Alternate cover edition of this book.

Madman, tyrant, animal - history has given Adolf Hitler many names. In Mein Kampf (My Struggle), often called the Nazi bible, Hitler describes his life, frustrations, ideals, and dreams. Born to an impoverished couple in a small town in Austria, the young Adolf grew up with the fervent desire to become a painter. The death of his parents and outright rejection from art schools in Vienna forced him into underpaid work as a laborer. During the First World War, Hitler served in the infantry and was decorated for bravery. After the war, he became actively involved with socialist political groups and quickly rose to power, establishing himself as Chairman of the National Socialist German Worker's party. In 1924, Hitler led a coalition of nationalist groups in a bid to overthrow the Bavarian government in Munich. The infamous Munich "Beer-hall putsch" was unsuccessful, and Hitler was arrested. During the nine months he was in prison, an embittered and frustrated Hitler dictated a personal manifesto to his loyal follower Rudolph Hess. He vented his sentiments against communism and the Jewish people in this document, which was to become Mein Kampf, the controversial book that is seen as the blue-print for Hitler's political and military campaign. In Mein Kampf, Hitler describes his strategy for rebuilding Germany and conquering Europe. It is a glimpse into the mind of a man who destabilized world peace and pursued the genocide now known as the Holocaust. "... I believe today that my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator. In standing guard against the Jew I am defending the handiwork of the Lord".

Jacket by Lawrence Ratzkin© 1973

1852年春天，一位十六歲的女孩在為皇上挑選后妃的全國「選秀」中被選上，入宮不到十年，她發動宮廷政變，一躍成為中國的實際統治者，掌握全世界近三分之一人口的命運達數十年，直到生命的最後。她，就是慈禧皇太后。
史家說慈禧干預朝政、禍國殃民，卻不知道在中國男人專政的舞台上，慈禧獨有過去帝王沒有的智慧與能力──她意識到，那是個全球化初始的年代，不想落於人後，唯一之道就是奮發圖強，躋身現代文明的世界，由此，慈禧揭開了現代中國的序幕。
她開闢國家需要的財源，歲收是乾隆鼎盛時期的兩倍；大膽任用外籍人士，設置現代化海關；首設培育翻譯人才的「同文館」，更增加理工科學的學習項目，最終廢除科舉制度。慈禧不僅開了派留學生、派駐外使節的先河，還系統地派政府官員出國考察，為此制定了《出洋遊歷章程》，後世學者稱為「晚清中國人走向世界的一次盛舉」。至今仍為中國國民經濟大動脈的京漢鐵路，是慈禧的決策；她並以獨到的見解面對俄國、日本、法國的侵略。在光緒皇帝主持簽訂馬關條約時，只有慈禧一人主張拒絕日本的條件。
站在保護傳統與改革浪潮的交會點，決策格外需要過人的勇氣與判斷力，而身為一個女子，慈禧更必須展現高人一等的政治手腕，以得眾信服。本書深度刻畫世人未知的慈禧一生，包括她的失誤與過錯，愛情與日常生活。本書不僅還給她一個公道，也為中國變法求強的歷史時刻，留下無可取代的珍貴紀錄。