Mein Kampf

Beyond the anger, hatred, bigotry, and self-aggrandizing, Mein Kampf is saddled with tortured prose, meandering narrative, and tangled metaphors (one person was described as "a thorn in the eyes of venal officials"). That said, it is an incredibly important book. It is foolish to think that the Holocaust could not happen again, especially if World War II and its horrors are forgotten. As an Amazon.com reader has pointed out, "If you want to learn about why the Holocaust happened, you can't avoid reading the words of the man who was most responsible for it happening." Mein Kampf, therefore, must be read as a reminder that evil can all too easily grow. --Sunny Delaney

Product Description
After 1944, Hitler's notorious book was not widely available until the hardback edition of this version appeared in 1969. This paperback edition is intended primarily for students of 20th century German history seeking to gain insight into its dominant figure from reading his own words. Ostensibly an autobiography, the work comprises a melange of Hitler's political and racial ideas over two volumes, "A Reckoning" and "The Nazi Movement". Described by D.C.Watt in his introduction as "lengthy, dull, bombastic, repetitious and extremely badly written", it is nonetheless Hitler's only major work - and its study is important to an understanding of how his ideas came to hold such sway over the German people.

Among other things, "Mein Kampf" is autobiographical. Hitler describes his childhood, schooling, his war experience and his subsequent "struggle" in the political upheaval of post-war Germany. While it is interesting to get into the dictator's mind, one should remember that Hitler had an enormous ego and that he wrote this book for public consumption. Many of his self-praising statements are simply false. For example, Hitler claims that he was the top student in his childhood history class and that his application to study in art school was rejected because the faculty felt that his architectural drawing was superior to his painting. These statements and numerous others are false, which is well documented by Alan Bullock, Ian Kershaw, and other biographers of Hitler.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of "Mein Kampf" is its literal force. Although Hitler may have distorted some facts about his past, he was scrupulously honest about his future intentions, which included killing the Jews of Europe and colonizing Russia.

In fact, "Mein Kampf" is more a combination of Hitler's self-promotion and a blue print of his future plans that it is an ideological tome. The central aim articulated in "Mein Kampf" is purifying what Hitler perceived to be the master race and providing it with "living space". But Hitler never provides a truly revolutionary idea that is comparable to themes found in works such as "The Holy Bible" or "The Communist Manifesto". Like Fascism itself, "Mein Kampf " is more about mood and momentum than the articulation of a compelling new idea.

If you are unfamiliar with Hitler's role in modern German history, you may want to read one of his numerous excellent biographies before tackling his own words. For anyone interested in exploring the phenomenon of Nazi Germany and how a despot managed to package himself and his genocidal intentions, "Mein Kampf" is an indispensable read.


Mein Kampf   August 11, 2000
Mathew (Southern Ca, USA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

Definently an interesting work, a glimpse into the mind of the man who brought nazi-germany to power, and his plans for the world. The third reich's campaign brought the nazis to a war the would engulf the entire globe, and bring death to over 35 million worldwide. I would highly recommend history-buffs like myself, and anyone who has a particular interest in wwII or Nazi Germany to read this book, it brings to perspective hitler's plans for the world, and a slight peek at the character behind the leader of the third reich that will never be forgotten.


Historical Document   October 25, 2000
moe (Arizona)
39 out of 49 found this review helpful

Rating this book is something of a futile exercise. What is important is that the reader understand that this book is a penetrating look into the psycho/socio state of a man who held tremendous influence on the 20th century world. From a historical perspective one can see clearly that Hitler did in fact spell out his goals for a Thousand Year Reich and wonder why Chamberlain and others so greivously overlooked it. As despicable as he and his literary work may be, it must be used as a tool in the study of one of the most tyrannical regimes in the twentieth century, lest such mistakes be misunderstood and hence repeated.


Only for the Educated   January 24, 2002
Angela Maiorino (Dallas, TX USA)
71 out of 93 found this review helpful

To berate this author's book, passing it off as simply "rambling," is to deny passing on the message the Holocaust survivors want us most to deliver: "Always remember, and never forget." To discount it as boring or confusing simply means the reader must educate himself with history, desire to learn about issues outside his own environment and current events, and most importantly - read more in order to get a better vocabulary so it won't seem so confusing.

Upon first hearing that Hitler was a high-school dropout and before reading Mein Kampf, I figured it was his lack of education that gave way to his feelings - and actions - on racism. Throw in a little economic failure with a society desperate for WWI revenge, and you have the perfect recipe that needs only an uneducated schitzo like Hitler to concoct the horror that ensued. Oh, no, indeed. Rather, the opposite holds true: High school was far too simple for Hitler, who, unlike our own youth, thirsted for knowledge in the subjects our youth find tedious. It is when you WANT to learn and educate your SELF, rather than a school teacher assigning it to you that you truly learn and internalize anything.

It was in Hitler's thirst for knowledge of history, culture, society and his internalization of it that he conceived applying his knowledge to an entire nation by "saving" them from destruction. Was Hitler moral? Not by our standards. Was he correct? Not by our standards. But it is only in lending yourself to different thoughts than your own in past time periods and economies that we will learn FROM it so as to STOP it dead in its tracks in the future.

The most asked questions about the Holocaust, "HOW could he do what he did to so many people, and WHY?" starts HERE, with this book. A must read for anyone remotely interested in learning not just about Hitler, the Holocaust and Hitler's ideologies, but in responsibly educating oneself so as to possibly become a positive force in society's future. To think another "Hitler" cannot arise again is to have the attitudes and actions behind tossing this book aside, sticking one's head in the sand, and flipping on the television again so as not to miss out on one's daily vegetation into ignorance and complacency.


Horrific yet educational   November 27, 2000
Jack Johnson (London, England)
22 out of 28 found this review helpful

Anyone who doesn't give this book atleast 4 stars hasn't read the book or did and had a tremendous bias about the subject. If your read this book with an open mind you will find it interesting, educational, and worth reading. You have to read the book to really understand the man who is said to be the worst man to walk the earth. You can't even start to understand WWII or the Holocaust without reading this book. If you even think you know anything about Hitler until you read this book all you have been told is bias.