Nimish Dubey@nimishdubey
I first read this book in 1987, got my own copy of it in 1991 and ever since then, seldom has a year passed without me referring to it.
William L. Shirer’s massive, erratic
and yet masterfully narrated book on the Third Reich is not classic history. In fact, Shirer’s attempts to bring history and German culture into the book at its beginning are its weakest parts.
What makes it special is its accessibility. Shirer was a reporter and had the ability to narrate events and describe people in an easy to understand manner.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich for this reason has a quality that many historical accounts and biographies lack - flow. It spans more than a thousand pages but these fly past, making it hands down the most accessible and yet largely accurate book on The Third Reich and Adolf Hitler.
No matter what many experts (real and AI) tell you, this is not a history of the Second World War l, although the War does form a massive part of the narrative.
This is more a book on how the Nazis came to power, their origins and how they worked. There is politics, jealousy, cruelty, recklessness…and sheer stupidity, in ample quantities. There are amazing conversations and stackfuls of trivia in there - I didn’t know Goebbels had actually demanded that Hitler be expelled from the Nazi party!
It has its share of inaccuracies, but it’s being so easy to read makes me return to it again and again. I have also lost count of the people to whom I have given the book as a present about the past.
It is compelling and disturbing reading and a reminder that seemingly sensible and intelligent people can lose their way and do incredibly stupid things.
Re reading one more time. Skipping most of the first chapter though. That’s Eurgh.
#Books #Reading #AolfHitler #NaziGermany #Nazi #Fascism #ThirdReich #Hitler
