No comments about Germany Bohemia and Hungary Visited in 1837. Vol. II.

No comments about King Saint Stephen of Hungary (East European Monographs).

1 comments about Nobility, Land and Service in Medieval Hungary (Studies in Russian & Eastern European History).

1. Martyn Rady tries to express the complicated role of Hungarian nobility in Nobility, Land, and Service in Medieval Hungary. Rady, a professor of Central European History at School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies at the University College London who has an emphasis on the legal history of Eastern and Central Europe, follows the chronological order in which nobles were established and developed in Hungary. He shows nobles worked in featly to their king and as corporate agents in an increasingly bureaucratic state while upholding demands of local lords of whom they were also in service. The examples used from primary and secondary sources supports an evolution of Hungarian nobility, as an institution, from a close, blood-bond between the king and his men to the bickering land-hungry bureaucrats they became, a progression parallel to the nobility of Western Europe. Overall a page-turner for the moderate scholar of Medieval Hungarian history.

4 comments about The Habsburg Monarchy, C. 1765-1918: From Enlightenment to Eclipse.

1. Perhaps I have become spoiled by eminent historians such as Simon Schama, Martin Gilbert, William Manchester, Stephen Ambrose or Ian Kershaw, but I confess to not being able to digest this turgid piece of work. The author is so bogged down in a morass of detail that he looses any sense of the sweep of history. Names of people and places pop up like ducks in a shooting gallery, and promptly disappear without our having understoood why they were referred to in the first place. The subject is admittedly difficult, but the author is clearly not up to the task of sorting it out for us.



2. If there is anything a person could have ever wanted to know about the Austro-Hungarian Empire that is not at least touched upon in this tome - I can't imagine what it could be. If you like to do timelines as you read a history book, leave at least five lines per year (better eight!). The level of detail is truly incredible. Robin Okey's approach is to offer fact after fact, event after event, and date after date. ---- Curiously enough, implications almost imperceptibly seep from this jungle of detail - and they are as contemporary as tomorrow morning's news show. The Habsburg Empire was a multi-national empire that failed, and in a world of multi-national states still trying to cope with nationality or tribal problems, this book has a lot to teach (or more correctly, the development and fall of the Empire carried its lessons, for all to learn from). ---- The last seven pages, "Assessment" brilliantly sum up Okey's insights; you might even want to read it BEFORE starting the book... ---- Unfortunately, one of my biggest complaints about otherwise excellent history books mars this one too: pathetic maps. This book has a grand total of two small black-and-white maps of indifferent quality; it needs dozens! Although engravings and photos would have been nice (and are totally absent), the map failure is more than a minor inconvenience. ---- On the other hand, though the notes are a bit sketchy, the index is excellent, and the bibliography is truly awesome. Indeed, the depth and breadth of this book are revealed most clearly in its astoundingly substantial bibliography! ---- Though Okey's writing style is sometimes obscure, more frequently it is overwhelming in its detail. A sample, taken at random: (pg. 199): "The recurrent liberal image of clerical darkness versus contemporary light encouraged the new regime to ambitious plans for education. The May 1868 school law made eight years of primary education compulsory. Regulation of 1872 approved the old 1848 demand for academic freedom in the universities. New universities were founded in Zagreb in 1874 and Czernowitz, capital of the Bukovina, in 1875." ---- Lastly, be advised that Okey's work is not just a political history. It is a history of ideologies (liberalism, autocracy, socialism, and nationalism, just to name a few). It is also an economic history. And it is assuredly a social history. This book, in short, is complete - so bring an appetite for facts to your dinner or prepare to leave the table with massive indigestion!



3. I was really disappointed by this book. As a history-reader, the Habsburg monarchy during the era covered by this title has always been one of my particular interests. As Robin Okey himself notes in his Foreword, general surveys of Austro-Hungarian history are rare -- particularly in English. I picked this volume up with great anticipation.

   Unfortunately, I set it down again fairly quickly, and found it hard to resume reading. I wouldn't have thought he could do it, but Okey made me reluctant to read about one of my greatest and longest-standing historical interests.

   The problem isn't that the book is poorly researched, badly written or tendentious in argument. On the contrary, it's so incredibly well researched that I had to wonder for whom it was written. For page after page, Okey goes really, really in depth on agricultural production statistics, analyses of economic growth, ethnological comparisons of literary and linguistic developments, political tensions between various nations and regions in the empire, the relative states of national aristocracies ... and much, much more. I now understand, better than ever before, what that old saw about 'the forest for the trees' means. Several times, I found myself so deeply mired in statistics that I forgot what decade Okey was talking about, let alone what point he was trying to make. The second half of the book was somewhat better than the first in this regard, but it was still tough reading at times.

   In all, I am afraid this book may be way too much information for an amateur/generalist like me. At the same time, comprehensive as it is, it may not be enough for the specialists researching a specific, narrowly focused, topic. All of which makes me wonder, as I said, for whom it was written.

   In that Foreword, Okey writes, 'It is hoped that there will be a place, therefore, for a survey of the Monarchy from the later eighteenth century that takes account of advances in Habsburg studies since the publication of C.A. Macartney's magisterial "The Habsburg Empire" in 1968.' After hacking through this dense book, I have to say that there is *still* a place for such a book -- at least where the amateur historian and general reader are concerned




4. Not for the lighthearted or amateur. A sweeping look at the Hapsburg Monarchy from the period of Joseph II to its sad demise in 1918. Okey updates the Hapsburg empire through the lens of late 20th/early 21st century historical questions (brought about by the receding of Cold War language vis-a-vis central and eastern Europe) by deftly analyzing looks at the weaknesses and vitality of the empire in its political, socio-economic and cultural fields. This best is best reserved for "professionals," those with deep knowledge of Hapsburg history, as its depth and historiographical references may leave the casual reader confused. This book is not a meta-narrative but an in-depth analysis of what was and what could have been.

No comments about The Habsburg Monarchy 1490-1848: Attributes of Empire (European History in Perspective).

2 comments about Esterhazy: The Rabbit Prince.

1. This is the most charming book I have come across in years, and I can't wait to read the original in German (available now on amazon.de for about $30.) The combination of master storytelling by Dische and Enzensberger and Sowa's richly surreal art is mesmerizing. The story is light, simple, and very rewarding. You will return again and again to this story of a rabbit traveling through modern Germany. It brings back memories of my time in both East and West Germany, around the wall. When I read it, I smile and feel better.



2. The story of little Prince Esterhazy is so simple and charming, sure to delight young and old. We bought the book because we are huge fans of Michael Sowa's art. The illustrations are at the same time surreal and precious; a bunny trying on boxer shorts? A bunny in the bathtub? Fantastic! And the poignant story of a bunny finding love as the wall falls in Berlin is too sweet.

1 comments about Heart for Europe.

1. I read this book a couple of years ago. I recommend it to anybody who is seriously interested in political theory, monarchy vs democracy, the Catholic Church, Europe, World War I, Communism, and any other cross currents of interest within the above.
   The book tells the story of Blessed Charles and Princess Zita, the last Emperor and Empress of Austria-Hungary. It is a story about a deeply religious man who worked very hard for his people...and failed. He was unable to gain peace before the U.S. entered WWI, partially due to the U.S. president's unwillingness to meet with him (as an emperor is unelected). After the war, he was exiled and saw his empire torn apart by nationalism and violence.
   The book will change your views of monarchs if you watch a lot of movies and heard the standard liberal line of monarchy=bad.
   The only reason I have not rated the book a 5/5 is that it is not very readable. It is academic in nature, not pop-oriented like a Thomas Woods book. Nevertheless, it is an important book considering Blessed Charles may soon be a saint, and definitely one worth praying to in our day.

No comments about Vienna: The Past in the Present : A Historical Survey (Studies in Austrian Literature, Culture, and Thought).

5 comments about A History of the Habsburg Empire, 1526-1918.

1. This text is not a good history text. Any good text book will make the subject come alive, this book kills it. It is, however, extremely informative, if you can get through the introduction without dieing. NOT recommended for anyone who is not a post grad! (and even then, only if required for a class).



2. I am a history major at Indiana State University. In my spring term, I used the book (as one of my sources) for my research paper on the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. I will agree that this particular book is not the greatest reading in the world, but generally historians write books for historians. Also, I will agree with other reviewers that the book's title is misleading because it does not focus on the 16th century compared to others. The book was used in my research to help explain the rivilary between Charles V of Spain (the Holy Roman Emperor) and Francis I (King of France). The cause of the rivals were not because of the grudge with Charles V winning the election for the Holy Roman Emperor or Francis I imprisonment in 1525, but Francis saw the danger of the Habsburg Empire surrounding France.

   I will recommend this book for people needing information on the Habsburgs for research and to get it at your library or buy an used copy.




3. I was a History major in college. Though fascinated by the subject matter, I kept thinking that this was a complex topic made more difficult than need be. It makes one pine for the likes of B.Tuchmann or W. Bruce Lincoln or L.S. Stavrianos. If I can find a more readable work, I will buy it........otherwise, back to the slog!



4. a bit too , highly detailed , for someone with prior knowledge of the subject , with lots reading time. will read some day when I have lots of time .



5. Thorough treatment of a fairly arcane historical subject, this book shows it's age big time. This is your father's (or grandfather's) history- names, dates and little context to wash it all down with. Kahn skirts issues like anti-semitism that were to have a profound impact on the rest of Europe after the time of this book, and he doesn't even attempt to explain why the period of disintegration of the empire led to a corresponding rise in Austrian culture. Not worth the time it took to read.

5 comments about The Habsburgs.

1. Agree with reviews that the book is challenging in the way it's organized: around the figures rather than a chronological series of events. This can be confusing, and the family tree is very helpful in sorting out all the Rudolfs, Ferdinands, and Francis'. But I've always found history more interesting this way. Wheatcroft more or less achieves an overall character of the house of Hapsburg, a family that has lasted for the good part of the last millenium, never wavering in the assurance that its members are ordained by God to rule and to serve the people with their best interests. it is the blend of divine right and self-sacrifice that lends the Hapburgs their unique character. The opening of the book reads almost like historical fiction, but this narrative technique never reappears. And because of the scope of the subject, opportunities to delve into any one figure, no matter how important, are rare. But I found the portrayal of the family as a whole satisfactory, and the book can be read as an introduction to any figure interesting enough to warrant further research, such as the ill-fated Don Carlos.



2. I wanted to read this book as i am getting ready to visit Vienna in April. The book by Mr Wheatcroft is good because his account touches on several things that were really interesting.For example, the author explains the different personalities of the Holy Roman Emperors and Emperors of Austria.He also does a good job in explaining the times in which this emperors reigned which gives you a very good view of the circunstamces at that time. I also enjoyed the motivation behind important buildings for the Habsburgs like El Escorial in Spain and the Catacombs in St Stephen Church in Vienna.For someone who wants an introduction to the Habsburgs is a good books altough it has several flaws. One is that the author " jumps" from one event to another or from one emperor to the other.For example,he'll be talking about Charles V and all of the sudden he starts talking about his sons or future emperors without letting you know about it.I found myself going back several paragraphs to understand why he was doing that.Second, he doesnt really explain how the Holy Roman Empire gets started.He just mentions Charlemagne several times and the reader has to imagine the rest.His account sometimes is fast and sometimes is detailed which forced me to use other books with genealogies to help me understand which emperor is which and where does he come from.The other problem with this book is that it looks like the author thinks that the reader knows a lot of things so he doesnt describe or gives definition to events,people and places that i didnt know.For example, Metternich is mentioned really fast and just by his last name, so if you dont knoe who Metternich is, you'll have to look for him in another book to know who he is.Besides it's flaws, is a good book to get you started.



3. Those who are seeking an magisterial overview of how one dynasty came to control both Spain and parts of German-speaking Europe will be sadly disappointed. There is little analysis that adds any fresh insights.
   
   The writing style does not achieve the easy grace of Alison Weir, Diane Preston or David McCullough. Indeed, the sentence structured is tortured. Look up the genesis of the First World War, and this is what you get: "Although the line of succession had been assured, first to his nephew Franz Ferdinand (although that was to be overturned by the archduke's murder in Sarajevo) and then to his great-nephew, Karl, and eventually Karl's son Otto, Franz Joseph had come to see himself as standing at the end of the line."
   
   This is an unreadable book that should be avoided.



4. This book gives a reasonably coherent overview of a dynasty that was eminent and influential in European politics from the 13th to the early 20th centuries. The author maintains a more or less chronological order of who followed whom and presents a concise history of the events that occurred during their reign. He also presents some insights and facts about the personal characteristics and traits of the more noteworthy Hapsburg (or Habsburg, if you like) rulers. At appropriate places in the text he inserts applicabnle commentary and quotes by contemporary observers. The book also includes numerous paintings as figures throughout the book.
   
   The book is not as bad as some reviewers would lead you to believe. What I liked about it is that (to me, at least) it didn't get bogged down in tedious detail of each Hapsburg generation but gave the major facts and figures in an informative manner. Given that the Hapsburgs wielded power in Spain and Austria at the same time, I thought his treatment was informative without being boring. It would be nice if the author had inserted the applicable figure number for a view of the subject as he presented him (or her) but this is a personal preference.



5. Unlike most histories of the Austian-Spanish-Burgundian-Low Country-Holy Roman Emporers, who were the Habsburgs, this is the story of how they saw themselves (as working for their people at the behest of a Catholic God). Much is made as to how they viewed themselves and how they wanted to be viewed by posterity. In many ways they continued to 'right write' their history in the same manner that the Soviet Union did. It's not always what you put in a story that's important, it's how you present the information in the story that remains.
   
   Beginning with the small castle in Switzerland, the Habsbierge (hawk's mountain), they ruled over parts of Austria (originally Styria) for over 700 years. In between the scrupulously married and made dynastic mergers that would place them on the thrones of Spain (and most of the Western Hemisphere, parts of Africa and India),Portugal,Burgundy (parts of Belgium and the Netherlands), the Palatinate, Tuscany, Venice, Two Sicilies, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia-Moravia, Slovakia,half of Rumania(Transylvania) and most of future-once-Yugoslavia. In addition they married into every royal family in Europe.
   
   In fact, until the Napoleonic Era they never even used a title that refered to Austria, and only began because of the rise of nationalism and the growth of ethnicity. They were always trained to be a caretaker and to present the most benevolent face to their people, 'Empire and Father' was the byword. In the end they were outdone by the multi-ethnic problems of their empire and the changes wrought by the 'Great War'.