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Golden Fleece: The Story Of Franz Joseph And Elisabeth Of Austria
""Golden Fleece"" is a historical non-fiction book written by Bertita Harding that tells the story of the legendary love affair between Franz Joseph, the Emperor of Austria, and his wife Elisabeth, also known as Sisi. The book is a vivid and engaging account of their lives, from their childhoods to their coronation and eventual tragic deaths. The book chronicles the political and social upheavals that marked the reign of Franz Joseph, including the rise of nationalism and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that led to the outbreak of World War I. It also delves into the personal lives of the couple, their struggles with their respective roles, and the challenges they faced in their marriage. Harding's writing is filled with rich details and insights into the lives of the royal couple, their family, and their court. She paints a vivid picture of the opulence and luxury of the Habsburg Empire, as well as the tensions and rivalries that simmered beneath the surface. Overall, ""Golden Fleece"" is a captivating and informative read that offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of two of the most iconic figures of European history.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
404 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1937
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 2, 2008
The only reason I even gave this book two stars instead of just one is that here and there, it's quite nicely written and makes some funny sarcastic comments or interesting juxtapositions. It's also quite easily read as long as you don't mind the passages of purple prose and the narrator's annoying tone. On a whole, though, I find it neither a good novel nor a good history book. For a novel, it's just not written novel-like enough. Far too much of it reads like a history book without footnotes, though not a very good history book. In between descriptions are author's judgemental comments on characters and their actions, and every now and then she takes advantage of the novel format to make up something that didn't happen or is very questionable, and presents it as truth (as the book otherwise reads like a history book, it's easy enough for an unsuspecting reader to think that it's telling the truth).
For a history book, it's far too judgemental and poorly researched. Here is the author's view on the people involved: Franz-Joseph is a saint and can do no wrong thing. So is Marie-Valerie. Everyone else is bad and can do no right thing, with the exception of Elisabeth who is a special case. In her youth Elisabeth is lovely and can do no wrong, and all her sufferings are the fault of someone else (usually her mother-in-law). Then when Elisabeth leaves Franz-Joseph for the first time, the author's view completely changes and from now on Elisabeth can do nothing right. Given that I hate both authors who represent Elisabeth as perfect and those who judge her way too harshly, this author managed to push both of my irritation buttons with regards to her - quite an achievement. The Crown Prince Rudolf is represented in an extremely negative light, but his affair with Mary Vetsera represented as a great true love, with no other reasons than Mary being given for his suicide, though such reasons cannot have been completely unknown at the time of writing. Way to get on my nerves, again, as I find from all my readings that Rudolf was above all a victim of circumstances and that his true love was not Mary Vetsera but Mizzi Caspar, and Mary was only a companion he chose to die with. But of course, representing Rudolf as a victim of circumstances wouldn't do, as the circumstances included his parents, and as stated, Franz-Joseph can do no wrong. And as the author anyway has absolutely no sympathy for mental health problems, as evidenced by her ridiculing of Elisabeth's interest in "lunatics", it of course is of no importance that today, Rudolf would obviously be diagnosed with depression and need treatment, not judgemental attitudes.
A real novelist would try to understand the people she writes about, see their positive and negative qualities, not just judge them all harshly or raise them up to saints. The same goes for anyone truly interested in history. That above all is why this book is poor both as a novel and a source of historical knowledge.
Read this book if you want to - it's not a difficult read if you can keep yourself from throwing the book at a wall - but don't imagine that after reading it, you're very well informed about Elisabeth and Franz-Joseph. You'll know some things, but they'll be quite skewed by the author's extreme bias. So if you want to know about these people, read something else.
For a history book, it's far too judgemental and poorly researched. Here is the author's view on the people involved: Franz-Joseph is a saint and can do no wrong thing. So is Marie-Valerie. Everyone else is bad and can do no right thing, with the exception of Elisabeth who is a special case. In her youth Elisabeth is lovely and can do no wrong, and all her sufferings are the fault of someone else (usually her mother-in-law). Then when Elisabeth leaves Franz-Joseph for the first time, the author's view completely changes and from now on Elisabeth can do nothing right. Given that I hate both authors who represent Elisabeth as perfect and those who judge her way too harshly, this author managed to push both of my irritation buttons with regards to her - quite an achievement. The Crown Prince Rudolf is represented in an extremely negative light, but his affair with Mary Vetsera represented as a great true love, with no other reasons than Mary being given for his suicide, though such reasons cannot have been completely unknown at the time of writing. Way to get on my nerves, again, as I find from all my readings that Rudolf was above all a victim of circumstances and that his true love was not Mary Vetsera but Mizzi Caspar, and Mary was only a companion he chose to die with. But of course, representing Rudolf as a victim of circumstances wouldn't do, as the circumstances included his parents, and as stated, Franz-Joseph can do no wrong. And as the author anyway has absolutely no sympathy for mental health problems, as evidenced by her ridiculing of Elisabeth's interest in "lunatics", it of course is of no importance that today, Rudolf would obviously be diagnosed with depression and need treatment, not judgemental attitudes.
A real novelist would try to understand the people she writes about, see their positive and negative qualities, not just judge them all harshly or raise them up to saints. The same goes for anyone truly interested in history. That above all is why this book is poor both as a novel and a source of historical knowledge.
Read this book if you want to - it's not a difficult read if you can keep yourself from throwing the book at a wall - but don't imagine that after reading it, you're very well informed about Elisabeth and Franz-Joseph. You'll know some things, but they'll be quite skewed by the author's extreme bias. So if you want to know about these people, read something else.
November 25, 2017
Note: No spoilers!!!!
Af reading several historical fiction books in my life, I became semi-obsessed with Sisi. I then several historical fiction books on Sisi. There weren't many books on Sisi both fiction and non-fiction in braille. However, I was able to find this book. Golden Fleece was asolutely delightful. It was a mix between non-fiction, yet it still felt like a story in historical fiction. finally, I did enjoy how throughout the book, the author sites evidence in actual archieves and papers. Abbl in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who does not knowledge non-fiction, but still wishes to read non-fiction.
PS: I might have clicked the spoilers button. There are no spoilers!!!!!!
Af reading several historical fiction books in my life, I became semi-obsessed with Sisi. I then several historical fiction books on Sisi. There weren't many books on Sisi both fiction and non-fiction in braille. However, I was able to find this book. Golden Fleece was asolutely delightful. It was a mix between non-fiction, yet it still felt like a story in historical fiction. finally, I did enjoy how throughout the book, the author sites evidence in actual archieves and papers. Abbl in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone who does not knowledge non-fiction, but still wishes to read non-fiction.
PS: I might have clicked the spoilers button. There are no spoilers!!!!!!
January 1, 2025
1.5
La media estrella es porque este libro es, dentro de todo, leíble. Una mezcla sumamente irritante de diálogos ficticios, las opiniones biaseadas de la autora y hechos históricos erróneos o falsos, y cuando son verdaderos es porque son sacados, usualmente sin citación, de algún libro de publicación anterior (en general la biografía de Corti). Si no fuera porque tengo este libro ni me hubiera molestado en terminarlo. En fin, no pierdan su tiempo con esto (y si leen algún otro libro que cita este intento de biografía, desconfíen).
PD: Mi edición es una traducción al español de los 40s, pero ni siquiera me dan ganas de agregarla.
La media estrella es porque este libro es, dentro de todo, leíble. Una mezcla sumamente irritante de diálogos ficticios, las opiniones biaseadas de la autora y hechos históricos erróneos o falsos, y cuando son verdaderos es porque son sacados, usualmente sin citación, de algún libro de publicación anterior (en general la biografía de Corti). Si no fuera porque tengo este libro ni me hubiera molestado en terminarlo. En fin, no pierdan su tiempo con esto (y si leen algún otro libro que cita este intento de biografía, desconfíen).
PD: Mi edición es una traducción al español de los 40s, pero ni siquiera me dan ganas de agregarla.
May 13, 2018
3.5 stars.
This is the definition of purple prose, to the point of being almost unreadable at points. But the author has a very dry sense of humour and is sympathetic to these weirdos.
This is the definition of purple prose, to the point of being almost unreadable at points. But the author has a very dry sense of humour and is sympathetic to these weirdos.
July 7, 2023
I didn’t really take an interest in this book.
I did, however, immensely enjoyed The Empress and the Accidental Empress.
I did, however, immensely enjoyed The Empress and the Accidental Empress.
September 11, 2023
I came to admire Franz Joseph throughout this story. There were times I admired Sisi, but most of the time her selfishness irritated me.
March 29, 2014
A very good story of the life of royalty and the Austrian Crown.
Franz Joseph ascended to the Austrian thrown of the Hapsburgs an ancient line, in 1848 when he was eighteen years old, and ruled till his death in 1916 during the World War.
He fell in love with a young duchess, Elisabeth of the Wittelsbachs, married her and was a devoted husband until her death at the hands of a murderer in 1898. Even before their marriage in April 1854, his 16 year old bride to be was exhibiting signs that her personality was headstrong and lent itself to flights of fancy. Her realization as years progressed that these flights of fancy stemmed from the fact that her parents were first cousins added to her instability and threw her from the lowest lows to the highest highs. Watching her cousin, "Ludwig, the Mad Bavarian King", disappear in insanity did not help as she felt she was headed in the same direction. She was also rightly concerned about her children in that not only was she the child of first cousins, but her husband, Franz Joseph was a first cousin as well.
This is an extremely well written and well researched book, with a look inside the entitled world of royalty, with details that make the people come alive.
One of my frustrations with the story is that Elisabeth, Empress of Austria, was completely cowed by her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie. This woman took complete control of the children of the Emperor and Empress and the Empress stood by, feeling that she had no recourse. Franz Joseph was unwilling to go up against his mother in these 'household' matters, thereby giving his wife no support whatsoever.
Backing down from his mother cause Emperor Franz Joseph serious problems in running his country. Because Archduchess Sophie insisted that "Austria needs no one", Austria eventually found itself without any allies. Apparently, she also cowed the various government advisors, because there was no attempt to go contrary to her decrees. This led to the eventual and inevitable downfall of Austria.
Franz Joseph, while a very good, selfless man, was a weak ruler. He couldn't stand up to his mother, he failed to control Elisabeth, watching from afar as she traipsed around the world, spending massive fortunes, at one point building a castle with 136 rooms, (ala Mad King Ludwig), which she soon abandoned. After the double suicide of his son and heir, Rudolph, and his lover, Franz Joseph felt he had been too strict in insisting that Rudolph stay true to his wife and child. He then was afraid to lay down boundaries for his last chosen heir, his nephew Franz Ferdinand. Franz Ferdinand made friends with WilhelmII, a move that Franz Joseph warned against, and which proved to be disastrous. Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated while taking a very ill advised trip to Prague.
It never occurred to Franz Joseph to overhaul his military units, or to get new weapons and improve training for the soldiers. When he ended up going to war, his soldiers had nothing more than the old-fashioned uniforms and 'dress' rifles and swords with which to fight. They were equipped for nothing more than being viewed during a parade.
Franz Joseph allowed his advisors to eventually take over the running of the country, while giving into the knowledge that the country and the ancient Hapsburg Dynasty, was finished.
After reading this story, all I can do is shake my head. The continuous disasters of the family were due to greed, weakness, and ignorance of the progress of world affairs.
This story is compelling and unbelievable. Bertita Harding knew her subject well both from research and growing up in the Hapsburg shadows. She heard for many years the details of the lives of the 'royals' of Austria.
Franz Joseph ascended to the Austrian thrown of the Hapsburgs an ancient line, in 1848 when he was eighteen years old, and ruled till his death in 1916 during the World War.
He fell in love with a young duchess, Elisabeth of the Wittelsbachs, married her and was a devoted husband until her death at the hands of a murderer in 1898. Even before their marriage in April 1854, his 16 year old bride to be was exhibiting signs that her personality was headstrong and lent itself to flights of fancy. Her realization as years progressed that these flights of fancy stemmed from the fact that her parents were first cousins added to her instability and threw her from the lowest lows to the highest highs. Watching her cousin, "Ludwig, the Mad Bavarian King", disappear in insanity did not help as she felt she was headed in the same direction. She was also rightly concerned about her children in that not only was she the child of first cousins, but her husband, Franz Joseph was a first cousin as well.
This is an extremely well written and well researched book, with a look inside the entitled world of royalty, with details that make the people come alive.
One of my frustrations with the story is that Elisabeth, Empress of Austria, was completely cowed by her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie. This woman took complete control of the children of the Emperor and Empress and the Empress stood by, feeling that she had no recourse. Franz Joseph was unwilling to go up against his mother in these 'household' matters, thereby giving his wife no support whatsoever.
Backing down from his mother cause Emperor Franz Joseph serious problems in running his country. Because Archduchess Sophie insisted that "Austria needs no one", Austria eventually found itself without any allies. Apparently, she also cowed the various government advisors, because there was no attempt to go contrary to her decrees. This led to the eventual and inevitable downfall of Austria.
Franz Joseph, while a very good, selfless man, was a weak ruler. He couldn't stand up to his mother, he failed to control Elisabeth, watching from afar as she traipsed around the world, spending massive fortunes, at one point building a castle with 136 rooms, (ala Mad King Ludwig), which she soon abandoned. After the double suicide of his son and heir, Rudolph, and his lover, Franz Joseph felt he had been too strict in insisting that Rudolph stay true to his wife and child. He then was afraid to lay down boundaries for his last chosen heir, his nephew Franz Ferdinand. Franz Ferdinand made friends with WilhelmII, a move that Franz Joseph warned against, and which proved to be disastrous. Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated while taking a very ill advised trip to Prague.
It never occurred to Franz Joseph to overhaul his military units, or to get new weapons and improve training for the soldiers. When he ended up going to war, his soldiers had nothing more than the old-fashioned uniforms and 'dress' rifles and swords with which to fight. They were equipped for nothing more than being viewed during a parade.
Franz Joseph allowed his advisors to eventually take over the running of the country, while giving into the knowledge that the country and the ancient Hapsburg Dynasty, was finished.
After reading this story, all I can do is shake my head. The continuous disasters of the family were due to greed, weakness, and ignorance of the progress of world affairs.
This story is compelling and unbelievable. Bertita Harding knew her subject well both from research and growing up in the Hapsburg shadows. She heard for many years the details of the lives of the 'royals' of Austria.
November 11, 2012
Ms. Harding is my absolute favorite historic author. The personal sge uses and the interesting side stories she uses to lead in are higlights if her style. I often forgot I was reading a history book, as it often felt like a novel--it gets very in depth with its subject. This is a must read for anyone interested pre WWI history, Austria, or the late 1800's. It's also the best book on Sisi and Franz Joseph, in my opinion. It's just brilliant. (Also, the copy I own is from the 1930's! Way too cool). There are some nice paintings and photos throughout the book as well.
July 16, 2011
I love, love, love this book! It is brilliantly written, witty and humorous without being diresprectful of its subjects! I laughed out loud so often and, at the same time, learned a great deal about the characters of Franz Josef and Sissi. I don't understand why this author doesn't receive greater acclaim.
May 25, 2012
AWESOME!A MUST READ!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews