Play Audiobook Sample
The Good German (Abridged) Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.01) - 2,026 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
With World War II finally ending, Jake Geismar, former Berlin correspondent for CBS, has wangled one of the coveted press slots for the Potsdam Conference. His assignment: a series of articles on the Allied occupation. His personal agenda: to find Lena, the German mistress he left behind at the outbreak of the war.
When Jake stumbles on a murder—an American soldier washes up on the conference grounds—he thinks he has found the key that will unlock his Berlin story. What Jake finds instead is a larger story of corruption and intrigue reaching deep into the heart of the occupation. Berlin in July 1945 is like nowhere else—a tragedy and a feverish party after the end of the world.
As Jake searches the ruins for Lena, he discovers that years of war have led to unimaginable displacement and degradation. As he hunts for the soldier's killer, he learns that Berlin has become a city of secrets, a lunar landscape that seethes with social and political tension. When the two searches become entangled, Jake comes to understand that the American Military Government is already fighting a new enemy in the east, busily identifying the "good Germans" who can help win the next war. And hanging over everything is the larger crime, a crime so huge that it seems—the worst irony—beyond punishment.
At once a murder mystery, a moving love story, and a riveting portrait of a unique time and place, The Good German is a historical thriller of the first rank.
Download and start listening now!
"I'm writing this review now because I just saw the film based on it. Am I glad I didn't waste my money seeing the movie in a theater--a total waste of George Clooney and Cate Blanchett--with ridiculous alterations of plot and character. If you've seen the movie, don't be scared away from the book. OK, I am a sucker for historical noir thrillers set in postindustrial landscapes. Nevertheless, this book is a fascinating view of Germany in 1945, when the U.S. and the Soviet Union were competing for the spoils. In this case, what they're each trying to grab are Nazi rocket scientists, all tainted by the use of slave labor in the production of the V2. As history notes, the U.S. won the grab in getting Werner von Braun and others to work for NASA. The book shows just what kind of deep moral ambiguity was involved in the quest for and acquisition of these turncoat engineers by the U.S."
— Trilby (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Stanley Tucci impersonates each character so convincingly that I checked the liner notes twice; I couldn’t believe this was just one reader.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“Kanon hits every note just right, from the wide-angle descriptions of Berlin’s pockmarked moonscape to the tellingly detailed portraits of the city’s shellshocked survivors. Superb popular fiction, combining propulsive narrative drive with a subtle grasp of character and a fine sense of moral ambiguity.”
— Booklist
The Good German Listener Reviews
-
" Excellent post WWII drama set in Berlin. It's an intense political thriller. "
— Mary, 2/16/2014 -
" I need to go back and see this movie again. I remember liking it but also feeling that it left me cold. The book is very good and, I think, much more complex. A fascinating portrait of the aftermath, which I think is so fascinating. What happens AFTER something horrendous...how do people cope and go on? And who is held responsible? "
— Ellen, 2/4/2014 -
" Although I couldn't get the movie actors out of my mind while reading the book; George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, I really enjoyed this novel set in 1945 Berlin. Evokes much thought about who were really the bad people in Germany during the war. Plot was a little twisted and confusing, but the love story conquers all. "
— Cindy, 1/27/2014 -
" First, forget about the movie, it sucked and was quite different than the book. This is a very good, old fashioned noir murder mystery. Kanon gives a great deal of detail which adds to the atmosphere of the book. A rally decent murder mystery. "
— Travis, 1/14/2014 -
" Conveys the post-war atmosphere in Berlin with details you can nearly smell and taste. The plot and characters are strong, but the depiction of post-war Berlin is the highlight of this book. A great read. "
— Christopher, 1/5/2014 -
" Outstanding book. One of the best spy and suspense books I have read. I highly recommend and am looking forward to reading other books this author has written "
— Matt, 12/26/2013 -
" This was a fairly bad movie, but a wonderful book. The first 40 pages or so were slow, but its worth the slog to get to the meat of the book. "
— Pam, 11/23/2013 -
" I love Joseph Kanon and wish he had a million more books I could read. "
— Kelley, 10/25/2013 -
" Predictable and formulaic and I read the entire thing anyway. That doesn't speak well for this reader. The plot did have its moments, notably those portraying daily life in post-war Germany. "
— Ann-Marie, 7/27/2013 -
" Excellent fiction with lots of details about life during WW2. "
— Margena, 7/11/2013 -
" I don't know if the book was technically that good or not, but I had a lot of fun reading it. The end was sort of blah, but the characters, setting, circumstances, etc. were enjoyable. "
— Briynne, 6/13/2013 -
" While I enjoyed the idea of the novel and the moral questions explored in it, I had a hard time getting emotionally invested in the characters. "
— Sean, 4/16/2013 -
" A deeper and more intense story than Kanon's later work, Istanbul Passage. Dealt with German guilt after WW ll. Eventually made into a movie which was a very disapointing representation of the book (in my opinion). "
— Marshall, 4/13/2013 -
" Good book, but his book The Alibi is better. Don't even watch the movie , it is the worst hack job done on a book I've ever seen, totally changed the whole point of the book. "
— Cleopatra1074, 3/25/2013 -
" An outstandingly written novel about a murder that occurs in occupied Germany after WWII, surrounded by the eternal question "Where is there a 'good' German?" after the brutality of the concentration camps was discovered. Excellent!!!! "
— Denise, 3/17/2013 -
" It was a nice story but a bit long winded at times. It provided some insight into how things must have been in Germany immediately following WWII. I was left with the feeling of both satisfaction and uneasiness. "
— John, 11/2/2012 -
" This is one of those books that may not change the world, but it is really gripping and fun. Holla. "
— Sarah, 7/29/2012 -
" This is an interesting book that takes place in post-World War II Germany. It has a little romance, intrigue and mystery. What I liked was reading about what it was like in Germany after the war. "
— Linda, 3/11/2012 -
" This was a much more gripping novel than I anticipated. Very harsh look at the days of Berlin just following the Allied victory. From what I understand the movie was completely different and didn't do the book justice at all. "
— Charakal, 7/14/2011 -
" Murder and more in postwar Germany "
— Dan, 4/27/2011 -
" Un romanzo storicamente ben scritto, che racconta una fase della storia a molti sconosciuta in maniera molto realistica e sofferta. <br/> <br/> "
— Manuela, 3/7/2011 -
" A little slow but excellent picture of post-WWII Germany "
— Irene, 1/10/2011 -
" A good follow up after a trip to Berlin. For rarely reading mysteries, this was a welcome change. The story takes many twists and just when you think you have something figured out the plot gets deeper right to the very end. "
— Greg, 1/10/2011 -
" I liked this much better than Alibi. I wish I had read this first. Learned a lot about WWII. "
— Jill, 12/22/2010 -
" A real page turner. I must be in a WWII reading phase! "
— Susan, 11/22/2010 -
" Excellent murder mystery set just after the end of WWII in Berlin. Fascinating historical info about the aftermath of war, culpability, love, etc. "
— Ben, 10/12/2010 -
" BERLIN IN RUINS...mystery, misery good read "
— Roxanne, 8/8/2010
About Joseph Kanon
Joseph Kanon is the Edgar Award–winning author of many novels, including The Good German, which was made into a major motion picture starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.
About Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci is an actor, writer, director, and producer. He has directed five films and appeared in over seventy films, countless television shows, and a dozen plays on and off Broadway. He has been nominated for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and a spoken word Grammy; is a winner of two Golden Globes and two Emmys; and has received numerous other critical and professional awards and accolades. He is also author of two cookbooks, The Tucci Table and The Tucci Cookbook.