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By: fade theory » reading evil

fade theory » reading evil — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:41:50 +0000

[...] over at The After-Dinner Payback is reading Mein Kampf. Apparently, aside from the disturbing subject matter, it’s also poorly [...]

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 05:18:06 +0000

LK: I agree. The book is garbage and only interesting insofar as it gives a little more insight into Hitler’s political mindset.

Dorothy: I’m ambivalent about recommending the book. Is it necessary? I think so, since it serves as a reminder about the Holocaust. But I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, since the book is so tiresome; anyone tackling it better be ready for a long, dull ride. Then again, when you compare “Mein Kampf” to Iran’s president, who said that he wants to “wipe Israel off the map,” you wonder how far we should take it–was he just trying to piss everyone off with that remark, or is he serious about it? It’s sort of the same idea with “Mein Kampf”; few people took Hitler seriously when the book was published and, well, we know how things turned out. So we always watch guys like Ahmadinejad, to be on our toes and look at them with mistrust.

By: Dorothy W.

Dorothy W. — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 22:17:13 +0000

I’m interested in this series of posts too; I doubt I’ll ever read Mein Kampf, so I’m curious to hear what you have to say about it. It does sound like a fascinating, although very troubling read.

By: LK

LK — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:58:23 +0000

From a historical perspective, the book is important. But not as a piece of literature.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:50:26 +0000

Lesley: I first attempted “Mein Kampf” in high school, but I just couldn’t get past the first few pages–that’s how dense it is. And, after reading it for about a week or so, I’m only seventy pages into it; I can’t handle more than a few pages a night. The book is suffocating, but I do think it’s essential reading, especially if one wants to gain deeper insight into how the Holocaust came about. And Elie Wiesel hit the nail on the head: Hitler is frightening, and “Mein Kampf” is leaving me feeling dirty. It’s like reading pure evil.

Andi: I agree, its size can be off-putting; reading over six hundred pages of racism, political garbage, and propaganda is enough to wear anyone down. And I was almost afraid to post on the book; “Mein Kampf” has such strong connotations, even for those who haven’t read it, that I almost disabled comments for these posts. I just don’t want my blog becoming a dumping ground, but then I thought, “Well, I’m sure (I hope) most people are mature enough to discuss it.” But I’ve found myself choosing my words very carefully.

By: Andi

Andi — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:28:57 +0000

I’m with Lesley..I can understand the desire to read the book. I’ve often almost picked it up myself, the size being more of a deterrant than anything else.

I enjoyed this first installment and look forward to more!

By: Lesley

Lesley — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:14:35 +0000

I can understand the appeal of reading this book, getting inside the mind (at least what he chooses to share) of a man who was one of the major influences of the 20th century. I agree with you that ascribing his anti-Semitism to any one cause is an oversimplification – so many factors contributed to his hatred.