Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Adolf Hitler: A Captivating Guide to the Life of the Führer of Nazi Germany

Rate this book
Explore the Rise of Adolf HitlerFree History BONUS Inside!Was Hitler, as Ian Kershaw asked, a natural consequence of German history, or an aberration? Not that Hitler had been in hiding, waiting to attack. The Führer had actually been following an aggressive and savage foreign policy for almost ten years, and been named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1938.This is not a book about World War II, but about the man, Adolf Hitler, one of the faces and names that still arouse the strongest feelings—repulsion, resentment, and even fanaticism—but one who also had a childhood and a youth, a father and a mother. It is the road to madness—beginning that day in August of 1934 when he took over absolute power and ordered allegiance and loyalty to him alone—that this book is about. Some of the topics covered in this book OriginsHis InceptionThe anti-Semitic capital of EuropeMunichFirst World WarHitler's AscensionMein KampfHis DownfallThe remains of Adolf HitlerAnd a Great Deal More that You don't Want to Miss out on!Scroll to the top and download the book for instant access!

82 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2017

544 people are currently reading
581 people want to read

About the author

Captivating History

1,579 books260 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
228 (36%)
4 stars
212 (33%)
3 stars
138 (21%)
2 stars
29 (4%)
1 star
24 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Nihal.
198 reviews
October 3, 2021
‘He could not stand domination by anyone or anything else. He must be on top or not at all’ - Joseph Ransmeir, Hitler’s childhood classmate


When people think of Hitler, they think of a confident man and a stern-looking face. However, Hitler looked confident only after he was declared a leader. Yet if we trace back to his early life, he would look completely different. At a young age, he was usually skinny with really less aptitude. He used to score bad marks in school and failed an exam six times. When he had taken an aptitude test as a soldier, he got an embarrassing result. A turn of events occurred when he joined the DAP, a political club that emerged after WW1. As he kept on going higher and higher in ranks in the DAP, he decided to rename his party to the ‘National Socialist German Workers Party.' As time passed, Hitler started gaining the favour of the Germans by delivering powerful speeches. People’s support and his attitude finally led the Nazi Party to win the elections. After earning the favour of one politician, Hitler emerged as a dictator who was supported and idolised by the people.



The story of Adolf Hitler was a story of hard work and commitment. He was born to parents who had an age difference of about 20. He was generally shy around people and girls. He was weak and had a really low interest in studies. Yet he emerged as one of the most controversial leaders of all time. Captivating History keeps his story straight to the point and gives a nice overlook of Hitler’s life. The book didn’t explain anything else such as Nazism and Jews. So the book was a bit incomplete according to me.



“Words build bridges into unexplored regions.”



Hitler is famous in the Modern World due to his attitude and mercilessness. But he is also famous for being known as a great dictator. The title of Hitler as good or bad remains a controversial topic even today.
Profile Image for Beagle Lover (Avid Reader).
620 reviews53 followers
November 25, 2022
4 solid stars

An excellent biographical account of perhaps the most hated man in modern times, referencing just enough verifiable accounts as well as subjective material for the reader to gain unknown insight into the man's youth, rise to power and ultimate defeat and suicide.

I learned many facts, as well as speculative information, about this egomaniacal leader responsible for the death of millions. With many outtakes from his novel "Mien Kampf," the author offers various explanations for why Hitler did what he did and the reasoning behind those actions.

One thing not dealt with in detail was the man's afflictions and drug abuse. Pity, as these topics played a major role in his physical and mental decline as he aged. I also did not realize Hitler was 58 when he married Eva Braun just hours prior to their joint suicides.

This book contains a bibliography, but no pictures. Concise writing, attention to both facts and assumptions and direct quotations from his own inner circle of trusted advisors negated the usual dryness of this type of book, keeping this reader invested throughout the novella. I learned many things about this vile man that both surprised and frightened me.

Recommend reading for fact seekers on this topic.
Profile Image for Dennis Crotts.
351 reviews43 followers
April 11, 2020
Very interesting and well written

There was not much more told in this book about Hitler we do not already know from history and school. Not a bad book but I was expecting so much more also this was very dry reading and I found it hard to read and stay interested
Profile Image for Daisy.
16 reviews
July 16, 2019
4.5/5 .Short and simple. Very quick guide. Overall it was good.
Profile Image for Eve.
922 reviews20 followers
January 30, 2020
Short yet insightful read. Learned a lot of interesting things I hadn’t previously known.
4 reviews
April 7, 2022
This book is short, but it was really interesting with many information you may don't know!
Profile Image for Vijita verma.
40 reviews1 follower
August 26, 2019
A one time read.

Good read for someone who wants to know about Hitler and his childhood. The ending should have been more detailed with more analysis of Hitler's character.
Profile Image for Bonnie Dale Keck.
4,677 reviews58 followers
August 15, 2017
Not kindle unlimited {pretty sure the rest have been free or permafree so look those up, also this one not showing on goodreads}

Explore the Rise of Adolf Hitler Free History BONUS Inside!

