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Amazon.co.uk Review
Is there anything fresh to be said about Hitler? He is an icon, maybe the icon, of the 20th century. He was a failed artist with Wagnerian fantasies, a slob who could not get up in the morning, but he exposed the frailties of modern civilisation in a way that should still make us giddy. How? Was it his doing, or German society's?
Professor Ian Kershaw has produced a work of definitive scholarship that will be the standard for years to come. It was badly needed; since Alan Bullock's 1952 classic Hitler: A Study In Tyranny and Joachim Fest's Hitler (originally published in 1973) there has been much valuable research, all of which Kershaw seems to have read (there are 200 pages of notes). Add to this the media (and, by extension, public) fascination with the nature of evil, and a resurgent interest in right-wing groups, and this book becomes long overdue.
Kershaw deals rigorously with the bones of his subject's life. He has no truck with psychological padding, and calmly demolishes most of the quasi-facts that have sprung up--if in doubt, he allows space within the chronology. His description of the path to the Chancellorship, which was always more messy than messianic, is painful to behold but gripping to follow, and concludes in 1936 with Hitler at the height of his "Hubris".
This is an important study of the character of power, as clearly written as it is intellectually engaging. --David Vincent --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Supersedes all previous accounts. It is the sort of masterly biography that only a first-rate historian can write (David Cannadine Observer )
The Hitler biography for the twenty-first century (Richard Evans Sunday Telegraph )
I cannot imagine a better biography of this great tyrant emerging for a long while (Jeremy Paxman )
Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the Third Reich must read Kershaw, for no one has done more to lay bare Hitler's morbid psyche (Niall Ferguson Sunday Telegraph )
For the present generation, Kershaw's Hitler stands out as a clear beacon of truth, illuminating a dark age of terror and mendacity (Craig Brown Mail on Sunday )
The definitive biography of the Führer (Juliet Gardiner Sunday Times )
An achievement of the very highest order (Michael Burleigh Financial Times )
Mesmerizing ... presents the twentieth century's most controversial life in a single sweep (Michael Kerrigan Scotsman )
The Hitler biography for the twenty-first century (Richard Evans Sunday Telegraph )
I cannot imagine a better biography of this great tyrant emerging for a long while (Jeremy Paxman )
Magisterial ... anyone who wishes to understand the Third Reich must read Kershaw, for no one has done more to lay bare Hitler's morbid psyche (Niall Ferguson Sunday Telegraph )
For the present generation, Kershaw's Hitler stands out as a clear beacon of truth, illuminating a dark age of terror and mendacity (Craig Brown Mail on Sunday )
The definitive biography of the Führer (Juliet Gardiner Sunday Times )
An achievement of the very highest order (Michael Burleigh Financial Times )
Mesmerizing ... presents the twentieth century's most controversial life in a single sweep (Michael Kerrigan Scotsman )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
128 of 131 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Just a brief note: Many of the reviews found on this page are for the book 'Hubris' also by Ian Kershaw which charts the earlier parts of Hitler's life. This book is an unabridged volume containing both 'Hubris' and its follow-up 'Nemesis' and hence covers the whole of Hitler's life. Also, the 'Look Inside' feature offered actually shows you the inside of a totally different book on Hitler. Just thought you should know.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An excellent book which tells us of the Hitler no-one knew. Having never read the two volumes, it was nice to know they were both here and slightly improved. Goes into a lot of detail about the events and people and kept me engrossed all of the way through. Kershaw sure knows his stuff! Overall a book which any history buff needs to own.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Even though this is the shortened version of Ian Kershaw's biography on Adolf Hitler I think he does a very good job in covering the life of his subject. If you are looking for all the notes and the extensive bibliography then you should read the two-volume biography - Hitler: 1889-1936: Hubris and Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis - published in 1998 and 2000 respectively.
If you have previously read the two-volume original you may miss one or the other detail or illustrative example in this "shortened" version but I personally don't think this diminishes this book in any way.
I shall spare you a summary of the subject matter because it would be impossible to do so in any meaningful way. You better read this book yourself. It's all there.
Two things I find incredible about the subject matter though. It is amazing that someone can come out of nowhere and take over a state and then single-mindedly turn the whole world upside down. The other aspect I found amazing is the "working towards the Führer" concept where Hitler's underlings implemented policy according to what they perceived to be the Führer's wishes. This worked perfectly - except in the case of Rudolf Hess who misread the Führer's wishes - and allowed Hitler to pursue his leisure activities.
What I found amusing - although I am not sure if this is the right word to use here - is that Ian Kershaw's publication of the two-volume biography received a rather warm reception in Germany. When William L. Shirer published his The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich back in 1962 he was much criticised in Germany and denounced as a German-hater by German Chancellor Adenauer. It would appear that the Germans have since then come to recognise that the Third Reich by itself was an evil matter and not the people who wrote and write about it.
If you have previously read the two-volume original you may miss one or the other detail or illustrative example in this "shortened" version but I personally don't think this diminishes this book in any way.
I shall spare you a summary of the subject matter because it would be impossible to do so in any meaningful way. You better read this book yourself. It's all there.
Two things I find incredible about the subject matter though. It is amazing that someone can come out of nowhere and take over a state and then single-mindedly turn the whole world upside down. The other aspect I found amazing is the "working towards the Führer" concept where Hitler's underlings implemented policy according to what they perceived to be the Führer's wishes. This worked perfectly - except in the case of Rudolf Hess who misread the Führer's wishes - and allowed Hitler to pursue his leisure activities.
What I found amusing - although I am not sure if this is the right word to use here - is that Ian Kershaw's publication of the two-volume biography received a rather warm reception in Germany. When William L. Shirer published his The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich back in 1962 he was much criticised in Germany and denounced as a German-hater by German Chancellor Adenauer. It would appear that the Germans have since then come to recognise that the Third Reich by itself was an evil matter and not the people who wrote and write about it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Magisterial
This one-volume biography, abridged from the author's earlier two-volume work, presents a fascinating, detailed and very readable account of Hitler's life, beliefs, political... Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. V. Clarke
A superb well written history focused biography
One of the most formidable aspects of this book is the fact that it is extremely informative and at the same time so easy going, so good is the reading. Mr. Read more
Published 6 months ago by marginal
THIS one-volume edition
The one star review is for this abridged edition. The writer himself in the introduction clears up that, in the process of merging Hubris and Nemesis in this one volume, he cut off... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Efthymios Karaklas
Excellent biography
Ian Kershaw's monumental biography of Adolf Hitler, more than a thousand pages long (previously published as two volumes). Read more
Published 9 months ago by Andres C. Salama
A true masterpiece from the master of history
Ian Kershaw is a genius, and this book truly emphasizes that point.
This book is one of the finest pieces of history I have ever read on the Third Reich. Read more
This book is one of the finest pieces of history I have ever read on the Third Reich. Read more
Published 12 months ago by dave.t
A University Lecturer's Ivory Tower effort
Firstly it's dull. Secondly it lacks citations and historical research. It's put together by reference to other historians views rather than rigorous research. Read more
Published 12 months ago by sisyphus
Brilliant insight to the period
Having worked in Germany for some time and having a number of German friends, I have read a lot about the rise of Hitler to try to understand how a nation call fall for his... Read more
Published 12 months ago by T. Graham Dughan
Outstanding History/Biography
This was a hugely informative and enjoyable read which told me all that I needed to know about this immensely important individual.
The length of this book (approx. Read more
The length of this book (approx. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jon 'ET' A
Ian Kershaw - Hitler
I found this biography helpful in assisting with an A-level History coursework task, as well as making for an interesting read on the character of Hitler. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Thepurplefrog
Tripe
A tedious long winded wittering giving the official liberal-establishment backed version of history. Why anyone would want to plough through this A-level Hitler text is beyond me. Read more
Published 14 months ago by A European Man
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