Heinrich Himmler: A Life by Peter Longerich

[sarahgoodson]

Is this the most definitive biography of Himmler out there?

[J. Duncan]

I'm not a fan of it (I think it's over rated). I prefer the Himmler biography by Peter Padfield. Even earlier
biographies such as those by Roger Manvell / Heinrich Fraenkel, Willi Frischauer, (1960's) and Bradley Smith (1970's) are quite good. Smith's book is on the youth of Himmler, his early diary, and the books and ideas which influenced his young mind. There is only so much you can say about a subject, and Longerich just regurgitates stuff much of which was already known or published by earlier authors. He does overly psychoanalyze his subject however, which is the most interesting parts of his book, but this has been done before.

[sarahgoodson]

Thanks for the reply.

As both are around the same price, in your opinion, should I buy Longerich's or Padfield's book first?