Review "Inside this book is as clear a statement of the power of this music as anyone, ever, has come up with.”  —Dave Marsh, music critic, Rolling Stone"An illuminating and impressively detailed examination of a frequently overlooked moment in the nexus of rock music and political liberation. I learned a great deal and enjoyed doing so." —Eric Alterman, author, What Liberal Media?"A glorious example of the influence that rock ‘n’ roll can have on people who are hungry and ready for change."  —Michelle Martin, journalist, The Washington Post"In telling the back story of how the concert came to be, Rocking the Wall also offers a fascinating historical snapshot of East German Communist cultural officials scrambling to contain the brewing political restlessness all around them."  —Vanessa Fuhrmans, reporter, The Wall Street Journal "What was intended by East Berlin’s hard-line leadership as a pacifier for their people, Kirschbaum argues, had the opposite effect and turned into a powerful agent for change."  —Derek Scally, Berlin correspondent, The Irish Times"It was cultural forces, not merely political or military ones, that won the Cold War for the West, and which may yet spring more oppressive regimes from the tyranny of the old and joyless. Young East Germans wanted their rock and roll."  —Tris McCall, music critic, The Star-Ledger Read more About the Author Erik Kirschbaum is a correspondent for the Reuters International News Agency, a nonfiction author, a longtime Springsteen fan, and an unabashed crusader for renewable energy. He has written about topics anywhere from entertainment to climate change in over 20 countries. He lives in Berlin. Read more
B**H
Interesting interplay between art and people
The fall of the Berlin wall is one of those events that is frustratingly under analyzed and misunderstood. The real question is: how did a people who were formed by the defeat of Naziism and subject all of their lives to what was most likely the most organized and repressive regimes ever seen, quickly rise up, free themselves from oppression and tear down that damn wall? There is an entirely fictional history that tries to connect the event with a speech by Ronald Regan on June 12th 1987. I say false, because the speech was almost unnoticed at the time, and was given to a small audience while over 500,000 Germans were protesting against Reagan. Kirschbaum draws out a another interesting connection backed up by interviews with many people who were there at the time. On July 19, 1989 Springsteen gave a concert in East Berlin. Springsteen was one of the first rock stars to give a concert in East Berlin. So many people wanted to go, that eventually the organizers just opened the gates. Likely, about 300.000 attended the live concert. For many of the people this was a transformational event.Springsteen, avoided becoming entangled in the pro and anti politics. Between two songs he gave a very brief speech explaining why he was there. He connected with with people and a year later the wall was down. Kirschbaum does not overplay his cards, but the interviews with people who lived through these times are touching and telling.This is a concise and well written book and most people who are fans fo the boss or interested in contemporary history will find it interesting. Recommended.
N**Y
Very interesting-
I certainly learned a lot about how and why the wall came down. I was completely unaware of the " behind scenes " détails before the concert was actually able to take place. Before I read this book, I didn't even realize Bruce Springsteen had gone behind the Iron Curtain. It was quite enlightening to discover "first hand" what life in East Germany was like, at that time.This is a good read even if you're not a Springsteen fan. It just goes to show how one good. person can actually change the world. We each have our talents-big or small, but together we can make a difference
D**E
Great...Springsteen and so much more...
Great book! Fun and an easy read...a must for any Springsteen fan or student of history. The book sheds light on the boss and so much more. Though I came to it to read it as a Springsteen biography, I learned as much about life in east Berlin as anything else. The impact on East Germany, what life was like on the other side of the Berlin wall and why the communist government allowed the concert in the first place were unexpected takeaways. It happened all so recently and yet, it's a page out of the history of the cold war and a very interesting take on the power of culture, open communication and the basic desire of people to be free of tyranny and censorship. I recommend it wholeheartedly...read it...you won't be sorry!
G**I
Bruce Rocks
I have been following Bruce Springsteen's music and life since 1978. Somehow this phase of his concert tours escaped me and having this gem of a book by Erich Kirschbaum has been a wonderful read and has enlightened me to a particular concert phase that I let fall through the cracks. His writing is concise, complete, and it is ever evident that we baby boomers are right there on the page along with all the rest of his 6M+ fans appreciating what work he puts into each and every show, that he operates from his heart, and like us, would like to see this world become better. For us, his and our children, grandchildren, and all beings on the planet. Thanks Erik for taking the time, study, and skills to put this book about such an important phase of his, and our lives, in the world together. I love it!
B**R
Good read for fans of Springsteen and Berlin
Kirschbaum has succeeded in illuminating a special moment in German history that enjoys cult status with those who were there or knew about it but is totally new to others. He combines a journalist's eye for detail and fly-on-the-wall reporting with the love of someone for whom Berlin clearly means something more than just home. Having been a foreign correspondent in Germany in the 1990s and traveled to East and West Berlin and back a few times before that the book brings back good memories of a nearly magical period in East-West relations when, as he writes, all things seemed possible. Telling that story through the musical lens of Springsteen's East Berlin concert and those who arranged it and participated in it offers a new dimension to an already shared experience even for people who are not, or were not, huge Springsteen fans. And the book is short enough to read in a weekend, making it all the more enjoyable. Thumbs up!
M**A
Five Stars
Great product, great service.
L**X
Five Stars
Great book, very interesting, tells a fascinating story.
K**S
Fascinating story...a must-read fror Springsteen fans!
This is a great book that really got me thinking about how the Cold War really ended. Why do people always assume that it takes takes and nuclear missiles to win wars...this time it was rock 'n' roll that helped end the Cold War. I think it's time to take a new look at all the factors that went into the collapse of the Berlin Wall and this book really opened my eyes about a lot of things. I couldn't stop reading this thing once I started and finished it in a day. Great story and well worth the money.
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