Review: Hunting Eichmann

Full title: Hunting Eichmann - How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi
Author: Neal Bascomb
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Total Pages: 390

An interesting mixture of one well known war criminal, his family, several holocaust survivors, and dedicated sleuths add up to a riveting tale. In this work, Neal Bascomb chronicles Adolf Eichmann's quest to escape from Germany at the end of World War II, eventually ending in South America. As Eichmann begins his new life, there are still those in Europe and other parts of the globe determined to track him down.

The author describes, in depth, Eichmann's life of paranoia in Argentina, where he constantly fears detection and punishment, as he tried to rationalize his actions during the war. At the same time, Bascomb introduces a wide and varying cast of individuals from, literally, around the world, who would work together in an attempt to bring Eichmann to justice.

While the perspective frequently shifts between characters, Bascomb does a magnificent job of describing the emotions of both Eichmann and his pursuers. Borrowing from both existing materials and using first-hand interviews, the author does well to expose the reader to the perspective of both the hunted and the hunter.

The tension in this book gradually built up to Eichmann's initial escape, then slowed slightly, only to build up again as attempts were made to capture this criminal. I was drawn in by both the story itself and the emotions so richly conveyed as this work kept my attention throughout. Certainly an enjoyable and informative reading experience.

Bottom line:

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes