What do you think?
Rate this book
Hitler
A ruthless dictator who saved his country from economic ruin only to nearly destroy it - and an entire people - in his quest for world domination, Adolf Hitler forever changed the course of history. In this masterful account of Hitler’s life, biographer A.N. Wilson pulls back the curtain to reveal the man behind the mythic figure, shedding new light on Hitler’s personality, his desires, and his complex relationship with the German people.While Hitler maintained that his life had been characterized by “struggle” from its very beginnings, Wilson shows that the reality could not have been more different. Hitler grew up in middle-class comfort and, as a young man, lacked ambitions of any sort besides a vaguely bohemian desire to become an artist. And while the Hitlerian mythos holds that he forged his skills as a leader during the First World War, Wilson explains the truth: Hitler spent most of the war as an office boy miles from the front lines, and only received his cherished Iron Cross because of his slavishness to the officers he served. The army gave him a sense of purpose and brotherhood, however, which continued to inspire Hitler once the war ended.
Hitler left the army with no skills, contacts, or money—and yet, within fourteen years, he would become chancellor of the German nation. Wilson describes the story of Hitler’s ascent as one of both opportunism and sheer political shrewdness. He possessed no real understanding of the workings of government but had a prodigious knack for public speaking, and found that a large number of Germans, despairing at their country’s recent defeat and terrified by the specter of international communism, were willing to listen to the right-wing fantasies that had taken root inside his head. Allying himself with the extremist German Workers’ Party (soon renamed the National Socialist Party), Hitler offered many Germans a seductive vision of how the country might raise itself back up and reclaim its rightful place at the center of world politics.
Wilson shows that, although Hitler’s bid for power stalled at first, he soon gained traction with a German public starved for hope. Using his skills as a manipulator, Hitler found himself first at the head of the Nazi Party, then at the helm of the German nation. Wilson explores the forces that allowed Hitler to become Chancellor of Germany, and later to march Germany into total war. He examines Hitler’s increasingly virulent anti-Semitism and his decision to implement the Final Solution to exterminate European Jews, and he considers Hitler’s tactical successes - and failures - in World War II. Wilson also reveals a great deal about how Hitler’s personal life affected his time as Germany’s leader, from the lasting pain caused by the death of his mother and the suicide of his young niece to his poor health and addiction to the drugs prescribed by his doctor. As Wilson demonstrates, Hitler the Führer was not so different from Hitler the bohemian: lazy, moody, and hypersensitive, he ruled more through intimidation and the mystifying force of his personality than through any managerial skill or informed decision-making. His story - and that of Germany - is ultimately a cautionary tale. In a modern era enamored with progress, rationality, and modernity, it is often the darkest and most chaotic elements of society that prove the most seductive.
Hitler’s unlikely rise to power and his uncanny ability to manipulate his fellow man resulted in the deaths of millions of Europeans and a horrific world war, yet despite his colossal role in world history, he remains mythologized and, as a result, misunderstood. In Hitler, A.N. Wilson limns this mysterious figure with great verve and acuity, showing that it was Hitler’s frightening normalcy - not some otherworldly evilness - that makes him so truly terrifying.
Hitler left the army with no skills, contacts, or money—and yet, within fourteen years, he would become chancellor of the German nation. Wilson describes the story of Hitler’s ascent as one of both opportunism and sheer political shrewdness. He possessed no real understanding of the workings of government but had a prodigious knack for public speaking, and found that a large number of Germans, despairing at their country’s recent defeat and terrified by the specter of international communism, were willing to listen to the right-wing fantasies that had taken root inside his head. Allying himself with the extremist German Workers’ Party (soon renamed the National Socialist Party), Hitler offered many Germans a seductive vision of how the country might raise itself back up and reclaim its rightful place at the center of world politics.
Wilson shows that, although Hitler’s bid for power stalled at first, he soon gained traction with a German public starved for hope. Using his skills as a manipulator, Hitler found himself first at the head of the Nazi Party, then at the helm of the German nation. Wilson explores the forces that allowed Hitler to become Chancellor of Germany, and later to march Germany into total war. He examines Hitler’s increasingly virulent anti-Semitism and his decision to implement the Final Solution to exterminate European Jews, and he considers Hitler’s tactical successes - and failures - in World War II. Wilson also reveals a great deal about how Hitler’s personal life affected his time as Germany’s leader, from the lasting pain caused by the death of his mother and the suicide of his young niece to his poor health and addiction to the drugs prescribed by his doctor. As Wilson demonstrates, Hitler the Führer was not so different from Hitler the bohemian: lazy, moody, and hypersensitive, he ruled more through intimidation and the mystifying force of his personality than through any managerial skill or informed decision-making. His story - and that of Germany - is ultimately a cautionary tale. In a modern era enamored with progress, rationality, and modernity, it is often the darkest and most chaotic elements of society that prove the most seductive.
