The well-known journalist and author of several bestselling books, Eric Larson, invites the reader to immerse himself in the atmosphere of Berlin in the 30s. XX century, at a turning point in the modern history of Germany - from the appointment of Hitler to the post of chancellor to his usurpation of power and the transformation of the country into a "garden of monsters" - a dictatorship actively preparing for war. During this period, the United States adhered to a position of non-intervention and preferred to ignore militarization, persecution of dissidents and signs of future terror. The main characters of the book are William Dodd, who was appointed US ambassador to Berlin in 1933, and his daughter, a socialite who initially admired the Nazi regime. The plot is based on official documents, memoirs, diaries and letters, allowing you to learn about the fate of the main characters: diplomats, public figures, journalists, representatives of the Nazi elite and ordinary people. Together with the ambassador and his family, the reader goes from rejection of reality to the realization of the evil that the Nazi regime brings, and then to desperate, but unsuccessful attempts to warn the world of the impending danger.