Ten Books That Screwed Up the World

If Malleus Maleficorum* isn't on the list, he's an idiot.

(Clicks link)

Yep. He's an idiot.

Besides, as other people have pointed out, all these books have their place. Mein Kampf, which is probably the most evil book on there, is key to understanding a certain mindset. (It's also bizarrely readable, even to a high school German student. I wonder if part of Hitler's appeal wasn't sheer simplicity. I mean, it's sorta, "hate who I tell you to, do what I tell you do, and this country will become perfect. Also, ponies for everyone." But that's a whole other thread . . .)

Izunya

*Insert spelling apology here

You have to ascribe to the author a certain talent. He can use all those big words and still come off looking like an complete idiot.

Izunya said:

If Malleus Maleficorum* isn't on the list, he's an idiot.

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Also, if Nietzsche is on the list, he's an idiot. (the author of the book, not Nietzsche ).

Sarpedon said:

Mein Kampf could have saved the world a lot of trouble, if fucking Neville Chamberlain had bothered to read it, or even paid someone else to read it.

If you are a government official, and the troublesome leader of a powerful neighboring country writes a book outlining his views and philosophy, READ IT!

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It isn't as simple as that, because the 'official' English translation of Mein Kampf at the time left out some of the details which would have troubled foreigners.

It is an interesting approach - you can basically have two faces .. one for the locals and one for the rest of the world as long as you are in control of how your words are translated.

And due to the power of copyright laws, it was (and still is) illegal for someone else to translate Hitler's book into another language so that the wider public outside of Germany could understand the working of his mind.

The common English translation of 'Mein Kampf' that is available now is technically illegal ... but nobody is willing to sue over it.

Mac

Hmm, who actually owns the copyright to Mein Kampf? I know I've heard the answer to this before, but I've forgotten.

From memory, it is probably the son of Hitler's nephew, but he has never asserted his claim and just wants to wash his hands of that part of his family.

The state of Bavaria claims to own the copyright, but it is pretty widely accepted that if the 'real' owner ever asserted his ownership it would be pretty straight forward. Bavaria hasn't authorised any new translations. The USA claims ownership of US copyright as part of war reparations or somesuch .. but I'm not sure how that would work in practise.

For those wanting a good Literary Agent, Curtis Brown was Hitler's agent for the original English rights sale.

Mac

No "Protocols of Zion"?

He didn't mentions one of the only books written (ok, plagiarized) to screw part of humanity on purpose?

And he put "The Communist Manifesto" and "The Prince" there?

I vote for changing the name of this book to Ten Books that go against the average north-american conservative way of thinking

There is no author as unfairly maligned as Machiavelli!

I vote for changing the name of this book to Ten Books that go against the average north-american conservative way of thinking

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But he also hates Liberalism... which makes absolutley no sense at all. Perhaps a more accurate title would be Ten books that go against the average nineteenth century russian landowners way of thinking