The Fear and the Freedom, Keith Lowe
The Fear and the Freedom, Keith Lowe
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The Fear and the Freedom
How the Second World War Changed Us

Author: Keith Lowe

Narrator: John Lee

Unabridged: 16 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 04/10/2018

Synopsis

The Fear and the Freedom is Keith Lowe's follow-up to Savage Continent. While that book painted a picture of Europe in all its horror as World War II was ending, The Fear and the Freedom looks at all that has happened since, focusing on the changes that were brought about because of World War II—simultaneously one of the most catastrophic and most innovative events in history. It killed millions and eradicated empires, while at the same time creating the idea of human rights and giving birth to the UN. It was because of the war that penicillin was first mass-produced, computers were developed, and rockets first sent to the edge of space. The war created new philosophies, new ways of living, new architecture: this was the era of Le Corbusier, Simone de Beauvoir, and Chairman Mao.

But amidst the waves of revolution and idealism there were also fears of globalization, a dread of the atom bomb, and an unexpressed longing for a past forever gone. All of these things and more came about as direct consequences of the war and continue to affect the world that we live in today.

About Keith Lowe

Keith Lowe is the author of the critically-acclaimed Inferno: The Devastation of Hamburg 1943, and Savage Continent, an international bestseller and the winner of both the Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History (2013) and Italy's prestigious Cherasco History Prize (2015). He lectures on both sides of the Atlantic, appears on TV and radio in Europe and the US, and writes for a variety of magazines and newspapers around the world. He lives in north London with his wife and children.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Gina on August 07, 2022

4.5* This was a very good reading. I love the author's ability to see a topic from various angles, especially contradictory points of view. This way I felt he was informing better the reader to draw his own conclusions, and Lowe does this in a clear and easy to follow manner. Definitely will be readi......more

Goodreads review by Liam on December 23, 2024

Excellent - I am a great admirer of Keith Lowe i was bowled over by his 'Savage Continent' and 'Prisoners of History' and I know I was as impressed and dazzled by this book but unfortunately 2021 was a difficult time with COVID and other matters and many books I read were not reviewed at the time. T......more

Goodreads review by R on October 12, 2017

I really enjoyed this. I have read a few books in my time with a more specialised focus, i.e. University books which narrow on particular elements, so it was a pleasant change to read a book with a broad, and ambitious scope. Lowe writes well in each chapter, supported by impressive research and the......more

Goodreads review by Maria on August 05, 2018

World War II, more than World War I was a global war. We are still not sure how many were killed, estimates range from 50 million to 80 million. Not only soliders perished, but civilians died in air strikes, from starvation and from disease. The aftermath and the ripples from World War II are still......more

Goodreads review by Andrew on December 05, 2017

A review of the major social and political changes caused by World War II, which caused upheavals through Europe, North America and most of Asia. Certainly it changed the international economic structure and enabled the world's citizens to travel as never before. But Lowe's account isn't compelling a......more

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