"Opinions of Szabo's 7 Years War in Europe?" Topic

Considering picking this up – using a chapters gift card, so choices limited – and the title suggests that it is just what I am looking for.

But how good is it?

TMP link

We have walked down this path before. Check the comments in the link. I will resist the temptation to say anything more.

Thanks for the link. I am also up for alternate recommendations – although sadly only of things in print.

Well worth the read

I thought it an excellent general history of the Seven Years War in Europe.

Recommended.

Mind you, I don't happen to think Frederick was a demi god of war, so none of the text came as a surprise to me.

I had it recommended by an academic in a Military History department, so you should perhaps consider that also.

I did not consider it biased for or against any one side – just not pro the Prussians.

I agree it is good book.

Setting aside the discussion of the personality of Frederick – Szabo certainly seems passionate about it at any rate – the book is very lucidly written and I do believe I am coming away with a better understanding of events.

"We have walked down this path before. Check the comments in the link. I will resist the temptation to say anything more."

I didn't expect that when I followed the link, lol. So I'm guessing the book is a good read from the couple of posts above. Maybe just be wary of a slight anti-Frederick bias, or was the bias (or bile) really just coming from one or two of the anti-Frederick posters in that thread (one post had the most 'snips' I've ever seen on TMP)?

I really wished I'd stopped at the first page instead of reading the other 2 and the other couple of Hwiccee threads. I can't believe after all that ranting the 'copyrighted material' theft turned out to be so tame. TMP is a great place to talk but every so often someone comes along who is completely crackers!

I vaguely remember that thread. I didn't make it through half the first page.

The book however I found to be a good read. My take was that it wasn't anti-Frederick, but that Szabo doesn't see him as the all conquering hero many make him out to be.

regards, Bill

Actually, based on the prologue in which emphasis is placed of Hitler's identification with Frederick, the conclusion in which (IIRC, and I will check again when I get home) in which the role of Prussian militarism in the German "creation myth" is mentioned, and the fact that Szabo (although educated in Canada) self-identifies as ethnic Austrian suggests that he may be predisposed to slight Frederick (including, of all things, his "mechanical flute playing"???).

I think to some degree the book is an Austrian "Parthian shot" in a battle most people forgot was even fought for control of German history.

I for one believe that all history beyond the trivial does have a bias, and it might as well be out where you can see it. I am tempted to get his book on Kaunitz.

I have just started to read his book on Kaunitz and in my opinion it deserves to be on the bookshelf of every SYW buff.

I actually found Szabos footnoting regarding some of the rose coloured assessments of Frederick in earlier german sources very interesting.

Additionally, he notes how modern german historians with a wider view of primary source material have taken some of the more slavish gloss off of Fritz.

I think it'd be fair statement to say Szabo writes with this in mind, I think his style and "voice" is perhaps is there encourage critical discourse rather than simply ripping strips off Fred.

The Economic perspective is an important one and a viewpoint that has a lot of historians revisting ground theyve trod before with that in mind.

I found the read very worthwhile so far, I'm halfway through.

I'm coming away quite intruiged by Kaunitz thius far

I attended a panel at an academic conference in which Szabo gave a summary of his thesis. He was so far over the top, it almost became a parody. Toward the end, I whispered to a colleague: "I had no idea that Frederick the Great actually lost every battle he ever fought."

Seriously; that was the jist of it. The victories had all been misunderstood and were actually defeats. It begged the question of how a tiny state of 4 million people managed to hold its own against two-thirds of Europe for seven years.

Dennis Showalter spoke next and pretty much unraveled Szabo's whole argument.

"Dennis Showalter spoke next"

Good, just started Showalter's "Wars of Frederick the Great", should be interesting.

Thank you for that little nugget Sam. I would have liked to have been there to see it happen.

Szabo: excellent book.

Yes first rate. About time a more critical look at the SYW was written rather than the usual myths about the Prussians.

I wanted a general introducion to the period and saw this in Foyles but reading all the responses above put me off. However, I then saw Duffy give it a positive remark in the introduction to his latest book on the Austrians so that swung it for me.

I'm now part way through and I find it very readable and clear. So looking forward to the three hour train journey I've got in a week's time so I can really get through it.