THIS is a fascinating book giving an insight into the world and life of Hitler's foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop.

Think of the most infamous names of those who made up Hitler's close gang of evil Nazi ministers and the obvious candidates -- Goering, Goebbels, Hess and Bormann -- instantly spring to mind. Ribbentrop, for some reason, has not maintained the same level of notoriety as some of his other distasteful counterparts.

Yet this was a man who played arguably the biggest role in bringing Germany to war with Britain, and who, despite in his younger days sharing friendships with Jewish people, closed his eyes to the atrocities of the Holocaust so as to ingratiate himself with his hero, Hitler. As such Ribbentrop makes a fascinating subject for this biography. What made him turn with such fervour to Nazism? How did a man from a reasonable background openly come to embrace everything truly abhorrent about Hitler and his thugs? And why did the man who previously enjoyed life in England, suddenly show a vehement hatred of the country? In Ribbentrop (Abacus £12.99), Michael Bloch gives a detailed, yet highly readable account of Ribbentrop's life. It becomes clear that this was a man with limited intellect. Even some of his closest friends and colleagues had to concede he was a weak and vain man with an inflated ego. Those were just some of the kind words -- other colleagues and fellow ministers were less generous. Ribbentrop is often portrayed as a buffoon, derided and laughed at by many of Hitler's leading henchmen and ministers.

In fact, his ineptitude led him to be openly ridiculed by the English hierachy he so desperately sought to impress. And it was that realisation which crucially turned his love of England into a vicious hatred. As a result he manipulated the stance taken in negotiations with the British, presenting them with his own subjective slant to Hitler, who remained desperate not to engage in war with Britain until the eleventh hour. It is still highly likely that the warped dictator would have gone to war with Britain but it is without doubt that Ribbentrop played a part in escalating the conflict at an increased rate.

There is equally no doubt in the almost hypnotic effect Hitler had on Ribbentrop. Bloch's account of the man is so very well researched and wonderfully presented in an easy to access -- almost gossipy at times -- manner. And the book has the added beauty of knowing there is a happy ending -- Ribbentrop leading the death procession of his Nazi counterparts to the gallows.

Published by Abacus £12.99

Beverly Greenberg