A gripping reconstruction of the world-changing day when hundreds of East Germans broke across the border to the West, leading to the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

'Engrossing and dramatic . . . captivating' William Boyd, New Statesman

'Intensely moving' Sunday Times

In August 1989, a group of Hungarian activists did the unthinkable: they entered the forbidden militarised zone of the Iron Curtain - and held a picnic.

Word had spread of what was going to happen. On wisps of rumour, thousands of East German 'holiday-makers' had made their way to the border between Hungary and Austria, awaiting an opportunity, fearing prison, surveilled by lurking Stasi agents. The stage was set for the greatest border breach in Cold War history. The fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Soviet Union - the so-called end of history - all would flow from what happened next.

Drawing on dozens of original interviews with those involved - activists and border guards, escapees and secret police, as well as the last Communist prime minister of Hungary - Matthew Longo reconstructs this world-shaping event and its tumultuous aftermath.

'A pivotal - and exhilarating - moment in 20th century history. . . gripping' Observer

'Evoke[s] the dramatic events in vivid colour . . . fascinating' Katja Hoyer, Telegraph *****

'Captivating . . . a vivid, fast-paced narrative' New York Times

* A GUARDIAN BIGGEST FICTION AND NON-FICTION FOR 2024 * A WATERSTONES 'BOOK YOU NEED TO READ IN 2024' * A FOYLES TOP TEN READ FOR JANUARY 2024 *

About the Author
Matthew Longo is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Leiden University and the award-winning author of The Politics of Borders. He lives in The Netherlands.

Reviews
This little gem of a book tells the story of . . . a key Cold War moment . . . Longo's vivid narrative captures the tension of the moment . . . an intensely moving story that explores the nature of freedom -- Victor Sebestyen * Sunday Times *
A pivotal - and exhilarating - moment in late 20th-century history . . . Matthew Longo's thoughtful and vividly realised book skilfully dramatises the extraordinary chain of events at a summer party in Hungary that led to the end of Soviet power . . . it recreates, through intimate personal histories and eye-witness recollection, the ways in which one idealistic, grass roots protest . . . became a catalyst for the dramatic peaceful revolutions that reunited the continent . . . gripping -- Tim Adams * Observer *
Longo covers the Picnic at ground level, evoking the dramatic events in vivid colour . . . Anecdotes and impressions . . . are woven through the historical narrative, providing an insight into how deeply this history still matters today . . . the chain of events in 1989 and its historical context are outlined with clarity and verve. The narrative is spiked with Longo's commentary and anecdotes from his trips, making The Picnic a deeply personal account of a fascinating milestone of Cold War history -- Katja Hoyer * Telegraph ***** *
Fascinating and revelatory . . . The significance of the picnic has never before been documented, certainly not with this level of diligence and testimony, and Longo's engrossing and dramatic book adds a new, captivating chapter to the history of the Cold War -- William Boyd * New Statesman *
A brisk and engaging account, told in a lively blend of novelistic narration and reportage and featuring interviews with a number of people closely involved in these historic events . . . It's an uplifting tale, but Longo takes care not to oversentimentalise it -- Houman Barekat * Guardian *
Revisits in captivating detail the actions of ordinary people during that heady summer of 1989 . . . Longo recounts the drama in a vivid, fast-paced narrative [which] never lacks verve * The New York Times *
An elegantly crafted account of an extraordinary but largely forgotten gathering ... He tells a gripping tale ... relating to both timeless questions of struggle and agency, and topics in the headlines today * Boston Globe *
A terrific work of history that also becomes a meditation on what freedom means and how tyrannies fall * Slate 10 Best Books of 2023 *
The true charm of Mr Longo's book, and its greatest historical value, lies in his accounts of ordinary citizens - mostly East German - who sought to throw off their Communist shackles by fleeing west at great personal peril. We also owe him a debt for resuscitating . . . the Picnic that changed the world * Wall Street Journal *
Extensively documented, well written, and thoughtful in its consideration of what freedom means, this book is an informative and engaging history of the event, its origins, and the aftermath ... A much-needed reminder of the inexhaustibility of the human quest for personal and collective freedom * Kirkus Best of Non-fiction 2023 *
Stunning ... Longo traces the heart-wrenching stories of these freedom-seekers ... impressive research ... This captivating narrative brings an underreported Cold War turning point into focus * Publishers Weekly *
Full of insight and empathy, The Picnic is beautifully written and ingeniously plotted. Like all the best books about the past, it brings the present compellingly to life -- Patrick McGuinness
Brilliantly researched and endlessly fascinating, The Picnic is history at the human level. A compulsive and compelling read -- Giles Milton, author of Checkmate in Berlin
A fascinating reconstruction of the extraordinary moment in 1989 when the spontaneous actions and inactions of a few individuals made history swing wide open on its hinges -- Philip Gourevitch
Exhilarating . . . A gem of a book, filled with timely and compelling insights into the power of ordinary people -- Clarissa Ward, author of On All Fronts
A compelling, poignant, beautifully textured retelling of the collapse of communism culminating in a heartfelt rethinking of the meaning of 1989 for the world today -- Stephen Holmes, coauthor of The Light that Failed
Matthew Longo's writing reanimates the heady days of freedom of 1989 and reflects on what was missed in that extraordinary year -- Samuel Moyn, author of Humane



Book Information
ISBN 9781847927798
Author Matthew Longo
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint The Bodley Head Ltd
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 536g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 162mm * 31mm