War is Over



In January I started the third volume of Richard J. Evan's trilogy on the Third Reich: The Third Reich At War. On Friday (July 1st) I finished the book: 926 pages plus a preface. Reading a little bit each day (after my morning Bible study), it took me about 5.5 months to finish this volume.  My experience with the second volume is detailed in my January 16th post. I started volume one of the trilogy on May 6, 2010!

Excerpts from the Preface:
"This book tells the story of the Third Reich...from the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939 to its end in Europe on 8 May 1945."
"...the subject matter of which was sometimes shocking and depressing almost beyond belief."
The front flap of the dust jacket:
 "...Evans traces the rise and demise of German military might, as well as the mobilization of an entire"people's community" in the service of a war of conquest, racial subjugation and genocide."

"Adroitly blending narrative, description and analysis, Richard J. Evans portrays a society rushing headlong to self-destruction and taking much of Europe with it. The Third Reich at War is an absorbing, revelatory and definitive account of one of the greatest tragedies in human history."



An ironic confluence occurred during my reading as I was also reading a book of essays on William Golding's Lord of the Flies and I started to read/study the Book of Job (in the Bible). I realized that evil is unfortunately still with us and the associated issues have not diminished. We must be vigilant and proactive; but depressingly, we seem to be oblivious to the path we as a society are taking. Reading this trilogy was like climbing a mountain. I am glad to have reached the top but the view is troubling.