Erik Larson Does it Again!

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin, by Erik Larson, is a must read for anyone interested in history. As with his previous books, Erik has another winner with this non-fiction book of an American family living in Hitler’s Germany. It’s the story of William E. Dodd and his family as they set out to live in Berlin as Hitler is gaining power in the 1930s. I must say I tired a bit of Dodd’s daughter Martha’s many affairs, but these stories did add a lot to the scheme of things as she undoubtedly was in the midst of the happenings – blinded at first but later opening her eyes to the horror of the times. Dodd also was naïve but later realized what was happening and sent warnings home to the U.S. The book was disturbing in that there were so many blind to Hitler’s goals. How did the world not see? I highly recommend In the Garden of Beasts. I look forward to reading Larson’s next book as he makes history so interesting.