I bought Beyond the Wall by Katja Hoyer entirely because of the cover. Some striking design and photography.
It’s the history of the German Democratic Republic. Hoyer goes into what I think is a reasonable level of detail given it’s covering the entire history and ideology of the GDR. That works well for my entry level knowledge of the country.
If you have a poke around online there are lots of positive reviews but also a a fair chunk of people unhappy with the often rosy picture the book renders life in the GDR to be. I think I agree with the latter stance but there’s a decent argument towards the end that the nostalgia some people have for life in the GDR is not a desire to see it return but just happy memories of youth.
Give it a shot. Next up I’ll be finishing Mark Urban’s Red Devils.