Tunnel 29

by Helena Merriman

34/60 | Started 07.24.26 • Finished 08.03.26 | 4.5 stars

It's 1962. The Berlin Wall has been constructed and Joachim Rudolph has escaped to West Berlin. He makes the brave (reckless maybe?) decision to dig a tunnel under the wall to help people escape like he did. In the early days of documentary television, NBC clandestinely backs the effort, without the support of the US government. President Kennedy's non-action in Berlin is viewed as a major weakness.

This is the story of Tunnel 29. Along the way, the reader learns about the building of the wall itself, the Soviet Stasi (its secret spy organization), US involvement in the struggle over Berlin, histories of escapes and escape attempts, and the bravery of Joachim and his crew. I can't reveal much more without spoiling the story. It is exciting, gripping, and heartbreaking. Definitely give this a read. There's also a fantastic podcast!