Would you read Mein Kampf?

Poll

Would you read Mein Kampf?

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/09/mein-kampf-ebook-bestseller-adolf-hitler

Having come across an interesting article in the Guardian relating to how popular the E version of Mein Kampf has been i was interested to see whether people on TSR have read it already or would read it, and why?

.........

My personal opinion is that yes, i would read it. It's an important historical artifact and while the Nazi's were bad i suspect that it delivers a different perspective to the one generally received given that as the old saying goes.. "history is written by the victors".

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Please note that i do not allow anybody to pollute my threads with trolling or personal insults. If you disagree with somebody you will debate with them or ignore them, the alternative is that i report your posts and they are likely deleted no matter who started it.

Reply 1

Ruffiio

17

Yes, I'm a history student and as such I love history and learning new things in History etc. I haven't read it but I'm sure I will undoubtedly read it at some point in my life, especially since Nazi Germany is my favorite topic of learning and it's of course undoubtedly a very important piece of history.

How many pages is it though?

Reply 2

Mackay

17

I've read it. It's pretty lengthy but really unenjoyable. The whole thing is incessant, dull ramblings which even Mussolini called boring.

Reply 3

Genocidal

19

Yes I would like to read it. It's an infamous book and a real insight into how one of the world's most recognisable figures thought.

Reply 4

pane123

16

I have read it and I would only recommend it to people I don't like. It's poorly written and unbelievably boring.

Reply 5

username234673

17

I'm friends with a book seller who had an original print version. He refused to sell it for a reasonable price, then ended up getting rid as part of a bulk deal for next to nothing. I'd have well bought that! :angry:

Reply 6

Swanbow

19

I've heard that most of it is just incoherent ramblings, going from one point to another mid-sentence, and very hard to find enjoyable. Even Nick Griffin said it was boring :tongue:

I probably will give it a read at some point, if anything out of morbid curiosity.

Reply 7

Gibber96

9

It's badly written, incoherent, hateful, illogical, confused, pompous and overblown. I hate it when people say that Hitler was a genius because he wasn't. On an intellectual level he was maybe worse than Stalin and certainly far less of a thinker than Lenin. He surrounded himself with some smart people, some very ambitious people, and some extremely dangerous people. Charismatic in the early years, maybe - but not a genius.

Reply 8

Rakas21

OP

21

Original post by Gibber96

It's badly written, incoherent, hateful, illogical, confused, pompous and overblown. I hate it when people say that Hitler was a genius because he wasn't. On an intellectual level he was maybe worse than Stalin and certainly far less of a thinker than Lenin. He surrounded himself with some smart people, some very ambitious people, and some extremely dangerous people. Charismatic in the early years, maybe - but not a genius.

I think people mainly say that in relation to his war effort (i.e. taking a poor, ravaged country and conquering large swathes of Europe) so it probably was one of or some of his generals that were the real geniuses.

Reply 9

Gibber96

9

Original post by Rakas21

I think people mainly say that in relation to his war effort (i.e. taking a poor, ravaged country and conquering large swathes of Europe) so it probably was one of or some of his generals that were the real geniuses.

I agree that he certainly did turn the fortunes of Germany around while the democratic government before him had failed, but I don't think that it particularly impressive if he was only creating jobs by expanding the military more and more and breaking the terms of the Versailles treaty. I'm pretty sure the Weimar government could have done the same if they were less scared of international opinion.

I don't know much about the military side of Nazi Germany but it does seem like things became worse when Hitler himself became overly involved in the military side of things. Maybe if he'd been better at delegating power then Germany would have won.

Reply 10

Flauta

9

I tried to but I got bored after about 20 pages.

Reply 11

Plainview

2

Yes. I imagine it would be quite interesting

Reply 12

Coffinman

8

Where would it fit in with books from other politicians of that time if it were in a list of them?

Reply 13

OMG TOOTHBRUSH

14

No, I've heard it's really boring.

Reply 14

Aj12

18

Original post by Rakas21

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/09/mein-kampf-ebook-bestseller-adolf-hitler

Having come across an interesting article in the Guardian relating to how popular the E version of Mein Kampf has been i was interested to see whether people on TSR have read it already or would read it, and why?

.........

My personal opinion is that yes, i would read it. It's an important historical artifact and while the Nazi's were bad i suspect that it delivers a different perspective to the one generally received given that as the old saying goes.. "history is written by the victors".

......

Please note that i do not allow anybody to pollute my threads with trolling or personal insults. If you disagree with somebody you will debate with them or ignore them, the alternative is that i report your posts and they are likely deleted no matter who started it.

I'd advise you or anyone else not to bother reading it. The book is terrible, the writing is awful and as others have said it is little more than incoherent rambling. I say this as someone studying History uni who should no doubt have more respect for this sort of thing

Reply 15

PG593

13

If I was in prison maybe...for inspiration :biggrin:

Reply 16

JacobMcLaughlin

I have already read it. It's not really what you might think, it's actually pretty dull. It certainly didn't turn me to Nazism.

Reply 17

dorababy1995

14

Not for the world! I had to read fran excerpt fromt for school, and that was more than enough! Wouldn't read it ever again, unless we'll be studying Nazi Germany for A-level. :s-smilie: