Since my last review was appreciated by users, I have decided to write another review of sorts. This time on a book that I liked far more and which is one of only two books that I have read so far that made me genuinely emotional. This book is titled The Young Hitler I Knew, written by August Kubizek.
Kubizek was the only close friend that Hitler had as an adolescent. The friendship that Kubizek and Hitler enjoyed was one that was quite intimate, the type of male bond that we are no longer allowed to have in the modern west. The book reveals details about what Hitler was like in private, both the good and the bad side of his character. I have to admit that in terms of his bad side, the way he was described in the book reminded me a lot of ER.
Now, part of what makes this book interesting is that it was written after the war which would make you think that the writer would have distanced himself from Hitler as this was in a period in which Germans were trying to cut all the ties they had with the movement they had enthusiastically supported before the war. But no, Kubizek stayed a true friend to Hitler till the end and never once badmouthed the man in the book for his actions as the Fuhrer, this becomes most apparent in the final chapter in which he recalls being questioned by American soldiers for his connection to Hitler. Kubizek himself didn't really want much to do with politics though so don't fear that this is a highly political book that is not readable if you don't care about political ideologies.
Hitler, the young man, will prove to be quite relatable to most users here which is partly why I enjoyed the book so much. Even though he grew up in a different time from us, he struggled with many of the same issues as young men today. Take for example his issues with the education system; Kubizek describes Hitler as an intelligent and learned young man who spend much of his free time reading philosophers such as Nietzsche but does not feel much motivation to achieve positive results in school.
By far the most emotional part of the book is the chapter describing the death of Hitler's mother and the days after (she happened to die just a short while before Christmas). Kubizek and Hitler's mother were the only companions that Hitler really had in his youth. Without them, he was pretty much isolated from the world. Some quotes from this chapter:
A notable "character" of the book, and this is where the review becomes incel-related, is Stefanie. Stefanie was Hitler's crush who he was madly in love with but his shy character and lack of experience with women made it so that he never actually dared to ask her out or anything of the sorts. Kubizek claims that Hitler never really 'got over' Stefanie, that she was essentially the image of the perfect woman in his eyes and this may have played in a role in his unwillingness to marry later in his life.
I can write more on the book but I think simply quoting some notable parts from chapter 7 will do it more justice:
Kubizek was the only close friend that Hitler had as an adolescent. The friendship that Kubizek and Hitler enjoyed was one that was quite intimate, the type of male bond that we are no longer allowed to have in the modern west. The book reveals details about what Hitler was like in private, both the good and the bad side of his character. I have to admit that in terms of his bad side, the way he was described in the book reminded me a lot of ER.
Now, part of what makes this book interesting is that it was written after the war which would make you think that the writer would have distanced himself from Hitler as this was in a period in which Germans were trying to cut all the ties they had with the movement they had enthusiastically supported before the war. But no, Kubizek stayed a true friend to Hitler till the end and never once badmouthed the man in the book for his actions as the Fuhrer, this becomes most apparent in the final chapter in which he recalls being questioned by American soldiers for his connection to Hitler. Kubizek himself didn't really want much to do with politics though so don't fear that this is a highly political book that is not readable if you don't care about political ideologies.
Hitler, the young man, will prove to be quite relatable to most users here which is partly why I enjoyed the book so much. Even though he grew up in a different time from us, he struggled with many of the same issues as young men today. Take for example his issues with the education system; Kubizek describes Hitler as an intelligent and learned young man who spend much of his free time reading philosophers such as Nietzsche but does not feel much motivation to achieve positive results in school.
By far the most emotional part of the book is the chapter describing the death of Hitler's mother and the days after (she happened to die just a short while before Christmas). Kubizek and Hitler's mother were the only companions that Hitler really had in his youth. Without them, he was pretty much isolated from the world. Some quotes from this chapter:
A notable "character" of the book, and this is where the review becomes incel-related, is Stefanie. Stefanie was Hitler's crush who he was madly in love with but his shy character and lack of experience with women made it so that he never actually dared to ask her out or anything of the sorts. Kubizek claims that Hitler never really 'got over' Stefanie, that she was essentially the image of the perfect woman in his eyes and this may have played in a role in his unwillingness to marry later in his life.
I can write more on the book but I think simply quoting some notable parts from chapter 7 will do it more justice:
