Mein Kampf Top Selling Ebook.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2536156/Hitlers-Mein-Kampf-tops-bestselling-ebooks-charts-curious-readers-discreetly-download-taboo-manifesto-like-smut-romance-novels.html

Of historical interest, political pornography, a morbid interest, or because a person can now just download this book without actually going into a book shop and buying it, what could be the reason why Hitler's book has become a top seller?

[ichkeria]

I'm - er - told that one thing Mein Kampf and Fifty Shades of Grey have in common is their unreadability

[naomi24]

^^I can vouch for the unreadability of Mein Kampf.

[sandyRoe]

He certainly led an eventful life. It must take a great lack of writing talent to make the account of it unreadable. Should he have employed a ghost writer?

[mushroom25]

are there any royalties accruing? if so, who gets them?

[anotheoldgit]

Those claims of 'unreadability' are obviously not supported by the very fact that it has become a best seller, obviously a very large number must find it 'readable'.

[rockyracoon]

I found Fifty Shades Of Grey unreadable, but only after I'd bought it unfortunately.

[mccfluff]

you don't have to read something to download it

i have loads of books i've downloaded and given up after the first couple of pages

i tried to read mein kampf years ago ( a paperback) and didn't;t get on with it

[naomi24]

I imagine at 99 cents (according to your link) a lot of people would download it to their kindle just out of curiosity. Doesn't mean they're reading it. The bible's a best seller - and that's another book that many find unreadable.

[Mosaic]

AOG I'm so glad you're back, I missed you yesterday and fell into the trap of believing there was no outrage left in the world.
Mein Kampf is a best seller in it's category, but there are many other categories of best sellers.
Reasons to download it: cheap; available; it outrages people you wish to outrage; it impresses people you wish to impress; curiosity; academic research; and how do you know what it's about till you've read it
I got a right telling off from a teacher at school for reading the Castle of Otranto. Personally having read the Castle I see it as rather boring with no car chases; however I know the teacher was upset by the book's cover picture of a regency lady in a nightie. He never read the book but he knew it would be an evil influence.....

[anotheoldgit]

Mosaic

/// AOG I'm so glad you're back, I missed you yesterday and fell into the trap of believing there was no outrage left in the world. ///

Not outrage just trying to stimulate topical debate, and we all know that controversial subjects create the best debates, much more than the concerns regarding the increase price of bread.

Why else would you be pleased to see me back?

[modeller]

I have read it in both English and German . It is not a good read from a literary point of view but it does give you some insight into his mind and that period of history. I would add it's far better in German, his feelings are far better expressed.
The term best seller has become nonsense I have dozens of e-books from my library and the web and don't get past the first chapter. That's the beauty of our modern world, you can dump the rubbish.

[anotheoldgit]

modeller

/// The term best seller has become nonsense I have dozens of e-books from my library and the web and don't get past the first chapter. That's the beauty of our modern world, you can dump the rubbish. ///

And can't the same be said for all books, but whereas ebooks are dumped at the touch of a button, the paper variety sit wallowing and unread on our book shelves?

[Gromit]

I once attempted to read it, but never finished it.

Top selling is misleading. A huge number of copies have been downloaded for FREE. It is top of obscure charts like the 'Propaganda Chart'. It is not a topseller of all books like the headline implies.

I read Thomas Paine's 'Rights of Man' and the Das Kapital. Mein Kampf seemed like an obvious follow on. I certainly didn't read it as political pornography. And I bought it from a bookshop without any shame or worry who was watching.

I bought it because I thought it would educate me like Rights of Man had done. And, you need to read right wing ideology to be able to form an opinion on it

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// I bought it because I thought it would educate me like Rights of Man had done. And, you need to read right wing ideology to be able to form an opinion on it ///

Also Left-Wing ideology it would seem. (Das Kapital)

How many looking over your shoulder would know of 'Rights of Man' published in 1791 and the Das Kapital, by Karl Marx.

But Mein Kampf, surely that is a different animal?

[Hymie]

Although I have not read the book - from the title, I think it is about the time Hitler spent in Camp F.


< Me In Kamp F >

[Mosaic]

Going back to the source material is a vital aspect of understanding real history. Nothing compares with it, and as a piece of writing that reflects on the mental make-up of Hitler then Mein Kampf is irreplaceable.
And all the others you mention AOG, and many more besides, especially Self Help by Samuel Smiles which is available as a pdf.

[Gromit]

// The publication of Rights of Man caused a furore in England; Thomas Paine was tried in absentia, and convicted for seditious libel against the Crown, but was unavailable for hanging, being in France and never returning to England. //

Paine and Thomas Jefferson were besty mates and he is said to have contributed ideas whch are enshrined ithe US Federal Constitution when it was later published.

[Barks]

Turgid and self-serving at best

[paddywak]

A few years ago I was doing a History course a large part of which dealt with the the WWI, the Wiemar Republic,and the rise of the Third Reich and Mein Kampf was required reading. Ordered a copy from W.H.Smiths. and I remember the lady who took the order commenting I was the third person to order it that week.It was really hard going I eventually ended up giving it to my mates daughter for her history studies.