Oskar Schindler (Importance of)

Gr 7 Up--A fascinating look at two Nazis--one notorious for sending millions of people to death camps, the other celebrated for saving over 1,000 Jews from extermination. Ayer uses cogent quotations from a variety of primary sources and from recognized biographies to help put the rise of Adolf Hitler and the far-reaching power of the Third Reich into historical perspective. She also balances the view of ``Hitler as madman'' with analyses of the dictator's mental state, leadership qualities, and personality traits. Although the focus of Schindler is the subject's wartime rescue work, the book also touches upon his early life and post-war activities. How the ``good Nazi'' turned his prosperous business into a safe haven for Jewish workers is woven into a backdrop that vividly describes the horrors of the Holocaust.