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starthelostgirl's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderfully compassionate history of the Holocaust. Bergen takes the time to explain why she uses the terms she does and consciously rejects terms that make genocide sound less awful - eg instead of using the Nazi terms "euthanasia program" and "Final Solution" she always refers to the murder of Jews and others as just that - murder. She focuses on groups that are often forgotten in discussions of the Holocaust. This book is difficult to read because it conveys the immense horror of the Holocaust in a very human, emotional way.
lielos99's review against another edition
5.0
I haven't read many books like this. Though it's suppose to be a textbook, it felt far from that. It was easy to read and filled with so many details and facts I never knew. A great resource for those wanting to learn more about the times.
suchacommotion's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Description says it on the tin. Bergen provides a critical, yet accessible, history of the Holocaust. The third edition revises language from previous editions with more respectful, updated language. Her historiography is concise, critical, and informative without drowning the reader.
elisabeth888's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, War, and Deportation
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
creechance's review against another edition
4.0
"War and Genocide" is an interesting book about what drove the Nazis to do something as irrational as the Holecaust. Bergen sums it up as "race and space" and thereby explains why the Nazis devoted so many men and military resources to something that was anything but necessary to the war effort. If you're looking for a book that explains how something as terrible as the Holecaust happened, or how the Nazis rose to power in such a highly developed and educated nation, look elsewhere. This book seeks to answer the question of why they put so much effort into killing innocents. And it does a good job.
jillwrigley's review against another edition
3.0
As far as a Holocaust textbook goes, it wasn't bad. The first few chapters gave a lot of boring background details, but as you moved into the actual war, it got better. There were enough personal anecdotes to keep it interesting, and plenty of disgusting details about the horrors to make you feel sick.
smappygai1's review against another edition
5.0
Relevant:
"This history has no happy ending, no uplifting message of redemption. It leaves us only with human beings, with their startling capacities for good and evil, and with an awareness of the complex ties that connect the fates of people and nations all over the world."
"This history has no happy ending, no uplifting message of redemption. It leaves us only with human beings, with their startling capacities for good and evil, and with an awareness of the complex ties that connect the fates of people and nations all over the world."
kcheek's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
carlyroth10's review against another edition
4.0
Had to read it for class, but genuinely enjoyed it (which is why it even gets to be shelved in my goodreads).