A well-told and detailed account on the biggest publishing mess in the whole of history, Harris' "Selling Hitler" is hilarious, but has serious lessons to impart. Behind his account of how some of the biggest names in international publishing were conned into making the most enormous fools of themselves are some very chilling scenarios which we witness -- the callousness of the "primitive" Kujau, as well as the publishing world where money is above everything and the pursuit of profit is considered above journalistic integrity, the dishonesty and readiness of one such as Heidemann to believe in the authenticity of the diaries and the unrepentance of the reminiscing Nazis on the "good old days". Most importantly, we see the prevalence of and influence of Hitler and the Nazis on the world so many decades after the demise of the Third Reich, and have to imagine what would have happened had the 'diaries' been used to rewrite history if proof that they were forgeries was not conclusive. Harris' book explains the hold Hitler continues to have on the generation which had undergone the war as well as those after it, and serves as a warning on how memory or delusion can be harmful. A fantastic read, this book should be brought back into publication and made accessible to more people. Highly recommended if you're interested in seeing how people make monkeys of themselves on the world stage.

Robert Harris's non-fiction work "Selling Hitler," the tale of petty swindle and media corruption in the 1980s, is Europe's answer to "Bonfire of the Vanities," and, like Wolfe's novel, it has an absurd mix of characters. Leading the pack is the amazing forger and con-artist who forged the diaries, closely followed by the gullible German reporter whose willing ignorance led to their publication. On the other side of the channel, British academics, newspapaper editors and press barons were all drawn into the controversy, as the Sunday Times decided the Diaries were fit to print. A comedy of errors on a grand scale.

A terrific expose of the greatest journalistic hoax of the 20th century, the "unearthing" of the long-lost Hitler Diaries. Harris turns the case inside out and presents us with a series of well-drawn character profiles. It's impossible to decide what's most appalling, the shabbiness of the hoaxers (the soon-to-be-legendary forger Konrad Kujau, aided by a deeply-closet-fascist German journalist), the gullibility of the British academics or journalists who accepted them at face value, or the cynicism of those who should have known better, i.e. the Sunday Times' publisher as well as the professional controversialists who kept the diaries in the headlines. Farcical and deeply disturbing at the same time.

Extremely interesting and informative insight into a fascinating (time)...Much insight into the character of A.Hitler ( and friends)..As an amateur historian i learned much I didnt know..The author wrote without prejudice(s) and merely presented facts..The opinions should be left to the reader...If your interested in this subject you will enjoy the book...

this book is not only incredible for its meticulous detail and unknown information about hitler but its also a social discourse on life in general of the old hapsburg empire and vienna at the turn of the century.the fact that this man was a bum who almost died of sickness and spent a few years sleeping in doorways and parks and was very close to starving but survived to be master of not only a country but a continent and almost the world is just further proof that fact is indeed stranger than fiction. stories about his adventures with many friends who were jewish is astonishing and in direct contradiction to his rantings in mein kampf where he liked to say he became an ant semite in vienna. its not true and suggests that hitler was only bieng an anti semite because it was politically advantageous in a land where anti semitism was widespread. if that is true that makes him even scarier. he was a close friend of a jew named joseph nueman and many of the mens homes he lived in were run by jews. he only liked to do business with jews and it was a jew who helped him from freezing to death by giving him a coat and many jews bought and sold his paintings for him.a very engrossing book for anyone interested in the subject of what shaped hitlers thinking

This is a book which gives the reader uncommon insight into what could well be the unseen fermenting origins of the most evil mastermind and destroyer in human history(Adolf Hitler). This detailed account of the degenerate class of life in which Hitler resided at the start of his manhood encompasses a curious mixture of the little-known facts about his obscure poverty, in stark contrast to the series of events revolving around Vienna which led directly to World War I. A positive aspect of this interesting work is the fact that as we witness the tramp and the homeless Hitler, his life is told without omission of detail, and most importantly, it is told independent of any direct comparison to the future leader who would eventually come to rule the Third Reich. A must for those who crave the hidden details beneath the ordinary texts.

In accordance with the title, this book tells pretty much all that is now known about "Who Financed Hitler." Most of us are familiar with the rich women who mothered and gave money to Hitler. We've long suspected that at some point Henry Ford financed a portion of Hitler's anti-Semitic fight. Thyssen has long admitted (and repented) having given large sums to Hitler, and of getting other industrialists to do the same. But not many of us were aware that Mussolini gave early financial contributions to his German side-kick. Nor did we realize that a British banker contributed funds to the Nazi party. And how many of us perceived that Hitler also got contributions from people in France, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Finland, and Czecho-Slovakia, as well as other countries? However, as fascinating as all this is, the strength of Mr. Pool's book lies in his ability to take complex situations and condense them into thorough, accurate, and understandable reading. Although I have read more than 150 books on Hitler, I found Pool's reporting to have clarified several points on which I was still fuzzy. If you can read only one book about Hitler's early political years, this would be a good choice. If you've read many books on those early years, you will still want to add this one to your repertoire.

