Best selling Non-fiction from Rowohlt Berlin
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1. Feuer
Ron Leshem is an author, journalist, and former Israeli intelligence officer. Relatives of his were murdered or kidnapped. Here, he depicts a deeply divided country, the day of terror, and its far-reaching consequences. On October 7, 2023, Hamas unleashed terror on Israel, and since then, the world has held its breath as events unfold rapidly. In his poignant text, Ron Leshem recounts that day and the developments that followed, bringing to light a profoundly divided nation. It is particularly the liberal, dialogue-seeking segment of society that has been affected. What will the consequences be? Leshem, an internationally renowned author ("Euphoria," "Beaufort"), journalist, and former Israeli intelligence officer, is also personally impacted. Hamas murdered his uncle and aunt and kidnapped Leshem's cousin, who is also a German citizen. This book offers a glimpse into the reality of Israel, presenting the country in a very personal way while conveying a broader picture. It is the timely book that makes the conflict comprehensible.
2. Die neue Weltunordnung
Russia begins an aggressive war against Ukraine. Just a few months earlier, the USA experienced a foreign policy debacle in Afghanistan, and the systemic rival China has long since risen to become a decisive superpower. The West is in an unprecedented crisis. Just recently, the march of victory seemed unstoppable: after the end of the Cold War, democratic market economies prevailed in the former Eastern Bloc, Russia transformed from enemy to partner, and even China turned towards capitalism. Then came the major turning point: the terrorist attacks of 9/11 shook the West, the American "War on Terror" destabilized an entire region of the world, the "Arab Spring" ultimately resulted in new autocracies, and the annexation of Crimea intensified the confrontation with Russia. Instead of a liberal world order, a new world disorder has emerged.
Peter R. Neumann, an internationally sought-after expert on terrorism and geopolitics, illustrates how this happened and what must happen now. A ruthless look at the current state of the West, which has fatally overestimated itself.
3. Die Habsburger
A dynasty like the Habsburgs has never existed in history. From a small count family in southwestern Germany, they rose to become a ruling dynasty that conquered the Holy Roman Empire and simultaneously built their own empire along the Danube. Moreover, the Habsburg realm at times spanned several continents; indeed, as contemporaries admiringly said, the sun never set on it.
Martyn Rady encapsulates this grand history in a sweeping narrative that examines both the rulers and the fundamental aspects of European history. The power struggle in the Middle Ages between the princes and the emperor, the religious conflicts between the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation, the Enlightenment movement, and nationalism: the Habsburgs were always centrally involved. This also applies to the final phase, the 19th century up to the "Great War," which brought about the end of the Habsburgs. The eternal Emperor Franz Joseph, his beautiful Empress Sisi, and the colorful multi-ethnic state of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy are figures everyone seems to know, as they have become the inspiration for countless novels and films. Rady reveals that the reality was different—and by no means less exciting.
4. No Limit
There are no more boundaries: at least that's what one believes at the beginning of the 1990s. The Berlin Wall falls, the world comes together and becomes interconnected. The first nodes of the World Wide Web are established, the first search engines are programmed. In Berlin, techno becomes the soundtrack of reunification, neon colors dominate the scene, piercings and tattoos conquer the mainstream, and the lower back tattoo becomes a stylistic symbol of the decade. But beneath the cheerful surface, old conflicts resurface, and ghosts from the past return. In East Germany, but not only there, a right-wing youth culture emerges on an unprecedented scale. In the disintegrating Yugoslavia, the unimaginable happens: the first war in Europe since 1945. Political Islam becomes a global threat, and the long decade ends on September 11, 2001, with the attack on the World Trade Center, which had also been a symbol of playful, globalized postmodernity. In a large, colorful panorama, Jens Balzer recounts a decade in which people believed in the future and in "anything goes" – yet also marks the beginning of a new era of boundaries, identities, and struggles.
