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carlylottsofbookz 's review for:
Mein Kampf
by Adolf Hitler
This is a pretty historic book, and I only undertook its reading because it seemed like the universe was telling me to. I just finished reading The Book Thief (which I would recommend more than this), and Mein Kampf played a significant role in that story. Many other references to Hitler popped up in my daily life, to the extent that I couldn't get away from him. So I decided to his about 'his struggle.'
While reading the book, and writing this review, I know that I have the benefit of hindsight--I know what history has written about Hitler, and the many atrocities he committed. I am also not currently living in 1920s-era Germany in the aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles.
I get it, I can't read it as if I would have read it at the time, and perhaps I should not judge it against what I presume I would have thought then. But I cannot travel back in time and be at the period, so I have to review it as a person looking back. Here goes:
This is a two-volume rant of the life and philosophy of Adolf Hitler. As a historical book I believe it fails--it is a selective history, and doesn't give facts so much as it gives his opinions, stated as facts but without being backed up. He makes bold statements, but never proves them or gives the reader the chance know from where he is getting his information. These statements are then carried to the extreme, and used in further examples....but they are all based on these opinions not supported by anything but his own feelings.
He also tends to contradict himself. For example, he will in one sentence mention how horrible Jews are, how they have an international plan to try to take over the world. A few pages later he will describe how unintelligent they are as a reason to rid them from Germany (at least). If they are smart enough to plot to take over the world...how dumb can they be? My point being that he contradicts himself repeatedly--not that anything he has said has any verity.
My biggest question in reading this book was if anyone had ever taken the time to fact-check it. He makes a lot of statements about all the work he did to create and build the National Socialist Party--I'm curious if his recollections are accurate. I think I was looking to understand more about him from this reading, but alas, am just as confused as I was before.
Later in the book he attacks Russia, France and the United States as being horrible nations. He attacks Italy, but praises Mussolini. He states that an alliance with England or Italy is the future of Germany. This is interesting, and I wish I knew more WW2 history. Was this book Hilter's way of pacifying England before the war? Perhaps. Based on the vile things he says about Russia, I am interested in what the facts behind his statements.
While overall I am more curious after reading this...I don't think I am ready to jump into more non-fiction reading on WW2 just yet. I may just retreat back into my love of fiction.
I also have to note the speed in which I read this: less than a week. It is a 700 page book, but I read it quickly because I was embarrassed to read it in public. I wanted to be done as quickly as possible.
While reading the book, and writing this review, I know that I have the benefit of hindsight--I know what history has written about Hitler, and the many atrocities he committed. I am also not currently living in 1920s-era Germany in the aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles.
I get it, I can't read it as if I would have read it at the time, and perhaps I should not judge it against what I presume I would have thought then. But I cannot travel back in time and be at the period, so I have to review it as a person looking back. Here goes:
This is a two-volume rant of the life and philosophy of Adolf Hitler. As a historical book I believe it fails--it is a selective history, and doesn't give facts so much as it gives his opinions, stated as facts but without being backed up. He makes bold statements, but never proves them or gives the reader the chance know from where he is getting his information. These statements are then carried to the extreme, and used in further examples....but they are all based on these opinions not supported by anything but his own feelings.
He also tends to contradict himself. For example, he will in one sentence mention how horrible Jews are, how they have an international plan to try to take over the world. A few pages later he will describe how unintelligent they are as a reason to rid them from Germany (at least). If they are smart enough to plot to take over the world...how dumb can they be? My point being that he contradicts himself repeatedly--not that anything he has said has any verity.
My biggest question in reading this book was if anyone had ever taken the time to fact-check it. He makes a lot of statements about all the work he did to create and build the National Socialist Party--I'm curious if his recollections are accurate. I think I was looking to understand more about him from this reading, but alas, am just as confused as I was before.
Later in the book he attacks Russia, France and the United States as being horrible nations. He attacks Italy, but praises Mussolini. He states that an alliance with England or Italy is the future of Germany. This is interesting, and I wish I knew more WW2 history. Was this book Hilter's way of pacifying England before the war? Perhaps. Based on the vile things he says about Russia, I am interested in what the facts behind his statements.
While overall I am more curious after reading this...I don't think I am ready to jump into more non-fiction reading on WW2 just yet. I may just retreat back into my love of fiction.
I also have to note the speed in which I read this: less than a week. It is a 700 page book, but I read it quickly because I was embarrassed to read it in public. I wanted to be done as quickly as possible.