The title of this very hard to characterize novel means 'Himmler's brain is called Heydrich'. In German, it was 'Himmlers Hirn heist Heydrich'. There are many books about the May 1942 assassination of the man called the 'Hangman' and the 'Blond Beast'. Operation Anthropoid was initiated in London by the Czech government-in-exile, led by President Benes. The Czechs felt that they had to do something and they pulled off arguably the most successful act of resistance of the war. Teams were parachuted into Czechoslovakia. They were assisted by the Prague Resistance and three men, Sergeants Josef Valcik, Jan Kubis and Josef Gabcik achieved immortality, fame and an early death that spring. Unfortunately, thousands upon thousands died as retribution for their actions.
This book is a free-flowing story about the French author's interest in WW2, his fascination with the assassination of the Protektor, a ramble through the life of Heydrich and the Third Reich, and the story of the action in Prague. There is a wealth of information provided here, but the format and approach are too unorthodox for me. Notwithstanding my observations, the book was highly acclaimed. This topic has garnered significant attention on film and this iteration of the tale is no exception. 'The Man With An Iron Heart' has already been released in Europe and will be in America shortly.
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