As a result, after the first couple of chapters, I began asking myself what I was actually reading. However, after recognising my own mistake, I started treating the book as what it was meant to be and it became a really enjoyable and educational read.
Based roughly in a chronological order, the author covers various aspects of the rise through the fall of the Third Reich by reviewing books and works by other authors addressing each of the eras. Being an accomplished historian himself, the author's review of the works is critical and comprehensive. He used his knowledge of available sources that he himself had consulted and the skills required of good historical research to cast an interrogating eye on the works. There were times when I felt that I was again the PhD candidate standing in front of the examination panel defending my thesis.
There are also a couple of chapters which are not reviews. These are his own works that are published in journals. For those who are not acquainted with the author's works, these are the chapters that give you a taste of his academic prowess. One in particular came to mind, The Fellow Traveller. This chapter is the author's critical assessment of Alfred Toepfer, who launched a foundation that offered a scholarship of which the author was one of the recipients. Alfred Toepfer was accused by some of having been a beneficiary of the Nazi regime. The author explored meticulously the history of the man and came into a lively debate with his accusers in this chapter. If for nothing else, this chapter is well worth reading to learn how a robust academic debate is done.
I enjoyed the book and found myself benefitting much from it. However, my experience (and it could be just me) is that we must set our expectations right. If you think this book is a continuation of the author's *trilogy on the Third Reich, you will be disappointed.
*Interested readers can check out the author's website for information on his works.
