Katja Hoyer's well-researched and well-written book is
the best biography of the Second Reich in years. She cogently argues that what started in Versailles' Hall of Mirrors need not have ended in the disaster of the Great War, and rightly rescues Bismarck from the ignominy of being a forerunner of Hitler. It
will undoubtedly become the essential account of this vitally important part of European history -- Andrew Roberts, author of
Churchill: Walking with DestinySplendidly lucid and readable: Katja Hoyer has managed to compress fifty years of great complexity into a compelling and comprehensible narrative - and it is
a story that every European needs to know and to understand -- Dr Neil MacGregor, author of
Germany: Memories of a NationExcellent ... Fluently written and convincingly argued,
Blood and Iron is
a brilliant account of an important period of history, and one that
marks the arrival of a major new talent ... Hoyer provides a nuanced and thoughtful discussion of the causes of conflict in 1914 -- Saul David,
Daily TelegraphBrisk, thoughtful and thoroughly engaging -- Dominic Sandbrook,
Sunday TimesHoyer has mastered an intimidating jungle of material and written
a balanced and hugely accessible introduction to the age when Germany became Germany ... Hoyer renders
a vivid account of Wilhelm's overweening ineptitude. The Kaiser was so gaffe-prone that his ministers frequently had to issue the press with hastily rewritten transcripts of his improvised speeches -- Oliver Moody,
The TimesKatja Hoyer has written
an excellent book on the rise and fall of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 that is
packed with detail and illuminating insights. She shows very effectively the changes in German foreign policy after Bismarck's fall from power, and the more provocative stance of Kaiser Wilhelm's world policy that contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, and brought out Germany's expansionist aims during the conflict. Overall, this book fills a gap in our understanding of the Second Reich, and it helps us to understand more clearly the reasons for its failure -- Professor Frank McDonough, author of
The Hitler YearsHoyer brings this dense period of German history to life with a lightness of touch that complements her impressive scholarship.
A deeply satisfying read, highly recommended -- Julia Boyd, author of
Travellers in the Third ReichConcise and incisive, this sparkling examination of the rise and fall of the Second Reich is
an excellent introduction to a crucial period of German history -- Professor Tim Blanning, author of
Frederick the GreatWe ought all to know more about the rise of the Second German Reich, founded with blood and iron in Otto von Bismarck's words, because the great catastrophes of the 20th century flow from it.
In entertaining prose, Katja Hoyer makes that history highly accessible, and paints lively portraits of the political genius Bismarck and the naive egotist Kaiser Wilhelm II -- Michael Portillo, author of
Portillo's Hidden History of BritainEngaging and enlightening in equal measure,
Blood and Iron is
a brilliant synthesis of a complex history which will be welcomed by students and general readers alike -- Roger Moorhouse, author of
First to Fight: The Polish War 1939Anyone, student or general "history buff", in search of a readable but authoritative guide to how modern Germany came into being need look no further than Katja Hoyer's Blood and Iron. The familiar political and military battlefields are all compellingly described. Bismarck and Co. have their due. However, the author also explores many fascinating and less well-known aspects of German culture and public life during that period - equally important factors in the epic story of how this vibrant, often turbulent, society on the move propelled itself in just a few decades from an underpowered feudal patchwork of semi-connected states to become the cultural, economic and military titan that was Germany in 1914. Hoyer's account of Germany between the Napoleonic Era and the Great War stands as an admirable achievement of both narrative and analytical history. Highly recommended
-- Frederick Taylor, author of
1939: A People's HistoryAn important and complex subject
told with clarity and verve -- Catrine Clay, author of
The Good GermansThe themes of political fragility, social cleavages and pervasive militarism
give an impressive depth and coherence to Hoyer's tightly written narrative -- Tony Barber,
Financial TimesAn
elegant new book on the period -- Oliver Moody * The Times *
The German Empire born in 1871 has all too often been seen as the troubled precursor of the terrible Nazi successor. Katja Hoyer helps us to see that the empire held out other possibilities which only the catastrophe of the Great War undermined.
Brief and accessible, this should become a standard text for those who want to understand the origins of Germany today -- Richard Overy, author of
The Bombing War