Synopses & Reviews
Now in paperback, current events get in-depth treatment in this exciting series produced in collaboration with the New York Times. First-person narratives by the world-renowned newspaper's award-winning journalists tell the stories behind the headlines.
This compelling account carries readers back to Berlin, Germany, in 1989, on the night that the Berlin Wall fell. From the moment his East German assistant bursts into his West Berlin office to tell him that the wall is open, Serge Schmemann is in the thick of things, taking readers along with him as he witnesses the celebration when the wall is opened and the dramatic changes that follow. From this unique perspective, readers learn about the Berlin Wall, its construction, and what it symbolized to the world.
Review
VOYA"[A] very valuable account of the end of the Cold War in Germany"
Publishers Weekly This standout debut should captivate readers' interest in one of the most climactic events of the late 20th century. Children's Literature
This is a well-written look at the fall of the Berlin Wall, the events leading up to it, and the realities a united Germany faced after the wall's demise...Photographs throughout the text are well chosen and show the human aspect of the decades-long engagement. School Library Journal
This book offers more complete coverage than Jeremy Smith's The Fall of the Berlin Wall (World Almanac Library, 2004), and Schmemann's personal perspective and the numerous articles will help readers understand the intensity of feeling that surrounded this event.
Synopsis
This is history as only an eyewitness can tell it. In 1989, veteran journalist Serge Schmemann was in his hotel room when his assistant from East Germany burst in with some incredible news: the Berlin Wall was open. Serge jumped into the first cab he could find and raced to the wall in time to witness one of the great moments of European history.
Including articles from the archives of The New York Times, this gripping narrative tells the whole story, from the division of Germany after World War II, to life in the Communist East, to the massive protests that brought an end to the Eastern Bloc, and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
About the Author
Serge Schmemann served as Bonn bureau chief for The New York Times from 1987 to 1991 and won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the reunification of Germany. Mr. Schmemann currently lives in Paris, France, where he is editorial page editor for The International Herald Tribune.