I learned about this book from many directions. And every time I did I heard the same thing: “This book is surprisingly enjoyable. I should have read it sooner.” Seemed a bit of a backhanded compliment. But when I’d finally heard it enough, I picked it up and listened to the audiobook on a recent soccer tournament weekend.
This is the story of the Berlin Wall. It starts with the end of World War II, the division of Germany and Berlin, and the building of the Berlin Wall. Then it shifts to telling the stories of many of those who attempted to escape beyond it into freedom. And in the heart of the book, it turns to the story of a particular tunnel that was built and successfully helped 29 East Germans to escape into a better life.
Despite being nonfiction, this book reads like a Ludlum thriller. The author evokes the feeling of oppression felt by those hoping to escape as well as the danger and consequences awaiting those who failed. The audiobook is read by the author herself, adding to to the reading the same thrilling edge of the prose alone. I definitely should have read it sooner. I was surprised by this book. But that is no backhanded compliment. This book is one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read. And if you lived through the Cold War and fall of the Berlin Wall, this book is an education you didn’t know you needed.
My rating: 5/5
