Mein Kampf [Hardcover]

Adolf Hitler (Author), Ralph Manheim (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The angry ranting of an obscure, small-party politician, the first volume of Mein Kampf was virtually ignored when it was originally published in 1925. Likewise the second volume, which appeared in 1926. The book details Hitler's childhood, the "betrayal" of Germany in World War I, the desire for revenge against France, the need for lebensraum for the German people, and the means by which the National Socialist party can gain power. It also includes Hitler's racist agenda and his glorification of the "Aryan" race. The few outside the Nazi party who read it dismissed it as nonsense, not believing that anyone could--or would--carry out its radical, terrorist programs. As Hitler and the Nazis gained power, first party members and then the general public were pressured to buy the book. By the time Hitler became chancellor of the Third Reich in 1933, the book stood atop the German bestseller lists. Had the book been taken seriously when it was first published, perhaps the 20th century would have been very different.

Beyond the anger, hatred, bigotry, and self-aggrandizing, Mein Kampf is saddled with tortured prose, meandering narrative, and tangled metaphors (one person was described as "a thorn in the eyes of venal officials"). That said, it is an incredibly important book. It is foolish to think that the Holocaust could not happen again, especially if World War II and its horrors are forgotten. As an Amazon.com reader has pointed out, "If you want to learn about why the Holocaust happened, you can't avoid reading the words of the man who was most responsible for it happening." Mein Kampf, therefore, must be read as a reminder that evil can all too easily grow. --Sunny Delaney

Product Details

• Hardcover: 715 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (June 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395078016
• ISBN-13: 978-0395078013
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360,758 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( H ) > Hitler, Adolf

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the Finest Version, May 29, 2001

By 

Frank Rose (Cincinatti, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mein Kampf (Hardcover)

This particular version of Mein Kampf by Ralph Manhein is by far the best. It captures the true essence of Hitler's thought in a readable, accessable English. Part of this is due to the fact that it was written before the defeat of the Third Reich, before a great deal of politically correct babble entered the discourse about this important political work. Hitler's thoughts on International Judaism and the long-term threat it poses to the West come across clearly. In other translations, Hitler is made out to look like some sort of monster, while Manhein makes clear that he was simply a somewhat misguided German patriot. A must for anyone trying to understand the real history of the 1933-1945

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book and understand National Socialism., July 20, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Mein Kampf (Hardcover)

Adolf Hitler was one of the most loved and hated men of the20th Century. In "Mein Kampf" we learn about the author'schildhood, the collapse of Germany in 1918, the founding of his National Socialist German Worker's Party and the abortive Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 which sent Herr Hitler to Landsberg Prison where he wrote his famous book. The author goes into detail on policy questions which will later be realized just before and during the Second World War. The book is said to be very prophetic in that sense. Any rumors of the difficulty in reading the work are false; it is easy to read and highly interesting. In short, this book is a must for those wishing to gain a more thorough understanding of German National Socialism and its creator.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most significant books in history., October 1, 2011

By 

Alan Edward Creager (Henrico, VA, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mein Kampf (Hardcover)

"Mein Kampf", My Struggle, was first published in 1925. Eighty-six years ago. It remains just as relevant today, remaining one of the most universally-known books in history. Everyone knows the name of three books- the dictionary, the Holy Bible, and Mein Kampf.

I should add, before proceeding further, that this is so far the best version of "Mein Kampf" I've yet found. Originally translated and published in 1943, my copy was printed in 1975 if I recall right. It has a foreword and some footnotes that probably wouldn't have existed had the Reich won World War II, but what matters most is that the translation is excellent. And at times, the original German is even provided and compared with the way it was translated into English.

What makes "Mein Kampf" so significant is not so much the book by itself- unusual as it is- but rather the man, and the deeds of the man, who wrote it. This book either details outright or strongly implies the plans and intentions of Adolf Hitler. Having read it, was I that surprised that he went on to invade nearly every country in Europe and engage in the genocide of millions of people? No, not really. That's what makes this book so important. Whatever it is or isn't worth as a work of literature, it is the story of one of the most powerful men in history. It's also 715 pages long, so don't expect it to be short.

As a work of literature, "Mein Kampf" is like no other book I've ever read. In fact, there is only one collection of written words that has struck me as being at all similar: the journal of Eric David Harris. Both their writings were, to me, a bit like a burnt cookie- always limited by that hate pulsing within the pages. Nobody paid attention to Adolf Hitler, or Eric Harris, until the opportune moment to stop them had passed. Hitler published his plans in this book for all the world to see, and Harris kept his plans in a journal, right there in his room. My point? Read the writings of people like them, because ignoring them has a long record of being a spectacularly stupid mistake.