You only have to read the flap of the book to know the plot, the entire plot, down to the very last page. For those not familiar with the history of the rise of the Nazis and the personal life of Hitler, this seems to me to be a mistake. There are many writers who can announce where they are headed and still rivet the reader's attention, but Nagorski isn't one of them. Too often, he feels compelled to pause to explain references (to German films, politicians) when it would have been less disruptive to avoid them altogether. Nagorski's strength is in his description of place and politics, but the personal, the trifles and insights that breathe characters to life, elude him. Oddly enough, the character that Nagorski manages to evoke best is Hitler himself. Praise must be given for keeping him posied between politician and obsessive, even the ... intentions ring true. With such a wonderful choice of subject, it seems disappointing to have emerged with a novel that is mostly lacking in both suspense and heart.

I derive no greater reading pleasure than when I learn something while being highly entertained. Andrew Nagorski's Last Stop Vienna is an amazing novel that manages to teach as well as engage. The rise and rule of Adolf Hitler is the most notorious tale of the twentieth century, yet how many people truly understand the dire social, economic, and political climate in 1920's and 1930's Germany that enabled the emergence of a man like Hitler? Perhaps better than any novelist in recent history, Nagorski does. Through the eyes of young and idealist Nazi Brownshirt, Karl Naumann, Nagorski tells a story that demonstrates in eerie and vivid detail how readily evil can rise out of desperation. Last Stop Vienna is not only a compelling book but also an important one. We live in an age where the conditions in many countries throughout the world are jarringly parallel to those of pre-World War II Germany. It would behoove us all to gain an understanding of such matters. Andrew Nagorski has provided us a great service by making it easy and enjoyable to edify his readers using his 288-page gem, Last Stop Vienna.

Last Stop Vienna is historical fiction at its finest. It is so rare to find a journalist/historian who is also a wonderful storyteller with a masterful gift for prose. Andrew Nagorski is such a writer. He crafts a mesmerizing tale that not only entertains but educates. Nagorski's encyclopedic knowledge of a Germany ravaged by the Treaty of Versailles combined with his familiarity of character and place lends an authenticity to the novel that is both captivating and illuminating. Add to that a brilliant imagination and a lyrical ability to compose a compelling and original work of fiction from recent historical events and you have an extraordinary novel. Last Stop Vienna is a very special book by an informed and talented novelist. I recommend it highly.