As a novice reader in this area I found the book tremendously helpful in setting the context for Hitler's inexorable rise to power and illuminating the financial machinations that made it possible. His political adversaries badly underestimated him and the Allies sowed the seeds of WW2 as far back as the punitive Versailles treaty. He was an opportunist par excellence and obviously capable of great evil but Mr. Pool does an admirable job of presenting the everyday, human side of Hitler and the Nazi movement. After all, despite the carnage he wrought he was a man born like the rest of us. Many others, including representatives of countries who eventually ended up sacrificing the flower of their youth to contain his destructive actions, aided and abetted the formation of a totalitarian state. Mr.Pool's greatest achievement is making the book read like a rather exciting novel. It is not at all dry as the title might suggest. You feel a certain sense of tension and anticipation as they struggle towards their utterly contemptuous goals. The great tragedy is that the average Nazi Party member, and the other politicians who tried to use the Hitler bandwagon for their own more moderate aims, thought they were doing a good thing for Germany. Sadly they could not control the beast they unleashed. I look forward to reading the sequel "Hitler's Secret Partners 1933-45".

I devoured this book, but not because it answers the question posed in the title.

Because of the scant evidence, there is no definitive answer to the question posed by author James Pool----"Who financed Hitler?" Don't let that stop you from reading this book though. Sometimes an intriguing question is nothing more than a good premise for an author with a fresh point of view to lure readers. Pool has a fresh point of view.

The reason to read this book is for its detailed analysis of Hitler's rise to power. It helps one to understand the lower and middle class roots of the Nazi party, the self-financing of the party through small contributions of dedicated but poor, and sometimes unemployed loyalists. It reveals the college radical student support for Nazism. It discusses how Hitler took up collections at rallies, made members of the S.A. and S.S. buy their own uniforms (and how the Party generated a profit from selling uniforms), sold pamphlets and books, and generally how it financed a revolution on a retail basis.

If you are expecting to hear that arms manufacturer Krupp brought Hitler to power so they could rebuild the German Army, forget about it. Those type of conspiracy theories are debunked here. Pool shows how Hitler got little support from heavy industry until he was already in power and his ascension was an accomplished fact.

Pool exposes the contacts which Henry Ford had with Nazi interests and reveals second-hand and circumstantial evidence that Ford was an early financial backer of Hitler. The fact that in 1938 Ford was awarded the Grand Cross of the Supreme Order of the German Eagle---the highest decoration that could be given to a non-German---is circumstantial evidence enough of the gratitude which Hitler felt to Ford. Pool details how the Nazis used Ford's anti-Semitic articles published in his own newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, and collected in book form as "The International Jew" (yes, Amazon carries it) for their own propaganda purposes.

What Pool doesn't discuss is how Ford's own liberal tendencies meshed with Hitler's politics. Ford was a lifelong Democrat, a close personal friend of Woodrow Wilson, and a Democrat candidate for President. He eventually ran for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, but lost in the general election. His support for Hitler demonstrates that perhaps there was more "socialism" in "National Socialism" than many post-war intellectuals dare to admit.

By any measure, this is a good read.

This truly was a great book. It was one of those books that you couldn't put down. There was one problem in it though, it should've been based on Eva Braun instead of Hitler. But do read it.

I have read a number of historical fiction books about the end of the war and this is one of the better one. I liked the story line; it is believable once you get into the book. The author spent some time developing the plot and because of that you start to believe it. An interesting group of main characters fills out the book so that the pages really fly past you. This is a good effort by this author. If you liked this then I would suggest you look at Fatherland by Robert Harris.

I've searched all over for this book because it's out of print. Read it, when you go to bed at night, you'll expect to read about it in the morning newspaper. It's soooooo realistic you will be back in time and experiencing Hitler and the war. It's not a historical novel but fiction written so well you will definitely think you are there! It's addictive and one of the reasons readers love to read! Enjoy!!!

Henry Picker was a young German officer who knew stenography and took down Hitler's Table Talk for a period of four years during World War II. This book was first published in 1951 and has enjoyed many reprints in the intervening years. This edition is expertly translated and has some revealing footnotes which leads the reader to other sources.

