Berlin Games: How the Nazis Stole the Olympic Dream

1936 marked the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to his second term as president and the beginning -- and end -- of Edward VIII's brief reign as King of England. It also featured the most politicized Olympic Games of the century, in which Adolf Hitler attempted to turn the world's premiere athletic competition into a showcase for fascism, a regime that would soon instigate the bloodiest war in history.

In this riveting real-life thriller, Guy Walters examines every aspect of the 1936 Games; the International Olympic Committee and its controversial selection of Berlin as the host city; how Germany was viewed by the world in 1936, according to press accounts of the time, and individual stories of key athletes. From athletic glory in the spotlight to political machinations behind the scenes, Berlin Games presents a compelling, unforgettable overview of the competitions and controversy that marked the Eleventh Olympiad.

Guy Walters is the author of bestselling wartime thrillers The Traitor, The Leader, and The Occupation. He co-edited The Voice of War, an anthology of World War II memoirs. A regular contributor on historical subjects for The Daily News, Walters was a feature writer and commissioning editor for The Times (London) for eight years. He is married to author Annabel Venning and they have one son.

A rich, entertaining and sobering narrative." -- Melbourne Age

--The Observer (England)