Berlin: From 1925 to the Present

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on Berlin
Review: If you must have only one book on Berlin, this is it. Few cities have experienced the massive upheaval that Berlin has, and trying to compare and understand the pre-World War II city with that of today is often a frustrating labyrinth. Mark McGee's book offers clarity. While other books have a similar before/after format, McGee does it with greater clarity, superior images, and with a lively and informative text. I like that individual buildings are given a distinct section, as opposed to being scattered throughout. McGee's text offers plenty of pertinent information, as well as trenchant architectural criticism, and odd asides that are greatly enjoyable (commenting on the Potsdam rail station, McGee notes that the old graveyard in front of the station was paved over after the lease on the last grave expired). Yes, this book is a must for any reader interested in the architecture and urban planning of a unique city. All that is missing is a map highlighting the location of buildings detailed.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on Berlin
Review: If you must have only one book on Berlin, this is it. Few cities have experienced the massive upheaval that Berlin has, and trying to compare and understand the pre-World War II city with that of today is often a frustrating labyrinth. Mark McGee's book offers clarity. While other books have a similar before/after format, McGee does it with greater clarity, superior images, and with a lively and informative text. I like that individual buildings are given a distinct section, as opposed to being scattered throughout. McGee's text offers plenty of pertinent information, as well as trenchant architectural criticism, and odd asides that are greatly enjoyable (commenting on the Potsdam rail station, McGee notes that the old graveyard in front of the station was paved over after the lease on the last grave expired). Yes, this book is a must for any reader interested in the architecture and urban planning of a unique city. All that is missing is a map highlighting the location of buildings detailed.

Rating:
Summary: An original perspective on history
Review: Mark R. McGee has assembled an impressive collection of photographs to demonstrate the changes that have occurred in twentieth-century Berlin. Any student of history will be interested to see the minute details captured in these images. The texts included with each sequence of photographs flesh out the history of this fascinating city.