Vienna 1814

How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace

By: David King

Narrated by: Mel Foster

The Napoleonic Wars had torn Europe apart, and the peace conference of 1814 was to be held in the continent's grandest city: Vienna. Everyone had an agenda in the postwar world, and spy networks, bitter hatreds, illicit affairs, and tangled alliances ensued.

Despite the gravity of the situation, the Hapsburg Emperor of Austria, in opening his splendid rococo palace to the European royals and providing elaborate banquets and lavish entertainments, set the stage for the most extravagant pageantry since the fall of the Roman Empire. Guests were swept up in the dazzling whirlwind of social events - masquerades, hunts, and elaborate dinners - even as maps were being redrawn, rulers reinstated or ousted, and fortunes transferred. Ultimately, the Congress of Vienna ushered in the longest period of peace Europe has ever known.

Vienna 1814 is a rich, impeccably researched history of the intrigue and frivolity that would forever mark the Congress of Vienna as the greatest Vanity Fair of all time.

©2008 David King (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Deftly paced and engagingly written." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A worthy contribution to the study of a critical historical event long neglected by historians." ( Library Journal)

Entertaining and informative

First: yes, the narrator really should just not bother trying to pronounce the German and French names and words - he only embarrasses himself. I happened to find his hapless attempts more amusing than annoying however, and in between he does a fine job of conveying Mr. King's engaging portrait of the brilliant, quirky, and deeply flawed people who did so much to shape European and, by extension, world history for the decades and centuries to follow.

This is the kind of history I find most informative, and certainly most fun. Metternich, Czar Alexander, Talleyrand and the rest at the Congress of Vienna were in the long run fighting a losing battle against the ideas and legal structures that Napoleon had carried from France to the rest of the continent, and against the industrial and economic changes spreading inexorably south and east from Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool; but as crucial as these broader social and economic trends are, history is also shaped by individual humans, and King brings many of the most influential to life in this engaging look at one eventful (and often weird) year at a turning point in 19th Century history.

He efficiently provides just enough of the broader context while focusing on the lives of these elites: their petty squabbles, their endless parties and conspicuous consumption, their love affairs, their mutual spying and intrigues, and the diplomatic maneuverings and power plays that ended up shaping the post-Napoleonic era.

Amid all the fun, I found myself periodically having to remind myself that these people wined and dined and danced on the back of the brutal exploitation of 80-90% of the population; and that their casual horse-trading at elegant salons often doomed entire societies (notably the Poles). But for good or ill, this is how history was (and still is) made, and King – largely through their own words in letters, diaries and diplomatic dispatches – gives us a compelling look at the people who made it.

Usually Interesting, Often Madening

Mostly, I enjoyed it. Though, the story lingered at times and pronounciation was occasionally awful.

Er, Mel? I think you'll find it's pronounced ...

Would you listen to Vienna 1814 again? Why?

It's a great story and well written. Shame about Mel's less than encyclopedic knowledge of foreign names and places. But if you can get by that then it's well worth it.

What other book might you compare Vienna 1814 to and why?

There has been an amazing outpouring of modern Napoleonic studies in the past decade though few that I know of have audio versions.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Apart from the first degree nameslaughter Mel does a good job with the text. There is an enthusiasm in his voice that compliments the importance of the period and the story of it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Like some of the other reviewers my reaction was one of bewilderment that the producers could have let this out on the market without any quality control checks.

Surprisingly good

I was largely looking for a book that does a better job of explaining the Napoleonic Wars, which sadly Audible doesn't really have at the moment. I bought this as a bit of backstory to the rest of the 19th Century, and was very impressed by how engaging it was and how good a job it actually did do of filling in the important details of the Napoleonic Wars. To this point, I'd finished the Great Courses series on the French Revolution & the Age of Napoleon as well as a biography on Napoleon, and I feel like this did a far better job of giving me a lasting impression.

Much of the value in this audiobook was that by giving a number of important characters in a single place, it did a better job of helping me understand the political map of Europe in that era. Following from the perspective of Napoleon in the other books, it just felt like one damned battle after another. This was far better and much richer in the perspective granted, leaving me with a much better understanding of the situations in Russia, Prussia, and Austria in that time, as well as getting a sense of the struggles with Poland and seeing how deep the roots of WWII actually go.

Really glad I bought this. While I wasn't in general interested in a lot of the aspects of social life—the affairs, the gossip, the dances, the parties—I appreciate that this couldn't have been better told in another way, and I think that despite that seeming focus on frivolity, it actually helps anchor the matters of real depth and importance.

Highly recommend.

Not bad, but pronunciation not so good!

I agree with Daniel -- I enjoyed this book. But I have a complaint -- bad pronunciation of non-English words. Castlereagh of Ireland should be CASTLE-RAY not CASTLE-RAW. Go to dictionary.com to hear it pronounced correctly. Dorothee, a German name, should be DO-RO-TAY not DO-RO-thee. And many more.

Fantastic Book - Poor Narration

The book itself is a dazzling look at the Congress of Vienna, in which the rulers, diplomats, and socialites of Europe drank, danced, and occasionally negotiated a peace for nine straight months. The opulence, majesty, and excesses of the Congress are beautifully described, and the book manages to capture not just the diplomatic wrangling and geopolitical strategizing, but also the friendships, love affairs, and private deliberations of the participants of the Congress - not to mention the endless balls, parties, and festivals. The main figures in the book are the negotiators for the major powers - Metternich, Tallyrand, Castlereagh, Czar Alexander, Humboldt, and Hardenburg. Numerous supporting characters are brilliantly brought to life, including the Duchess of Sagan, Princess Bagration, Dorothea, and Friedrich von Gentz - to name just a few. All-in-all, this book is a deeply insightful look at this monumental peace conference.

Unfortunately, the narration is less polished than the book itself. The narrator speaks in a monotone, and frequently makes egregious mispronunciations of names and places. German names, which I am most familiar with, are almost universally mangled. The narrator mispronounced “Castlereagh” - the British representative and a main figure at the Congress of Vienna - throughout the entire work.

Outstanding

Outstanding book, so interesting it could be a movie or mini-series. The author did a great job explaining the conference but also the fascinating characters and intrigue. Highly recommend.

Disappointing narrator

Would you listen to Vienna 1814 again? Why?

This is a fine history, interesting and useful. It is wonderfully insightful for anyone interested in the Napoleonic Era.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Mel Foster?

Sadly, Mr. Foster does not even know how to properly pronounce Viscount Castlereagh's name, which is both distracting and enevitably annoying as he is a key participant. Any reasonable narrator should be able to handle this responsibility.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

A fine tome mishandled by a poor narrator.

Insightful

The lessons learnt from this conference are still used to maintain peace. However, making peace has never been easy. It requires many powers coming together and standing up against those who are being stubborn and selfish. It requires countries to adhere to principles rather than pursue their own interests. It requires Human Rights being valued and honored. Unfortunately, the twentieth century saw some of the most destructive wars of all time. Hopefully Peace will prevail.

Excellent history piece with too many parties

This book is a nice introduction to eighteen century European history, and the clean up after the Napoleanic Wars. A little too much emphasis on the seductresses of the day, but the character studies of some major historical players is quite interesting. Prussia? Who knew that that nonexistent country played such a big part? The ending is quite gripping, but it's slow to start. The reader is quite good.