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A review by shadira78
Mengele: The Complete Story by John Ware, Gerald L. Posner
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Mengele was sane and easily grasped the reality that people and institutions adhering to the values of Western Civilization would severely take him to task if they ever got their hands on him. Often those who primarily advocate a therapeutic way of looking at the world prefer to believe that someone who commits the horrifying crimes of a Josef Mengele are mentally unbalanced. How does someone torture and murder children and not even require copious amounts of alcohol and drugs to get through the day? The vast majority of us, thankfully, would not inflict such cruel suffering on animals much less our fellow human beings. Yet, other than Mengele's proclivity of losing his temper at any given moment, the man would have probably pass a series of tests dealing with his sanity with flying colors. Many people, especially Mengele's own family, protected him. The only thing one can say in their defense is that they perhaps deluded themselves into believing that someone so dear could not actually commit such horrifying deeds. Mengele, the convinced Nazi, evaded justice on this side of the grave. The only real price he paid during his last years was that of extreme loneliness and severely restricted finances. "Mengele: The Complete Story" reads like a fictional thriller. The book, needless to add, is not escapist entertainment. It may, however, be a moral obligation to read in order to more completely understand how such monstrous incidents occurred in the not so distant past. We might even learn how to limit such crimes against humanity in our own century.
The authors have done extensive research and interviews, and pay particular attention to the mythology of Mengele and how reports of sightings were legendary, almost beyond human capability. The authors dismiss most of the sightings out of hand. I don't. The authors also don't seem to even hint that Mengele's work may have continued anywhere else, as important as it was. I question that as well. There is no doubt in my mind that his influence is felt particularly today.
That said, this is an important book that brings the history of Mengele as up to date as any can right now. It is essential reading, I think, for those who are trying to stay on top of the Nazi legacy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
TW++++++ ( trigger warning )
The authors have done extensive research and interviews, and pay particular attention to the mythology of Mengele and how reports of sightings were legendary, almost beyond human capability. The authors dismiss most of the sightings out of hand. I don't. The authors also don't seem to even hint that Mengele's work may have continued anywhere else, as important as it was. I question that as well. There is no doubt in my mind that his influence is felt particularly today.
That said, this is an important book that brings the history of Mengele as up to date as any can right now. It is essential reading, I think, for those who are trying to stay on top of the Nazi legacy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
TW++++++ ( trigger warning )