I am on a search. My search is for books about German history. My heritage is mostly German (leaving myself wide open for Princess Bride jokes there) and I’d like to know a little more about it. According to my American-public-school education, Germany sprung full-grown from the head of Mars in 1914 and promptly started World War I. But what about Germany before WWI (or the states that became Germany, I do know that much)?
I’m not looking for textbook-type histories. I don’t like bland, dry history that makes me feel like I should take notes for the test at the end. I like histories that tell a story. Historical novels, interesting biographies of notable Germans, well-written juicy nonfiction are the types of things I’m looking for. But I don’t want anything about World War I or II or the Protestant Reformation. I was raised Lutheran, I know all about Martin Luther nailing various things to doors.
I throw myself on your mercy, history nerds of the SDMB. Suggest away.