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I have the abridged version of that two part bio (Ian Kershaw. 2010. Hitler: A biography.). It was a good overview, and for a newbie like me, had totally enough or even too much information about our dear Adolf. quote:Kershaw’s two-volume biography Hitler, subtitled 1889–1936: Hubris (1999) and 1936–1945: Nemesis (2000), ranks among the most significant of its kind; only biographies by Joachim Fest and Alan Bullock are in Kershaw’s league. For this abridgment of his opus, Kershaw stripped out its scholarly apparatus, reduced verbatim quotations from primary sources, and added an essay of reflections on his approach to the study of his infamous subject. With these changes, the abridgment retains two themes of Kershaw’s full-scale original: analyzing the political support the demagogue mustered from the populace and key institutional centers of Germany on his ascent to and exercise of power; and the decisive personal role of Hitler in instigating World War II and genocide. I am reading at the moment Gitta Sereny's biography of Albert Speer. As Speer had really close relationship with Hitler, it would not make a bad read for people interested in Hitler's personality and workings of his inner clique. I have to say, altough I have read only about 30% of it, Sereny's book is one of the best (perhaps even the best), and influential books I have ever read on any subject fact or fiction
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May 9, 2012 19:06
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After reading the book, how do you feel about the nature of the relationship between Hitler and Speer? It doesn't matter in the big picture, but I found it interesting e.g. that she described the relationship of those two "erotic not sexual" and emphasized that "Speer was not gay" (How does she know that?). Haven't finished the book yet, but it just adds some strange twist that feels like a bizarre Romeo and Juliet story taking place in the depths of deepest abyss...
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May 15, 2012 09:09
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You are right but I would be lying if I said the romantic and sexual (whatever that means in the end of the day) explanation to their relationship isn't "appealing" to me. But that is only tiny, tiny aspect of this awesome book. Anyway, here is the miniseries that made me purchase the book in the first place: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g34KPWFhfXo The miniseries is very strange in that it has snippets of actual documentary (interviews of Speer's children etc) interpersed with acted scenes but the acting is still really top notch. I would even dare to say that Hitler's actor rivals the one in Untergang.
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May 15, 2012 13:27
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I am now reading Archie Brown: Rise and Fall of Communism which to me and also according to Amazon reviews seems a really good alternative for people looking for a short(ish) and decent introduction to history of communism. I also have e.g. Service's Lenin which I am hoping to read at least before the end of the year. Too many books to read and too few hours in a day...
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Jun 18, 2012 16:12
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