corresponsales como Shirer, quien decidió escribir un diario en paralelo donde dejar testimoniode todo aquello que no podía decir en sus célebres alocuciones. Su Diario de Berlín quedó interrumpido abruptamente en 1941 a causa de su expulsión del país y su regreso a Estados Unidos. Shirer tuvo que abandonar Alemania en mitad de la guerra, cuando media Europa estaba en llamas y la mayoría de su población judía en los campos de exterminio. Regreso a Berlín es la esperada continuación de su diario berlinés y su personal ajuste de cuentas con el Reich de los mil años que vio su fin mucho antes de lo previsto. Iniciado en Estados Unidos durante 1944, nos informa de la creación de un nuevo organismo: la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, y anticipa la importancia que tendría en la gestión del marco geopolítico que surgirá después de la guerra. En 1945 vuelve a Europa por fin, al París recién liberado, y regresa a Berlín, ciudad devastada por los últimos meses del conflicto. Desde allí viaja a Nuremberg para cubrir los juicios contra los jerarcas nazis y ofrece una vez más su brillante interpretación histórica de los acontecimientos que vive, a la par que deja traslucir cierta actitud pesimista frente al mundo surgido de las cenizas de la guerra. Reseña: «El humo de los bombardeos todavía se eleva sobre las ruinas del país durante esta segunda estancia de William Shirer en Berlín, entre octubre y diciembre de 1945... Regreso a Berlín es un libro imponente, pero también trágico. No hay victoria en él». The Nation

El pack incluye dos volúmenes: 1. Triunfo de Adolf Hitler, sueños de conquista; 2. Guerra y derrota. Ésta es la historia brutalmente objetiva de cómo Hitler logró el control político de Alemania y llevó a cabo su plan de dominar el mundo en seis años, para finalmente ver a Alemania perecer bajo las llamas. El repentino colapso del Tercer Reich en la primavera de 1945 trajo consigo la entrega de un vasto volumen de sus documentos secretos y otros materiales de valor incalculable: diarios privados, discursos altamente secretos, informes de conferencias e incluso resúmenes de conversaciones telefónicas de los jefes nazis. La combinación de esa cantidad ingente de documentos históricos y los recuerdos personales de William L. Shirer diferencia a este libro de todos los demás y lo convierte en uno de los grandes trabajos históricos de todas las épocas. Esta lectura será distinta de todas las demás sobre el mismo tema. Será una experiencia rica y gratificante para todo el que se haya preguntado cómo fue posible que alguna vez llegara a existir esta amenaza para la civilización, y lo que es peor, cómo duró tanto tiempo.

Ésta es la historia brutalmente objetiva, de cómo Hitler logró el control político de Alemania, y llevó a cabo su plan de dominar el mundo en seis años, para finalmente ver a Alemania perecer bajo las llamas. El repentino colapso del Tercer Reich en la primavera de 1945 trajo consigo la entrega de un vasto volumen de sus documentos secretos y otros materiales de valor incalculable: diarios privados, discursos altamente secretos, informes de conferencias e incluso resúmenes de conversaciones telefónicas de los jefes nazis. La combinación de esa cantidad ingente de documentos históricos y los recuerdos personales de William L. Shirer diferencia a este libro de todos los demás y lo convierte en uno de los grandes trabajos históricos de todas las épocas. Esta lectura será distinta de todas las demás sobre el mismo tema. Será una experiencia rica y gratificante para todo el que se haya preguntado cómo fue posible que alguna vez llegara a existir esta amenaza para la civilización, y lo que es peor, cómo duró tanto tiempo.