Eichmann in Jerusalem, A Report on the Banality of Evil

A BRILLIANT AND DISTURBING STUDY OF THE CHARACTER AND TRIAL OF ADOLF EICHMANN - STEPHEN SPENDER, THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS. THE TASK SHE SETS FOR HERSELF FAR TRANCENDS THE CRIMES OF ONE MAN SINCE IT DEALS WITH THE GREATEST PROBLEM OF OUR TIME...THE PROBLEM OF THE HUMAN BEING WITHIN A MODERN TOTALITARIAN SYSTEM...OUR BEST PROTECTION AGAINST OPPRESSIVE CONTROL AND DEHUMANIZING TOTALITARIANISM IS STILL A PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING OF EVENTS AS THEY HAPPEN. TO THIS ENDHANNAH ARENDT HAS FURNISHED US WITH A RICHNESS OF MATERIAL - BRUNO BETTELHEIM, THE NEW REPUBLIC. HANNAH ARENDT COVERED THE EICHMANN TRAIL FOR 'THE NEW YORKER' WHERE HER REPORT FIRST APPEARED AS A SERIES OF ARTICLES IN 1963. FOR THIS REVISED EDITION OF "EICHMANN IN JERUSALEM", THE AUTHOR HAS ADDEDFURTHER FACTUAL MATERIAL THAT HAS COME TO LIGHT SINCETHE TRIAL, AND A POSTCRIPT COMMENTING ON THE CONTROVERSYTHAT HAS ARISEN OVER HER BOOK.