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Rating: 
Summary: Hitler's inner circle
Review: I purchased this book to gain a better understanding on the men who surrounded Hitler on his path to power and ultimate fall. What I found was that this book was satisfying even as a straight forward history of the European theatre of World War II. I have read a lot about Hitler himself (Kershaw's excellent two-volume biography is highly recommended) and, of course, Goring, Goebbels, and Himmler all played an important role in all the readings. However, this book focuses primarily on those three men and their lives.
While it was interesting to learn more about these three men, what I found most compelling is the author's total distaste for Von Ribbentrop, who I did not know so much about before reading this book. It was almost comical to read about Ribbentrop's bumbling approach to foriegn affairs and his total lack of tact in dealing with other nations. The author even goes so far as to implicitly blame Ribbentrop for World War II itself, given his failure to adequately advise Hitler as to the British intentions over the invasion of Poland.
As for Goring, it is clear that the author researched his subject to the point of even having a grudging admiration for him. The author spends a lot of time discussing Goring: his weaknesses in early life as he struggles with addiction, his flamboyant lifestyle once power is assumed, and his total preoccupation with atttaining as many titles as possible in the Reich (not that he was alone in this regard). Goring is to a point painted as being swept along unwillingly in the excesses of the Hitler regime, ie the Holocaust. The author, however, did a good job of showing that in the final analysis this is not true- his economic policies for subjugated nations called for hordes of slave labor, for example. Thus, while the author might intend to make the reader be amused at Goring's gaudy dress on one page, he was clear to point out on the next that it was the Nazi policies, of which Goring was an integral part, that caused so much human misery.
Himmler is give much less discussion by the author, but a little goes a long way to justify him as the personification of pure evil. For students of the Nazi era, this book will not open much new ground in relation to Himmler and his SS, of which much has been written. It was interesting to read about his ultimate end, as this was something I had not read about in detail. As for Goebbels, what the author emphasizes is just how awe-struck he was in the presence of Hitler. The author did open my eyes with the fact that Goebbels was actually a true Socialist who believed this ideal but swallowed his true views from the Fuhrer, on one occasion to save his life.
What becomes clear as this book is read is just how truly pathetic these men really were: willing to literally trample on those who could not defend themselves, while at the same time grabbing the spoils to build vast homes and wealth for themselves. This is a well-written book, an enjoyable read, and full of interesting asides as to the lives of the 'inner circle' of Hitler's regime. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A must own insider's expose.
Review: Buying this book I thought was just going to add to my library of books on the Second World War, its causes, conduct, and outcomes. As soon as I began reading, I knew I had something different. Anthony Read uncovers the specifics about the inner workings, dirty secrets, machinations, and back door politics of, arguably, the most infamous regime in the modern world. The depth of detail of the behind the scenes dealings of The Fuehrer's notorious henchmen is extremely well done. I especially liked the style of Mr Read's method of transitioning from one Disciple to the next in a very smooth, subtle manner.
When I started reading, I thought I would just read major excerpts from the book like you would read many other fact based volumes. The quantity of text is quite daunting at first blush. However, as I began, I knew this book was something special. It reads very quickly, and the many details about the Disciples are extremely insightful. Of particular interest are the episodes about some of the previously lesser written about characters in this dark opera such as Papen, Strasser, Rohm, Ribbentrop, and Hess. The major characters of Goring, Goebbels, and Himmler are covered thoroughly and with an insider's eye. It's as though Read were actually a fly on the wall witness to all of the proceedings. Covered in extreme detail also is the center of the web, Hitler. I was impressed that Mr Read portrayed Hitler during his rise to power as not only a mesmerizing orator, but also a procrastinator, frequently indecisive, and usually inconsistent with his handling of difficult situations.
The reading on the war years, while just as well done and interesting, were not as spellbinding to me as the rise to power of the National Socialists. I often caught myself thinking as I read the book on what would have transpired had Goebbels had the technology of our mass media communications of today. He would have been even more in his element of attempting to be a great communicator and espousing the deceit of his mentor, Hitler.
I highly recommend this book to World War Two officianados and to readers of the world's tumultuous changes between WW I and WW II in Europe. Don't be put off by the book's length. Once you start reading, you'll be hooked and very satisfied with the content, style, and accuracy. Thanks Anthony Read.
