Blood Brothers

By Ernst Haffner , Michael Hofmann (translator) ,

Book cover of Blood Brothers

Book description

Blood Brothers is the only known novel by German social worker and journalist Ernst Haffner, of whom nearly all traces were lost during the course of the Second World War. Told in stark, unsparing detail, Haffner's story delves into the illicit underworld of Berlin on the eve of Hitler's rise…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Blood Brothers as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I stumbled on this novel when I was looking for something else (a common writers’ problem). It was written in 1932 and banned the next year by the Nazis and is set amongst the gangs of young men struggling to survive in a harsh and desperately impoverished Berlin. The descriptions of the hard side of the city are brilliantly drawn and the characters are so real you long for their lives to improve even when you know there is almost no hope of it. Haffner was a social worker who clearly knew Berlin’s streets well. To add to the poignancy…

From Catherine's list on stories set in Berlin.

If you love Blood Brothers...

Ad

Book cover of Kurtz

Kurtz by John Lawson III,

Annie Kurtz joins the Marines, deploys to Afghanistan, and has to make a split-second decision. She can follow her orders. Or she can follow her conscience. Nick Willard is a journalist who has pined for Annie since they were in prep school together. While doing his job, he discovers what…

Want books like Blood Brothers?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Blood Brothers.

Browse books like Blood Brothers

Book cover of Alone in Berlin
Book cover of Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
Book cover of The Berlin Stories

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

2,354

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like Blood Brothers, you might also like...

Book cover of A Theory of Expanded Love

A Theory of Expanded Love by Caitlin Hicks,

Trapped in her enormous, devout Catholic family in 1963, Annie creates a hilarious campaign of lies when the pope dies and their family friend, Cardinal Stefanucci, is unexpectedly on the shortlist to be elected the first American pope.

Driven to elevate her family to the holiest of holy rollers in…

Book cover of The Mysteries of Marquette

The Mysteries of Marquette by Tyler R. Tichelaar,

When the Marquis de Marquette chooses to spend the summer of 1908 in Marquette, Michigan, a city named for his illustrious Jesuit relative, the residents are all astir with excitement. People begin vying to rub shoulders with the marquis, but he remains very private until he hosts a masquerade ball…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Berlin, Nazism, and murder mystery books for teens?

Berlin 117 books
Nazism 237 books