“The story of this ‘foetid flourishin’’ is convincingly told. . . . For those who wish to understand the rise of the Wall, this book is valuable.” — The Independent

“A fine book, perfectly balanced between historical analysis and lively anecdote and written with great verve.” — Literary Review

“A thorough attempt to preserve the historical record before the moths of fading of or false memory devour it . . . an intelligent and well-researched account. His most commendable achievement is to have resuscitated those who died because of the Wall.” — The Daily Telegraph

Frederick Taylor . . . follows up his outstanding Dresden with The Berlin Wall, and manages once again to combine serious historical research with an assured, gripping narrative. . . . Taylor’s extraordinary narrative skill [has] the pacing of a thriller and the immediacy of reportage. — The Irish Times

“A superb narrative. . . . Taylor’s enthralling story, combined with impeccable research and its rich human interest, makes this as dramatically gripping as any of the spy thrillers that used the wall as a backdrop.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“As Taylor eloquently illustrates, the wall served the purposes of both the Eastern bloc and the major Western powers. . . . Taylor provides a fascinating and often heartbreaking account of both the human costs and the geopolitical effects.” — Booklist

“Using personal accounts of those who lived through the brutal division of Berlin in 1961, he intricately weaves stories to form a superb, gripping narrative.” — The Bookseller

“This vivid account of the Wall and all that it meant reminds us that symbolism can be double-edged, as a potent emblem of isolation and repression became, in its destruction, an even more powerful totem of freedom.” — Atlantic Monthly

“There’s a serious, edifying experience to be had in reading Frederick Taylor’s comprehensive history of the Berlin Wall.” — Janet Maslin, CBS Sunday Morning

“Gripping.” — The Denver Post

“A serious, edifying experience.” — Janet Maslin, CBS Sunday Morning

“With skill and discernment, Frederick Taylor re-creates the horror of the Wall and what it symbolized for East and West.” — The Weekly Standard