"In The Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and An American Family in Hitler's Berlin" by Erik Larson ****

• Audiobook
• US author
• Originally published 2011 
• Review:   A few years ago I read the book "Hitler's Willing Executioners" which focused on how the German people succumbed to Hitler's mesmeric appeal.  This book, "In The Garden of Beasts", focuses on the despairing frustration faced by our US Ambassador to Germany, William Dodd, as he tried to communicate his dire predictions of Hitler's intentions.  It was an interesting story, a true one, and I am not sure whether I would say it was discouraging or encouraging in terms of how the US government was thinking at the time of this set of events....1933 to 1938.  This is one of many stories which helps illuminate the ease with which people can be manipulated by a charismatic leader.