The Berlin Wall - Frederick Taylor

The Berlin Wall, by Frederick Taylor, is a very readable account of the existence of that infamous symbol of the Cold War.

The author is quite trenchant in his opinions and his sympathies, and throughout he puts forward vehement criticism of the East German regime in particular.

I liked the mixture of material contained in the book, which alternates the grand strategy and political machinations with more personal and intimate stories and case studies of how individuals were affected, and their lives shaped, by the Wall.

Of particular merit are the chapters which examine the build-up to the Wall's construction, the tense period which followed, and the dramatic events of 1989 which culminated in the fall of the structure.

Overall, I found this book to be a stimulating and forthright analysis, refreshing in its directness and its sympathetic inclinations.