Book dossier

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

by William L. Shirer

Since it's publication five decades ago, [William L. Shirer](/authors/OL28296A/William_L._Shirer)'s monumental study of [Hitler](/authors/OL108070A/Adolf_Hitler)'s empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the twentieth century's blackest hours. A worldwide bestseller with millions of copies in print, *The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich* offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. Here, in a thoughtful new introduction for the fiftieth anniversary of its National Book Award win, [Ron Rosenbaum](/authors/OL39615A/Ron_Rosenbaum), author of the much-admired [*Explaining Hitler*](/works/OL15826153W/Explaining_Hitler), takes a fresh and penetrating look at this vital and enduring classic and the role it continues to play in today's discussions of the history of Nazi Germany.