Books about Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Books related to travel in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as German/Austrian daily culture, and German/Austrian history. For travel products, Blu-ray/DVD, and other store items, see the main menu above.

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German History and Culture | For Expats

Germany: Customs and Daily Life

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When in Germany, Do As the Germans Do, 2nd Ed. Paperback, Kindle
The Clued-In Guide to German Life, Language, and Culture
By Hyde Flippo, McGraw-Hill Education. The expanded, updated Second Edition is packed with 120 articles offering a practical guide to everyday German customs and how Germans conduct daily life. Blend in when visiting Berlin. Feel like you belong in Bavaria.
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German Survival Guide: The Language and Culture You Need to Travel with Confidence in Germany and Austria Paperback
By Elizabeth Bingham, Ph.D. This information-packed mini-course concentrates on preparing readers to travel in Germany and Austria in a limited time by focusing on what is most useful or interesting to travelers and cutting out unnecessary vocabulary and grammar.

The Monuments Men is just one of the interesting books we recommend here. See below for details.

The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Germans Paperback or Kindle
By S. Zeidenitz and B. Barkow. The Xenophobe’s Guides are “an irreverent look at the beliefs and foibles of nations, almost guaranteed to cure xenophobia.” Biting humor is definitely there, but sometimes the truth will set you… laughing! Find out about the Germans with at least one chuckle or guffaw on every page, and usually more! From The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Germans: “Virtually all Germans have health problems, and if they don’t, there must be something wrong with them… Most of what ails them is stress related. No nation was ever more stressed, but this is understandable. After all, running Europe can take it out of you.”

Also see:
• The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Austrians Paperback or Kindle
• The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Swiss Paperback or Kindle

Travel Guides for Germany and Austria

Fodor’s Essential Germany (Full-color Travel Guide) – Paperback, Kindle (2022)
Written by locals, Fodor’s Essential Germany is the perfect guidebook for those looking for insider tips to make the most out their visit to Munich, Berlin, the Bavarian Alps and beyond. Complete with detailed maps and concise descriptions, this Germany travel guide will help you plan your trip with ease. Join Fodor’s in exploring one of the most exciting countries in Europe. From the vibrant nightlife and art scene of Berlin to the more traditional region of Bavaria and its capital, Munich, Germany offers beautiful scenery, a thriving cultural scene, and hearty food and drink.

Lonely Planet Germany (Travel Guide) Paperback (2021)
Lonely Planet’s Germany is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Explore the glamour and grit of Berlin, tour hilltop castles in the fairy tale Black Forest and sail along the romantic Rhine – all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Germany and begin your journey now!

Rick Steves – Germany 2022 – Kindle or paperback
This travel guide takes you from fairy-tale castles, alpine forests, and quaint villages to the energetic Germany of today. Get the details on cruising the romantic Rhine or summiting the Zugspitze. Have a relaxing soak at a Black Forest mineral spa or take an exhilarating summer bobsled ride in the Bavarian Alps. Flash back to Berlin’s turbulent past at Checkpoint Charlie; then celebrate the rebirth of Dresden and its glorious Frauenkirche. Comprehensive coverage for planning a multi-week trip through Germany.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Germany Kindle or Paperback (2023)
Amazon: Admire art and architecture in Berlin, walk the medieval streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, visit the fairy-tale Schloss Neuschwanstein, sample delicious Riesling wines in the Moseltal, or stop off for a beer at the Hofbräuhaus–Munich’s most famous beer hall: everything you need to know is clearly laid out within color-coded chapters. Discover the best of Germany with this indispensable travel guide. – Over 60 color maps help you navigate with ease. Simple layout makes it easy to find the information you need.

Regional Guides • Bavaria and Munich • Berlin • Vienna

Rick Steves – Pocket Munich & Salzburg Paperback, Kindle
Amazon: “…a ‘tour guide in your pocket.’ Each colorful, compact book includes Rick’s advice for prioritizing your time, whether you’re spending 1 or 7 days in a city. Everything a busy traveler needs is easy to access: a neighborhood overview, city walks and tours, sights, handy food and accommodations charts, an appendix packed with information on trip planning and practicalities, and a fold-out city map.

The Swan King: Ludwig II of Bavaria Paperback or Kindle
By Christopher McIntosh, 2012 ed. Ludwig II of Bavaria has inspired a fascination like no other 19th century monarch. Best remembered for his patronage of Wagner and the imaginative genius of his extraordinary “fantasies in stone”, and alternately dubbed ‘the Swan King’, the ‘Mad King’, and the ‘Dream King’, Ludwig’s life and death have long been characterized by mystery, legend, and romance.

Munich and The Bavarian Alps – DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Paperback, 2018
From unmissable city sights such as Munich’s Englischer Garten and stunning Nymphenburg Palace, to Bavaria’s romantic historic towns of Nordlingen and Eichstätt, this DK Eyewitness Travel Guide will show you all of the top sights in this particularly picturesque part of Germany. Learn about the dazzling architecture, stunning array of monasteries and abbeys, and intriguing traditions and German folklore of this fascinating region. There are also practical tips on getting around, along with reviews of the best places to shop, stay, and eat.

