Hitler (Profiles in Power)
by Ian Kershaw
★ Top 25 book of 1998 · #20 on Best Books of 1998
This life of the German dictator follows him from a modest birth in an Austrian village to his death in a Berlin bunker. It draws on newly used sources to explain the settings and conditions that enabled his rise to power.
Best for: History readers seeking a serious, thorough account of Hitler's life and rise
Hitler (Profiles in Power) is #20 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar.
What Hitler (Profiles in Power) is about
Ian Kershaw traces the life of Adolf Hitler from a modest birth in a small Austrian village to his death in a Berlin bunker. Along the way he rebuilds the worlds that shaped the story: antisemitic Vienna before the First World War, the war itself, the nationalism of 1920s Bavaria, and a Weimar Republic pulled apart by extremists on both sides. Kershaw treats Hitler as a dull man with no private life to speak of, and he resists the habit of explaining history through one person. Social, cultural and economic conditions mattered more, he argues, and ambitious subordinates often drove radical acts by guessing what their leader wanted. Hitler is still held to account. Readers of modern history will find a clear, carefully reasoned guide.
Hitler (Profiles in Power) on the Best Books of 1998
Hitler (Profiles in Power) came out in 1998. Of the 36 books first published in 1998 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #20 on our Best Books of 1998 list.
Why it made the list: 216 readers have shelved it on Open Library. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 1998 list
- Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World Jennifer L. Armstrong, #18
- The Price of a Bride Michelle Reid, #19
See all Best Books of 1998 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1997 Best Books of 1999.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 195 want to read it, 13 are reading it now and 8 have read it, according to Open Library.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 42 | 55% |
| Reader love | 14 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 50 | 20% |
Questions about Hitler (Profiles in Power)
When was Hitler (Profiles in Power) published?
Hitler (Profiles in Power) by Ian Kershaw was first published in 1998.
Was Hitler (Profiles in Power) one of the best books of 1998?
Hitler (Profiles in Power) is #20 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar. 216 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Why is Hitler (Profiles in Power) on the Best Books of 1998 list?
216 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
More of the best books of 1998
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling, #1
- Holes Louis Sachar, #2
- A Clash of Kings George R. R. Martin, #3
- Bag of Bones Stephen King, #4
- Among the Hidden Margaret Peterson Haddix, #5
- Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, #6
See the full Best Books of 1998, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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