Synopses & Reviews
Review
"This book purports to be a history of the 'Nazi Olympics' held in Berlin in 1936, but only a few chapters depict the competition. Even this scant attention is focused primarily on track and field events, where the feats of Jesse Owens highlighted the performances. Buried in the text is the fact that Germany garnered over 30 medals more than its nearest competitor, the United States. Because the author is an Englishman, page after page is devoted to Great Britain's mediocre showing, with its 13-medal total. What was really important about the '36 Olympics was Hitler's success in using the setting as a showcase for his 'New Germany.' His efforts were rewarded when most foreign visitors went away from the games with a positive impression of the Third Reich. But other authors have already told this story in greater detail and with better documentation. Still books with pictures of Hitler and swastikas on the cover continue to sell, and this one probably will be no exception." Reviewed by Daniel Weiss, Virginia Quarterly Review (Copyright 2006 Virginia Quarterly Review)