Along the Wall and Watchtowers: A Journey Down Germany's Divide

Oliver August, the son of East German parents who escaped to West Germany, drives along the route of the now-vanished Wall that separated East from West, and interviews people on both sides of the border along the way. The author is perfectly bilingual and bicultural, and thus in the ideal position to explain to the reader the peculiarities of German behavior and attitudes. The Easterners regard themselves as Germany's second-class citizens and look with nostalgia upon the old East German regime. The final chapter (of 14) is about Berlin, where the author interviews the East German general who supervised the border guards. The author writes well and tells a compelling story of how, despite reunification, the two halves of Germany are far from being able to understand one another. The book has no photos, one diagram, and (only) one map.