The Errors of Mankind
The Errors of Mankind (2nd Edition) 4/7/25
5 Star Review
"Timely in its message and poignantly packed with revelations, The Errors of Mankind by Curt A. Canfield is an essential historical critique framed as a fictional reunion.
"While exploring the sprawling roots of his family tree, ex-US Marine Will discovers that a distant relative not only lives a short drive away, but also fought in World War II on both the eastern and western fronts – on the side of Nazi Germany. Will (“Willi”) is initially repulsed by Johann’s biography, but that initial reaction is tempered by curiosity, compassion, and lingering doubts about his own righteousness, attempting to draw similarities between them. Although his wife is unhappy with his controversial exploration of the past, Will is driven to pursue the project.
"The book unfurls from there as a series of contentious conversations and Willi’s subsequent reflections, which force him to reckon with the moral watershed of duty to country vs. duty to humanity. Johann’s account of his time in the Waffen-SS brings up Willi’s own culpability as a veteran of the disastrous and deadly Vietnam War. On one visit, he encounters Lena who had survived the horrors of Auschwitz, and suddenly, the odd couple of military men become a tentative trio of interlinked trauma.
"Watching opinions clash and change through rhetorical parries and challenging debates makes for an immediately immersive reading experience. From the very first conversation, Johann and Willi find points of both contention and commiseration, and the flow of their dialogue is enthralling, moving from personal perspectives and intimate grief to historical reflections and wartime nuance that never makes it into the textbooks.
"While there is a push-and-pull of belief structures that play out throughout the novel, the text doesn’t attempt to falsely elevate the nobility of American foreign policy or Western geopolitical dogma. Early in the story, in fact, Willi acknowledges that the countries he and Johann served were both guilty of war crimes, and that his blind obedience to hierarchy in Southeast Asia was not entirely different from Johann’s service record in war-ravaged Europe. Challenging historical and popular narratives about justice, self-defense, nationalism, and aggression, this is a strikingly original read that subverts long-held assumptions.
"Ultimately, this Socratic narrative is a philosophical musing on good and evil, and the spaces in human nature where such tendencies can grow. Despite centering on seminal examples of evil from the not-so-distant past, the ideological debates at the heart of this book are timeless, and frighteningly relevant to the contemporary world. On the personal level, Willi also shares an analysis of his own childhood, early instances of being “ensnared by the beast” of violence, and the resentment he was forced to bury whenever he betrayed his conscience, which is also universal in its scope. Readers may recognize such vulnerable confessions from the self-improvement genre, but rarely are they articulated so thoroughly in a fictional narrative.
"From a technical standpoint, the prose is practically flawless, the emotions are visceral and richly depicted, and the author’s supportive research is meticulous. Reminding readers how often history is smudged, edited, or rewritten entirely by the victors, this incisive work of historical fiction elevates those inconvenient truths the world prefers to forget, while celebrating the insurmountable value of critical thinking."
The Errors of Mankind (2nd Edition) 1/23/25
"Critique: Original, deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, and told with a distinctive and reader engaging storytelling style, "The Errors of Mankind: Mistaking the True Conditions for our Well-Being" is all the more impressive when considering that it is author Curt A. Canfield's debut as a novelist. "The Errors of Making" is raised to an impressive level of literary excellence that makes it especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists,
The Errors of Mankind (2nd Edition) 11/14/24
I love this book! Canfield’s use of sympathetic characters to explain the disturbing but factual history of WWII is nothing short of genius. Canfield gives a voice to his readers in the narrator of Will. All of Will’s reactions and questions are exactly as ours would be. And, by creating Lena and Johann as flawed but charming characters, Canfield tugs at our hearts for the plights of both of them. Also, Canfield’s structure of Socratic questioning offers readers a way to analyze historical concepts and uncover preconceived ideas that a simple, plot-driven 2/3storyline could never do. Finally, I love how all three characters learn and grow throughout the story. Johann and Lena come to understand their different perspectives on WWII, and they both help Will come to terms with the dark experiences in his childhood and Vietnam.
The Errors of Mankind (2nd Edition)
32nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards 12/9/2024
The novel reads as if it is nonfiction, which is a great feat for a historical fiction novel. Although much of the reality is gained from the historical accuracy of the text, the characters' imagined but realistic stories and lives add a depth that would be hard to gather with only historical accuracy. The characters are complex and they allow themselves to grapple with evils they are indirectly related to whether through family or circumstance. Canfield does a great job of creating compelling characters that seem to have existed and give alternative insight into a much discussed era.
The Errors of Mankind by Curt A. Canfield
★★★★☆/ BY R.C. GIBSON / DECEMBER 4, 2023
When studying the modern history of our world, it is impossible to exclude war from the curriculum. Stemming from religious and political divisions to run-of-the-mill selfishness, war has been a driving force behind almost every land and nation. Military veteran Will knows this firsthand. A Marine who served in Vietnam, Will struggles to accept the things he’s seen and done in the name of service to his country. A personal project researching the branches of his family tree leads Will to Johann, a 91-year-old veteran who devoted some of his best years to World War II. On paper, it seems like these two seasoned men share more than just lineage, including common experiences and consequences that only a soldier could understand. But Johann fought for Germany under Hitler as a proud member of the SS. Instead of dismissing this elderly man as an enemy, though, Will takes time to hear history he is already well versed in, but from a remarkably different frame of reference. The discussions at Johann’s assisted care facility are tense at first, with each man fully invested in his own perspective. But honest conversations give way to genuine empathy and enlightenment. Will often has the thought, “I never heard it put that way before.” Both men reluctantly reckon with their pasts as they look ahead to the future.
"There are at least two sides to every conflict, though this reality is often forgotten with the passage of time and the influence of genetics, geography, or politics. In Curt A. Canfield’s The Errors of Mankind: Mistaking the True Conditions for our Well-Being, a fresh perspective is presented on communal ideologies, potent biases, and the shared human experience. With a rewarding lesson on how to overcome inclinations that threaten unity, Will and Johann prove that age, ethnicity, and our pasts don’t have to divide us. Copious amounts of dry history fill in the gaps between visits with Johann, sometimes slowing the pace of the narrative to a labored crawl. But the novel really shines in its elevated conversations, offering a chance to see what reasonableness looks like when emotion and expectations are pushed aside. It is especially enlightening to consider the mood behind the scenes of each military conflict, one side joining with the promise of being able to see the world or learn responsibility, the other serving to save culture and community. When read with an open mind and a receptive heart, The Errors of Mankind can expand our viewpoint and lead us to examine the way we empathize with others. (bolding by author)
"Your book … has been truly a captivating read … I found the book to be exceptionally courageous and learned many fascinating insights and facts … The characters are intriguing, and I was eager to discover how the plot developed and unfolded between Will, Johann, and Lena … Will’s conversations with Johann are at times very difficult to digest … I wonder how many people are truly ready to unravel the painful and uncomfortable truth, the overall message of redemption is something every person from every nation needs to hear.
“As a therapist treating PTSD, I found Will's depiction of battling the beast to be highly accurate in how the condition manifests itself. In my experience, I've worked with several clients who are children of veterans suffering from complex trauma rooted in generational trauma, much like Will and his father. Will’s experience alone with the deer was traumatic, never mind the trauma of being raised with such an unempathetic father, with his own war trauma, and then going on to experience war firsthand. Layers and layers!
“A number of years ago I learned about the bombing of Dresden and the thousands of German women and children (mostly refugees from the East) who were killed. I was horrified and shared this with an American friend who responded with very little empathy and said ‘well, the Germans got what they deserved.’ I was flabbergasted that this is still the response of Americans today, and how such thinking has been so deeply ingrained.
“From my visits to Poland as well as hours of research, I learned that the war is still very much alive for many people and is still a sensitive topic … I have learned that it is really difficult to awaken people from the illusion of what we have been taught. Nonetheless, you have done a marvelous job of cleverly and engagingly presenting the truth in such a touching story, one that just might engage those not otherwise open or interested in digging into and researching such subjects. My prayer and hope would be that numerous people would read your book and … open their minds (and hearts) to the truth about how the world is genuinely managed, but most of all, to the truth about the deep love and redemption that is available to every human.”
Beth Dwoskin, Researcher in Ashkenazic Women, Master's Degree in Jewish Studies from the University of Michigan:
“There is no paradigmatic Holocaust survivor but in the character of Lena, Curt Canfield has drawn a believable portrait of one who was an educated Polish Jew, survived Auschwitz, and came to America to rebuild her life. As a woman who spent most of her life in America and had an American education and career, her speech patterns and cultural references resemble the middle-class Americans she lived and worked with. But, like most survivors, her memories of the destruction of her own family and the extermination of Europe's Jews are a source of endless pain and anger.”
Professor Emeritus George Diamond of Moravian University's English Department:
"Terrific!! The narrative really grabs you and won't let go ... The mystery of your two opening characters is very strong. The reader is anxious to discover who they actually are and why destiny has brought them together at this time and place, and where it will take them from here.
“For me, your use of setting, dialogue, and character development were very strong. I trust you will be able to sustain the quality of narrative through what appears to be a long novel ... I think you have something going here that has strong potential ..."
Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof, retired Generalmajor of the German Army (Bundeswehr) and author of 1939: The War that Had Many Fathers:
“... you have described the reality of German thinking … between 1914 and 1948 … it was unknown to me that the conduct of cases in Nuremberg did not comply with the US American technical rules of evidence and did not need a chain of custody for each piece of evidence. To my previous knowledge the tribunal did only not comply with German case law and legal practice and code of procedure. I have never heard or read anything about this lack according to US American laws and rules in the German literature. This seems to be unknown in Germany.
“As a summary .. your manuscript promises that the book will be very worth reading and an eye opener for American and British people who are not captured by preconceptions.”
Monthly Novel Writing Festival in Los Angeles :
"The truth behind Johann's story is shocking, informative, and completely unexpected … you have managed to firmly put the readers in Willi's shoes and satisfied their faith in his ability as a storyteller. It is easy to hear ‘the bitterness in (his) voice’ when he recalls the alienation of his government in Vietnam. The reader's interest is pushed further when it becomes apparent that this once-in-a-lifetime encounter is actually a therapy session. It was also wise to establish this unexpectedly revelatory union between them before going into the details behind Willi's story.
“By now, the reader has a foundation and is gaining interest as Will's self-discovery and development takes flight.
“Judging by the title … this book is going to be structured as a journey of self-discovery and reflection .... Once Will is seated across from Johann, the story takes off like a Lockheed Martin. The plot becomes focused, and the reader has a sense of interior conflict travelling in the same direction as Will's mission to discover his past ..."
Jay Greenwood, author of Race to Marathon:
"Curt Canfield … presents an intriguing convergence of perspectives on history and war. The two key protagonists are Johann, a German veteran of WWII, and Will, a Vietnam War veteran. Their recurring conversations explore the backgrounds of their respective wars.
Some of their descriptions will provide solid introductions for non-historian readers, and other explanations reveal arcane aspects of the two wars that are largely unknown. In addition, the novel explores the protagonists’ personal interpretations that sometimes seem to overlap and merge and, at other times, seem to fly in opposite directions.
Another noteworthy aspect of the novel is the involvement of Lena, an Auschwitz survivor. Her views drill into the conversation resulting in a jaw-tightening effect on Will and, especially, Johann. And a final note that causes pause is the comparison of the treatment of Jews in Germany and African-Americans in America. The similarities and differences of these two profoundly significant and sad histories are well worth serious contemplation.”
Giles MacDonogh, author of After the Reich:
“I think [it] reads well from the moment that you take us to Johann … Johann is good. He could be plenty of old men of that generation who endeavoured to see some good in Hitler after the war.”
Margaret Duarte, Visionary Fiction author:
“I love the first sentence. It pulled me right in ... Very good. Very interesting ... My parents were young adults when German troops invaded their homeland, The Netherlands. They hated Hitler and his army for all the pain and suffering the Dutch were forced to endure. The Errors of Mankind, however, brings to light the suffering experienced by soldiers on both sides of the conflict, providing a much-needed understanding as to the hows and whys of war.”
Simon Fairfax, Author:
"I have just read chapters 1& 2 that you posted ... the opening chapter, which for some reason put me in mind of Death of a Salesman and I nearly gave up as thought it was going to evolve in a ....'deep meaningful literary fiction...' for which I have little taste or appetite at the moment. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised and enthralled at the conversation between the two protagonists in the nursing home and the continued juxtaposition of viewpoint relating to 'facts' that needed checking. In all. A very thought provoking and fascinating start."