Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World

Brilliantly recapturing the febrile atmosphere of Berlin in the first four years after the Second World War, Giles Milton reminds us what an excellent story-teller he is, and how often and easily the Cold War could have grown red hot. From the major decision-makers in the four Allied Governments who ran the former Nazi capital, right the way down to the spooks, soldiers, crooks and civilians at street level, he has an unerring sense for the revealing incident and hitherto-untold story. - Andrew Roberts, author of 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny'

From the Yalta Conference to the birth of NATO, Checkmate in Berlin balances the sweep of history against a group of truly extraordinary personalities. Brilliantly written and completely absorbing, this is Milton's masterpiece. - Anthony Horowitz

Giles Milton never disappoints. The man who helped to turn narrative history into one of the most popular genres in modern publishing, this latest is up there with his best. Milton paints characters so vividly, and his writing has the momentum of a novel, only better, because it's all true. - Dan Snow

A wonderfully clear and digestible account. . . The devastation wrought on Berlin by the Russians is vividly described by the British historian Giles Milton in a series of sharp vignettes. . . as gripping as any thriller. - Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday

'A sparkling, Le Carre-esque history ... Anyone who has read Milton's previous works of narrative history will know how good he is with set pieces, and at making familiar figures grab the attention afresh...But although Milton has great fun with the big players, the triumph of the book is its depiction of the men who ran things on the ground in Berlin, who in Milton's hands turn out to be figures hardly less compelling than Churchill and Stalin... Thoroughly entertaining.' ***** Daily Telegraph

The sharp-eyed narrative historian Giles Milton charts the transition from the Yalta conference in February 1945 to the breaking of the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in May 1949... The Soviet blockade of Berlin between 1948 and 1949 is expertly told by Milton...This is a book full of heroes. - The Times

Giles Milton is a skillful storyteller. His latest book, vivid and pacy, chronicles the first four years of the Berlin occupation through the first-hand accounts of the individuals involved. - The Spectator

Masterful storytelling... Accessible, engaging and very entertaining, this is a superb read for anyone who wants to know more about the drama, atmosphere, politics and personalities of post-war Berlin. - Literary Review