Book Review: The Book Thieves

The current Wuhan Virus shutdown has given me more time to read, so I decided if there's something I read that others could benefit from, I'll give a brief review of the book with the relevant information in case somebody is interested in a new book. 

The book I just finished today is The Book Thieves by Anders Rydell (Nonfiction, published by Penguin.)

Plot/Theme: The author researches and investigates the theft of books throughout Europe, and predominantly from Jewish libraries and individual Jews by the Nazis during the Second World War and and effort by one library in Berlin to research the provenance of the books in their collection that they believe are stolen along with any attempts to return these books to the families.

A significant portion of the book dives into the history of this part of the Nazi regime, focusing on Alfred Rosenberg and the Nazis underneath him and describe how they selected targets, acquired collections and shipped them around to various sites throughout Europe. 

Review:  Outside of the clear Socialist tendencies of the author (his fascination with items kept in libraries that might have been touched or owned by Lenin or other Marxists is off-putting.), the author provides a good historical framework for what the Nazis did, to whom, and how.  After setting the stage by focusing on the contemporary situation at the Berlin library, he goes all in on the history of the thefts, their movement, and finally where they are now. 

After a sluggish start, I found the book informative and allowed me to learn more about Nazi Germany during the Second World War than I knew beforehand (I had studied Nazi Germany in college, so I had a decent working knowledge going in.).  The scope of the intellectual and cultural damage done by the Nazis (and then later by the Soviets) is truly astounding and it's a good reminder for all people of what Totalitarianism, clothed in any ideology or justification, can do. 

I also believe there is a lesson here for Catholics and the Catholic Church.  For the first time since the unification of Italy and before that, the French Revolution, the secular world is going to be coming after the Church and its possessions.  This is a cultural legacy going back 2000 years and I honestly fear that much of that patrimony will be lost either to destruction or appropriation. 

It would be wise for a group of concerned Catholics to get together and discuss options for the consolidation of the Church's patrimony to secure it in some way.  We cannot trust that our clerical leaders or the overall society values our culture and history (even if largely it is theirs as well) enough to secure it against it's destruction.  We simply cannot take that chance. 

So if any other Catholics want to work with me on discussing and determining options, let me know.

And for this book, I'll give it a 4 out of 5.  The knowledge contained is worth being patient through some sluggish storytelling and a little political ideology. 

Take care and God bless.