Adolf Hitler was an unlikely leader fuelled by hate, incapable of forming normal human relationships, unwilling to debate political issues and yet he commanded enormous support. So how was it possible that Hitler became such an attractive figure to millions of people? That is the important question at the core of Laurence Rees new book.

The Holocaust, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the outbreak of the Second World War all these cataclysmic events and more can be laid at Hitlers door. Hitler was a war criminal arguably without precedent in the history of the world. Yet, as many who knew him confirm, Hitler was still able to exert a powerful influence over the people who encountered him.

In this fascinating book to accompany his new BBC series, the acclaimed historian and documentary maker Laurence Rees examines the nature of Hitlers appeal, and reveals the role Hitlers supposed charisma played in his success. Rees previous work has explored the inner workings of the Nazi state inThe Nazis: A Warning from Historyand the crimes they committed inAuschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution.The Charisma of Adolf Hitleris a natural culmination of twenty years of writing and research on the Third Reich, and a remarkable examination of the man and the mind at the heart of it all.

Laurence Rees is the writer and producer of the major BBC television documentary seriesWorld War II: Behind Closed Doors,War of the Century,Horror in the EastandAuschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution'. He won the British Book Award for History Book of the Year in 2006 for his international bestsellerAuschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution'.

Rees' career as a writer and filmmaker, focusing on the Nazis and World War II, stretches back nearly 20 years. His body of work has won him several awards, including a BAFTA and a Grierson Award.

Educated at Solihull School and Oxford University, Rees is the former Creative Director of BBC TV History programmes.