'Hitler, 1889-1936: Hubris'

By NINA C. AYOUB

Anyone who asks Ian Kershaw, "Why another biography of Hitler?," is only repeating a question the historian has asked himself. He notes that he had long cast a critical eye on biography and the potential risks of overemphasizing an individual's role in complex historical processes.

What he does in Hitler, 1889-1936: Hubris (W.W. Norton; 845 pages; $35), however, is use that