Rating: 
Summary: Faustian Bargains With Hitler Lead to Ignominous Death
Review: Anthony Read has written a wonderful book on a horrible tyrrany. Read traces the rise of Nazism from its infamous beginnings in post World WarI Germany to the fall of the Third Recih and the trial of the Nazi Criminals at Nuremburg.
Read focuses on the three men closest to Hitler in the rise
to power. Herman Goring the master of the Lutfwaffe; Joseph Goebbels the Mephistopheles of the Ministry of Propaganda and
the chicken farmer turned mass murderer and leader of the SS
Henreich Himmler. The book is lengthy with over 900 pages filled with excellent thumbnail sketches of the personalities who together made Germany a prison for anyone who wishes to think for themselves and live in a climate of religious toleration.
Anyone who teaches the history of the Third Reich should use this book. The only caveat is its lack of maps and detailed notes in the bibliography.
Read kept my attention throughout this worthwhile tour through the Dantian hell of Hitlerian Germany.
The book is a tour de force and worthy of praise!
Rating:
Summary: A Faustian tale of HItler's Evil Lieutenants in lurid detail
Review: Hitler was the evil genius of the rise of Nazism in post-World War I Germany. Everyone knows his name but few know how he rose to power using fiendish guile, deceit, trickery, thuggery and
Antisemtic hatred to rise from the streets of Vienna to his
ghoulish death in a Berlin bunker in 1945.
In this 900 page popular history of the rise and fall of Nazism the British historian Anthony Read tells the story of
Nazism by tracking the career of Hitler's evil trinity of
Herman Goring, Dr. J. Goebbels and Himmler the sadistic and
cruel head of the SS.
As one who has read countless books on the Nazi era I would place this easy to read and understand book as one of the best.
It is a cautionary tale of how intelligent men and amoral bounders can alike be seduced by the siren call of a dictator
such as Hitler.
The one problem I have with the work is the lack of maps.
This book doesn't have anything new to say about the era for scholars but as a digestible history of the times it is outstanding.
I have enjoyed Read's work in the past and hope this latest volume will do well in the United States. The evil of Nazism and the hatred between the races must never be forgotten in our historical consciousness.
Well recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: A Rushed History
Review: Mr Reads multi-biography of the inner circle of the Nazi movement suffers from several key problems such as the inability to distinguish who is a member of the group in question, the decline of non-military personnel during the war, some sloppy research and the inevitability of the book becoming a biography of Adolf Hitler more than anything else.
As any student of the Third Reich knows, it is difficult to choose a "second man" of the Reich. Hess, Bormann, Goebbels, Goering, Speer and Himmler have all been named as possibilities with many others suggested but the truth is, after Hitler any name could be used from the leadership of party, state or military, as the main guide as to policy was Hitler himself and faliure to adopt the politically correct line would lead to sidelining (eg. Hermann Esser, Ernst Roehm, Richard Walter Darre).
I was disapointed to see that Mr Read had not researched the military aspect of the Third Reich to a sufficient degree. The section covering the greatest conflict of history is the shortest section of the book with glaring errors. For instance, the armbands the 1st SS Panzer Division Liebstandarte "Adolf Hitler" wear are adorned with "Adolf Hitler" not the SS motto "Meine Ehre Heist Treue" (My Honour Is Loyalty) which is inscribed on the belt-buckles. Mr Read also resorts to a patronising tone when refering to some of the best military commanders of the Second World War. Just because they lost does not necessitate snide remarks.
My advice to those interested in Nazi Germany is to buy individual biographies, you will gain much more from them than this book, as it tries to fulfill too many goals in too little space.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Work!
Review: Nazi Germany and the administration behind is it as become, in the popular lexicon, absolutely synonymous with evil. Rightly so, but I often feel that this casual characterization of the whole enterprise frustrates more scholarly examinations. If we just paint the whole regime with that wide, all inclusive brush, don't we suffer in the long run? Why were these men evil, what was the structure that existed that allowed them to wield such power and accomplish such horrific things? If we just say evil, then nothing is learned. Recent histories of the Third Reich and its leading members have been very good, but the best I have read in the last few years is without a doubt Anthony Read's The Devil's Disciples. To me, this is a really monumental work, on par with Kershaw's double biography of Hitler. While other books just lump all the leaders together, making them all interchangeably horrid, Read follows each individual throughout the history of the Third Reich, picking up on their many private motivations and their characteristic insecurities. Most of those that became the real heavyweights behind Nazi Germany followed Hitler early on. Joseph Goebbels, a struggling writer and intellectual, was drawn to the socialist bent of Hitler's message. Hermann Goering, a decorated World War I ace was attracted to Hitler's virulent opposition to the Versailles Treaty and all of the anti-military ills of the Weimar Republic. Heinrich Himmler, an amateur farmer who dreamed of mythic military glory and loved Hitler's paramilitary infrastructure. All of this men, fairly intelligent, were totally won over by Hitler's legendary hypnotic speaking style. They became his closest political allies early on, especially Goebbels, who helped construct the Nazi political campaigns of the late 20's and early 30's. Even in the face of adversity, such as the failure of the Beer Hall putsch, they were steadfast in their allegiance to the Fuhrer, especially Goebbels, who is sickening in his willingness to compromise everything he believes in in order to appease Hitler. These men became all the more dangerous as the Nazi's insidiously gained control of Germany in 1933. As the Nazi's began to take over every facet of life in Nazi Germany, those closest to Hitler began to fill niches in the dictatorship. Goebbels eventually became propaganda minister, Goering the Luftwaffe and the new economic programs, and Himmler started with the small SS. Other equally repulsive thugs took positions, such as Hess, Heydrich, and Rohm. The Nazi government was one characterized by incessant back biting and powerplays, as Hitler's removed leadership style fostered brutal political infighting. To move ahead, coalitions would destroy a common enemy, such as the SA leadership in the Night of the Long Knives. As the Reich began to expand into Austria and Czechoslavakia, Hitler's captains ruthlessly began to wield their own influence overseas. Goering soon became the most powerful business magnate in Europe, pillaging whole nations, a blueprint that was about to be horrifically exported. New figures emerged, such as Ribbentrop and Speer, all of whom were strangely dedicated to being close to their god like leader. One way to do this was to step up the amount of anti-Semitic violence, a task in which the fanatics such as Himmler reveled. Once the war started, the system of death and economic devastation was brought to the conquered lands of Europe. The most horrifying part of the book to me was the absolute nonchalance the Nazi hierarchy showed while ordering the deaths of millions upon millions of people. The empire was built on death, and people like Himmler were determined to mold it into a terrifying new order. Their philosophy was fiendishly selfish, with no concern for morality or temperance. As the war began to turn against them, the minions of the Reich accelerated their squabbling, fighting over the crumbling pieces of the Nazi empire. As Hitler degenerated into madness, they grew bolder in their initiatives, including the Final Solution. The most satisfying part of the book was to read the last days of these wretched individuals, who, in their unbelievably delusional minds, felt they would play some role in post war Germany. Most of them died like the cowards they were. The book is just excellent. It is rich in detail at 900+ pages, but it flows and has an intense narrative. Read really knows how to write effectively, constantly informing but never boring. His profiles of the various Nazi leaders are amazingly engaging, you don't forget their origins as you read their various exploits. While there are really no new explanations, you still learn some new viewpoints on various actions and events that occurred during the Nazi regime. It is an eminently readable and entertaining account of mankind's darkest hour.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Work!
