Genealogy Books - The Austrians: A Thousand-Year Odyssey

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Summary: A good general overview of Austrian history
Comment: This is a nice comprehensive overview of Austrian history and the question of what, exactly, is an
Austrian identity. While I was familiar with the outlines of Austrian and Hapsburg history, it has
always been through the lens of other countries or events, England, Russia, Napoleon, etc. Given
the author's commentary on the elusive nature of "Austria," this is perhaps more appropriate than I
imagined.

I had the pleasure of spending time in the Voralberg a year ago at Christmas and it
peaked my interest in this interesting and beautiful part of Europe. Given the intersections of EU
expansion into Eastern Europe and proximity to the Balkans, it a good subject to know a bit about.
I would like to find a similar book about Hungary, to round out my knowledge.

One small issue --
this is a telescoped history. 100 pages on the first 800 years, 100 more on the next century, and
300 on the last 100 years. Nonetheless if you are looking for a good, non-academic history of the
region, this is as good as you will find.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A very useful if biased overview of Austrian history
Comment: The author brings a long term body of knowledge of the subject. He has had access to sources and
personages which are unique. I got the feeling that he tends to echo stereotypes that I have heard
from Austrians who should know better, i.e., overstatement of Jewish influence on Viennese culture
and economy.

Towards the end (p. 421), while discussing the role of Archduke Otto in the
immediate post war years, he speaks very dismissively of the Von Trapp family. Saying the Von
Trapps - "whose singing family of exiles had found fame in Hollywood" - were the only Austrians
known to the American public. The Von Trapp family made a new life for themselves with their
singing. Remember that they were essentially penniless when they escaped from Austria. The family
supported themselves by their singing long before "The Sound of Music". I remember them in cncert
during WW2 at a concert at a local junior high school. "The Sound of Music" appeared twenty years
later. Too many times during the book, there are rather snobbish and elitist comments such as this
one and lessens the author's credibility as a result.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Informative, but not what I was looking for
Comment: The title is somewhat misleading. Perhaps the first third of the book covers the period up to the
turn of the century. The rest of the book covers the past 100 years. The author dwells on his own
contacts (such as with the last Empress of Austro-Hungary), and while they are, of course, valid
and lends credibility and interest, he does tend to dwell on some of the convolutions of failed
plots and uprisings that never happened. It is a good explanation of the Austrian "character", but
I wish he had gone into more detail of the preceding history, instead of dwelling on the WWII era.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Excellent and comprehensive
Comment: This is one of a number of books we purchased in preparation for a month-long journey to Austria (in
the course of which we spent a delightful week with our exchange-student daughter's host family near
Graz). Austria has played a central role in much of European history, and this book provides
indispensable insights into the background of this fascinating nation. One can't begin to
understand Austria today without some knowledge of its complex past. This book is indispensable
for those who would really seek to experience Austria. We don't pretend to a lofty level of
geopolitical wisdom, but this book helped lift us out of our American insularism. Our Austrian
hosts were fascinated by it, and wanted their own copy.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Absolutely Superb
Comment: One of the most comprehensive books on the intricate history covering the last 1,000 years of
Austria. Short and to the point. Objective and not entering into speculative analysis of the "What
If..? so often encountered in history books. I sincerely recomend it. Archduk Philipp of Austria

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