I thought it would be a lot worse. - Rated 
I got this book because it's one of those historical things you have to read. My best friend had told me it was basically Hitler's "livejournal". I expected it to be hateful rantings the way some people have claimed it is in these reviews here.
I did not find it to be such at all. The book makes some very, currently relevant criticisms of aspects of modern political systems. There is no pretending it doesn't. Having read this book I cannot say that Hitler got nothing right, he was clearly very intelligent and he clearly got quite a few things right. Of course the anti-semitism is there. What does one expect from a German nationalist in those days? Even so I think that there are things we can learn from this book, despite some of the bad things that were done by the Third Reich. Additionally it is quite engaging and entertaining. I am glad I read it. The edition I have has the most laughable commentary, all the footnotes make the most petty swipes at Hitler. As if the fact that he caused a horrific war and slaughtered people in death camps was not enough? No I am sorry, this is a good book. It says interesting and often worthwhile things. Murdering people wholesale in camps bad. Mein Kampf... actually quite good. We need to learn to separate things before we reach a point where all good things are tainted by the bad they've been associated with and the only possible socially acceptable thing is catatonia.
Fascinating Beyond Words - Rated 
History is enraging in the way it always tends to pander to current prejudice and contemporary political need. We are all so wise and good at this point in history and can pretend that we are far too well-educated and morally pure, that nothing so bad is going to be done in our name, on our watch. We are so frantic in our wish to be distanced from the sustained and systematic evils of history, that we condemn the guilty as geniuses, or more remarkably, fools. Those who cling to their denial would prefer that books like this should be banned, as they bear witness to not only Hitler's evil but the pan-European common-denominator, he aspired to tap into.
It is morally convenient to believe that Hitler invented the evil aims laid out in this book. Hitler did not invent racism or anti-Semitism, he merely exploited what was already there and was actually voted into power by those who shared those views - many still do.
Published in 1925 & 1926, the two parts of the book gave fair warning of his aims and his fanatical hatreds. Across the world, many read his words and had their own feelings and hatreds confirmed. These people ranged across every class in most societies, and definitely from top to the bottom of the British social strata. It must be noted that even having been aware of Hitler's promises and even in the knowledge of seeing him carry them out, the country was willing to look the other way. It was just total chance that Churchill became leader and not Halifax - our moral superiority is based on mere luck not natural goodness. Our jingoistic pride, a deluded vanity.
Hitler's ranting coalescence of the hatreds and prejudices still bears witness to the heart of darkness of humanity, which shows no sign of going away.
Let this book be read and stand as a warning of what still continues to inspire many people, beneath the veneer of our "civilization".
Once you have read Hitler's poisonous rantings, you are forever aware that the same raving appeal to the common denominator, can still be heard or read, in the words of those who likewise wish to make us the sponsors of the contemporary fantatic's road to historical immortality.
Knowing who said it all before, might guard us against such folly.
A hard but interesting read. - Rated 
Mein Kampf is difficult to read,but at the same time very interesting.I found when reading it that page after page would deal with - as you might imagine - very mundane political issues from early German history,then all of a sudden Herr Hitler would begin to speak of the present.One thing that struck me was the fact that Hitler was clearly a man of colossal inteligance,not the 'raging beast' we see so often in WW2 footage on the tv.
In this book Herr Hitler goes from talking about how he used to wake up at 05:30 every morning at his army barracks in Munich just to watch - and take great delight in watching - the mice in his room playing in the dim light,to talking about the Holy Roman Empire,to talking about the Jewish threat to Germany all withing a couple of paragraphs of each other.
He also says things you wouldn't expect him to - such as how much he admires the English,and that he considers England as one of the only European countries Germany can be allied to. . . .They never taught me that in school history class,but that's the point isn't it - if you want to know more about that man,and that time in history then you have to find out for yourself,first hand - and discard what my old bearded,anorak wearing marxist of a history teacher ever told you.Enjoy.
wrong... - Rated 
wrong, possums : it's Mein KampF.
This said, the book is boring, ve-ry bo-ring. It's quite difficult to believe that this nonsense is forbidden in most EU-countries. It should be compulsory reading for youngsters ! That way they can see with their own eyes what foolishness mr. H. has written. The book AND its contents have only some "curiosity" value. It should rate 0.25 stars.
By all means BUY it, it should make an interesting conversation piece...
Let history never see a book like this again. - Rated 
This book is not the one most people will not admit to reading let alone owning.It Is an interesting insight into one of the most evil minds recorded in history. His views are extreme yet his political understanding of the social impact of the difficulties with cultural intergration are astute. When this book was first published the establishment of the day did not pay attention and the rest as they say is history. This book in an essential read for those in the arena of social politics history and humanity.
|