Originally posted by FMF
I thought Burleigh got to the heart of the whole thing of the Nazi phenomenon being a surrogate religion rather than a mere political ideology - and thus, for me, encapsulated the psychological horror of it all more tellingly than Shirer. But they are both very worthy books, for sure.

Perhaps it is because I have read so much on the era and subject that I really did not find a whole lot new and his style is dreary compared to Shirer. No slam on Burleigh as he is certainly erudite and did not mischaracterize the era or the regime. Indeed the whole Nazi thing was a quasi-religion but Burleigh's is not an original idea as this is touched on in "Eichman in Jerusalem, the Banality of Evil,Hannah Arendt".

I enjoyed the book, though and again thank you for the rec.

Originally posted by DrKF
Have you read Gitta Sereny's Albert Speer: His Battle With Truth? A simply incredible book - it affected me quite deeply when I was younger.

I have not read this but will give it a whack. Thanks for the rec. One book that was chilling, even though I disagree with its indictment of an entire people is Daniel Jonah Goldhagen "Hitler's Willing Executioners". Hard to put down once started and incredibly and indelibly grotesque in its depiction of the nuts and bolts of evil!

I have already placed a reserve at my local library for the book you rec'd!