Austria Books

Initially published in 1984, The Austrian Nation: Cultural Consciousness And Socio-Political Processes by Ernst Bruckmuller (Professor of Economic and Social History, University of Vienna, and Chairman of the Department of Austrian Studies) is a revised translation into English and provided an informative Afterword by Lowell A. Bangerter (Professor of German, University of Wyoming) of a seminal and scholarly work that combines historical analysis, social research, and a broad survey of the unique culture forces and politics that have shaped present-day Austria. Individual chapters address controversies, myths, stereotypes, the wide variety of ethnic groups, and more. As pertaining to the political, social, and cultural tapestry of Austria itself, The Austrian Nation is thoughtfully recommended as being a seminal and ground breaking study of a European nation.

This book is a fine analysis of Austrian contributions to economics and Austrian anticipations of many modern neo-classical ideas. It also examines constructively but critically the modern Austrian research program.

I used this guidebook on a recent trip to Europe to explore Vienna. I recommend it for its compact size and many convenient maps. I really like the Fodor's travel guides and usually use one of their country guides to learn more about where I am going and where I would like to visit. Those can be a little unwieldy to tote around a city though. These Baedeker's city guides (also put out by Fodor's) are perfect for that though. The pages of my guide were made of a sturdier than regular book material that repelled having gluewien spilled on them. Using the many maps included I managed to navigate my way around the city and various attractions fairly easily. A separate large fold out city map also came with the guide. My only negative comment is that the hotel and restaurant information is by no means inclusive or detailed. I usually have my accomodations all planned before I go and find places to eat either through recommendations or exploration so these things don't matter as much to me. Expanding this information would also undermine the guide's convenient size. If you are planning a trip to visit a foreign country I would recommend getting the larger country guide and then maybe one or more of the smaller city guides for the major cities you plan to spend any time exploring.

Gordon Craig gives a clear and highly readable account of the most infuential battle of the 19th century. This should be required reading for anybody trying to understand modern German history. The author uses excellent source material to bring a contemporary narretive and evaluation to this historical milestone.

Baumschlager and Eberle are a genuine inspiration for a new standard of architectural practice and construction. Their work is a carefully considered reevaluation of institutions, their elegant, laconic buildings in modern cities and small towns stress the identity of the place not the architect, an injuntion entirely lost on the "starchitect", much to culture's misfortune. These buildings, and their practice, are quietly, modestly attempting to reestablish place in our society, and reconsider the performative civic tasks to which we can reapply ourselves in making an architecture to fix our values in place.

This is the only book providing thorough, complete coverage of sights in the Bavaria and Franconia region.

This is an important read for any Beethoven-head, classical music fan, or music history buff. I'm a fan of primary documentation in general; I would rather read letters, essays, or autobiographies than some scholarly tome. But these letters are very revealing as to Beethoven's character and state of mind. At times they are quite moving, such as Beethoven's letter to his brother where he stated that the only thing that prevented him from killing himself was the knowledge that he still had more music to give to the world. From just about anyone else that would seem like delusional grandiosity, but in Beethoven's case it was true.

It brought to mind a comment made by a patient who was opposed to psychiatric medications. He made an argument, a variation of a common one, linking mental illness as the driving force behind creativity: "If Beethoven had been given Prozac, we all would have been robbed of the Eroica." Sounds compelling, but is it true? One thing that can be learned from Beethoven's letters, in combination with other sources, is that he wrote his heaviest, darkest, most brooding works during periods of relative happiness. When he was in the deepest depths of his mood disorder, he wrote light, upbeat music, music that is brilliant in its own way, but not the music people generally picture as Beethovian. Certainly one can speculate as to links between creativity and some forms mental illness, but to equate the two is to marginalize the suffering of true mental illness. Here's what I'm saying: Mental illness is not something to exoticize. It is something to rebel against.

Who's to say that Beethoven on Prozac wouldn't have written the same music? Or wouldn't have written different but equally brilliant music? This also begs the question of whether or not a suffering artist really owes the public the products of their creativity, but that's another tangent.

You know who I'd like to medicate? Bruckner. How about Bruckner punching up his 7th symphony while on multiple stimulants? That might be interesting. Oops, off-topic again.

I recommend this book. If willing to invest the time, one could create an iPod Beethoven playlist that roughly tracks his work chronologically, and then read Beethoven's letters in short bites following along with the music.

This book was written not 10 years after Beethoven's death-- by his friends and pupils Franz Weigler and J. Ries. It is a good first-hand look at Beethoven, how he lived, and what was generally thought of him by friends. It includes a good number of letters, documents, and engravings to aid the reader in understanding of this composer. The book is divided into two halves, one half is Weigler's account, the other Ries'. The authors thought highly of the 'Master', yet include the not always flattering opinions of others, such as his employers, relatives, pupils, etc. I found this book gratifying to read as a first-hand account, with more direct biography than philosophy on Beethoven's life. Submitted by: Tobey S. Crawford, studen

This book is well written and the reader senses that the writers were attempting to be as accurate as possible in giving us a picture of the genius as well as the person, Beethoven. There is something special about reading first hand accounts of the lives of great men. Another good book in this vein is "Memories of Beethoven" written by Gerhard von Breuning. Gerhard was the son of one of Beethoven's oldest friends, Stephan von Breuning, and the boy visited Beethoven frequently during Beethoven's final illness. Beethoven delighted in seeing the youngster and nicknamed him "Trouserbutton" as Gerhard developed a close and loving relationship with Beethoven. Sadly, Stephan von Breuning, Beethoven's old friend, died only a few months after Beethoven. Another member of Beethoven's circle during his last years, Anton Schindler, also wrote a book titled "Beethoven As I Knew Him." Beethoven scholars are doubtful of the veracity of some of Schindler's stories and Schindler, at times, appears to use his relationship with Beethoven for his own self-promotion by exaggerating his own importance in Beethoven's life. Neither of the first two books are long but they are both very enjoyable. I, for one, am grateful to those authors for sharing their experiences with me and helping me understand more about the humanness of the great artist, Beethoven.

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Written in very nice British English, with the very sane British academic expression, Cooper's Beethoven is one of the best books on the Master available. Includes an important appendix treating the Beethoven syphilis theory. Apart from his deafness, Beethoven struggled all his adult life with painful chronic colitis and probably died of hepatitis. It's possible but doubtful he had syphilis.

Also, Cooper touches upon the fey facet of Beethoven's personality: not that he practiced homosexuality at all--(we do know that he sometimes frequented female prostitutes), but that he had an element of his character which may be considered a little fey. Certainly he never married, and in his later life he was somewhat misogynistic while he surrounded himself with a small series of handsome young men as assistants and companions; moreover, his destructive relationship with his nephew Karl distinctly reminds one of Wilde's relationship with Douglas.
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