In early 2016, Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf will be available for purchase in Germany for the first time since the end of the war, as part of a scientifically annotated edition. This publication provides an opportunity to once again explore the terrible success of the 'Bible of the Nazis.' It is by no means clear why this politically incoherent, embarrassingly ranting, and essentially unserious work could achieve such an impact. Given the obvious absurdities in its content, which were noted even at the time of its original publication, Albrecht Koschorke approaches the book with literary scholarly tools. What narrative strategies did Hitler use, and what reading practices did he encourage? And what does it mean that the book, despite its enormous circulation, was hardly read? The literary scholarly perspective reveals that, contrary to all appearances, Hitler succeeded in achieving a wide-ranging impact.