Customer Reviews

Goebbels

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Reuth claims he embarked on this biography of Hitler's Propaganda Minister because there weren't any good books on Goebbels. Not only is this balderdash, his offering is the weakest Goebbels biography in recent memory. The writing style is extremely pedantic, plodding, slow-as-molasses and tedious. Goebbels was an extremely complex, brilliant, devious man, but you'll not encounter much of him here. Reuth inexplicably chooses not to use the copious 1920's Goebbels diaries, which David Irving included in his infinitely superior biography of "the little dwarf."

This book is heavily weighted towards Goebbels role in WWII Berlin, which is curiously among the least-interesting periods of his life. Utterly glossed over are the most engrossing years of the "Kampfzeit" in the 20's, where Goebbels was a discipline of Gregor Strasser and then only came under Hitler's spell once he met him. Then it was no turning back. There is shockingly little interest displayed here in Goebbels' fascinating private life. Magda, his wife, is scarcely mentioned, nor is Lida Baarova, the Czech actress that Goebbels fell in love with in 1938.

A chilly, disappointing read. Not recommended.

It is quite clear that the author has devoted years ofresearch to his subject, and that he has reconstructed the life ofthis enigmatic little man who churned the propaganda machine of Nazi Germany for nearly two decades largely through the examination of contemporary newspaper accounts. Mr. Reuth manages to convey to his reader the sense that Joseph Goebbels was a man driven to his demons by an unrelenting inferiority complex stemming from his physical ailments, his economic station in life, and his heartless rejection by classmates and childhood peers early in life. However, we do not hear much more about his family and youthful associates after the opening chapters. Goebbels private life (which is what the reader expects from a well-crafted biography) is subordinated by a minute by minute account of the rise and fall of National Socialism. Mr. Reuth's history of the Third Reich is interesting and highly readable, and he avoids the natural inclination to editorialize about his subject matter.

This is not a light and fluffy biography. Reuth has put an amazing amount of scholastic work into reconstructing the life of Goebbels. Be warned, however, that the book is slow-going, and often tedious.

Reuth's "Goebbels" relies heavily upon the Nazi Germany Minister of Propaganda's own diaries, and in doing so provides a refreshing new look into the lives of one of the most powerful and influential Nazis. The book traces Goebbels from his birth in a small German town to his college years and on through his involvement in National Socialism and his supposed suicide because, in his own words, "a world without National Socialism is not worth living in."

Writing a bio on a man such as Goebbels? Is he evil?It's like shooting fish in a barrel to say yes. You could say his infamy was the product of the post WW1 Versailles Treaty legacy of injustice in regard to Germany? Lots of Joe Goebbels types running around Germany at this time,one of them was bound to rise to the top.Ph'd's unemployed,in debt and "slighted off" to the point of serious injury.Was Dr.Goebbels a monster waiting to hatch at the beginning of his career or did he graduate to his foulness by "baby steps"?There's the question. I believe this bio shows his gradual arrival,(though at times considerable leaps),at the circus freak he became.
The book traces his career from Catholic altar boy to high religious priest fanatic of the Hitler regime.At times he seems to out-Nazi his own Nazis in an attempt to maybe convince himself through his fanaticism? A favorite phrase I borrowed from one of Goebbels critics quoted in the book,"small town rabble rouser".A guy on a stump box shouting much like a religious fanatic.No one would dare shout back at him because by 1923 Goebbels had the backing of the SA thugs.So early on he's a "kid in a candy shop". Free limousine,mansion,love affairs,the works.Anyone who disagrees or even questions him gets paid a late night visit by a Nazi goon squad.A lack of opposition not exactly conducive to intellectual growth.So early on Joe's body and mind are both stunted.(He does stay thin however,very thin).We've heard it all before.His squabbles for power involving other Nazi hirarchy are covered well in the book.Goebbels particularly goes after the Nazi party intellectual Alfred Rosenberg,calling Rosenberg's book,an "intellectual hiccup".Squabbles with Goering,Bormann,and everybody else lead to the conclusion he was not prejudiced but"hated everyone including himself equally"!
If you want to read a good book on the"spiteful dwarf" this is definitely one of the better.By the way Goebbels in the book tries to project the image of himself as the correct and master"patron of the arts".In fact according to the author with Dr. Joe's book burnings and destruction of paintings,he outdoes the worst of the medieval religious fanatics.Yikes!!

This book was originally written in German and I think the English version is a very good one. The book can be monotonous at times but, over all, it is vey instructive. The book filled some gaps I had on the "Nazi" saga after reading the biographies of Hitler, Himmler and, Goering.


Goebbels was a very effective propagandist and a great orator. Hitler's aura and mystique was, to a certain extent, the result of Goebbels's propaganda efforts. Goebbels stood firm behind Hitler up to the bitter end.

The story is compelling and the narrative is decent. You will not be disappointed with this biography.

Settle in and concentrate on this slow hard look at Goebbels. If you are into detail on National Socialist interparty politics, this is the book. This guy was pure evil. He is the only figure surrounding Hitler that can actually eclipse the Fuhrer's ugliness.

A tedious, ponderous, barely readable bore of a book - typical of the the continuing "cut and paste" historical method employed by the other current darlings of fast-food history publishing (Kearns-Goodwin and Burns). Hardly "definitive" - dull juxtaposition of historical documentation with carbon-copy editorializing. The bottom line - Goebbels was a deeply evil, disturbed individual who took his family - Germany - and Europe into the depths of the abyss -----> The only thing "definitive" is yet another author repeating the same message. "Cliche" is a better adjective.
Kudos also to "Kirkus Reviews" for their highly professional review describing how "the author captures post WW-II Germany, and how this desperate country--in which no kind of ability, industry, or talent was a guarantee against poverty--nurtured Goebbels's search for a savior who could galvanize the stricken Volk .." Hmmm , how Goebbles was the product of "Post WW-II Germany" huh --- Wow history real experts there.