Sinclair McKay is the bestselling author of Dresden, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, The Secret Listeners, Bletchley Park Brainteasers and Secret Service Brainteasers. He is a literary critic for the Telegraph and the Spectator and lives in London.
I loved this book. McKay's writing is vivid and sometimes even beautiful . . . his own observations and summaries seem always apposite and wise . . . To anyone who knows Berlin a little and is fascinated by it, but would like to understand it better, this is a wonderful aid . . . Sinclair McKay was born to write this book -- David Aaronovitch * The Times * Remarkable . . . A majestic work of non-fiction -- Matthew d'Ancona * Tortoise * McKay has written a masterful account of a city marked by infamy. Supported by meticulous research, Berlin is by turns terrifying and fascinating. If there is a book that must be read this year, this is it -- Amanda Foreman The book's principal subject is Berliners doomed role in the Second World War. Through their eyes, McKay brilliantly captures Germany's initial successes, and then the reverses and escalating defeats . . . To have uncovered so many previously unknown characters and fascinating anecdotes is especially admirable -- Iain MacGregor * Spectator * I thought I knew everything about Berlin, but then I read this stunning book. It's eye-opening, enlightening and wonderfully told -- Norman Ohler, author of Blitzed McKay's powerful imagery and magnetic prose combine to produce an electrifying new account of Berlin. 'You cannot understand the twentieth century without understanding Berlin', claims the author. He makes a compelling case -- Julia Boyd, author of Travelers in the Third Reich Powerful. Visceral. Truly revelatory. Beautifully written and utterly compelling. I didn't think Sinclair McKay could top his previous book, Dresden, which was masterful. He has proven me wrong with Berlin -- Damien Lewis, author of SAS Bravo Three Zero One of my favourite historians -- Dan Snow, History Hit Great subject, well-researched, brilliantly written. Anyone who wants to understand Berlin's incomparable place at the very centre of twentieth century history should begin with Sinclair McKay's remarkable, mesmerising book -- Keith Lowe, author of Savage Continent Powerful . . . there is rage in his ink. McKay's book grips by its passion and originality -- Max Hastings, Sunday Times, on Dresden Painstakingly researched and fascinating -- John Harding, Daily Mail on The Secret Listeners