Though Hitler is invariably portrayed as a raving madman in American "docudramas," he could also be a thoroughly charming and intensely charismatic private companion in his off hours. A man capable of seducing 65 million Germans and of his monumental crimes, had to possess an elemental force both inexplicable and fascinating. This book provides some clues to Hitler's personality, though in fairness, his mesmerizing mystique had been dulled by drugs and megalomania by 1941. He was surrounded by sycophants, but there were some perceptive and intelligent people in his milieu, most notably Joseph Goebbels. Hitler's secretaries were also articulate and intelligent ladies. However, his chauffeurs and other aides, such as Linge and Schaub, were hardly junior Einstein's.

Hitler's monologues are faithfully presented here and he emerges as a genius in certain areas (his knowledge of architecture and art was encyclopedic), and as a sexist boor in other realms. His believed himself to be omniscient and believed further that he was a messiah selected by Providence to save the German nation. Anyone harboring such delusions is bound to sound arrogant and insufferable on occasion.

This is a must have book for anyone interested in Hitler, his entourage, or his paralyzing effect upon other people. It's chilling that Hitler casually discussed trivialities while Europe was being torn asunder because of one man's twsited ideology.

A fascinating window into Hitler's feverishly powerful,original , jaundiced mind and the two obsessions which consumed him:1.mythic glorification of the Germanic race and 2. "lebensraum" in the vast Russian steppes.One is struck by his cold,steely intelligence but repelled by its rigidity as well as lack of grace & warmth.There is a lot of repetition.He has dogmatic views on almost every subject under the sun, no matter how trivial (eccentric but interesting!).A striking feature of Hitler's thinking is his megalomaniacal fixation on sheer scale and size___he is always planning in terms of CENTURIES,BILLIONS,THOUSANDS (of miles and tonnage) etc etc.Furthermore the quality of these monologues tend to deteriorate,gradually but perceptibly, as we move from '41 to '44.You cannot understand Hitler without reading these table talks.An entertaining read.

I decided to buy this book after reading industry and reader commentary on it. The first thing that struck me was that these are not monologues as some have supposed, they are merely the record of what only Hitler said. The original purpose of their transcription was to save for posterity the words of the Fuehrer in order that they might see how wise he was. Far from being the vulgar parvenu that he is often portrayed, Hitler was a widely read self-educated man with an amazing grasp of many subjects. If this book were to be published without any reference to Jews, the war, the Nazi Party or to Hitler himself, most reasonable people of all political persuasions would find something in his words with which to heartily agree. Look at his pronouncements on economics, on the environment (he was an ecologist before most knew the term), on modernization, on culture, on being a vegetarian, on alcohol and even on smoking and you'll see that in today's America he would be seen as slightly center-left in most areas. Its the other things he said and did that left the world with the image of him as a monster. Despite his knowledge and insight, we all know that he did not use them to best advantage thus dragging his country and much of Europe into a shambles from which some parts have yet to recover. Read this book and you'll see that much of what he foresaw eventually came to pass: The dissolution of Jugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, the dismemberment of the British Empire, the push for a united Europe and even the loss of the war by the side that did not have access to adequate raw materials for its successful prosecution. Yes, Hitler tended to pontificate but as you read keep in mind that only his part of most conversations were being taken down. Read this book and you will also see the truth to the old adage that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

Even as a moderate liberal I can see the beauty in this book. This comes in two forms; the well-reproduced colour and black and white plates and succinct readability, and the well made "coffee table" quality of the binding. The colours used are modern today, hiding the age of the publication.
I paid [$$$] for the book, secondhand from the USA. This seems a lot of money but the pride in ownership of such a rare manual takes away the pain of the cost. Many of the paintings show the value and quality of my own Hitler watercolour (Church, Vienna period c.1910).
Some raised eyebrows from the usual...closed-minds, but that makes ownership more enjoyable.
Buy with confidence, this will appreciate in value.

I have been to many of the places that were painted in this book. Amazingly where I took alot of the pictures were the same angle that Hitler painted these pictures. The paintings uplifts your spirit by showing the purity and wholesomeness of Germany. This book is amazing. You hear alot of people try to put down Hitler as a aggravated and no good painter and that the reason he put the degenerate art on display was because he was mad that he never got into art school. These comments are from the same liars that has Hitler's original paintings locked away like they will cause a uprise of National Socialist values. The forewords of this Book prove that statement Incorrect. Hitler could have made a Career out of art if he wanted, this book is the proof of that. I salute Mr. Price for not giving any opinion on the political view and /or trying to "Bash" the painter. also for refusing the German Government's ridiculous demand that he characterize Hitler on the cover of this book as the man responsible for the Holocaust. The International War Geneva Law states "All seizure or destruction of works of art is forbidden" so all we can do is hope that the artists wishes are carried out and that ALL the original Pieces go back to an art gallery in Linz. until that day all we can do is Buy this Book and quote a saying off a painting in this book on page 207 it says "WHENEVER FREEDOM IS VIOLATED, THE BEST MEN MEET IN PRISON!"

