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

Renowned journalist and author of several bestsellers, Eric Larson invites the reader to immerse himself in the atmosphere of Berlin in the 1930s, a critical period in Germany‘s modern history, from Hitler‘s appointment as chancellor to his usurpation of power and the transformation of the country into a "garden of monsters"-a dictatorship that was actively preparing for war. During this period, the U.S. maintained a non-interventionist stance and preferred to overlook militarization, persecution of dissenters, and signs of future terror. The main characters are William Dodd, appointed U.S. ambassador to Berlin in 1933, and his daughter, a socialite who at first admired Hitler‘s regime. The plot is based on official documents, memoirs, diaries and letters, allowing you to learn about the fate of the main characters: diplomats, public figures, journalists, representatives of the Nazi elite and ordinary people. The listener, along with the Ambassador and his family, moves from rejection of reality to awareness of the evils of the Nazi regime and then to the desperate but unsuccessful attempts to warn the world of the impending danger.