In the Garden of Beasts

This is a guest review from my eldest son, Deron:

Erik Larson tells the story of Hitler's rise to power from chancellor to dictator primarily through the eyes of William E. Dodd, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and his daughter Martha. I write "story", rather than "history", because this book reads like fiction; however, this is nonfiction. All quotes are sourced from a letter, diary, or other document. This pivotal time in history and the Dodds' involvement with many of the primary actors makes for a wonderful read.

President Roosevelt's first choice for ambassador was not William E. Dodd, an accomplished history professor at the University of Chicago. With congressional adjournment for summer quickly approaching (Congress must confirm any ambassador) and after several candidates declined his offer, Roosevelt was pressured to make offers outside the normal political circles. He asked Dodd. Dodd was ambivalent. He had wanted to complete his major history, Old South, and the post would severely limit his ability to complete the multivolume work. However, after encouragement from the university and his wife, he accepted.

Roosevelt had two primary tasks for Dodd. Germany owed a great deal of money to American creditors. Dodd was to do whatever he could to ensure that the debt would be repaid. The more delicate issue involved the German government's treatment of the Jews. The debate raged as to whether the U.S. government should directly speak out against the persecution or work through quieter diplomatic and unofficial channels to improve the situation for the Jews. Roosevelt opted for the quieter policy. As we all know, both tasks would prove impossible.

While Dodd was the ambassador from 1933-1937, the story mostly occurs in the years 1933 and 1934. Through Dodd, we meet in mostly official capacities the Nazi leaders - Hitler; Göring; Goebbels; Diels, commander of the Gestapo; and Röhm, commander the Stormtroopers. Through Martha, we see everyday life. Her friends and romances included diplomats, writers, a communist, and several well placed Nazis, which provides great insight into the social and political intrigue going on at that time.

Both Dodds had hoped that the Nazis would be amenable to reason, that they would moderate over time, that one could do business with them. The Dodds, especially Martha, even sympathized to some extent with the Nazis. But over time, the Nazis revealed themselves for what they were, culminating in the Night of the Long Knives, where Hilter purged the Nazi leadership and eliminated political adversaries to solidify his hold on power. Shortly thereafter, von Hindenburg, the German President, died upon which Hitler solidified power and made himself dictator.

I earlier mentioned that this book reads more like fiction than the nonfiction it is. There are many short chapters and cliffhangers that read more like Dan Brown or James Patterson than as history. To me, this somehow diminished the importance of the events. They were almost like cheap devices to keep my interest where none was needed.

Overall, this is an excellent book that I would recommend.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Comment: I've read historical fiction before, but I think this may be the first book that I've read in the genre of what I understand to be novelistic history. Every character and quote is real. Every situation happened. While I enjoyed Larson's book, I'm not sure I'm sold on the genre yet. I think that history should be dispassionate in its telling to avoid biases. A novel such as Larson's cannot and doesn't try to avoid those biases. I can say, though, that Larson is the master of the genre.