Rick Steves Berlin Paperback or Kindle (2022)
Fully updated, with the self-guided tours in this book, you’ll walk through the Brandenburg Gate, climb the Reichstag’s dome, and flash back to the city’s turbulent past at Checkpoint Charlie. Cruise the Spree River and explore art and antiquities on Museum Island. End the day with a walk through hip Prenzlauer Berg before raising a mug at a classic beer garden.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Berlin Paperback or Kindle (2019)
Find your corner of Berlin with this essential travel guide to this great city, designed to help you create your own unique trip and to transport you there before you’ve even packed your case – marvel at ancient treasures on Museumsinsel, explore Berlin’s complex history at Checkpoint Charlie or walk in the footsteps of royalty at Schloss Charlottenburg. The DK Eyewitness Guide to Berlin covers the must-see sights and the hidden corners, so you won’t miss a thing. Gorgeous, all-new color photography so you can imagine yourself there.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Vienna Paperback, Kindle (2019)
The ideal travel companion, full of insider advice on what to see and do, plus detailed itineraries and comprehensive maps for exploring this impressive imperial city. Explore the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, watch the elegant horses at the Spanish Riding School, or marvel at Gustav Klimt masterpieces at the Belvedere: everything you need to know is clearly laid out within color-coded chapters. Discover the best of Vienna with this indispensable travel guide.

German History and Culture

The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989 by Frederick Taylor (Paperback or Kindle)
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review): “Walls, like those of Hadrian and Maginot, do not have a good reputation, and Taylor (Dresden) has written a superb narrative of the rise and fall of the monstrous one that scarred Berlin between August 1961 and November 1989. Walls, too, are more than merely bricks and mortar (or, in the 100-mile-long Berlin version’s case, anti-vehicle crash obstacles, unclimbable barriers, barbed-wire fences, self-activating searchlights and heavily armed border guards), and one of Taylor’s major themes is the Berlin Wall’s significance in the global power politics of the Cold War.” If you think you know all about the history of the Berlin Wall, reading this book will teach you otherwise – in an entertaining way.

Bauhaus: Updated Edition Taschen, Hardcover
By Magdalena Droste. In a fleeting 14-year period between two world wars, Germany’s Bauhaus school of art and design changed the face of modernity. With utopian ideas for the future, the school developed a pioneering fusion of fine art, craftsmanship, and technology, which they applied across media and practices from film to theater, and sculpture to ceramics.

The Monuments Men Paperback or Kindle edition
At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Führer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: “degenerate” works he despised. In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture. – Also see the film version in the DVD and Blu-ray section of our Store.

The Rape of Europa
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award
The full story behind the events depicted in the motion picture The Monuments Men. The cast of characters includes Hitler and Goering, Gertrude Stein and Marc Chagall – not to mention works by artists from Leonardo da Vinci to Pablo Picasso. And the story told in this superbly researched and suspenseful book is that of the Third Reich’s war on European culture and the Allies’ desperate effort to preserve it.

The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt’s Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer
The true story that inspired the movie Woman in Gold starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds.

Books for Expats • Learning German

Germany for Beginners: The German Way Expat Guidebook Paperback or Kindle
Edited by Jane Park and Hyde Flippo. Published by Humboldt American Press. Learn more about this book.

When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do, 2nd Ed. Paperback, Kindle
The Clued-In Guide to German Life, Language, and Culture
By Hyde Flippo, McGraw-Hill Education. A practical guide to German customs and how Germans conduct daily life Newly expanded Second Edition (2018).

Get it from Amazon.com.

The Art of Coming Home Paperback, Kindle
Many expats fail to understand and prepare for the culture shock and other potential problems that can arise when a foreign assignment comes to an end. Craig Storti’s book is a guide to reentry for the expat, as well as his or her spouse and children.

German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture Paperback, Kindle
By Niklas Frank and James Cave. A tongue-in-cheek guidebook to German culture that highlights the rules Germans consciously and unconsciously follow. Ideal for anyone visiting or moving to Germany, the book offers a collection of insights into German culture. See our review of this title for more.

Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds, 3rd Edition Paperback, audio, Kindle
By Ruth E. Van Reken and Michael V. Pollock. This third edition of the ground-breaking, global classic is significantly updated. Widely recognized as the “TCK Bible,” the new edition puts emphasis on the modern TCK and addresses the impact of technology, cultural complexity, diversity & inclusion and transitions. Includes new advice for parents and others for how to support TCKs as they navigate work, relationships, social settings, and their own personal development.

Perfect Phrases in German for Confident Travel: The No Faux-Pas Phrasebook for the Perfect Trip Paperback or Kindle
By Hyde Flippo. Fit in with the locals and avoid embarrassment by using the right phrases. As you plan your trip to Germany, remember to pack this phrasebook! It is the only one that not only has the words and phrases you need to communicate clearly but also explains when and how to use them.

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• The German Way Store – Books, DVDs, travel items and more for expats or travelers in German-speaking Europe.
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• Expat Blog – The German Way Expat Blog discusses issues of interest to expats in German-speaking Europe.
• Expat Repatriation – Re-entry or moving on when the assignment’s over
• Medications Overseas: Potential Hazards – Rx for expats in Europe
• The German Way Expat Forum – Join our forum, where we share info and tips about life in German Europe.
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