SWINGTIME FOR HITLER From Goebbels's Jazzmen to Tokyo Rose to A.I., the Eternal Allure of Propaganda

Veteran NPR broadcaster Scott Simon explores the role of music in wartime propaganda in this entertaining, well-produced, and innovative audio program. Simon's grandfatherly voice guides listeners through a bizarre episode in WWII history, adding context with his own reflections about working in war zones and his tenuous connection to Tokyo Rose. More akin to a documentary or podcast than a traditional audiobook, the program features a wealth of archival recordings, many by Charlie and his Orchestra, a notorious Nazi-sponsored swing band that crooned anti-Semitic and racist tunes intended to demoralize British and American audiences. This remarkable audio manages to pack journalistic rigor, wit, poignancy, and originality into an economical two-hour listen. D.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2023]