More than 50 years after the death and destruction attributable to Adolph Hitler, the mere mention of his name still brings out strong emotions in most people. While his politics deserve the severe criticism most people feel, it is fair to isolate portions of his life for study and to let opinions on those areas be based on their own merits (or lack of), and that is exactly what this book does as it relates to Hitler's artist talents and interests.

Not only does this book refrain from discussing any other aspects of Hitler's life and activities, but it also does not take sides regarding the talent or value of his drawings and paintings. It quotes the opinions of others, both praises and criticisms, but the author does not share any personal opinions he may have formed as a result of compiling the book. He even states that he will only report historical facts and will leave all judgements to the readers.

The book starts with the history of a young Adolph trying to earn a living as a painter and vowing to become a famous artist. It traces his artist interests from youth to rejection by artist school, through his continued interests as he shifts to becoming a writer then politician. Once in power in Germany it discusses his efforts to gather, document, and preserve his earlier artwork as "national treasures." It also discusses the evolution of interest in his work since the war, including forgeries and authentications.

All the above takes place in the first few pages of the book. The remainder simply shows examples of his work, along with titles, dates, and any other known relevant facts.

Any collector will tell you that the most valuable of any sort of collectable will be subject to forgeries, indeed few collections of any size exist that do not contain some undetected or questionable items. This fact should not be used to invalidate the existence of authentic pieces or the value of reference materials which seek to help the collector become more knowledgeable about their hobby.

It is hard to imagine how this author could have been more thorough or more fair with the treatment of this particular topic. This book is easily the best single reference source for those interested in the history of Hitler art and the variety of forms it took. Highest recommendations, without any reservations.

If you are an enthusiast of WWII & the Eastern Front you will like this book. It contains many photos not seen before and by following the flow of the battle of Kharkov it does create a compelling visual companion to other books on the same subject.

Fabulous photos for students of the Eastern Front, Waffen-SS and modelers. What I found most interesting were the amounts of obsolete equipment (ie: Mk III tanks) used by this elite division. This certainly puts into question the accepted theory that the Waffen-SS received the latest equipment in quanity at the expense of the Heer (army). If this is the case, then it supports the notion that the men of the Waffen-SS were indeed superior soldiers.

This is one of the best books on the subject, with many wonderfull pictures. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in this division, or the SS in general.

Not to be confused with "Hitler: the search for the origins of his evil".
I advise readers not to be concerned at seeing the word psychoanalysis being bandied about here. It is true that Victor comes from a background in this but the book does not lean on the spurious nature of psychoanalysis and it makes sense in its own terms. I strongly recommend the book. Now Hitler makes perfect sense. An essential supplement to a Hitler biography for students of the man.

In his book Hitler: The Pathology of Evil, George Victor does what no author has yet been able to do, portray Hitler not only as the evil villain the he was, but also as a tortured soul that he was. He portrays Hitler as a man with a troubled past and tries to explain why he did the things that he did. Yet at the same time showing what happened to him in his childhood and during his past, and explaining how it affected his future action, it does not make concessions for his actions. It merely tries to explain the reasons why he did the thinks that he did.

This book isn't only a historical biography on a man that has had many other such books written on him. This book is much more of a psychological analysis of certain points in Hitler's life, and shows how these some how insignificant actions of his past affect not only his future but that of all of Germany, Europe, and the world. Victor, a former psychologist and psychotherapist for over thirty years, does an excellent job of doing this.

On of the best parts of the book is over the conflict of Hitler being an abused child, the fact that we should feel sorry for him in a way, and the problem that this fact raises. Part of the problem that people have with this fact is that in no way should we feel sorry for this 'monster'. At the same time if it were anyone else we would feel sorry for him or her and make conscious for this fact. Victor says that the reasons that people don't want to accept this fact of Hitler's past is because it makes him seem more human, something that people have refused to see him as. Victor take the position that we should feel something for him, yet at the same time realize that fact that millions of other abused children don't grow up and murder millions of people.

One other area that Victor does a great job is tracing Hitler's family tree. He goes back to Hitler's father and explains the situation of his birth that have led many to believed that Hitler's grandfather was most likely Jewish. He gives evidence that for the first time makes this seem as if it truly is a possibly true. This would explain Victor's theory that he hated what he was, and therefore killed others that were like the true him in some form of misguided aggression.