Was Hitler, as Ian Kershaw asked, a natural consequence of German history, or an aberration? Not that Hitler had been in hiding, waiting to attack. The Führer had actually been following an aggressive and savage foreign policy for almost ten years, and been named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1938.This is not a book about World War II, but about the man, Adolf Hitler, one of the faces and names that still arouse the strongest feelings—repulsion, resentment, and even fanaticism—but one who also had a childhood and a youth, a father and a mother, and above all, a time when he was born guiltless, like any other human being. It is the road to madness—beginning that day in August of 1934 when he took over absolute power and ordered allegiance and loyalty to him alone—that this book is about.

Some of the topics covered in this book include:Hitler's Origins, His Inception, The anti-Semitic capital of Europe, First World War, Hitler's Ascension, Mein Kampf, His Downfall, The remains of Adolf Hitler, and more -- If you like this type of 'thing', Captivating History also has out:

World History: Captivating Stories of Events That Shaped Our Planet (Forgotten History, History of the World, History Books)
Winston Churchill: A Captivating Guide to the Life of Winston S. Churchill
Franklin Roosevelt: A Captivating Guide to the Life of FDR
Churchill and Roosevelt: A Captivating Guide to the Life of Franklin and Winston
Haitian Revolution: A Captivating Guide to the Abolition of Slavery
Adolf Hitler: A Captivating Guide to the Life of the Führer of Nazi Germany
coming soon Jackie Kennedy
Norse Mythology: Captivating Stories of the Gods, Sagas and Heroes (Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology - Greek Mythology Book 1)
Egyptian Mythology: Captivating Stories of the Gods, Goddesses, Monsters and Mortals (Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology - Greek Mythology Book 2)
Greek Mythology: A Captivating Guide to the Ancient Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Monsters (Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology - Greek Mythology Book 3)
Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Greek Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, and Norse Mythology (Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology - Greek Mythology Book 4
Greek Mythology: A Fascinating Guide to Understanding the Ancient Greek Religion with Its Gods, Goddesses, Monsters and Mortals (Greek Mythology - Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology Book 1)
Norse Mythology: A Fascinating Guide to Understanding the Sagas, Gods, Heroes, and Beliefs of the Vikings (Greek Mythology - Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology Book 2)
Egyptian Mythology: A Fascinating Guide to Understanding the Gods, Goddesses, Monsters, and Mortals (Greek Mythology - Norse Mythology - Egyptian Mythology Book 3)
Profile Image for Glenn E.
14 reviews
May 11, 2023
Unia Guia _ in Spanish:

Not having a large library of Spanish language books in my past, I don’t know if this is the best example in Spanish language literature to convey nuance or tone. However, the differences in language and imagery viewed through the “Latin language lens” offer distinctive flavors that I appreciate.

I draw from my own English language media images of Hitler from US culture which are more reflective of the character of the type as illustrated by his nemesis: the woman in the bikini top as painted on the nose of a World War II - B52 bomber, or the cartoonish figures of Bugs Bunny & the Road Runner imagery in my mind, and the mindless Evil of the Black Hat Hitler cowering in the shadows.

The Spanish language version of this history makes me think of Hitler as a more emotional architect and planner with unspeakable results and combined with an utter devaluation of all else except self-fulfilling goal attainment. From the Latin flavor, I draw mental analogies & supporting imagery like that of: Harold Emery Lauder, a fictional sixteen-year-old resident of Ogunquit, Maine, and a supporting character & antagonist in the novel The Stand, by Steven King.

The author here draws from the same history as my English written exposure, but the total view he/she offers in Spanish provides richer perspective.

In Spanish, the Evil band of characters: Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini are equally: really bad guys. In English, Hitler’s name itself is the “bad” imagery and stands alone as the ultimate example of evil.

In fact, I find the fuller story as told by only two languages in my mind, English & Spanish combined, to be much scarier than just the one language. I don’t know German as a language today or the original prosaic tempo that Hitler himself uses in German in Mein Kampf before it was translated into English, but it would certainly be interesting to hear this same story in the original language of 1940’s Germany with the cultural references left in evidence.
3,943 reviews21 followers
February 10, 2021
Captivating History makes a marvelous point that everyone (historians, psychiatrists, and ever so many others) have tried to study Adolf Hitler to understand how he was able to manipulate an entire country to his will.  I just finished reading a biography about Kaiser Wilhelm and about Wilhelm's bombastic behavior and often irrational actions.  Perhaps the German people (some of the most educated and sophisticated people in Europe) were so ashamed of Wilhelm's dragging them into WWI, that they looked to Hitler to bring them back from the brink of despair.

I'm glad this book takes extra time to delve into Adolf's early years.  It shows that Adolf had to be the leader of any play or action, or he wouldn't participate.  I googled and found the swastikas of Lambach Abbey.  Adolf certainly could have remembered them; they are of significant size and prominence.  I really liked the analysis this book brought to the issue of Hitler hating Jews.  The incidents the author brought up seemed very likely causes.  In just one example, Hitler could easily see that the population applauded Mayor Lueger's assertions against the Jews; they were a convenient scapegoat.

