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Hitler: The Psychiatric Files
How did a former Austrian corporal in the Bavarian army with no apparent gift for leadership or strategy become the leader of one of the most civilized countries in Europe and turn it into a nightmare state? This is an accessible, concise and penetrating analysis of Adolf Hitler, the most enigmatic figure of the 20th century. Drawing on sound psychological principles used to draw up documents of the time, Hitler: the Psychiatric Files presents revealing insights into one of the world's most murderous dictators.
- GenresHistory
208 pages, ebook
First published July 30, 2016
About the author
Nigel Cawthorne
333 books132 followersNigel Cawthorne is an Anglo-American writer of fiction and non-fiction, and an editor. He has written more than 80 books on a wide range of subjects and has contributed to The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph Daily Mail and The New York Times. He has appeared on television and BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Many of Nigel Cawthorne's books are compilations of popular history, without footnotes, references or bibliographies. His own web site refers to a description of his home as a "book-writing factory" and says, "More than half my books were commissioned by publishers and packagers for a flat fee or for a for a reduced royalty".
One of his most notable works was Taking Back My Name, an autobiography of Ike Turner, with whom he spent a number of weeks working with him on, taking up residence in Turner's house. The book caused much controversy, resulting in court cases for three years following its release.
Cawthorne currently lives in Bloomsbury, London with his girlfriend and son, Colin (born 1982).
Many of Nigel Cawthorne's books are compilations of popular history, without footnotes, references or bibliographies. His own web site refers to a description of his home as a "book-writing factory" and says, "More than half my books were commissioned by publishers and packagers for a flat fee or for a for a reduced royalty".
One of his most notable works was Taking Back My Name, an autobiography of Ike Turner, with whom he spent a number of weeks working with him on, taking up residence in Turner's house. The book caused much controversy, resulting in court cases for three years following its release.
Cawthorne currently lives in Bloomsbury, London with his girlfriend and son, Colin (born 1982).
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 24, 2021
Un libro que lo podemos dividir en dos partes, la partes histórica y social y la parte psicológica y psiquiatra, y a pesar del título del libro, la mejor parte fue la primera, ya que cuando se centra en los diagnósticos psicológicos y su personalidad llega a ser muy repetitivo.
November 16, 2016
Review: HITLER: THE PSYCHIATRIC FILES by Nigel Cawthorne
Although the quantity of deaths for which he was responsible was far exceeded by both Stalin and Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-Tung), Adolf Hitler's infamy persists. More than 80 years after he determined to assume power, he is still an enigma, not for what he did, but for the reasons behind his actions. In this study author Nigel Cawthorne carefully examines the nature of Adolf Hitler's personal pathology.
Driven by his megalomaniacal conviction that “I cannot be mistaken. What I do and say is historical,” [quoted from text, p. 16], Hitler grasped at power first and foremost, without a cogent plan of action or a platform. As early as 1940, psychoanalysts and psychatrists began to formulate studies of the mind of Hitler, based on what available information existed, such as newsreels of speeches, and his writings.
Drawing on numerous extant sources, author Nigel Cawthorne delineates a clarifying portrait of a man whose obvious mental illness and shortcomings, in the natural course, would have resented in a life poor in quality, and likely homelessness. Yet this same individual managed to take power, become a dictator, and control a nation with his on-again, off-again, charisma and hypnotic gaze. HITLER: THE PSYCHIATRIC FILES makes for fascinating, thought-provoking, reading.
Although the quantity of deaths for which he was responsible was far exceeded by both Stalin and Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-Tung), Adolf Hitler's infamy persists. More than 80 years after he determined to assume power, he is still an enigma, not for what he did, but for the reasons behind his actions. In this study author Nigel Cawthorne carefully examines the nature of Adolf Hitler's personal pathology.
Driven by his megalomaniacal conviction that “I cannot be mistaken. What I do and say is historical,” [quoted from text, p. 16], Hitler grasped at power first and foremost, without a cogent plan of action or a platform. As early as 1940, psychoanalysts and psychatrists began to formulate studies of the mind of Hitler, based on what available information existed, such as newsreels of speeches, and his writings.
Drawing on numerous extant sources, author Nigel Cawthorne delineates a clarifying portrait of a man whose obvious mental illness and shortcomings, in the natural course, would have resented in a life poor in quality, and likely homelessness. Yet this same individual managed to take power, become a dictator, and control a nation with his on-again, off-again, charisma and hypnotic gaze. HITLER: THE PSYCHIATRIC FILES makes for fascinating, thought-provoking, reading.
