Book

The Atlantic Monthly review includes, not one, but two words that need to be banned, at least temporarily, from all book reviews: magisterial and deft.

Evans, Richard J. The Coming of the Third Reich. Penguin.

Atlantic Monthly: “will long remain the definitive English-language account…Evans’s tone is cool and authoritative. But his book is not without flaws…the opening sections are diffuse and intellectually lazy…An always reliable, often magisterial synthesis of a vast body of scholarship, and a frequently deft blend of narrative and interpretation…an impressive achievement.” Library Journal: “impressive…Recommended for all libraries.” Publishers Weekly: “gripping if overwhelmingly detailed.” Kirkus: “A brilliant synthesis…a peerless work…Of immense importance to general readers—and even some specialists—seeking to understand the origins of the Nazi regime.” New Statesman: “Evans is a fluent and impassioned writer…Apart from an excellent section on the Depression, he is not strong on economic issues…Hugely enjoyable. Evans is an agreeable and knowledgeable companion with whom to travel through the dense thickets of 20th century German history.” Booklist: “Although he breaks no new ground, Evans has written a highly readable and comprehensive account. Thankfully, he does not fall into the trap of looking for proto-Nazis as far back as Luther…a first-rate narrative history that informs and educates and may inspire readers to delve even deeper into the subject.”