I once heard Jeffrey Archer of all people talking about the writing process, he hand writes his drafts but then again he doesn't have to visit the archives. Very much looking forward to this epic tale ,I believe, and yes I pre ordered .
I was lucky enough to go to a James Holland talk about his last book and he chatted about what goes into writing these historical accounts of which you have underlined how much work goes into them , yes a labour of love but still graft , 👍
As someone who writes books similar to Mr. Holland's - I have an entire shelf in my library dedicated to his work, right next to the shelf full of stuff by the master who guides us both, Sir Max Hastings - I'll tell you that nowadays the best thing that happened to historical research is the digitization of records. When I wrote The Frozen Chosen, the Marines had just opened their Korean War searchable digital database that contains every piece of paper generated by every unit there. I was also able to access the Chinese Foreign Ministry's archive and copy all the papers surrounding the negotiations between Stalin and Mao at the meeting in January 1950 when they decided to support Kim Il-Sung's plans for "forcible reunification of Korea." I was later able to access the Russian Air Force records of the Soviet fighter units that fought in Korea (can't do that now though). When I did my two Vietnam books on Naval Aviation in the war and the USAF in the war, I found that when I ran across mention of a code name - like Project Featherduster, about which there were many rumors, I could google the term and within three pages run across an official site where a PDF of the originally-classified report detailing everything about such a project could be downloaded. (Featherduster was a program where the USAF proved that if they gave proper air combat training to pilots, they would be able to confront the enemy successfully, sort of the AF verstion of the Ault Report for the Navy - only the AF decided not act on it because the pilots would go chasing after enemy fighters instead of bombing targets, a decision that cost the lives of many men and the freedom of others who spent time in the Hanoi Hilton.)
It definitely beats hell out of organizing a trip to DC to paw through mislabeled boxes at NARA that you cannot copy, only make notes from.
As Katja just demonstrated, the research is the real fun.
Fortune,motivation and seeking out the “recordings” of the “ordinary people-at the time”. Your effort is rewarded with what I think might be Weimar’s own “Mass Observation” Looking forward to reading. Stay good.
I am so excited for the release of your book, Katje. Sounds as if the challenge will be not reading it through in one sitting! Fascinating- great preview.
I am looking forward to reading this; having enjoyed your last one, I find your chosen structure and style, informative engaging and intensely human. My daughter studied the impact of the BDM in 1930s Germany as part of her degree.
I am very much looking forward to reading your new book. I have read a great many books about Weimar Germany however the city itself is often relegated to a supporting role in the story. I know a little of Weimar’s place in the history of German arts and thinking in the 18thC/19thC from books such as Andrea Wulf’s Magnificent Rebels and A N Wilson’s Goethe His Faustian Life (full disclosure a challenging read). So keen to learn more about Weimar’s 20thC history. Congratulations on your new book Katja, I’m quite sure it will be another bestseller.
I am greatly looking forward to reading this as will my oldest daughter. In brief, her Masters thesis (as an American studying in London) concerned Nazi propaganda, and her studies included the question: how did people ultimately turn and offer even tacit approval to the Nazi movement. Cannot wait!
Looking forward to reading this. Thanks for the rundown in it and your serendipity in the research.
I once heard Jeffrey Archer of all people talking about the writing process, he hand writes his drafts but then again he doesn't have to visit the archives. Very much looking forward to this epic tale ,I believe, and yes I pre ordered .
I was lucky enough to go to a James Holland talk about his last book and he chatted about what goes into writing these historical accounts of which you have underlined how much work goes into them , yes a labour of love but still graft , 👍
As someone who writes books similar to Mr. Holland's - I have an entire shelf in my library dedicated to his work, right next to the shelf full of stuff by the master who guides us both, Sir Max Hastings - I'll tell you that nowadays the best thing that happened to historical research is the digitization of records. When I wrote The Frozen Chosen, the Marines had just opened their Korean War searchable digital database that contains every piece of paper generated by every unit there. I was also able to access the Chinese Foreign Ministry's archive and copy all the papers surrounding the negotiations between Stalin and Mao at the meeting in January 1950 when they decided to support Kim Il-Sung's plans for "forcible reunification of Korea." I was later able to access the Russian Air Force records of the Soviet fighter units that fought in Korea (can't do that now though). When I did my two Vietnam books on Naval Aviation in the war and the USAF in the war, I found that when I ran across mention of a code name - like Project Featherduster, about which there were many rumors, I could google the term and within three pages run across an official site where a PDF of the originally-classified report detailing everything about such a project could be downloaded. (Featherduster was a program where the USAF proved that if they gave proper air combat training to pilots, they would be able to confront the enemy successfully, sort of the AF verstion of the Ault Report for the Navy - only the AF decided not act on it because the pilots would go chasing after enemy fighters instead of bombing targets, a decision that cost the lives of many men and the freedom of others who spent time in the Hanoi Hilton.)
It definitely beats hell out of organizing a trip to DC to paw through mislabeled boxes at NARA that you cannot copy, only make notes from.
As Katja just demonstrated, the research is the real fun.
Fortune,motivation and seeking out the “recordings” of the “ordinary people-at the time”. Your effort is rewarded with what I think might be Weimar’s own “Mass Observation” Looking forward to reading. Stay good.
Pre-ordered on Amazon.
I am so excited for the release of your book, Katje. Sounds as if the challenge will be not reading it through in one sitting! Fascinating- great preview.
Amazon says it drops here on June 9, 2026. Definitely looking forward to reading it.
Sounds fascinating Katja. Look forward to reading it. Your productivity is positively Stakhanovite!
I am looking forward to reading this; having enjoyed your last one, I find your chosen structure and style, informative engaging and intensely human. My daughter studied the impact of the BDM in 1930s Germany as part of her degree.
I am very much looking forward to reading your new book. I have read a great many books about Weimar Germany however the city itself is often relegated to a supporting role in the story. I know a little of Weimar’s place in the history of German arts and thinking in the 18thC/19thC from books such as Andrea Wulf’s Magnificent Rebels and A N Wilson’s Goethe His Faustian Life (full disclosure a challenging read). So keen to learn more about Weimar’s 20thC history. Congratulations on your new book Katja, I’m quite sure it will be another bestseller.
I am greatly looking forward to reading this as will my oldest daughter. In brief, her Masters thesis (as an American studying in London) concerned Nazi propaganda, and her studies included the question: how did people ultimately turn and offer even tacit approval to the Nazi movement. Cannot wait!