radiofreekitmo's review
2.0
Oxford University Press publishes a series of books called Very Short Introductions on a variety of topics. While this book might appear at first glance to be in the same vein, it is more of a series of reflections on concentration camps in generally chronological order.
One of the main questions of the book seems to be: “what is a concentration camp?” There is a vague definition in the introduction, a different but equally vague definition in the last chapter (neither of which are much discussed or justified), but the main answer seems to be: it depends. That is fine. But some places Stone identifies as camps contradict his original definition, and some that he doesn’t identify as camps fit his definition.
Which concentration camps (or things that might be concentration camps) get coverage and which don’t is rather puzzling. Stone seems certain that the camps of the Bosnian genocide were indeed concentration camps, but doesn’t devote even a full paragraph to them. He seems equally certain that DP camps for Jews after WWII were not concentration camps, but spends a great deal of time discussing them. These issues make the book seem rambling and at times almost incoherent. The last chapter is an almost stream-of-consciousness series of quotes from others and Stone’s thoughts on them.
The book contains many questions, some of them interesting and thought-provoking. Just don’t expect many concrete answers.
One of the main questions of the book seems to be: “what is a concentration camp?” There is a vague definition in the introduction, a different but equally vague definition in the last chapter (neither of which are much discussed or justified), but the main answer seems to be: it depends. That is fine. But some places Stone identifies as camps contradict his original definition, and some that he doesn’t identify as camps fit his definition.
Which concentration camps (or things that might be concentration camps) get coverage and which don’t is rather puzzling. Stone seems certain that the camps of the Bosnian genocide were indeed concentration camps, but doesn’t devote even a full paragraph to them. He seems equally certain that DP camps for Jews after WWII were not concentration camps, but spends a great deal of time discussing them. These issues make the book seem rambling and at times almost incoherent. The last chapter is an almost stream-of-consciousness series of quotes from others and Stone’s thoughts on them.
The book contains many questions, some of them interesting and thought-provoking. Just don’t expect many concrete answers.
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