In The Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

A few weeks before beginning this book, my husband and I had the pleasure of seeing Erik Larson speak at the Dallas Museum of Art's program, Arts & Letters Live. The night before this event, we were visiting with some friends who had this comment to make in regard to social injustices throughout history: "We want to ask our parents why, why didn't you do anything about civil rights? Why didn't you do anything about poverty? But, the real question is, what will our children ask us "why" about? What are WE missing this generation that when the next generation will look back they will wonder, why?". Remarkably, Erik Larson echoed that same sentiment in discussing his newest book, In the Garden of Beasts. 

The book follows the story of the Dodd's as the patriarch of the family, William Dodd, assumes the role of American Ambassador to Germany in 1933. At first, the family is caught up in the glamour of Nazi Berlin, the beauty, the elegance, the parties and the extravagance. Soon, though, the family is caught up in a political battle unlike anything they had ever imagined, and they must come face to face with Hitler's Germany and the brutality, hatred and genuine massacre towards the Jewish community. They try to navigate through as much of it as they can, holding to diplomacy until the very end, but are unable to stand against Hitler's regime. One quick note, Larson is a non-fiction writer, a historian of sort, and while his book is narrative, it is truthful, factual and based in the most painstaking research conducted by the author. You can rely on the history in his books!

During his lecture over the book, the remark by Mr Larson that caught my attention was in regards to the responsibility of a generation. He reflects "I wonder what our children will see as the greatest fault of our generation. I wonder what injustice we aren't fighting that we should be. What excuse will we give our children when they ask us why we did nothing?" He was speaking in generalities but the effect was very real--what are we missing?

That's why this book is fascinating to read--because it is a tale of people missing it. Missing the hints, the madness, the brutality of one regime that no one ever really thought would become a threat. The whole time you read it you want to scream to these people to "RUN!", "HIDE!", "FLEE!" because we are on the outside able to see the entire scope of this extraordinary German transition and the terrifying realities, and we see the tragic end that is inescapable by the people in this story. And this is why this book is worth reading. The greater triumph in this novel is that Erik Larson is able to piece together this web of multiple players and moments into a intricately woven story that really, up until this point, has not been told. A fascinating read for sure!