# Recommend some German history

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-german-history/241621>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 23, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-german-history/241621 "2004-04-23T13:36:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-german-history/241621/1 "2004-04-23T13:36:56Z")

</div>

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.