This is a wonderful sociological study of post-war Germany.  Topics include Germans' relationship with each other (i.e. family reunification, gender roles, tendency to accept rather than blame Nazis, treatment of displaced persons), with the Allies (i.e. fraternization and de-nasification in the 4 sectors), with their society (i.e. black market economy, art, journalism, film), and with their own consciences (i.e. persistence of the victim mentality, blurred lines of morality vis a vis theft and rebuilding).  The book busted several myths (i.e. the "rubble women") and reframed common topics (i.e. the fact that after the initial frenzied brutality in the East, the Soviets actually took a softer stance toward Germans than that of the Western Allies, viewing them as proletarian victims of Hitler's tyranny, rather than a complicit citizenry).  Loved the new (to me) information on the VW.

The writing style (translated into English) was truly a joy to read -- sometimes quite lyrical.  Just the right amount of primary source quoting.