Winter: A Berlin Family, 1899-1945

i hv read many len deighton's books ( mostly the samson series ), but i think " winter " so far is the best. i wish i can find another book like this one which is written by another writer. any suggestion readers? :)

Deighton's work, "Winter" was a masterpiece about a German family from 1900-1945. Through their eyes we watch the chaotic and destructive era of 1914-1945. The two brothers, Peter and Pauli were allegorical of the German people themselves. Pauli as a young boy fights in the trenches of the Western Front, he is unready, but he goes anyway and gives his all. Peter flies dirigibles for the Kaiser's Navy. Both are horribly scarred by the war and this affects their postwar and WWII lives.The backdrop of the Berlin that Peter and Pauli live in is very rich in detail. Deighton seems to have an excellent understanding of German history and culture. He gives us a whirlwind tour of the suffering in the postwar economy, taking us right into the '30s. Deighton gives a human face to the Gray ranks of the Germans of World War II. Speaking of which, we see the humanity of his characters, as none are black and white, all falling into shades of gray. I read this book months ago, and I still sometimes ponder on the great good and the great evil within Pauli. I do highly recommend this book. It is a great literary work.

A very engrossing and poignant story of a Berlin family caught in the economic and political turmoil of early 20th Century Germany. The story follows the life-paths of Pauli and Peter Winter as they make crucial decisions which will tear them apart and then bring them together forever. A story of love between brothers. I have never read a more touching and heart-breaking story in my life.

I found this novel in a condo we were renting in Florida last spring. I hadn't read any of Len Deighton's books in at least a decade, though I had read many of the earlier books.Anyway, this book got me hooked on the whole Bernard Samson saga. It's a great set of stories, small and large, in and of itself, and I found myself compelled to read the first trilogy next, and then the next one and then the next.I love the way the major character decendents are minor characters in the later stories and vice versa.

If you can picture an episode of Dallas taking place in central Europe during the first half of the 20th century then you have "Winter-A Berlin Family 1899-1945" Deighton,who in the past has been somewhat longwinded,has produced a rollercoaster ride through the lives of an average family in far from average times. It is the story of two brothers who, for reasons beyond their control find themselves taking opposite paths in life.It is a myriad small stories of the friends and families of these brothers,and the effects of changing times and societies. Historically it is very informative incorporating figures from the Kaiser to Hitler himself. It is by no strech of the imagination a "war story".The fact that the majority of the novel is set in wartime is purely coincidental.It is a story of lives and loves set in a backdrop differing from the norm for such a yarn. Peter and Pauli Winter are characters so intriguing that their destiny is in doubt until the final pages This multi-faceted book will also act as a great introduction to Samson series and I would strongly recommend reading this before entering that longest of journies. For all these reasons this book is well worth a look.I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.