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hawkwing_lbBooks 2012: 185
185. Peter H. Wilson, Europe's Tragedy: A New History of the Thirty Years War. Penguin, 2010.
Clocking in at 851 pages before notes, this is a lengthy, comprehensive overview of the Thirty Years War - and for a book of its length and scope, surprisingly readable. The scene is set with coverage of the events leading up to 1618-20 (Elector Ferdinand of the Palatine's short-lived reign as King of Bohemia is generally heralded as kicking off the larger conflict), and the conflicts within the Hapsburg possessions under Rudolf II and Maximillian are outlined with sufficient depth to provide context. Also contextualised are the parties from outside the empire who became involved in the struggles in the Hapsburg's imperial dominions - the Dutch Republic, Spain, Sweden, France, Denmark. Attention is paid to the course of battles and high politics, with diversions into economics: Wilson is not a social historian, but his writing is influenced by social perspectives, if that makes sense. As an introduction to the Thirty Years War, this book proves both accessible and detailed, and I suspect Wilson's achievement here won't be surpassed for a generation.
The endnotes span a further 75 pages, and I haven't bothered to count the index. I'd have liked to see the inclusion of a bibliographic essay, but I suspect it would have added at least half again as many pages to the notes, and is thus an understandable exclusion.
A very solid and accessible work of history.
185. Peter H. Wilson, Europe's Tragedy: A New History of the Thirty Years War. Penguin, 2010.
Clocking in at 851 pages before notes, this is a lengthy, comprehensive overview of the Thirty Years War - and for a book of its length and scope, surprisingly readable. The scene is set with coverage of the events leading up to 1618-20 (Elector Ferdinand of the Palatine's short-lived reign as King of Bohemia is generally heralded as kicking off the larger conflict), and the conflicts within the Hapsburg possessions under Rudolf II and Maximillian are outlined with sufficient depth to provide context. Also contextualised are the parties from outside the empire who became involved in the struggles in the Hapsburg's imperial dominions - the Dutch Republic, Spain, Sweden, France, Denmark. Attention is paid to the course of battles and high politics, with diversions into economics: Wilson is not a social historian, but his writing is influenced by social perspectives, if that makes sense. As an introduction to the Thirty Years War, this book proves both accessible and detailed, and I suspect Wilson's achievement here won't be surpassed for a generation.
The endnotes span a further 75 pages, and I haven't bothered to count the index. I'd have liked to see the inclusion of a bibliographic essay, but I suspect it would have added at least half again as many pages to the notes, and is thus an understandable exclusion.
A very solid and accessible work of history.
