The book’s focus on Hitler’s persona – which also considers his childhood influences, early professional failures and the broader context of post-WWI Germany – is arguably the most interesting and insightful part of the book.

As Kershaw adeptly observes, these catalysts – along with a unique combination of timing, chance and circumstance – converged in such a way that Hitler and his perverted world view could take root and flourish. Much of the 969-page narrative is devoted to considering Hitler’s personality, psychological make-up and his rhetorical and political talents. But anyone willing to embrace a serious and somber subject will find that Kershaw’s abridged biography of Hitler is extraordinarily thoughtful, methodical and penetrating. Readers seeking an uplifting and entertaining biography would do well to steer clear of Hitler, of course. Not surprisingly, there are a large number of excellent books focused on his life and legacy including well-known biographies by Alan Bullock, Joachim Fest, John Toland and Volker Ullrich, among others. Kershaw was convinced to condense the series in order to make it accessible to a wider group of readers.Īdolf Hitler (1889-1945) is one of history’s most horrifying and unfathomable demons. Johnson – but grew into something even deeper and more substantial than expected. The series was originally conceived as a study of power – much like Robert Caro’s series on Lyndon B. The volumes underlying this abridgment (“ Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris” and “ Hitler: 1936-1945 Nemesis“) were published in 19, respectively. Kershaw is a British historian focused on 20th-century Germany and is a noted expert on Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. “ Hitler: A Biography” is Ian Kershaw’s 2008 abridgment of his masterful two-volume series on Adolf Hitler.

Hitler by Ian Kershaw