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Title: The House of Rothschild: Money's Prophets, 1798-1848 by Niall Ferguson ISBN: 0-14-024084-5 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: November, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.27 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: An excellent and comprehensive analysis
Comment: Niall Ferguson has done a commendable job of describing the developement of a captivating family saga. What I found most appealing about the book is its comprehensive nature -- it weaves the family story in the context of the political and economic developments,with which it is closely intertwined. What is even more fascinating is the level of financial details about the bank than Ferguson provides. Perhaps it is his access to the recently open archive in Moscow that allows the author to deisclose finanacial history that it fascinating and detailed.
I would highly recommend this book to any serious student of history, as well as to people interested in banking and economics. Perhaps it may appear too detailed for the casual reader.
Rating: 4
Summary: A first-rate history, if a bit thin on the finance
Comment: Ferguson has written a rare work: a family chronicle which is both a compelling read, and is good history. The text is richly detailed, while the very complete footnotes provide the reader with a clear sense of the broad scholarship that has gone into the book. One caveat: while Ferguson points out in his introduction that the work is not a financial history, he unfortunately doesn't paint as rich a picture of the financial markets of the early 19th century as the book requires. While the house's trading history makes for a fascinating read, it takes place without any contextual comparison of how other market makers behaved and traded (other than an occasional comparison of profits and losses). Still, though, it's a minor criticism of a great book. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5
Summary: Engaging and enlightening
Comment: The House of Rothschild 1798-1848 covers a pivotal time in history. The Napoleonic Wars, rise of capitalism, the rise of multinational businesses, development of the railroad and the French Revolution. The Rothschild's had a front row seat to all of this and were the focus of some of it. From humble beginnings in the Frankfurt Jewish Ghetto, the rise of this family is chronicled through three generations. Many myths about the Rothschilds are laid to rest by Ferguson's groundbreaking research, much of it original scholarship. One of the main threads running through the book is that finance had a profound role in the ability of the rulers of Europe to do what they wanted. By 1825 the Rothschild had a significant role in sovereign finance. Many things were wished for by the various despots that ruled Europe at that time, but if the Rothschilds did not perceive that those wishes would lead to stabilization and peace it typically was not supported thereby making it difficult to realize. They did not support the despots with out reserve, but they knew that peace protected their interests. That perspective makes this book unique.
The Rothschild family business was a partnership that was constructed as the 2nd generation left Frankfurt for London, Paris, Vienna, and Naples. That the partnership should survive was the 1st generation's greatest desire and was respected (most of the time) by his descendants. The exchanges between the 5 houses make for fascinating reading and are reference extensively in the book.
The book details how the Rothschilds pushed for Jewish emancipation and equality and were resisted at every turn. That did not prevent them from receiving commendations from the various governments that the worked with. It did not prevent them from gaining entry to the most prestigious universities for their children. It did not prevent Lionel from gaining entry into the British Parliament without having to swear a Christian Oath. The Rothschilds achieved a great deal for themselves and for Judaism.
Intrigue, betrayal, revolution, and vignettes of famous people make this a very entertaining book, not merely a historic rendering of dates and places. From the beginning of the Rothschild climb to prominence with the Elector of Hesse-Kassel to the French Revolution in 1848, this book will engage the reader.
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Title: The House of Rothschild: The World's Banker 1849-1998 by Niall Ferguson ISBN: 0140286624 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: 05 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
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Title: The Warburgs : The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family by Ron Chernow ISBN: 0679743596 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 23 August, 1994 List Price(USD): $21.00 |
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Title: The Cash Nexus: Money and Power in the Modern World, 1700-2000 by Niall Ferguson ISBN: 0465023266 Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Titan : The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow ISBN: 0679757031 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 07 September, 1999 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power by Niall Ferguson ISBN: 0465023282 Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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