Hitler’s unlikely rise to power and his uncanny ability to manipulate his fellow man resulted in the deaths of millions of Europeans and a horrific world war, yet despite his colossal role in world history, he remains mythologized and, as a result, misunderstood. In Hitler, A.N. Wilson limns this mysterious figure with great verve and acuity, showing that it was Hitler’s frightening normalcy - not some otherworldly evilness - that makes him so truly terrifying.
215 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2012
21 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
A.N. Wilson
117 books242 followersAndrew Norman Wilson is an English writer and newspaper columnist, known for his critical biographies, novels, works of popular history and religious views. He is an occasional columnist for the Daily Mail and former columnist for the London Evening Standard, and has been an occasional contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, New Statesman, The Spectator and The Observer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 20, 2015
This book was just what I was looking for. A brief introduction to one of the world most notorious megalomaniacs. It gave an interesting overview of Hitler’s background, his rise to power, and the situation in Germany which made him the man of the moment, and encouraged his career to blossom. The war was discussed in terms of Germany’s triumphs and failures. Many people round the world saw it as “Hitler’s War”, and given his determination to personally direct the army, this was not inappropriate.
A. N. Wilson is an excellent writer. What could have been a bare-boned textbook was fleshed out with lots of characterization, concerning both Hitler and his cronies, and the nature of the Nazi party. He also pauses several times to ask “what if”; to question whether the huge catastrophe that was the Second World War could have been avoided if one or two things had been different. For such a short book I found it surprisingly thoughtful.
He also discusses the history of anti-Semitism before and during the war, which is always shocking. I also learnt quite a lot. Besides the notorious incidents, he describes small issues too. For instance there was toothache in Germany during the war, as most of the German dentists had been Jewish. I also learnt the degree to which other countries were impervious to the plight of the Jews. (And that in turn made me question how much that still happens today, with other people under severe duress).
This book has received several negative reviews, but I thought as a basic introduction to Hitler it was very good.
A. N. Wilson is an excellent writer. What could have been a bare-boned textbook was fleshed out with lots of characterization, concerning both Hitler and his cronies, and the nature of the Nazi party. He also pauses several times to ask “what if”; to question whether the huge catastrophe that was the Second World War could have been avoided if one or two things had been different. For such a short book I found it surprisingly thoughtful.
He also discusses the history of anti-Semitism before and during the war, which is always shocking. I also learnt quite a lot. Besides the notorious incidents, he describes small issues too. For instance there was toothache in Germany during the war, as most of the German dentists had been Jewish. I also learnt the degree to which other countries were impervious to the plight of the Jews. (And that in turn made me question how much that still happens today, with other people under severe duress).
This book has received several negative reviews, but I thought as a basic introduction to Hitler it was very good.
December 27, 2012
The life of the most reviled man in history is always a tricky subject. Not the perspective (which is universally one of the utmost horror) but the manner of its telling. I think because AN Wilson has written "A Short Biography" of Adolf Hitler, that most will look upon this modest, and yes short, 190-page book as inconsequential as such a study of this person must require far more pages to be worth the reading. After all, how to compress the man who arguably shaped the modern world into its current incarnation, into such a relatively short book compared to say, Ian Kershaw's "Hubris" and "Nemesis" books totalling 2100 pages?
Wilson does this by covering the facts in a swift, concise fashion without too much detail or extensive background minutiae than is absolutely necessary. He doesn't miss out anything important but nor does he go into enormous detail which isn't to say that you come away with an incomplete idea of the man but that this book presents an informative biography of Hitler that will appeal to the non-academic and casual student of history for whom someone like Kershaw is intimidating to pick up.
What's interesting about this biography is that Wilson has a biased opinion of Hitler; like all of us he is disgusted with the Nazi regime and Hitler as a person, but unlike other biographers who adopt a neutral, just-the-facts-stance, Wilson frequently editorialises upon the events of Hitler's life as they unfold. He berates the young Hitler for his foolishness and laziness in squandering his family's money in pursuing a fruitless art career and not attempting any form of work. Thereafter, Wilson criticises every instance of Hitler's personality and actions, unapologetic to call Hitler and his cronies any number of names, but also grudgingly conceding that Hitler possessed extraordinary oratory skill and an erratic but charming personality that seduced many who came into his presence.
It's this approach of Wilson's, coupled with the brevity of the book, that I think have caused many people to look upon this book unfavourably and yet I feel these are two of the book's assets. That, and a few facts that I hadn't known about Hitler previously such as how the Olympic Torch tradition originated with the Nazis in the 1936 Berlin Games, and Wilson underlining a very important fact about Hitler: that many of his qualities which we detest today were shared by our ancestors. His hatred of Jews and blacks were views that British, American and French governments also held. His modernity: he was an atheist who believed in science, rationality, and (a somewhat crude and warped) Darwinism, the rejection of religion, vegetarianism, and embracing technology, are generally qualities we look upon today as necessary to modern, forward-thinking people.
"Hitler: A Short Biography" is not an academic book in that it doesn't go into the kind of detail an academic would insist upon, but nor does it try to be that kind of book. It is a populist book aimed at general readers with an interest in history, providing access to one of the most infamous people in human history. And in that, Wilson succeeds strongly, creating a well-written, concise and interesting overview of Hitler.
Wilson does this by covering the facts in a swift, concise fashion without too much detail or extensive background minutiae than is absolutely necessary. He doesn't miss out anything important but nor does he go into enormous detail which isn't to say that you come away with an incomplete idea of the man but that this book presents an informative biography of Hitler that will appeal to the non-academic and casual student of history for whom someone like Kershaw is intimidating to pick up.
What's interesting about this biography is that Wilson has a biased opinion of Hitler; like all of us he is disgusted with the Nazi regime and Hitler as a person, but unlike other biographers who adopt a neutral, just-the-facts-stance, Wilson frequently editorialises upon the events of Hitler's life as they unfold. He berates the young Hitler for his foolishness and laziness in squandering his family's money in pursuing a fruitless art career and not attempting any form of work. Thereafter, Wilson criticises every instance of Hitler's personality and actions, unapologetic to call Hitler and his cronies any number of names, but also grudgingly conceding that Hitler possessed extraordinary oratory skill and an erratic but charming personality that seduced many who came into his presence.
It's this approach of Wilson's, coupled with the brevity of the book, that I think have caused many people to look upon this book unfavourably and yet I feel these are two of the book's assets. That, and a few facts that I hadn't known about Hitler previously such as how the Olympic Torch tradition originated with the Nazis in the 1936 Berlin Games, and Wilson underlining a very important fact about Hitler: that many of his qualities which we detest today were shared by our ancestors. His hatred of Jews and blacks were views that British, American and French governments also held. His modernity: he was an atheist who believed in science, rationality, and (a somewhat crude and warped) Darwinism, the rejection of religion, vegetarianism, and embracing technology, are generally qualities we look upon today as necessary to modern, forward-thinking people.
"Hitler: A Short Biography" is not an academic book in that it doesn't go into the kind of detail an academic would insist upon, but nor does it try to be that kind of book. It is a populist book aimed at general readers with an interest in history, providing access to one of the most infamous people in human history. And in that, Wilson succeeds strongly, creating a well-written, concise and interesting overview of Hitler.
August 7, 2012
A.N. Wilson has written a compelling, thoughtful and revealing "portrait" of a man whose name is always associated as the "Demon King of history." This is an illuminating short biography of Adolph Hitler. It is a powerful study in leadership. I found one of the most compelling and fascinating points in Wilson's superb examination of both the man and his career, Wilson's observation that Hitler's success in becoming Chancellor of Germany in such a short period of time following his imprisonment for a failed attempt to take over the German Government in his Putsch of 1923, was based on Hitler's intuitive grasp and understanding of the power of radio, film and spectacles. Wilson shows how Hitler had an intuition, which amounted to genius, around the power of the spoken word, and that "it" was going to be more significant than the written word during the 20th century. Wilson presents Hitler as a man ahead of his time, who forshadowed Hollywood and TV stars, and post-WWII politicians. This is a compelling study that may have great relevancy for today and what is going on in our "global world."
June 6, 2024
After "The Splendid and the Vile," my interest in Hitler - specifically, what in the world actually drove him and what environment produced such widespread endorsement by the German population - was piqued. So I randomly selected a book about him. It was just my pace, covering larger sections of history (intersecting nicely at one point with Churchill's 1941 treatment in Larson's book) and granting excellent insight into what made him tick and how the environment allowed him to flourish. Chilling.
July 7, 2024
Man was whack.
February 14, 2017
Because the author's negative opinion was at the forefront of this book I walk away confused. The author says he was lazy, stupid, had bad table manners and excessive flatulence. How does such a person get into power? I have read about other people in history who changed the world (for good and for evil) and none of them got there by being unremarkable in every possible way. Is Hitler the only one, or did the author not tell the whole story? I'll be reading more about this to see if I can find an answer that satisfies me. Perhaps the author is right and it was a total fluke.
September 17, 2025
I learned a few new things, but I mostly appreciated the overall message that Hitler embodied the views of the average German at that time and was very well liked in the beginning. I wasn't aware of his flamboyant manner of dressing - and enjoyed picturing him in a dress - but I was well aware of his psychosis and extreme mania and drug use. My favorite part of this book was his reading on Mein Kempf: that you could not say you didn't know what he had planned when the book was on the market for 16 years and tells you what his plan is. I also got shivers thinking about the eery nature of the title, "my struggle," given that he was about to put Europe through an incredible struggle. Also crazy that he mentioned gassing Jews in it; even though that "solution" hadn't been decided yet, it was clear he would approve.
December 18, 2018
This is a worthy book for those who do not know the period or Hitler particularly well, an introduction of a biography said many reviewers. I found that to be true. That said, it was a good introduction for me, and illuminated some of the people around Hitler in ways that I did not particularly know. Wilson does make the important point - Hitler was very much a common man of the post -Enlightenment, as are we all. Which raises the question, have we learned as much from the horrors of the past as we think?
July 26, 2018
Very basic. This is too short of a book to give much detail into Hitler's life. Most of what was written I had already read elsewhere. If someone knew nothing about Hitler at all, this might be a good place to start, but I would not recommend for someone who already has a working knowledge of WWII and its surrounding events.
May 30, 2014
I think this is the worst biography I've ever read. I don't read a whole log of biographies, so it's definitely possible that there are some worse biographies out there, but this one is pretty bad. Mostly because it's just lazy, shallow writing. Usually when a person chooses to write a biography it is at least in part because they are interested in the subject. I don't get that impression here. I'm reminded of my own high school English papers where I didn't really care about the book I read and just needed to fill up a few pages. The author thinks Hitler was a terrible person, and I think we can all agree on that, but that's about the extent of his character analysis. You get no real idea of what made Hitler the way he was. His historical analysis is no better. He recounts dates and events without any depth whatsoever. There is literally no point of this book.
Also: "Hitler, in common with many dog-lovers, was incapable of showing the same affection for any human being".
**** you, A.N. Wilson. Dogs are awesome and are in no way tainted by Hitler's love of them.
This review is much better than mine and explains a lot of the book's other problems, including huge inaccuracies.
Also: "Hitler, in common with many dog-lovers, was incapable of showing the same affection for any human being".
**** you, A.N. Wilson. Dogs are awesome and are in no way tainted by Hitler's love of them.
This review is much better than mine and explains a lot of the book's other problems, including huge inaccuracies.
April 11, 2013
I enjoyed reading this brief (about 200 pages)biography of Hitler. The author did a great job of bringing Hitler's personal characteristics to life. However, I was hoping to the author would do a bit more towards explaining Hitler's rise to power. Instead, while he does a good job of describing events, all too often, he falls back on the old saws of Hitler's supposed charisma and the power vacuum in Germany during the 30s.as to his charisma, he doesn't even explain how someone he describes as lazy, seen as lacking in leadership qualities by his superiors and Associates, boorish, uninformed and suffering from meteorism (look it up) could be considered charismatic, even as a speaker.
September 1, 2012
After having read some fairly hefty books in the past on WW2, it was refreshing to find a quick and easy read on what is obviously such a complex topic as Hitler. Despite being able to read this in one or two sittings, I did find several insights and new levels of thinking that kept me interested - that Hitler's lies stretched back to his youth was unsurprising, but the contradictions in his writings and speeches when compared to his lack of personal drive was very interesting. A short and sharp study recommended for an easier read when you are between some Kershaw and Hastings
May 5, 2013
A thought-provoking little book (only 200 pages) which details Hitler's childhood and rise to power and shows us where Hitler was quite ordinary and where extraordinary. And where barking mad. The author surmises that another Hitler is quite possible. So beware the non-smoking, vegetarian who is good at oratory, prepared to blame a racial group and loves uniforms, Frederick the Great, Napoleon, Wagner and German shepherds apparently.
December 22, 2014
A delightfully well-written book. It's also short. If you want a quick history, with appropriate cynical statements about Der Fuhrer, this is the one to read. AN Wilson is not afraid to be honest and literary and thought provoking. Nice research and though I knew much of the history, Wilson's presentation is immensely entertaining.
April 16, 2012
Initially, this book does not cover new ground, but Wilson's insights as always are fresh and thoughtful. The last chapter is quite amazing and particularly trenchant. The equal of his excellent books on Paul and Jesus. Wilson's historical writing is outstanding.
January 4, 2018
For a history book this was excellent. Illuminating, easy to read, chilling and pertinent.
March 4, 2018
What an amazing insight into Hitlers ponderings; my first “biography” and I loved it!
I especially liked the resume which, in my opinion, should be an eye-opener to many modern day politicians.
I especially liked the resume which, in my opinion, should be an eye-opener to many modern day politicians.
June 10, 2022
I don't know how any biography of Hitler can be "perfect" or even complete. There is so much that we find hard to understand about the man who wrought so much destruction on Europe and, indeed, the world.
I came to this reading not long after reading therapist Alice Miller's observations about Hitler's childhood and was reminded, early on, that biographers vary in their beliefs about what is factually correct as well as in the conclusions they draw from said "facts". A. N. Wilson is also fully aware of this, flagging throughout the book the areas where his views differ from other biographers'.
There is a great deal that I valued about Wilson's biography including its brevity, running to 190 pages plus notes and bibliography. As well as giving a comprehensive overview of Hitler's life and career, Wilson references the wider context of antisemitism around the world at the time of Hitler's ascendency, as well as making comments I found useful about contemporary world leaders. Churchill, for one, is not spared. I came away with a much clearer view than I have held before that Germany's defeat in WWII reflected Hitler's poor strategy as much as any "heroism" on the part of his opponents. I think it worth noting that whilst Miller explores at length the "poisonous pedagogy" that created German obedience, Wilson, at one point, uses a two-word phrase (that I struggled to find) that suggests (erroneously in my view) that Germans are somehow "naturally" obedient. For me, the views of each enrich my reading of the writings of the other.
Wilson's concluding comments offer no reassurance and, instead, point to the possibility that our present world also contains a Hitler. This edition, published in Great Britain in 2012, predates America's 45th president as it does the Russian president's "special operations" in Ukraine. As a reader, I came away with a deeper understanding of Putin's desire to rid Ukraine of Naziism, even if no such Nazi's exist in Ukraine or, indeed, such a desire is rooted in paranoia or even cynical.
A worthwhile read that I didn't want to put down.
I came to this reading not long after reading therapist Alice Miller's observations about Hitler's childhood and was reminded, early on, that biographers vary in their beliefs about what is factually correct as well as in the conclusions they draw from said "facts". A. N. Wilson is also fully aware of this, flagging throughout the book the areas where his views differ from other biographers'.
There is a great deal that I valued about Wilson's biography including its brevity, running to 190 pages plus notes and bibliography. As well as giving a comprehensive overview of Hitler's life and career, Wilson references the wider context of antisemitism around the world at the time of Hitler's ascendency, as well as making comments I found useful about contemporary world leaders. Churchill, for one, is not spared. I came away with a much clearer view than I have held before that Germany's defeat in WWII reflected Hitler's poor strategy as much as any "heroism" on the part of his opponents. I think it worth noting that whilst Miller explores at length the "poisonous pedagogy" that created German obedience, Wilson, at one point, uses a two-word phrase (that I struggled to find) that suggests (erroneously in my view) that Germans are somehow "naturally" obedient. For me, the views of each enrich my reading of the writings of the other.
Wilson's concluding comments offer no reassurance and, instead, point to the possibility that our present world also contains a Hitler. This edition, published in Great Britain in 2012, predates America's 45th president as it does the Russian president's "special operations" in Ukraine. As a reader, I came away with a deeper understanding of Putin's desire to rid Ukraine of Naziism, even if no such Nazi's exist in Ukraine or, indeed, such a desire is rooted in paranoia or even cynical.
A worthwhile read that I didn't want to put down.
October 6, 2019
I'm visiting Germany at the end of the year, and thought I'd read something on Germany's most infamous leader beforehand. It was either this slim volume, Ian Kershaw's 1,100 page tome or Alan Bullock's 850-pager, and with a bookcase full of other books crying out to be read I chose the quickest option.
A few times I regretted my choice; so many momentous events are just skimmed over which became frustrating. But there are some insightful observations, eg that Hitler "embodied the views of any popular newspaper, any bar-parlour bore, from England to Russia, from France to Sicily, during his lifetime" (and also ours). Other opinions I found less convincing, for example his disdain for historians who engage in hypotheticals (a "parlour game" he calls it, but then goes on to expound his own hypotheticals). And sometimes it feels like he has an axe to grind: about Churchill; about dogs ("this smelly near-cousin of the wolf") and dog-lovers; about modern political correctness.
I thought the final chapter, a provocative synthesis of Wilson's subject, the highlight of the book. Others will disagree, especially regarding the parts that amount to a sly attack on self-satisfied liberalism.
My copy is a first edition which contained some factual errors that I believer were fixed in later editions.
A few times I regretted my choice; so many momentous events are just skimmed over which became frustrating. But there are some insightful observations, eg that Hitler "embodied the views of any popular newspaper, any bar-parlour bore, from England to Russia, from France to Sicily, during his lifetime" (and also ours). Other opinions I found less convincing, for example his disdain for historians who engage in hypotheticals (a "parlour game" he calls it, but then goes on to expound his own hypotheticals). And sometimes it feels like he has an axe to grind: about Churchill; about dogs ("this smelly near-cousin of the wolf") and dog-lovers; about modern political correctness.
I thought the final chapter, a provocative synthesis of Wilson's subject, the highlight of the book. Others will disagree, especially regarding the parts that amount to a sly attack on self-satisfied liberalism.
My copy is a first edition which contained some factual errors that I believer were fixed in later editions.
May 1, 2018
This is a good option if you want to go beyond Wikipedia, but at the same time don't want to face a book the size of a toaster. The book gives you a solid idea of what type of character Hitler was and walks you through the different parts of his life and deeds. There's some analysis about the war itself, e.g. the impact antisemitism had in the effort, Hitler's motivations and the overall state of the world at that time. It is interesting to see how Hitler, in the words of the author, was both an ordinary and extraordinary man. This seems to be a common theme in the Nazi party. I believe Himmler and Goebbels were similar in that sense.
I think some of the facts might not be accurate, like Hitler being in photo before WWI or snubbing Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics, but I think the overall information is good.
There are some weird bits, about gay marriage, political correctness and even dogs. I was scratching my head when reading and thought they were funny, in a laughing at the author kind of way. That had nothing do with anything.
Good book. I picked it up at the library, but I wouldn't mind owning it.
I think some of the facts might not be accurate, like Hitler being in photo before WWI or snubbing Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics, but I think the overall information is good.
There are some weird bits, about gay marriage, political correctness and even dogs. I was scratching my head when reading and thought they were funny, in a laughing at the author kind of way. That had nothing do with anything.
Good book. I picked it up at the library, but I wouldn't mind owning it.
May 18, 2021
This book of Hitler is a reminder of how he began as a "nobody". During his artistic years, he was pretty much defined as a lazy bum.
WWI depicts him as not so brave as he portrayed himself. He did get a face full of mustard gas & was temporarily blinded. After the Germans surrendered, he became mad (along with many other Germans).
So the question might be is, how did a nobody become so powerful? First, it was through innovation & the promise to put the German people to work. Even with his building of the Autobahn & basically Volkswagen Beetle, his intentions seemed good at first.
Obviously, it is known how he ended up. The end question of this book, when will the next Hitler be produced? No one knows. However, looking through history, before Hitler, it is very possible it could happen again.
Let's just hope that we remember exactly how to fight that evil. For me, a 3.75.
(ps did you know that the running/lighting ceremony of the torch, in the Olympics, is due to the Nazis? That was the 1936 Berlin games. The flame began with Amsterdam in 1928 but the traditional lighting we see now? Yep, the Nazis.)
WWI depicts him as not so brave as he portrayed himself. He did get a face full of mustard gas & was temporarily blinded. After the Germans surrendered, he became mad (along with many other Germans).
So the question might be is, how did a nobody become so powerful? First, it was through innovation & the promise to put the German people to work. Even with his building of the Autobahn & basically Volkswagen Beetle, his intentions seemed good at first.
Obviously, it is known how he ended up. The end question of this book, when will the next Hitler be produced? No one knows. However, looking through history, before Hitler, it is very possible it could happen again.
Let's just hope that we remember exactly how to fight that evil. For me, a 3.75.
(ps did you know that the running/lighting ceremony of the torch, in the Olympics, is due to the Nazis? That was the 1936 Berlin games. The flame began with Amsterdam in 1928 but the traditional lighting we see now? Yep, the Nazis.)
May 1, 2021
What's good about this book? Two things: it is a short biography (190 pages) and easy to read. But what's bad about it? Well, Adolf Hitler is a complex and perplexing figure, a short biography will surely somehow reduce rich historical stories into some oversimplified ones (probably that's why I love the large volume of Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs. One of the finest biographies). Having said that, I enjoyed reading this book as a whole. I always wonder why and how Hitler rise to power from unimpressive failed artist to der Führer ("the leader") of German. This book - briefly - explained it.
To read my short review, CLICK HERE: https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2020/09...
To read my short review, CLICK HERE: https://legasitv.blogspot.com/2020/09...
September 8, 2020
An interesting read about Hitlers rise from a layabout to one of the most feared leaders ever. A N Wilson’s account of Hitler describes him as being without any skills at all with little energy, a modest education, and no obvious leadership qualities. He used tantrums knowing that most people would do anything to avoid a scene and would become upset over the most trivial of matters. His one strength was public speaking. In his early years he led his country out of economic crisis to full employment. Over the years his Doctor of many years was pumping Hitler with a considerable number of drugs on a daily basis.
January 18, 2025
The author brought out aspects of Hitler’s life that I was not aware of such that he was from a fairly well off lower middle class family that allowed him to avoid any kind of work through his late Twenties.
He failed as a painter and did not even pass the entrance exam to study painting in at the art institute.
He was a middling soldier, after he was drafted into the German army in World War One.
After the war the German army had him guve speeches against Communism to the troops. They found he was a gifted speaker.
Increadibly his abilities allowed him to rise to power during a turbulent period in post Word War One Germany that led to the deaths of Fifty Million people.
He failed as a painter and did not even pass the entrance exam to study painting in at the art institute.
He was a middling soldier, after he was drafted into the German army in World War One.
After the war the German army had him guve speeches against Communism to the troops. They found he was a gifted speaker.
Increadibly his abilities allowed him to rise to power during a turbulent period in post Word War One Germany that led to the deaths of Fifty Million people.
December 29, 2024
This book was just what I was looking for: Most of all it is short (specially compared to Ian Kershaw's 2000+ pages) and sets events into historical perspective.
But it does have a large number of flaws:
1) It is short. Wilson cuts some corners in brutal ways. Joseph Goebbels is described as an ”extraordinarily unpleasant person, who physically resembled Nosferatu the Vampyre”. This may seem like an extraordinarily unpleasant and not entirely neutral way to describe a person, but boiling down so much content to 200 pages – that is what you get.
Another example: In the time between WW1 and WW2 Hitler did ot take a job “He could have taken a job as a waiter or a clerk or done something in exchange for pay, the way that almost everyone in the world is expected to do. Never once did he do so.” Why did he not? It is never mentioned. Do we know if he did not want to or could not get a job. Huge difference. What is the evidence? Wilson never tells.
2) In the last third of the book – the WW2 part – it focuses far too much on historical perspective. It is almost not a biography any longer.
3) Factual mistakes. I only noticed one “Norway fell in April 1940. In the next two months, Denmark was defeated.” No, it was the other way around: The invasion of Denmark and Norway took place on April 9, 1940. Denmark surrendered within hours. Norway resisted until June 10, 1940.
This review points to many more errors:
https://web.archive.org/web/201203151...
Other reviewers have noticed that Wilson does not like Hitler. More correct probably would be that he likes making fun of him. About the 1923-revolution attempt:
Even if you overlook his fondness for lederhosen and knee-length pale socks, his dress sense was, to put it mildly, uncertain. On this occasion, when he was supposed to be starting a militaristic revolution, he was wearing evening dress and an ill-fitting black tailcoat … and his army medals.
I think maybe Hitler spend more time contemplating how to dress for a revolution than Wilson. To me it suggests that he wanted to make an impression on the elected leaders, expecting that part of the revolution would be a negotiation.
Finally two quotes:
“the tendency of historians to identify the tyrannies of Stalin and Hitler. ‘But in Stalin’s Russia, the great majority were visibly unhappy. You have only to read Nadezhda Mandelstam’s memoirs to see how unhappy they were. In Germany in the early years of the regime, you could feel, see, the happiness.’”
“As Hitler himself later enunciated, it matters not how idiotic the creed. What matters is the firmness with which it is enunciated.”
But it does have a large number of flaws:
1) It is short. Wilson cuts some corners in brutal ways. Joseph Goebbels is described as an ”extraordinarily unpleasant person, who physically resembled Nosferatu the Vampyre”. This may seem like an extraordinarily unpleasant and not entirely neutral way to describe a person, but boiling down so much content to 200 pages – that is what you get.
Another example: In the time between WW1 and WW2 Hitler did ot take a job “He could have taken a job as a waiter or a clerk or done something in exchange for pay, the way that almost everyone in the world is expected to do. Never once did he do so.” Why did he not? It is never mentioned. Do we know if he did not want to or could not get a job. Huge difference. What is the evidence? Wilson never tells.
2) In the last third of the book – the WW2 part – it focuses far too much on historical perspective. It is almost not a biography any longer.
3) Factual mistakes. I only noticed one “Norway fell in April 1940. In the next two months, Denmark was defeated.” No, it was the other way around: The invasion of Denmark and Norway took place on April 9, 1940. Denmark surrendered within hours. Norway resisted until June 10, 1940.
This review points to many more errors:
https://web.archive.org/web/201203151...
Other reviewers have noticed that Wilson does not like Hitler. More correct probably would be that he likes making fun of him. About the 1923-revolution attempt:
Even if you overlook his fondness for lederhosen and knee-length pale socks, his dress sense was, to put it mildly, uncertain. On this occasion, when he was supposed to be starting a militaristic revolution, he was wearing evening dress and an ill-fitting black tailcoat … and his army medals.
I think maybe Hitler spend more time contemplating how to dress for a revolution than Wilson. To me it suggests that he wanted to make an impression on the elected leaders, expecting that part of the revolution would be a negotiation.
Finally two quotes:
“the tendency of historians to identify the tyrannies of Stalin and Hitler. ‘But in Stalin’s Russia, the great majority were visibly unhappy. You have only to read Nadezhda Mandelstam’s memoirs to see how unhappy they were. In Germany in the early years of the regime, you could feel, see, the happiness.’”
“As Hitler himself later enunciated, it matters not how idiotic the creed. What matters is the firmness with which it is enunciated.”
February 11, 2017
A good introductory, overview of Hitler's life. His transformation from a homeless person to almost the dictator of all Europe is still amazing. He not only wanted to eliminate the Jews but to make virtual slaves of all Europeans. Along the way Wilson also dispels some of the common myths about Hitler.
August 31, 2018
A brief biography into Hitler's life. A lot of details are skipped and a lot of stuff are just written without sources, so I'm not really sure how accurate it is. But, I got it from some bargain bag, so no complain. In my opinion, a good book who wants to know about Hitler but has very little time, like me. So many things I knew were wrong, I'm almost feel like an idiot.
January 12, 2020
A balanced, period-contextual and succinct overview of who Hitler was, what he wanted and how he aimed to seize it. At under 200 pages, this is the most condensed biography full of insights, anecdotes and side glance into key characters. The core message was Hitler’s rise was a by-product of capitalism’s ebb and flow.
September 1, 2025
Overall found the assumptions of the writer off putting. Stopped reading on page 95 when he used the term “street Arabs” in reference to the Sturmabteilung (SA). My confidence, and respect, for Wilson’s writing dropped significantly due to this slur/bigotry. I find it interesting that the author writes about the horrors of antisemitism but feels comfortable perpetuating anti-Arab sentiment.
December 21, 2017
Bearing in mind this is a very short biography with no grand designs, it is actually quite good. Wilson builds a vivid picture of Hitler, his personality and his internal hang ups. I would recommend this short book as a starting point for further exploration into the life of this abomination.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews