"A worthy contribution to Holocaust literature: superb, dispassionate analysis of the roots of evil, perpetrated most often in lockstep with the culture that encourages and reinforces it." -- Kirkus Discoveries
"The most interesting part of this book for me as a student of the Holocaust is the use of sociological categories to interpret the actions of the perpetrators and to a lesser extent the bystanders and the victims. In essence, Katz probes Hannah Arendt's theory of the banality of evil with precision and from a sociological perspective. The behavior of the perpetrators during the Holocaust is of enduring interest. The time is ripe for a re-evaluation of Arendt's controversial thesis and Katz's work provides such an opportunity. He also forces the reader to examine parallels to the Holocaust at least in terms of human experience." -- Michael Berenbaum, Project Director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
"I felt privileged to read this book. It is provocative. I questioned some places, but the questioning pushes me to think about new kinds of evidence worth examining, and that is a real plus in this book. It offers stimulating insights, and it stimulates thoughts about the next research steps. The topic is very significant, important in itself, important (I think) to Holocaust studies, the sociology of everyday life, and perhaps to many areas that the book touches on (the sociology of organizations, applied ethics, family sociology, and others)." -- Paul C. Rosenblatt, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
Posits that our most ordinary behavior can lead us to participate in the most horrendous acts, perhaps even with zeal and joy, but certainly without remorse. Using the Holocaust as the pivotal example, examines the lives of the head of Auschwitz and a physician there, then the life of an exemplary physician to show the similarity; an American offic