Why people recommend it
Berlin Games by Guy Walters is a historical non-fiction book that explores the 1936 Summer Olympics in Nazi Germany, detailing the political machinations, propaganda, and figures surrounding the controversial event. The book served as a primary source for two episodes of Behind the Bastards in June 2024 examining Avery Brundage and the Olympics. In Part One, released on June 25, 2024, host Robert read an excerpt from the book written by Walters, which described how a man named Kutin was treated almost like Christ, with a fellow committee member functioning similarly to his disciple, highlighting the near-religious fervor surrounding the Olympic leadership. Subsequently, in Part Two, released on June 27, 2024, the host noted that his understanding of a particular individual's deeply questionable character and moral failings stemmed directly from information uncovered and presented within Walters's text. Across both podcast episodes, the book provided essential historical documentation and narrative framework for understanding the intersection of sports, totalitarianism, and international complicity during the lead-up to World War II.
Who recommended it
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 2
“Uh, yeah, now I learned he was a piece of [__] from the book Berlin Games by Guy Walters.”
“In his book, Berlin Games, Guy Walters writes: 'Kutin was almost regarded as Christ, and Ballet Lure, who is like his second in the Olympic Committee, as his disciple.'”