From Alexander Waugh, the author of the acclaimed memoir "Fathers and Sons," comes a grand saga of a brilliant and tragic Viennese family.
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reviews
Jul 02, 2009
Andy
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In this lively history of the Wittgenstein family, Alexander Waugh has captured in fine detail the extraordinary events that defined the family’s life in war-time Europe. And yet, for all of his plucky reporting and colorful anecdotes, Waugh makes little progress towards illuminating the depths of the Wittgenstein’s troubled psyche.
First, of course, there were the suicides. Before age twenty-five, two of the Wittgenstein sons were dead by suicide—most theatrically, Rudi, who finished More...
First, of course, there were the suicides. Before age twenty-five, two of the Wittgenstein sons were dead by suicide—most theatrically, Rudi, who finished More...
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Aug 18, 2009
Alan
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This book examines the Wittgenstein family, a fabulously rich Austrian dynasty, through three generations. The elder Wittgenstein, Karl, cornered the steel market in the Austro-Hungarian empire in the latter part of the 19th century and became one of the richest men in the world.
The family was headquartered in a lavish Vienna palace and often hosted personalities like Brahms and Mahler for musical evenings. One of the daughters, Gretl, was painted by Gustav Klimt. They were scions o More...
The family was headquartered in a lavish Vienna palace and often hosted personalities like Brahms and Mahler for musical evenings. One of the daughters, Gretl, was painted by Gustav Klimt. They were scions o More...
Oct 18, 2009
Lauren
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I've said before that group biographies are difficult to do well. In this biography of the Wittgenstein family, Waugh really isn't doing a group biography, in my opinion. His focus is clearly on the two most famous Wittgensteins--Paul, the musician and Ludwig, the philosopher. He certainly includes the rest of the family--parents and children--as much as any individual's biography rightfully includes family background--but they are not his focus. This is not a criticism. The book is very read
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Mar 17, 2011
Joseph
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still reading this book. the author has a unique way of jumping from one family member to another, and this can be a bit frustrating if you're inclined to follow a more traditional linear narrative. this family, however, has a lot of interesting personalities that the author has no problem sorting through, although a scorecard would be nice at times.
UPDATE: the book has picked up quite a bit as the author moves the House of Wittgenstein into WW2. the family's dealings with the Naz More...
UPDATE: the book has picked up quite a bit as the author moves the House of Wittgenstein into WW2. the family's dealings with the Naz More...
Apr 08, 2009
Anna
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My recent doxographical inamorata The Book of Dead Philosophers relates this anecdote about Ludwig Wittgenstein: “After he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer . . . [a friend:] presented him with an electric blanket on his birthday and said, ‘Many happy returns.’ Wittgenstein replied, staring back at her, “There will be no returns.’” Not a cheery man, was Ludwig (though perhaps vindicated by his death three days later).
But he came by it honest, as I learned reading this well-researched More...
But he came by it honest, as I learned reading this well-researched More...
Sep 19, 2009
Arwen
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To further immerse myself in early twentieth century Viennese culture, I checked this out from the library last week. . . and I am so glad I did. The Wittgensteins were a wealthy, opinionated, influential, and (possibly as a result) very strange family whose notable and peculiar experiences during the generation this book largely concerns itself with make for captivating reading!
The juxtaposition of political and moral sentiments and actions within the family creates an interesting More...
The juxtaposition of political and moral sentiments and actions within the family creates an interesting More...
May 05, 2009
Harold
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Ludwig Wittgenstein is often credited with collapsing 2000 years or so of Western philosophy into a linguistic conundrum, and reducing its grand endeavors to little more than a system of tautologies and definitions. This book puts him into context with several generations of his truly remarkable family, within which the reader begins to see how he could seem to be among the lesser-distinguished members. Written by a Waugh (not sure how traces back to Evelyn), it's got a very upper-Euro-crust t
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Sep 09, 2011
Susan
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Ludwig is a well-known philosopher of the twentieth century. But who knew that he was actually the least interesting of this strange, talented, and extremely rich Austrian family. The central figure of this non-fiction account is Paul, who lost an arm in WWI and yet stubbornly pursued a career as a pianist. Although every one of them was musically talented and at least slightly mad, the family managed to stick held together until they were identified as Jews by the Nazis, even though they had
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Mar 05, 2011
Willem
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A recent visit to Vienna was a good reason to read this book about the Wittgenstein family. Actually it is mostly a portrait of Paul Wittgenstein, the one-armed pianist, as he gets most of the author's attention. The whole family, all eight brothers and sisters come out of this book almost as complete lunatics, which seems to be a bit overdone. Extremely rich, pushed to extremes by their father resulting in three suicides and lifelong fights, this was not a happy family. Nevertheless it has not
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Mar 18, 2011
Elizabeth
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This is a nicely written biography and it is quite entertaining to read. Waugh is attentive to the complexity of the Wittgenstein family and also to their larger cultural influence, but he often writes in a very astringent manner about his subjects. About the profound suffering Paul and Ludwig underwent during the first World War, Waugh appears largely unsympathetic, and yet he can still detail how this experience impacted them. At times the dispassion seemed a little too much for me, but Wau
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Feb 09, 2010
Madeline
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The House of Wittgenstein is an interesting, but rather bitchy book. I got the impression that Waugh sometimes couldn't help himself, and while (to his credit) he uses biography-bitchy, which is fairly subtle as bitchy goes, it does kind of detract from the book. Maybe if he seemed to have more of a sense of humor it would be different . . . but maybe not.
Still - it's a neat group biography, with an idiosyncratic structure. Waugh focuses mostly on Paul Wittgenstein, who certainly see More...
Still - it's a neat group biography, with an idiosyncratic structure. Waugh focuses mostly on Paul Wittgenstein, who certainly see More...
May 01, 2009
Bob
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This Waigh can write (he's inherited the gene), and there is much that is fascinating in this story of the wealthy but unhealthy Wittgenstein bunch. However, the book is fatally flawed by the author's classic British philistinism regarding continental philosophy - he demonstrates zero comprehension of Ludwig Witttgenstein's work, and worse, an ignorant contempt for and bewilderment at its lofty reputation (which, frankly, is the main thing that would entice most people into reading this family h
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Aug 20, 2009
Mary
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This is a fascinating story of a family that included the famous philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein and the pianist Paul Wittgenstein-- as well as a host of other characters. If it were a novel, it might be considered too exaggerated in its depiction of the family, but here they are!
Jul 28, 2010
Gordon
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Another of the books I've read that spans the period of 1890 through 1950. Obviously, the central figure to us is Ludwig, the mysteriously brilliant philosopher, but his one-armed brother Paul emerges as the hero of this dysfunctional family.
Oct 05, 2009
Anne
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Just starting this book. I liked Alexander Waugh's "Fathers and Sons", so I'm anticipating a well told story of family, class, and society that is unfamiliar to my world.
Apr 04, 2010
Deborah
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This book started out well, although I am not a fan of the bitty chapter approach. However, halfway through the whole story became too convoluted and complicated, bogged down with too much detail - it needed a broader sweep.
Dec 29, 2011
Michelle
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Not a pretty picture of a very important Jewish Family. Very informative
May 08, 2009
Rock
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When I finish books quickly I have to wonder whether it's me or the book that made it go so fast. Sure, I finished reading Wittgenstein on a cross-country train ride. I had nothing to do but read for forty hours. But I started the book before I got on the train, and I don't think it went any faster on the rails.
So is it the writing? The author's tone is gossipy throughout, and the narrative is broken up into innumerable short little stories
So is it the writing? The author's tone is gossipy throughout, and the narrative is broken up into innumerable short little stories
Apr 03, 2009
Walter
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Great book review of the book:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/nov...
A spiritual outlaw. I like that.
Mar 21, 2009
Vicki
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This book showed me that my family is very normal... Actually, any family would probably look good next to this bunch of nuts! Very entertaining book! The most interesting thing about it is that it is about real people. You couldn't make this stuff up!
Nov 11, 2009
Dan
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Fascinating account of a rich and f***ed up family. A lot of war detail which gets a bit tedious if you're not into that sort of thing. But, an amazing insight into the disintegration of a great European family in the 20th century.
Feb 04, 2012
Adam
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I would have liked a bit more focus on Ludwig rather than Paul, but I guess Ludwig has a few bios already. Really, really amazing family.
Dec 05, 2009
Lloyd
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Not quite as wonderful as his "Fathers and Sons" but proves that even the most dysfunctional of families can fascinate the reader
Apr 25, 2011
Joe
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Amazing history. A family of lunatics try to survive two world wars, cold-hearted relatives, and general bitchiness.
Feb 12, 2012
Feb 12, 2012
