Adolf Hitler

May 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-Buckley describes how Adolf Hitler came to be the despot who plunged the world into a global conflict and initiated the murder of millions-and why the German people sanctioned his horrifying rise to power. Though the goals of this work of history are ambitious and its copious details are provided with careful explanations, the overall effect is an uneven one: some events and key players are given great attention, while others receive only a mention. For instance, there is almost an entire chapter devoted to Winston Churchill and the Battle of Britain while equally pivotal battles, such as the Battle of the Bulge, merit only a few paragraphs. The Holocaust is addressed in terms that are lucid and understandable, and the text ties the Nazis' early efforts at civil oppression and legal discrimination against Jewish people to their later campaigns of violence and extermination. Yet there are few historical details about the concentration camps, and the most evocative element of this part of the narrative is a sidebar on the story of Anne Frank. Nevertheless, this is a useful addition to collections, in part because of its coverage of Hitler's youth and young adulthood and the influence of these early relationships and experiences on his later actions. VERDICT This thorough biography of one of history's monsters is recommended for upper junior high school readers with an interest in history and the political and social sciences.-Kelly Kingrey-Edwards, Blinn Junior College, Brenham, TX

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