How Long to Read The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain

How Long Does it Take to Read The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain?

It takes the average reader 5 hours and 40 minutes to read The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain by Matthew Longo

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

The gripping story of a collective passion for freedom that shook the world. In August 1989, a group of Hungarian activists organized a picnic on the border of Hungary and Austria. But this was not an ordinary picnic—it was located on the dangerous militarized frontier known as the Iron Curtain. Tacit permission from the highest state authorities could be revoked at any moment. On wisps of rumor, thousands of East German “vacationers” packed Hungarian campgrounds, awaiting an opportunity, fearing prison, surveilled by lurking Stasi agents. The Pan-European Picnic set the stage for the greatest border breach in Cold War history: hundreds crossed from the Communist East to the longed-for freedom of the West. Drawing on dozens of original interviews—including Hungarian activists and border guards, East German refugees, Stasi secret police, and the last Communist prime minister of Hungary—Matthew Longo tells a gripping and revelatory tale of the unraveling of the Iron Curtain and the birth of a new world order. Just a few months after the Picnic, the Berlin Wall fell, and the freedom for which the activists and refugees had abandoned their homes, risked imprisonment, sacrificed jobs, family, and friends, was suddenly available to everyone. But were they really free? And why, three decades since the Iron Curtain was torn down, have so many sought once again to build walls? Cinematically told, The Picnic recovers a time when it seemed possible for the world to change. With insight and panache, Longo explores the opportunities taken—and the opportunities we failed to take—in that pivotal moment.

How long is The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain?

The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain by Matthew Longo is 329 pages long, and a total of 85,211 words.

This makes it 111% the length of the average book. It also has 104% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 7 hours and 45 minutes to read The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain aloud.

What Reading Level is The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain?

The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain?

The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain by Matthew Longo is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

To buy The Picnic: A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain by Matthew Longo on Amazon click the button below.