AFTER THE WALL

Rating:
Summary: The truth is not always beautiful
Review: I stumbled upon this book researching the reunification, and I found it to be wonderful. Every sentence begs the reader to ask questions, not only about German culture, but also our own. My German friends who have read it found it to be a harsh, but extremely accurate portrayal of German society. It is an interesting look at the psychology of an entire nation, and the troubles that can arise from a philosophy of avoidance. Anybody who wishes to see the Germany that lies beneath the façade of lederhosen and biergartens should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: The truth is not always beautiful
Review: I stumbled upon this book researching the reunification, and I found it to be wonderful. Every sentence begs the reader to ask questions, not only about German culture, but also our own. My German friends who have read it found it to be a harsh, but extremely accurate portrayal of German society. It is an interesting look at the psychology of an entire nation, and the troubles that can arise from a philosophy of avoidance. Anybody who wishes to see the Germany that lies beneath the façade of lederhosen and biergartens should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview/intro to modern German social currents
Review: My wife and I lived in Germany during the same critical period in history that Mr. Fisher has chronicled in his book -- almost all of his anecdotes paralleled our own experiences as Americans living in Germany during the great transition from the Cold to Post-Cold War era. Anyone who has looked at Germany from the outside, or lived there as a foreigner, will find a little of themselves in Mr. Fisher's book. The previous reviewer, obviously German, seemed a little sensitive to Fisher's observations of what it means to be a German in Germany; so be it, but for the rest of us, his book is on the mark, well written, and definitely worth a read...

Rating:
Summary: Amazing parallels
Review: My wife and I lived in Germany during the same critical period in history that Mr. Fisher has chronicled in his book -- almost all of his anecdotes paralleled our own experiences as Americans living in Germany during the great transition from the Cold to Post-Cold War era. Anyone who has looked at Germany from the outside, or lived there as a foreigner, will find a little of themselves in Mr. Fisher's book. The previous reviewer, obviously German, seemed a little sensitive to Fisher's observations of what it means to be a German in Germany; so be it, but for the rest of us, his book is on the mark, well written, and definitely worth a read...

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview/intro to modern German social currents
Review: Well-organized, easy to follow and thoroughly engrossing (read it in two days), Fisher's book gives a wonderful overview of social tensions and issues within 90s Germany. The identity crises of individuals and the country as a whole are made understandable, and the anecdotes are constructive, enjoyable additions to the book. Covers not only post-unification problems but some WWII/Holocaust repercussions as well. This was the first book I found that addressed this material, and the best I've come across yet.