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
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH); Later Printing edition (June 1943)
• 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: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #110,891 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 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

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.

12 of 15 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 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

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A determined man"s plan to rebuild his nation, November 3, 1997

By	Bryan Carey "Bryan Carey" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Mein Kampf details Hitler's course of action to revive his war- torn country. It is written with extreme confidence and persuasive ability. It is easy to see why other Germans were convinced that this plan would succeed. Hitler does not give a single hint of doubt that his plans will not work. He has an answer for everything. Some of his ideas are good, while others are extremely flawed. His argument in favor of racism is absurd. He seems to think that the world is composed of races of individuals that are in competition with each other and that we should all strive to ensure the survival of our race. I agree that we are all competitve to a certain degree. But I think that the competitiveness is on a person to person basis, not race against race. A common misconception that people have about this book is that it is Satanic. There is not one single mention of Satanism or anything else Satanic in nature anywhere in this book. If anti-semitic thoughts are inherently Satanic, then many of the prominent religious leaders in America are also Satanic. I found it interesting that Hitler never says anything about killing Jews. You get the feeling that he is thinking that way, but he never directly says this.

This book is not always easy to read. I often had to read a paragraph a second time in order to fully understand exactly what Hitler was trying to convey to the reader.

Mein Kampf should serve as a lesson to all about what can happen when too much power is given to the wrong person.