Books like The March Fallen — picked by fans

First of all, I loved this book because the historical background Larson writes about benefited my understanding of the early rule of Hitler as Germany’s Chancellor.

This is the period my novel opens in. As Larson’s story unfolds, he does an excellent job of making the historical truth read like a novel. I loved this. However, what disturbed me was Ambassador Dodd’s inability to convince the State Department of the horrors unfolding under Hitler’s rule. While this truth disturbed me, it also gave me insight as to how this information would enhance the reliability of my novel’s historical background.

Please understand what I’m trying to convey here. This was not a work simply to help me write a novel. No. This book is profound in revealing to a reader how Washington didn’t act quickly enough in recognizing Hitler as a world threat. And Larson presents this truth in a page-turning… show more.

A brilliant example of finding meaning in who you are meant to be and finding dignity in it when others may not see it the same way.

When Stevens, the butler, realized his true worth and value, he was able to approach the world from a better place. I think about this every time I write about a character who needs to believe more in himself.

I loved Kerr’s decision to view Berlin through the eyes of his PI Bernie Gunther because I’m seeing fascism through the eyes of a protagonist who cares little about an ideology he recognizes as flawed.

It creates an interesting tension for the character—a strategic loyalty, a quiet resistance to something he knows he can’t topple, so he remains himself—true to his own personality. I love the arc Kerr creates that had me locked into his noir world.

I loved this novel because the writer himself had fled Germany because of Hitler’s oppressive edicts.

There is a genuine authenticity I immediately sensed in each of the characters, and why not, since Feuchtwanger himself experienced first-hand the oppressive darkness spreading across Germany in 1933. Aren’t writers told to write about what they know? Feuchtwanger did just that, and it places a unique value on the novel, making it more a historical document than simply a fictional story.

My hope is many will read this novel and understand the dangers of fascism, so we don’t repeat what history has already taught us.

A book with disturbing lessons for our time. This book charts the lives of three women during the 1930s and 40s as the Nazis rise to power and use book burning as a tool to destroy culture and freedom of expression. I adored and was completely captivated by the clever way the author wove a complicated story between three women in three different cities and times. 

Almost a character in itself is the spectre of book censorship and the damage it can inflict on society. This book has some very moving scenes–a burgeoning lesbian love affair, a children's game amid the horror of war, a finale that had me reaching for the tissues, and more. The amount of research in this book is incredible!

One of the best explanations I’ve read of the rise of Fascism in Hitler’s Germany. I agree that ignoring the lessons of history means we’ll be forced to endure repetition. And Kerr paints such a chilling scenario no one in their right mind would wish the maxim to come true. His prose applies color and form like an artist at the top of their game.

At times I found him reminiscent of Chandler in the way he portrays the Nazis as the worst gangsters in the game. This is the first book of the Bernard Gunther series, and I was so enthralled that I raced through the others in just a few days. His storyline is filled with horror, passion, fear, and pathos—a tour de force of emotions.

Jason Lutes spent decades creating this masterpiece—a graphic novel that brilliantly reconstructs life in Berlin in the years before Hitler became Chancellor. The characters are fully dimensional, a diverse and compelling collection of individuals, reeling from World War I, struggling to face the fall of Weimar and the cold hands of fascism tightening around their necks. This is a perfect melding of art, narrative, and political urgency that speaks eloquently to our perilous age.

It is not easy to find books in English about German television series, even if they are big hits on a globally accessible streaming platform. I love this book because it explores every facet of the rich audio-visual tapestry that is the period crime drama Babylon Berlin.

Given its complex narrative and allusion to specific events, the history buff in me wanted to know whether the specific atrocities (e.g., “Blood May”) were portrayed accurately, but I was similarly intrigued to read more about the pop music, club, and fashion scenes of Weimar era Berlin. The scholars’ different critical approaches enriched my viewing experience of the show’s third season immensely.

Berlin was at the centre of Nazi Europe and is invariably at the heart of my novels, including Agent in Berlin. I’m fascinated by Berlin and I try to get beyond the obvious aspects of the city and give a sense of what life was like on a daily basis. I have chosen this book by William Shirer, an American journalist based in the city from 1934 and who only left after Pearl Harbor. The book combines the sharp observations of a journalist with an eye for fascinating detail, such as the nuanced wording of the death notices of soldiers and the impact of rationing on the population.

Many of the plays written by Indigenous playwrights are usually dark and critical. This play is a little different. It’s an unabashed comedy celebrating the Indigenous sense of humour. Essentially, the play is about two German entrepreneurs who travel to a First Nations community planning to build the world’s largest Native theme park, called Ojibway world. The play deals with stereotypes and the global marketing of culture.