Review: Nazi Germany and the administration behind is it as become, in the popular lexicon, absolutely synonymous with evil. Rightly so, but I often feel that this casual characterization of the whole enterprise frustrates more scholarly examinations. If we just paint the whole regime with that wide, all inclusive brush, don't we suffer in the long run? Why were these men evil, what was the structure that existed that allowed them to wield such power and accomplish such horrific things? If we just say evil, then nothing is learned. Recent histories of the Third Reich and its leading members have been very good, but the best I have read in the last few years is without a doubt Anthony Read's The Devil's Disciples. To me, this is a really monumental work, on par with Kershaw's double biography of Hitler. While other books just lump all the leaders together, making them all interchangeably horrid, Read follows each individual throughout the history of the Third Reich, picking up on their many private motivations and their characteristic insecurities. Most of those that became the real heavyweights behind Nazi Germany followed Hitler early on. Joseph Goebbels, a struggling writer and intellectual, was drawn to the socialist bent of Hitler's message. Hermann Goering, a decorated World War I ace was attracted to Hitler's virulent opposition to the Versailles Treaty and all of the anti-military ills of the Weimar Republic. Heinrich Himmler, an amateur farmer who dreamed of mythic military glory and loved Hitler's paramilitary infrastructure. All of this men, fairly intelligent, were totally won over by Hitler's legendary hypnotic speaking style. They became his closest political allies early on, especially Goebbels, who helped construct the Nazi political campaigns of the late 20's and early 30's. Even in the face of adversity, such as the failure of the Beer Hall putsch, they were steadfast in their allegiance to the Fuhrer, especially Goebbels, who is sickening in his willingness to compromise everything he believes in in order to appease Hitler. These men became all the more dangerous as the Nazi's insidiously gained control of Germany in 1933. As the Nazi's began to take over every facet of life in Nazi Germany, those closest to Hitler began to fill niches in the dictatorship. Goebbels eventually became propaganda minister, Goering the Luftwaffe and the new economic programs, and Himmler started with the small SS. Other equally repulsive thugs took positions, such as Hess, Heydrich, and Rohm. The Nazi government was one characterized by incessant back biting and powerplays, as Hitler's removed leadership style fostered brutal political infighting. To move ahead, coalitions would destroy a common enemy, such as the SA leadership in the Night of the Long Knives. As the Reich began to expand into Austria and Czechoslavakia, Hitler's captains ruthlessly began to wield their own influence overseas. Goering soon became the most powerful business magnate in Europe, pillaging whole nations, a blueprint that was about to be horrifically exported. New figures emerged, such as Ribbentrop and Speer, all of whom were strangely dedicated to being close to their god like leader. One way to do this was to step up the amount of anti-Semitic violence, a task in which the fanatics such as Himmler reveled. Once the war started, the system of death and economic devastation was brought to the conquered lands of Europe. The most horrifying part of the book to me was the absolute nonchalance the Nazi hierarchy showed while ordering the deaths of millions upon millions of people. The empire was built on death, and people like Himmler were determined to mold it into a terrifying new order. Their philosophy was fiendishly selfish, with no concern for morality or temperance. As the war began to turn against them, the minions of the Reich accelerated their squabbling, fighting over the crumbling pieces of the Nazi empire. As Hitler degenerated into madness, they grew bolder in their initiatives, including the Final Solution. The most satisfying part of the book was to read the last days of these wretched individuals, who, in their unbelievably delusional minds, felt they would play some role in post war Germany. Most of them died like the cowards they were. The book is just excellent. It is rich in detail at 900+ pages, but it flows and has an intense narrative. Read really knows how to write effectively, constantly informing but never boring. His profiles of the various Nazi leaders are amazingly engaging, you don't forget their origins as you read their various exploits. While there are really no new explanations, you still learn some new viewpoints on various actions and events that occurred during the Nazi regime. It is an eminently readable and entertaining account of mankind's darkest hour.
Rating:
Summary: A Lengthy Book That Will Hold Your Interest
Review: The product details states this book is 352 pages while it actually is 923 pages of text not counting the index. Anthony Read has covered the rise of the Third Reich from its beginnings during the Weimar Republic between World Wars I and II until its capitulation in the spring of 1945. All of Hitler's infamous henchmen are here as various ones, each one jealous of the others, vie for favorable standing within the party to gain favor with the Fuhrer. If you are looking for a book on Hitler and his cohorts, this mammoth volume will bring it all to life for you.
Rating:
Summary: holy cow!
Review: this is the best account of the inner day to day machinations of hitler's rise to power yet! wm. shirer left so much out! its fascinatingly told and once started you wont wanna put it down! its not for the faint of heart as every single detail is enclosed. Read has taken the diaries of all the major characters and placed the most significant details in an almost chronological order! i am only half way through and they haven't started the invasion of Poland yet! it does tend to concentrate on the main characters and the important decisions they made that lead to what happened. Read uses a lot of German names of places that can be confusing. a glossary would have been helpful. it will rate with Shirer's accounts of the third reich for centuies to come!
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