Like frogs in a simmering cauldron, We The People stare dumbly into our smartphones as autocrats slowly turn up the heat. The Music Makers tells the story of how the end result - dictatorship - smothered the lives of ordinary East Berliners and how they struggled be free of it. The story unfolds as Greta, a civics teacher known for her eccentricities, spots a man playing an old-fashioned barrel organ on a busy street. She becomes enthralled as passers-by pause and gather. Soon they are filling the street and singing old German songs - a refreshing respite from their grueling lives in a grim, gray city brooded over by the notorious Stasi secret police. Before long a cluster of amateur music makers is drawing dozens of picnickers, singers and dancers on Sunday afternoons. But soon Stasi and KGB agents are filtering smong them. And in time we see past lives exposed, their secrets bared, their souls tortured. These and other undercurrents of dictatorship ignite events that lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. The matic makers are but bit players in this cataclysmic drama, but their story shows how precious democracy is and how crucial it is for "ordinary people" to uphold it. ...A gripping novel about life under dictatorship and the struggle for freedom. * ** I'd recommend The Music Makers to anyone who enjoys historical fiction that feels immediate and personal. * * * It's a book that lingers in your mind, making you think not just about the past but about the present. Because, as Snyder seems to be asking, what good is history if we don't learn from it? Rating: Five stars. - Priscilla Evans, Managing Editor, Literary Titan. ...A novel that crescendos into a powerful and deeply moving finale. The Music Makers sings with truth and beauty while confronting the darkest corners of history. Snyder has created a lasting story - a must-read for anyone who values history, hope, and humanity. - American Writing Awards ...An intelligent and captivating novel exploring the waning days of Communism and the uncertain future that lay outside the walls. The characters within are multilayered and serve to strengthen the book. Snyder's wonderful novel about freedom, relationships and music is impactful from start to finish. - The Book Directory. The pacing is masterful, with tension building steadily toward the climactic moments of the Berlin Wall's fall. The characters are meticulously crafted, embodying different facets of the struggle for freedom and personal agency. The author captures a wide range of human experiences and emotional depths. The Music Makers also explores the power of music as a form of resistance and expression. * * * It is a must-read for anyone interested in the impact of history on personal lives and the unyielding quest for freedom and justice. The story educates and inspires, resonating with contemporary struggles for democracy and human rights. - 5 Stars, Carol Thompson, Readers' Favorite.