5. Confusion Is Next
In "Confusion Is Next," Jens Balzer crafts a sharp-witted essay that illuminates the cultural and political upheavals of the 2000s. The book paints a multifaceted picture of an era in which the dawn of a new, technology-driven world was accompanied by profound alienation. Balzer analyzes how the apparent freedom and self-determination of the individual in the media and pop culture increasingly devolved into staging and performance. In doing so, he addresses the dark sides of consumer frenzy and monopolization, as well as the political upheavals that shook the global order. The author intertwines personal observations with societal developments, providing a critical commentary on the emergence of a new culture marked equally by euphoria and disappointment. The book offers deep insights into the dynamics of a time when technological innovations and media orchestrations fundamentally transformed self-perception and social structures.
Highlights:
- Societal critique of the 2000s
- Interconnection of pop culture and politics
- Critical view of media self-presentation.
6. Furcht
He is responsible for the authoritative reporting on eight presidencies from Nixon to Obama. Now, Bob Woodward reveals with unprecedented accuracy the shocking conditions in the White House under Donald Trump, particularly his decision-making processes on key domestic and foreign policy issues. Woodward relies on hundreds of interviews with those directly involved, meeting notes, personal diaries, files, and documents. The focus is on the explosive debates and discussions in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, aboard Air Force One, and the private quarters of the White House. "Fear" is the most precise portrait of a sitting president published in the early years of their term.
7. Vladimir Nabokov: Vladimir Nabokov
The second and final volume of Boyd's biography begins with Nabokov's arrival in America in 1940 – marking the abandonment of the Russian language and the loss of the reputation of the Russian author Sirin (Nabokov's previous pseudonym). Earning a living in the USA was not easy; ultimately, Nabokov succeeded in being appointed to a professorship at Cornell.
8. Weil du kannst
Life is too short for "just okay"! If you want to overcome your fears and do your own thing, Olivia Grimaud is the perfect guide for you. She is a passionate entrepreneur who knows exactly what it’s like to start with limited financial resources and still achieve success. She firmly believes that every woman has the potential to lead a fulfilling life through her own business. In her book, she addresses women who wish to break free from external control, stop rushing from work to daycare, and cooking dinner while trying to juggle everything – instead, they want to do something meaningful, manage their time independently, and be fulfilled and financially free. "Because you can" encourages readers to question and transform their lives, empowers women to develop their entrepreneurial mindset, increase their digital visibility, and build a profitable business – all with valuable tips and inspiring stories.
9. 1924
Larissa Reissner's journey through Germany in 1924 presents a fascinating, colorful kaleidoscope of life a hundred years ago. Growing up in Berlin-Zehlendorf, the revolutionary was a unique observer: Reissner participated in the now-forgotten Hamburg Uprising, describing the dramatic events and the situation of the workers. She then travels to the Ruhr area and Berlin, the engines and hubs of modernity. She sheds light on the small lives and their tragedies that the powerful ignore, telling their stories as well. She visits the Ullstein publishing house, recognizing the spirit of the new mass media. The Junckers factories and Krupp, the powerful industry, are described with both critical insight and fascination as the national German sanctuaries. This creates a prescient image of the five-year-old republic, already showing signs of cracks. Additionally, complemented by reports from other parts of the world, it forms a panorama of a tumultuous time, as hopeful as it is torn, which is closer to us than we think. Reissner's brilliant reports from the era of world revolution, edited and accompanied by a foreword by Steffen Kopetzky, are a significant rediscovery.
10. Leib und Seele
"Body and Soul" by Werner Bartens offers a comprehensive exploration of the history of medicine. This nonfiction book takes readers on a fascinating journey through the development of medical practices and theories over the centuries. It highlights significant milestones, influential figures, and the evolutionary changes that have shaped medicine. The thorough research and vivid presentation make it a valuable read for anyone interested in the connections between humanity, health, and medical knowledge. With a hardcover and appealing design, this book is suitable for personal use as well as a gift. It targets a wide audience interested in the history of medicine and its impact on society.
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