Author:Christopher Browning
The Origins of the Final Solution is the most detailed, careful, and comprehensive analysis to date of the descent of the Nazi persecution of the Jews into mass murder: the Holocaust. Arguing that genocide was not a preconceived plan but rather a discovered possibility, Christopher Browning explains how Hitler's decision to murder the Jews en masse emerged in stages and by a process of elimination that gradually foreclosed plans for their expulsion from Europe. Only in the interval between late September and late October 1941 did the desire to "remove" the Jews intersect with the discovery of acceptable means of killing them on a large scale and with the euphoria of expected victory in Russia, all of which followed on from two years of 'race war' and 'racial imperialism' in eastern Europe that prepared 'ordinary Germans' for this fateful task.
Sensitive and nuanced, this is a fine piece of synthesis and analysis
—— Sunday TimesSuperb . . . [Browning] has created an eloquent, painstaking narrative of how the Final Solution evolved
—— Joshua Rubenstein , Wall Street JournalThis is a book of exceptional quality - The work of a historian at the peak of his powers, a magisterial study, a profound analysis of how the darkest chapter in human history could come about
—— Ian Kershaw, bestselling author of HitlerThis magisterial work... An unrivaled account of how the Nazi leadership ended up with a policy of industrialized mass murder of Jews - Probably no one is better qualified for this task than Christopher Browning.
—— Mark Mazower, New York TimesBrowning is persuasive because he marshals his evidence with unrivalled skill and writes with awesome clarity.
—— Literary ReviewTo seek an answer to "why", we have first to grasp "how" and pick our way down the track which leads...from "Expel to Exploit to Exterminate". On that journey, this book is the best guide.
—— ObserverA winning combination of forensic precision with the historian's skill of telling a story clearly and powerfully... A demonstration of what good history is about
—— Evening StandardA fine contribution to our knowledge of what became known as the Pasternak affair
—— Robert Service , Times Literary SupplementA you-couldn’t-make-it-up account of the CIA’s campaign to smuggle copies of Pasternak’s banned novel into the USSR
—— Mark Mason , SpectatorBeautifully crafted and scrupulously researched… The Zhivago Affair is a prime example of hard work and fidelity to a good story
—— Washington Post SundayAs gripping as any spy thriller
—— Sunday TimesFascinating...With a delightful eye for detail
—— Catherine Merridale , The TimesFinn and Couvée deal objectively with the characters involved and tell the story with exceptional vivacity
—— Literary ReviewA thrilling literary espionage yarn...sheds new light on the Cold War struggle for the hearts and minds of millions of people
—— Michael DobbsA fascinating tale that sheds new light on the literary front of the Cold War
—— Stephen Coulson , LadyHigh dudgeon, high stakes, high art
—— Robert Bound , MonocleA wonderful book
—— Angus Roxburgh , The HeraldA fast-paced political thriller about a book that terrified a nation
—— Kirkus ReviewsBrisk and thrilling...expertly told...a triumphant reminder that truth is sometimes gloriously stranger than fiction
—— Publishers WeeklyGroundbreaking reporting and character-rich storytelling... Passionately written...almost makes one nostalgic for a time when novels were so important that even the CIA cared about them
—— Ken KalfusA sparkling and fascinating account
—— David E. HoffmanWell-paced narrative...of great relevance today, when such conflicts seem (but only seem) to have disappeared.
—— Richard Pevear and Larissa VolokhonskyImmensely compelling
—— Fred Hiatt , The Pat BankerMeticulously researched
—— Duncan White , Irish IndependentThe true strength of this meticulously researched book is the placing of the revelations into the context of a compelling human drama
—— Weekly TelegraphEngrossing
—— Andrew Lynch , Sunday Business Post[An] outstanding treasure of literature
—— Market OracleImpeccably researched, and moving, this book breaks new ground
—— 5 stars , Sunday Telegraph