It was a surprise to learn that an author found 723 artworks by Hitler, from his childhood until just before WWII.  I was surprised that he was so prolific.  I really liked the analysis of Hitler's actions and attitudes that Captivating History shared with their readers.  This is a worthwhile addition to my library.
Profile Image for Lisa Baillie .
310 reviews15 followers
July 13, 2019
Captivating insight into one of the worlds most hated man. But was he all bad? You need to read to find out. Looking at his upbringing. His family. What could have happened in this mans life to make him go on to arrange millions of murders. The book was good. Learned one of two facts I wasn’t aware of previously. But like all the books out there there’s nothing else to add to them. Worth a read all the same
4 reviews
March 12, 2020
Loved that’s a short read with convenient insights of the personal, political and early days of Adolf Hitler. I believe if the author added more details to the provided info, it would’ve made it a further rich one.

At various points I had to stop and Google some of the names mentioned to grasp and relate the fast flow of the events.

It’s a very good read in general.
Profile Image for Betty Miller.
6 reviews1 follower
August 25, 2021
Hitler

I thought this book was a straightforward, though abbreviated, recap of the rise and fall of the German dictator. There is no sensationalism, just an honest retelling of the decades of Hitler's rise in Germany.

I have read Albert Speers book on the Third Reich and this book seems an honest effort. A good book for the student unfamiliar with the Second World War.
Profile Image for Ed Barton.
1,303 reviews
November 24, 2021
Twisted Soul

This short biography of Adolf Hitler discusses his youth, rise to power, writings and philosophy. Limited discussions of WW2, but a fair bit on his early life. You’ll get a brief glimpse of this twisted soul, and insights into his atrocities and thinking. A decent intro bio.
46 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2020
A succinct Review.

The book faithfully depicts the complete life of the German Fuhrer, how he became as the world knows him and what were the consequences of his lebensraum ideology.
5 reviews
October 25, 2021
Good general overview

The story of a tortured and evil man. A good place to start to learn about Hitler. Could have more on the destruction of Europe and the peoples he wanted to exterminate.
47 reviews
October 24, 2023
Outstanding!

Nuanced, Full of many great sources. This was well written. I have read a lot on Hitler over the years and would highly recommend this as a great first read on Hitler.
Profile Image for Lilith's.
209 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2024
“For his mother, Adolf was, during five crucial years, the son that survived; for his father, the deposit of all his expectations.”

“[…] he could not stand domination by anyone or anything else. He must be on top or not at all.”


This book is not about World War II; it focuses on Adolf Hitler, one of the most infamous figures in history. Hitler had been pursuing an aggressive and brutal foreign policy for nearly a decade before being named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1938. However, this book delves into Hitler's childhood, youth, and the path that led him to his descent into madness, which began when he took over absolute power in August of 1934 and demanded complete loyalty and allegiance to himself alone.

The author raises the question of whether Hitler was a natural consequence of German history or an aberration. Regardless of this, his name still evokes strong emotions of repulsion, resentment, and even fanaticism. The writing is easy to understand, and the reading is straightforward. I appreciate how Hitler is portrayed as a regular person with charisma and theatrical talent, rather than a superhuman or genius in war strategy.

Although it's good to know that there are books that depict Hitler as an average guy (which he was), this book isn't particularly memorable. It's neither good nor bad.
Profile Image for Huong.
158 reviews4 followers
November 1, 2017
Not much info

Good starter. I couldn’t find enough explanation for all of the weirdo done in the past. The toothbrush mustache story was fun and unexpected, practical though.
Profile Image for Gian Andrea.
Author 6 books34 followers
March 26, 2020
quick and easy read about the early years though his ascension to power of one of the most controversial and complex characters of modern history.
158 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2020
Good on early background but not much else. I realize this wasn’t about WWII, but you can’t do Hitler without the war.
21 reviews4 followers
October 13, 2020
Simple yet vreat book

This is a great book well written and very simple things a good experience of Hitler's life is given one can follow this book as a good example.
1 review
Read
October 17, 2020
It was a very intriguing story! Once I read it I had to immediately read it without taking any breaks and I read it very carefully and had to let every chapter captivate me!
Profile Image for Cory Briggs.
203 reviews3 followers
November 22, 2020
Ok

It was OK. If you are into history you will probably enjoy this. One of its strengths is it concise style.
1 review
December 26, 2020
A Good outline of a bad man

Not a ton of new information for me, but it was a good insight. It was also fairly brief, it didnt take me long to read at all
Profile Image for Jessica Gallant.
Author 21 books30 followers
February 8, 2021
Superbly written. In a short book it tells of his childhood, jail time, rise to power and death.
I will be looking into other books by Captivating History.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.