Publishers Weekly
05/23/2022
Scottish MP Robertson, a former broadcast journalist based in Vienna, debuts with a sweeping history of the Austrian capital from its ancient Roman roots as the “fortified garrison town” Vindobona to the present day. Contending that Vienna “has been at the crossroads of European civilisations... for more than two millennia,” Robertson swiftly chronicles the city’s development after Roman settlers fled Attila the Hun’s invading forces in the fifth century through the rise of Renaissance Vienna as a place, according to the future Pope Pius II, of “unlimited” opportunities for men and women. The bulk of the book depicts Vienna’s centuries-long run as the seat of the Habsburg dynasty, detailing, among other highlights, the origins of the city’s coffee-house tradition in the failed 1683 siege by Ottoman forces and Empress Maria Theresa’s use of marriage diplomacy to spread Habsburg influence across Europe. Robertson also documents how antisemitism overcame the tolerance that helped Eastern European Jews prosper under the reign of Emperor Francis Joseph I and sketches Adolf Hitler’s residence in the city as an 18-year-old struggling artist. Throughout, marginalized voices and lesser-known sources provide vivid details about the symbolism of the Austrian flag, the cramped living conditions in 19th-century apartment buildings, and other matters. This sparkling history enlightens and entertains. (Aug.)
Air Mail
"By our reckoning, there are two kinds of people: folks who consider Vienna their favorite city, and those who have yet to visit it. Either group would profit enormously from reading Angus Robertson’s book, which chronicles the city’s emergence as Europe’s pivotal city in art, music, and politics, not to mention psychoanalysis."
The New Criterion
"[Angus Robertson's] love for the city is apparent in this panoramic account of Vienna as a cultural, intellectual, and political capital of Europe."
Vienna Mayor and Governor Michael Ludwig
Vienna’s global standing in history, culture and ground breaking social policy is wonderfully captured in this book.”
The Arts Fuse
"[Angus Robertson ]has written a thoroughly enjoyable history of Vienna which is both accurate and entertaining. A journalist, former British MP, and currently a Scottish cabinet secretary, he writes with both detail and panache about compelling people and events that deserve better than mere mention en passant. His history capably illustrates how the city’s conservative past evolved into a problematic modernity. The Crossroads of Civilization is comprehensive about its various transformations without straying into the exhaustive."
Arnold Schwarzenegger
"From the Congress of Vienna to the Austria World Summit, the city of Vienna has hosted key meetings on peace to climate action. This is a first-class book about Vienna as the crossroads of civilization and as the international capital."
The Wall Street Journal
"From the 13th century till the end of World War I, a Habsburg ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire with Vienna as its capital city. No other royal dynasty has a record that can match that of the Habsburgs. Mr. Robertson holds that the key to the Habsburgs’ greatness was sheer continuity and the stability that comes with it; he even ascribes to them a sense of mission. There is something valid in Mr. Robertson’s endorsement of the city as a civilizational crossroads.”
The Diplomatic Courier
"While there are innumerable histories of Paris, London, or Berlin, there are comparably few of Vienna, which after reading The Crossroads of Civilization is all the more remarkable. Vienna is indeed a crossroads for so much and so many. This is the story that Robertson tells in such a vivid and enthusiastic fashion. In the end, the greatest joy of Robertson’s book is his palpable joy and fascination with his subject. Robertson pens a love letter to Vienna, a city he so thoroughly enjoys."
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen
A pleasure to read and a journey of discovery even for those who know this city well.”
Christian Science Monitor
"Former journalist and current Scottish Parliament member Angus Robertson’s 'The Crossroads of Civilization: A History of Vienna' provides readers with a deep background on this glittering city. A terrific, engaging read across 2,000 years, from the city’s beginnings as a Roman military fort known as Vindobona to its membership in the European Parliament."
Simon Sebag Montefiore
"What an enjoyable cosmopolitan and exuberant celebration of Vienna by a someone who really knows and loves that great city.
Hella Pick
"Robertson, with his intimate knowledge of the city, has brilliantly chronicled Vienna's history through the centuries and illustrated it with innumerable vignettes from contemporary observers. He has succeeded in painting a thoroughly enjoyable portrait of a great international capital.
Katya Adler
Thanks to Angus Robertson the Viennese now have a rollicking historical tribute to Vienna’s pivotal role through the ages—from Roman times to the modern day via the Habsburgs and Hitler. Clearly smitten with his adopted city, Robertson carefully selects colorful contemporary accounts to bring the past to life, while importantly not shying away from Vienna’s darker moments.
The Scotsman
An astonishingly comprehensive survey of the history of Vienna... ambitious, panoramic, and full of fascinating detail. Robertson’s love for the city is obvious on every page.
Library Journal
06/01/2022
Scottish government figure Robertson's first book is a comprehensive history of Vienna, the city where he worked for over a decade as a journalist. Tracing the evolution of the city from its origins as a Roman military camp, Robertson depicts Vienna as a resilient survivor, enduring invasions, wars, and fortunes that shifted with every change to Austria's political structure. The city's history is inextricable from that of the Habsburg dynasty, and Robertson devotes considerable attention to the family's role in European power struggles and to the successes and failures of individual rulers. Drawing on the writings of diplomats and their families, Robertson paints a vivid picture of the glittering social swirl of the Imperial court and the ways in which Vienna influenced—and was influenced by—composers and artists like Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, and Klimt. In recounting the upheavals of the 19th and 20th centuries, Robertson highlights Vienna's role as a mediator between east and west, a haven for both refugees and spies. VERDICT Robertson packs so much history onto every page that casual readers may feel overwhelmed, but serious scholars of Viennese or European history could hardly find a more thorough resource.—Sara Shreve
Kirkus Reviews
2022-05-10
A new history of an important global capital.
Robertson, a member of the Scottish Parliament, spent much of his pre-parliamentary career as a journalist in Vienna, and he clearly loves the city. Surprised to find that there was no comprehensive account of the city’s history, he decided to write one. In this book, he chronicles that history, from the city’s beginnings as a Roman frontier fort to the present. For centuries, the city was the key bulwark against Islamic expansion into Europe, and Robertson recounts the numerous battles and sieges. He notes that Vienna, always famous for its bakeries, invented the croissant to mark a victory over an invading army, with the shape representing the crescent on Muslim flags. Vienna has always been a magnet for cultural influences from all over Europe, and it gradually evolved into the powerful capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Robertson leads readers through the labyrinthine politics associated with the city and notes the many famous figures—Mozart, Freud, Hitler, Stalin, Mahler, Klimt—who lived there at one time or another. In the aftermath of World War I, the empire disintegrated, but Vienna remained a crucial pivot point for the region. A dark period began when the Nazis invaded in 1938—and were largely welcomed. After World War II, Vienna was occupied by the Soviets and the Allies, and it was a whirlpool of Cold War espionage for a decade. The Russians left in 1955 after the Austrian government declared permanent neutrality. Even now, Austria is not a part of NATO. Robertson does a good job of keeping the complicated narrative straight, although the book is decidedly top-down history. Some readers may view it as essentially a procession of aristocrats, grandees, and diplomats. Nonetheless, the author is knowledgeable and has many interesting insights.
A pleasing mix of epic sweep and meticulous research.
