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  • Why?

  • Explaining the Holocaust
  • By: Peter Hayes
  • Narrated by: Don Hagen
  • Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (35 ratings)
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Why? cover art

Why?

By: Peter Hayes
Narrated by: Don Hagen
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Summary

Featured in the PBS documentary The US and the Holocaust by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein 

A bold new exploration that answers the most commonly asked questions about the Holocaust. 

Despite the outpouring of books, movies, museums, memorials, and courses devoted to the Holocaust, a coherent explanation of why such ghastly carnage erupted from the heart of civilized Europe in the 20th century still seems elusive even 70 years later. Numerous theories have sprouted in an attempt to console ourselves and to point the blame in emotionally satisfying directions—yet none of them are fully convincing. As witnesses to the Holocaust near the ends of their lives, it becomes that much more important to unravel what happened and to educate a new generation about the horrors inflicted by the Nazi regime on Jews and non-Jews alike. 

Why? dispels many misconceptions and answers some of the most basic—yet vexing—questions that remain: why the Jews and not another ethnic group? Why the Germans? Why such a swift and sweeping extermination? Why didn't more Jews fight back more often? Why didn't they receive more help? While responding to the questions he has been most frequently asked by students over the decades, world-renowned Holocaust historian and professor Peter Hayes brings a wealth of scholarly research and experience to bear on conventional, popular views of the history, challenging some of the most prominent recent interpretations. He argues that there is no single theory that "explains" the Holocaust; the convergence of multiple forces at a particular moment in time led to catastrophe. 

In clear prose informed by an encyclopedic knowledge of Holocaust literature in English and German, Hayes weaves together stories and statistics to heart-stopping effect. Why? is an authoritative, groundbreaking exploration of the origins of one of the most tragic events in human history.  

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 Peter Hayes (P)2017 Gildan Media LLC
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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Excellent

This is the original “Never judge a book by its cover”. The whole book is excellent. Insightful, incisive in its detail and beautifully read. Can’t recommend it highly enough to those interested in WWII and particularly in the Holocaust.

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4 people found this helpful

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A must-read!

The best and most authoritative book on the Holocaust. It was a very tragic event, and this book will show you just how evil humans can get!

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Very biased and American centric

It’s a fascinating and horrifying look at the holocaust. The author skips the war in Europe beginning in 1940 and not in late 1941 when the USA was forced into it. No where does it state that during those two years during that time Britain stood utterly alone against the Natzi’s. If you can get over the USA being always shown in a very positive light and don’t mind a bit of US propaganda you might enjoy this. If you live outside the USA it’s a good book but American centric.

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