Ever since its release date of September 8, 2015, I had been seeing this book quoted in all sorts of legitimate writing both in the public media and in more academic articles about World War II, the Holocaust, genocide, and totalitarian governments. I am always involved in reading, research, and writing about liberal issues, dystopian governments, totalitarian governments, etc. and became particularly involved in these issues with the tragic rise to prominence of the TRAITOR & International Terrorist Trump. But I never ordered the book because my to be read list is always too long. Then in October 2017 my wife, Candice, and I took a long vacation in the Desert Southwest. On October 6, 2017, we happened to visit the El Paso Holocaust Museum which will receive a much deserved post on this blog sometime soon. When we completed out tour and went into the gift shop, the first thing to catch my eye was a copy of this book which I immediately bought. I finally finished reading it a few weeks ago and should have done so before October 2017 had passed.
 |
| Photo Of Timothy Snyder by The Book Haven |
"Black Earth..." is a wonderful piece of historical writing by one of the true experts on the subjects of the Holocaust, World War II, and Eastern Europe. Timothy Snyder has written a dozen or so books on a wide ranging list of subjects in at least four languages. It is reported in the latest issue of "The Nation" that he has just released his latest book, "The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America". Mr. Snyder is a professor of history at Yale University and is said to be able to do research in at least eight languages. To say the least, he is a prolific author, highly acclaimed professor, and prodigious researcher. The worst thing I can say about "Black Earth..." or Mr. Snyder is that he writes like a Yale professor of history. By that I mean that this is a complex, well researched, lengthy, and studious book. But do not let that keep you from reading it. The broad ranging analysis and statistical examination of the Holocaust, Hitler's ideas, and the execution of the war across all of Europe is highly educational and worthy of your time. The last three chapters and the conclusion are the least amount of this book that anyone should allow themselves to skip by with reading. On page 320 in the conclusion, Snyder writes "There is little reason to think that we are ethically superior to the Europeans of the 1930's and 1940's, or for that matter less vulnerable to the kind of ideas that Hitler so successfully promulgated and realized." That statement is absolutely true about America today.
We are seeing a time in our country where a usurper, TRAITOR, international terrorist, racist, demagogue, and would be dictator has been allowed to conspire and commit TREASON with an enemy of America and is still tolerated by a significant portion of America and allowed to live inside the White House with the assistance of a Russian Owned Criminal Syndicate. In early May, TRAITOR and international terrorist Trump stated that immigrants "...aren't people. These are animals." Those very same words were spoken by his hero, Adolph Hitler about Jews before and during the Holocaust. On several other occasions, TRAITOR and international terrorist Trump has used words written and spoken by Adolph Hitler. His followers, just as Hitler's followers did, cheer him on during these occasions, defend his use of them afterwards, and base their own hate filled actions on such quotes and actions. Timothy Snyder is dead center on target when he says that "...there is little reason to think we are ethically superior...". It is my sincere hope and heartfelt suggestion that each of you who reads this book review will also read "Black Earth...", take the information and ideas it contains to heart, and take future actions to prevent the possibility that another Holocaust directed Muslims, Hispanics, immigrants, the poor, the elderly, and the young can arise in America.
1 comment:
Thanks Roger
Post a Comment