This is the personal account of Rudolf Hoess, the camp commander of Auschwitz. This book was written during the time period where he was on trail and awaiting execution. I think that books written by Nazis are so important. I think a lot of times people want to dismiss what they have to say, because of the collective actions of the Nazi party, but it is so important to read their experiences and thought processes from civilian level all the way through the top echelon. If we read this ideas and perspectives, we can learn how these things took root. Of course, the reader has to take what is said with a grain of salt, because sometimes they try to justify and play down their actions and thoughts, but this book was very important to me as a World War II historian.