"Fascinating--and it is all true!"-- FREDERICK FORSYTH, author The Day of the Jackal

Washington Post: "A fascinating and complex picture of the interplay between politics and media in the Cold War era."

Hailed by The New York Times Book Review, Alan Furst, Bill Moyers, Alex Kershaw, Kai Bird, and more.

A thrilling Cold War narrative exploring two harrowing attempts to rescue East Germans by tunneling beneath the Berlin Wall, the U.S. television networks who financed and filmed them, and the Kennedy administration's unprecedented attempt to suppress both films.

In the summer of 1962, one year after East German Communists built the Berlin Wall, a group of daring young West Germans came up with a plan. They would risk prison, Stasi torture, even death to liberate friends, lovers, and strangers in East Berlin by digging tunnels under the Wall. Among the tunnelers and escape helpers were a legendary cyclist, an American student from Stanford, and an engineer who would later help build the tunnel under the English Channel. 
         
Then two U.S. television networks, NBC and CBS, heard about the secret projects, and raced to be first to air a spectacular "inside tunnel" special on the human will for freedom. The networks funded two separate tunnels in return for exclusive rights to film the escapes. In response, President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of State Dean Rusk, wary of anything that might raise tensions and force a military confrontation with the Soviets, maneuvered to quash both documentaries.
       
Unfolding week by week, sometimes hour by hour, Greg Mitchell's riveting narrative deftly cuts back and forth from one extraordinary character to another.  There's the tunneler who had already served four years in the East German gulag; the Stasi informer who betrays the "CBS tunnel"; the young East Berliner who escapes with her baby, then marries one of the tunnelers; and broadcast legend Daniel Schorr, who battled unsuccessfully to save his film from White House interference and remained bitter about it to the end of his life. Looming over all is John F. Kennedy, who was ambivalent about--even hostile toward-- the escape operations.  Kennedy confessed to Dean Rusk:  "We don't care about East Berlin."
   
Based on extensive access to the Stasi archives, long-secret U.S. documents, and new interviews with tunnelers and refugees, The Tunnels provides both rich history and high suspense.  Award-winning journalist Mitchell captures the hopes and fears of everyday Berliners; the chilling reach of the Stasi secret police; U.S. networks prepared to "pay for play" yet willing to cave to official pressure; and a White House and State Department eager to suppress historic coverage. The result is "breaking history," a propulsive read whose themes reverberate even today.

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Every so often I feel the need to dip my toes into the nonfiction world and that's how I ended up with this book. I'm glad that I did. It took me a while to get through this book because the subject matter could be heart wrenching at times and I just had to sit it down and walk away. That being said, some books on history are so dry that you need a glass of something to get through them. This isn't that book. It reads more like a novel than a dry history book. If you're interested in Berlin, the Cold War, or anything of that nature, I highly recommend that you pick up this book.






I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.




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A graphic novel biography of the American legend who inspired the hit Broadway musical Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton was one of the most influential figures in United States history--he fought in the Revolutionary War, helped develop the Constitution, and as the first Secretary of the Treasury established landmark economic policy that we still use today. Cut down by a bullet from political rival Aaron Burr, Hamilton has since been immortalized alongside other Founding Fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson--his likeness even appears on the ten-dollar bill. In this fully-illustrated and impeccably researched graphic novel-style history, author Jonathan Hennessey and comic book illustrator Justin Greenwood bring Alexander Hamilton's world to life, telling the story of this improbable hero who helped shape the United States of America.

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As some of you might know, I used to do quite a few comic book reviews. Sadly, I don't have as much time these days so I leave most of that to my staff over on Geek-o-Rama. Still, when I get the chance, I still reach out and grab it!

This book was the perfect for that kind of thing. It has three of my favorite things: comics, history, and a great "story".  Let's break this one down in one of my favorite ways: The Good, The Bad, and The Summary.

The Good:
This book is full of information! It may be a biography of Hamilton, but it also covers a lot of what was happening during that time, not just here but in other countries that would get involved. The dialogue included quotes from actual letters and pamphlets of that time period. That's some serious dedication to the project and I love to see that kind of effort put into a project.

The Bad:
While I generally enjoyed the art, it was sometimes tough to keep track of who was who. After all, there were a lot of white men wearing white wigs! The only other thing is that the language in this books makes it more suitable to an upper level high school student versus anyone younger.

The Summary:
All in all, if you like history, have an interest in Hamilton (the musical), love graphic novels, or a combination of any of the above, go ahead and check out this book. I think it's going to be a really good addition to my books on history shelf.






I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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