Victor paints a picture of Hitler that no author has been able to do before. Well still portraying him as the evil that he was, but also as a man. Victor does an outstanding job of doing this. One of the better Hitler biographies out there.

One the best books written about Hitler.This should be required reading for all Western Civilization classes.

From all I have learned, THE BUNKER seems to rely heavily on conjecture and dramatization--the information is almost TOO meticulous. In spite of that, it reminds very interesting reading most of the way. History buffs will not be disappointed by the read, although it should not be considered the definitive resource on Hitler's bunker life.

If you've seen the movie version (with Anthony Hopkins as Hitler) you'll have expectations - and like all books I know of you'll be disappointed by the movie! This book is easy reading and provides a lot of insight into the last month of Adolf Hitler as the leader of the "living dead" that rarely if ever left their underground lair. All the major personalities of the Fuhrerbunker are dealt with, as well as their ultimate destinies - some escaping, some being captured and spending years in Russian prisons, and yet others - including Hitler and Goebbles - dying at or in the bunker. I found this book extremely thorough (relative to other sources on the subject) and was not disappointed. All in all a good read.

I was a bit concerned when I first picked up this book, thinking that it may be dry with tails of generals looking at maps for days on end. The book is nothing like that, and I was very pleased with this book. It flows very well and is full of very interesting facts (some almost gossip). He also covers all the other major people in the bunker with a good amount of detail. There are very good descriptions of the actual surrounding and very detailed maps and diagrams. I also liked the details of the escape groups after Hitler dies, very interesting. Some details in this book have been stated differently in other books, but all in all a very good effort. I would also recommend "The Last Days of Hitler" by Hugh Trevor-Roper.

I thought I knew a lot about Adolf Hitler's life, even his youth, until I stumbled upon this book. Hitler's Vienna provides a fascinating glimpse into the social, economic, and political milieu in which young Hitler found himself immersed when he came from the provinces to the capital of the crumbling Austro-Hungarian empire in order to pursue his dream of a career in art or architecture.
The book is really less about Hitler himself than about the forces which helped to shape his weltanschauung. Though he reportedly not an anti-Semite as a youth, it was in Vienna that Hitler learned the language of anti-semitism and nationalism.
As I engrossed myself in the book, my thoughts often wandered to comparing the identity politics and quota demands of Austro-Hungarian politicians with the increasing ethnic balkanization here in the United States and wondered whether such a man as Hitler could not one day spring from our political landscape.
One of the chief things I learned is that political and ethnic anti-Semitism was already a very potent force among both the more radical German-nationalist followers of Georg Schoenerer as well as among the more mainstream supporters of the enormously popular mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger. There was also a large groundswell of anti-Czech sentiment due to a heavy flow of Czechs into Vienna and to the mistreatment by Czechs of Germans in Sudetenland, a situation that Hitler was later to temporarily rectify.
The most surprising fact about Hitler brought to light is that he had many Jewish friends during his Vienna days. And I had to laugh at the part where he was described by a former fellow boarder at the men's hostel as having arrived wearing shoulder-length hair and wearing nothing but a coat because he didn't have a shirt.
Though the book adds much to what we knew of Hitler, it comes no closer than any other of really getting inside his head to explain his true motivations. After all, hundreds of thousands of Europeans hated Jews and lived through the same hardships that young Hitler did, but only Hitler took that extra step and made the end of Jewry his life's work. Nevertheless, this book is a very valuable study and is an easy and fascinating read that comes highly recommended to all those who yearn to know more about the life and times of Adolf Hitler.

Another Hitler book? Aren't there enough already? That's what I thought, til I read this. This is a fascinating story about the Vienna in which Hitler created his vision and plans. This is the Vienna of Adler and Freud, of coffee houses and intellectual debate. But did the young Hitler live in this mileiu from 1908 - 1913? Or was he relegated to Vienna's lower class and working class neighborhoods. What was life like there among the poor, single men? Were there any Jewish professors at the Visual Arts school he attended? (no) With the newly won right to vote, what kind of pan-German politicians caught the attention of the poor masses and of a young Hitler? What books and newspapers would he have read? How did Vienna's architecture influence Hitler's ideas symbolic art? How did Georg Schonerer affect Hitler's later ideas? Is this where he learned about anti-Semitism? A fascinating read that just draws you in.

I read this book in German and I found it to be one of the most insightful books on Hitler ever. Having lived in Vienna myself, it was fascinating to see the influence of the city on him and how his speeches and writing reflected what he read in the newspaper during his time in Vienna. The book does not, however, solve the mystery of his evilness.