May 8, 2018
I highly recommend this for anyone interested in Hitler and this time period in History.
December 3, 2016
This book was really weird. I expected it to offer a psychological profile base on historical documents and current psychiatric standards (as the book's blurb promised), but it was essentially a summary or a paraphrase of two psychological profiles written during WWII.
The book often repeats itself, the structure not really thought out with the two older profiles being covered one after the other even if they cover the same talking point. Also, the book contradicts itself at various instances and the conjectures from Cawthorne and the authors of the older psychological profiles often seem over the top. Nobody contests that Hitler probably wasn't the sanest person, but the some of the things implied in this book seem somewhat ridiculous and more like propaganda than an actual profile that ought to be taken seriously. Especially, the parts on Hitler's sex life and his alleged fetishes and Oedipus complex, seem less like actual well-researched facts and clinical diagnoses, than an over-the-top attempt at propaganda and an misdirected attempt at discrediting an already despicable person. Why psychiatrists would spend this much time on Hitler's sexuality to explain why he murdered millions of people is anybody's guess, but the arguments in this book certainly did not convince me in any way. Considering that the profiles cited in this book were written more than 70 years ago probably explains why some of the ideas expressed in them seem so outdated (e.g. homosexuality is a perversion and masochism is bad) which is why I would have hoped that Cawthorne offered a modern reading of Hitler and his psychology.
The book often repeats itself, the structure not really thought out with the two older profiles being covered one after the other even if they cover the same talking point. Also, the book contradicts itself at various instances and the conjectures from Cawthorne and the authors of the older psychological profiles often seem over the top. Nobody contests that Hitler probably wasn't the sanest person, but the some of the things implied in this book seem somewhat ridiculous and more like propaganda than an actual profile that ought to be taken seriously. Especially, the parts on Hitler's sex life and his alleged fetishes and Oedipus complex, seem less like actual well-researched facts and clinical diagnoses, than an over-the-top attempt at propaganda and an misdirected attempt at discrediting an already despicable person. Why psychiatrists would spend this much time on Hitler's sexuality to explain why he murdered millions of people is anybody's guess, but the arguments in this book certainly did not convince me in any way. Considering that the profiles cited in this book were written more than 70 years ago probably explains why some of the ideas expressed in them seem so outdated (e.g. homosexuality is a perversion and masochism is bad) which is why I would have hoped that Cawthorne offered a modern reading of Hitler and his psychology.
February 8, 2017
I had truly high expectations of this book. It sounded fascinating, and who wouldn't like to peek into the psychiatric files of someone as infamous as Hitler?
It seems that this book was very well researched. It gave a detailed history of Hitler, but I was disappointed though. The psychiatric files were written by people who never had contact with Hitler. It would be equivalent to the profiles compiled today of suspects in serial killings etc. It was interesting to read all the theories and it did give some insight into the persona that was Hitler.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
It seems that this book was very well researched. It gave a detailed history of Hitler, but I was disappointed though. The psychiatric files were written by people who never had contact with Hitler. It would be equivalent to the profiles compiled today of suspects in serial killings etc. It was interesting to read all the theories and it did give some insight into the persona that was Hitler.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 31, 2020
Interesting stuff....A mixture of the history of Adolf Hitler, with the report created by Walter Langer and his team for the OSS during World War II. Langer was spot on about many things including Hitler's suicide.
November 8, 2019
2,5*
Poměrně zajímavý nápad, ale bohužel jsem po chvíli měla pocit, že se informace dost opakují. Velký potenciál zůstal poměrně nevyužitý.
Poměrně zajímavý nápad, ale bohužel jsem po chvíli měla pocit, že se informace dost opakují. Velký potenciál zůstal poměrně nevyužitý.
March 24, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Arcturus Digital in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!!
This book was an interesting read. It's not a particularly detailed account of the pyschoanalysis of Hitler and one might do better seeking out a more indept account of the working of Hitlers mind. The psychology is fairly amatuerish and there seems to be a repetition of information through out the book. Overall an okay read.
This book was an interesting read. It's not a particularly detailed account of the pyschoanalysis of Hitler and one might do better seeking out a more indept account of the working of Hitlers mind. The psychology is fairly amatuerish and there seems to be a repetition of information through out the book. Overall an okay read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews