“Reads like a novel. A fast-paced page-turner, it has everything: sex, wit, humor, and adventures. But it is an impressively researched and i...
read full description
reviews
Jan 23, 2009
Kelly
rated it: 
Okay, so you know how you're in that airport bookstore because you've tragically finished off your book before its even time to take off? (Because naturally nobody on goodreads would be caught there because they forgot to bring a book.) So you're standing, torn, between that shelf of NYT bestsellers, cheap thrillers, a few Serious Looking Histories... and those shiny, shiny pretty ridiculously indulgent magazine racks and trying to pretend like you don't care /at all/ if Brangelina had the world
More...
15 comments
like
(8 people liked it)
May 08, 2010
Christopher
rated it:
If you're at all interested in modern European history, and looking for a bit of a racy tale too, then this book is for you. David King is to be commended for crafting such an elegant and engaging work that really does read like a novel. Vienna 1814 details the doings of the Congress of Vienna, held in Vienna, Austria, in late-1814 and early-1815, its expressed purpose to restore Europe following the abdication of Napoleon to Elba and the end of nearly 20 years of war across Europe. Kings and
More...
4 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Dec 11, 2011
Madeline
rated it:
"Kings, queens, princes, and diplomats would all pour into the city of Vienna in the autumn of 1814 for the highly anticipated peace conference. More than 200 states and princely houses would send delegates to settle the many unresolved issues. How were the victors to reconstruct the war-torn continent? How were they going to make restitution to the millions who had lost family members or suffered the horrors of Napoleonic domination? The Vienna Congress offered a chance to correct the wron
More...
5 comments
like
(6 people liked it)
Sep 27, 2010
Anyone interested in the Napoleonic era might enjoy this look at the personalities gathered at the Congress of Vienna over the latter part of 1814 through early 1815, when the protracted (and killingly expensive) gaieties were summarily interrupted by Napoleon's escape from Elba.
It was amusing to recognize bits from this or that memoir or set of letters, however unlike those, King navigates between the Scylla of unreliable narrators (and the memoirists are all more or less unreliable i More...
It was amusing to recognize bits from this or that memoir or set of letters, however unlike those, King navigates between the Scylla of unreliable narrators (and the memoirists are all more or less unreliable i More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Apr 30, 2009
Kim
rated it:
Well, I learned an awful lot from the book. That may have more to do with my ignorance of history than anything else. Still he packed a great deal of information into the book and gives you a good feel for the personalities involved. At times all the descriptions of balls, salons, dinner parties, and ceremonies seems to interrupt the flow of the political action, but I finally got the feeling that that is actually what happened at the congress also - pleasure seemed to crowd out the ugly work. I
More...
May 29, 2009
Monica
rated it:
Unusual and lively account of the 1814 Congress of Vienna that focuses as much on the social life as on the politics. The point is that the European and aristocratic rulers appeared to be far more interested in balls, sleigh rides and mock medieval tournaments than in rebuilding Europe after Napoleon had been banished to Elba. The major emphasis is on Tallyrand and Metternich, who come across as full personalities, but also follows more minor participants. I think this is a good approach that pr
More...
Dec 14, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
First of all--written by a Kentuckian and a professor at my alma mater UK. Yeah! Okay, moving on...fascinating topic that I was not knowledgable about previously, and an interesting, novel-y writing style. I loved all the gossipy stuff about the parties and the love affairs, and all the lovely descriptions of gowns and mansions and various intrigues. And while a lot of the political/diplomatic information was interesting, I did get a little bogged down when this got extremely detailed; I'm s
More...
Nov 21, 2010
Brieanna
rated it: 
I just got back from a Europe trip two months ago, and one of the cities I visited was Vienna. On top of that, I feel like I missed my real calling, which is a 19th century landed aristocrat. Also, I love history. That being said, this book was everything that I want a good book to be. The subject matter was interesting, the location was fabulous (although it could have been described in a little more detail, but maybe that's just me), and the subjects were decadent. I know a lot more about the
More...
Jan 17, 2012
A.J.
rated it: 
The genre of "popular history" is somewhat hard to pin down, over the years I've seen it defined in a number of different ways. The most common definition you'll find is any work of history written for a non-academic audience, but this has always seemed somewhat limiting to me. After all, can't a work accessible to the general populace also advance scholarship? This dichotomy between popular and academic history results in having the former type be almost overwhelmingly broad while th
More...
5 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
May 31, 2009
Cindy
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book. It isn't exactly historical fiction and it isn't exactly history - it something in between. He creates dialog between people but he knew that they had the conversation at that time and place. He quotes from diaries and reports from that period too.
I happen to love Vienna so it was great to "visit" it in this book. I kept thinking I want to go see that place or this place when I read about events occurring there. The people who attended the C More...
I happen to love Vienna so it was great to "visit" it in this book. I kept thinking I want to go see that place or this place when I read about events occurring there. The people who attended the C More...
Oct 15, 2008
Erik
rated it:
Long story short: people are people, no matter the time or place. Vienna 1814, an ultimate argument for the aforementioned thesis, captures this point effectively in retelling the story of the greatest party and slowest peace negotiation that graced nineteenth century Europe. It had everything - drunks, old guys that tell their wars stories to anyone who will listen, societal bigwigs, international intrigues and, of course, divas. While Paris Hilton wasn't there, she'd probably surmise the le
More...
Aug 22, 2008
lisa_emily
rated it:
I read a study somewhere, perhaps long ago, that men tended to read history and women tended to read fiction. Well, Vienna, 1814 should appeal to both type of readers- it presents history with a dramtic flair. In the first chapter, King opens the world stage by parading the pivotal world leaders who will determine Europe's boundaries and power alliances after Napolean's attempt of a total takeover. Heads of state, royalty and side players all convene in Vienna in 1814 while Napolean schemed and
More...
Apr 27, 2008
Bill
rated it:
This book starts very slow, with the admittedly required set-up of the characters. Metternich, Tallyrand, and the other key figures at the Congress of Vienna are placed in their historical context, and the reader gets a primer on each of their backgrounds and what makes each one tic. Next comes a section which makes a reader feel like he is reading Us Weekly, rather than a historical work, with details of sordid affairs, and other gossip that is seemingly unworthy of a serious look at one of t
More...
Jul 19, 2010
Valley Cottage
rated it:
SUMMER READING CLUB: "Napoleon has been banished to Elba and the leaders of Europe have gathered in Vienna to work out a treaty with France and reward the victors. This fast-moving story reads like a novel. Fll of surprises- Napoleon escapes- and memorable characters. A good read from a writer to watch!" -Joseph Costa
Jul 26, 2011
Daniel
rated it:
Another superb work of "Paris 1919" style history. Full of exacting historical detail and delicious amounts of gossip, this is a book you _can't_ read fast...it begs you to luxuriate in every fine detail evident in the events of the era. It's the historical equivalent of a warm bath, complete with epsom salt.
Jul 26, 2009
Megan
rated it:
This is nonfiction but it reads like a historical novel. If you like historical books you'll love this. It's fun to see all the intrigue and craziness that went on at the Congress of Vienna while meanwhile Napoleon was planning his escape from Elba. It's really a great book.
Oct 09, 2011
CJ
rated it:
This was a great book to read if you want to gain a firmer understanding of Europe at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It's packed with a lot of information, but written in a fluid enough manner to remain interesting. I especially loved the parts about Napoleon and I think I would like to read more about him in the future in the form of a biography. It would have been great if the author had included some maps along with the great paintings he added: a map of European borders as they wer
More...
Aug 01, 2011
Fantastic book. I could see the movie playing in my head as I read it. He dwells a bit too much on the superficial details of the entertainments associated with the congress, but that's one of the few criticisms I can offer. Lovely stuff.
Jan 04, 2011
Robert
rated it:
A very entertaining historic read. Though this is a history book and deep in factual data, it reads like a novel. The events are just too interesting and engaging to make it otherwise. And David King's style blends fiction prose with non-fiction style. He brilliantly paints the era and then links it to current world affairs. This should be an HBO miniseries. Fun stuff.
Jan 14, 2010
Gary
rated it:
I learned more about some of the people that shaped today's Europe: Prince Metternich, Alexander 1st of Russia, Tallyrand, Napolean,etc, and how the boundaries of many of the European nations were established, that lasted until WWI
Dec 03, 2008
danny
rated it: 
A very readable and enjoyable book. Though remarkably broad in scope, the level of detail is somewhat sparse at times.
Along with documenting the huge undertaking of creating a treaty to encompass all of Europe, the book is full of fascinating anecdotes on the personal lives of the many of the congress' participants. It has prompted me to track down several more detailed volumes on Talleyrand, Tsar Alexander, Lord Castleragh, and Napoleon simply to get clarity on that chaotic and tum More...
Along with documenting the huge undertaking of creating a treaty to encompass all of Europe, the book is full of fascinating anecdotes on the personal lives of the many of the congress' participants. It has prompted me to track down several more detailed volumes on Talleyrand, Tsar Alexander, Lord Castleragh, and Napoleon simply to get clarity on that chaotic and tum More...
Jul 24, 2008
Gouty
rated it:
A very good history of the Congress of Vienna. For those who are not history geeks, after the first defeat of Napoleon the winning powers (Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia were the main ones) met in Vienna to decide the fate of Europe. Such questions as should there be a Poland (no), what would happen to the Kingdom of Naples (it went back to the Bourbons). It is a very dry subject, but the author makes it very lively. It amazed me how much of the politics were conducted in lady's sal
More...
Jan 23, 2010
Lauren
rated it:
I highly recommend this history. I usually avoid what I consider "narrow" histories--I like history with breadth. But I could never call this a narrow history though its focus is a year in one city. The number of important people who were in the city that year is breathtaking. It was the most world leaders that had ever been in one place. The Tsar. Metternich. Talleyrand. And the author shows how intertwined the personal and the political was--Metternich, neglecting his negotia
More...
Jul 13, 2011
David
rated it:
Intrigue and gossip. History and Political Science. The first Congress of its kind with ramifications that had an impact on WWI and thus the rest of Western history. Good read.
Oct 03, 2009
Britaini
rated it:
A great book with insight into Vienna as the Europeans tried to figure out how to split up Europe but instead had a huge party.
Aug 26, 2009
Edward
rated it:
Trying to read and understand Les Miserables brought me to Vienna 1814, and the lively, informative and amusing narrative of this book places it atop all other history books that I have read or studied.
Feb 19, 2009
John
rated it:
A lot of dramatized dialogue, which has the effect of turning the participants into 19th century versions of the characters on "Gossip Girl." Over all, a coherent narrative of a fascinating subject, with some titillating details, but perhaps too in love with creating a scene.
Mar 05, 2010
Vienna 1814: How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace (Unabridged) by David King (?)
Jul 08, 2011
May
rated it:
Engrossing narration of the happenings at the Vienna Peace Conference, and what followed.
