The Final Act

by George Dallas

No diplomatic event in history had so stellar a cast as the Congress of Vienna: Tsar Alexander, with his mystical visions, his chimerical moods. Talleyrand, cunning & duplicitous, who would act as a victor tho he represented a defeated nation. Castlereagh, alone in His Majesty's government to understand the necessity for a Concert of Europe, who single-handedly built Britain's foreign corps & who would end a suicide. Wellington, the Iron Duke, who would go on to underwrite the diplomatic decisions with military victory. Metternich, the force majeure, seemingly everywhere at once, trading, entreating, finagling in his unremitting attack on the forces of liberalism. Along with a supporting cast of rogues & mistresses, clairvoyants & spies, they turned Vienna into a theater of intrigue that shaped the face of Europe for a century to come. Hovering over it all, the brooding presence of the man who was not there: Napoleon Bonaparte, whose shadow was the force that drove them to find common ground. He would confirm their worst fears, breaking free of exile to challenge them on the plains of Waterloo.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

560 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 1996

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up a few days ago in Hayward, Wisconsin. If you find yourself there needing something to read check out the little store off the main street which raises money for pet rescue. The prices are good and the selection better than average.

This book surveys the Congress of Vienna, its main players and their subsequent careers. The beginning is almost lyrically descriptive. The ending, being the actual battle of Waterloo and its aftermath, trails off a bit, as if the author didn't devote as much time and thought to the writing of it. Since this is to some extent a rewrite of his earlier '1815', perhaps a comparison between the two editions would explain the uneven quality.

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a narrative history of the events leading up to and surrounding the Congress of Vienna conducted between 1814 and 1815. It takes the reader through the major cities of Europe and looks at the major characters involved in this defining moment in Europe's history. We see and hear from people such as Wellington and Napoleon, Tsar Alexander, Talleyrand, Castlereagh, Metternich and their Sovereigns.

We also get a good glimpse of those people who played a part behind the scene along with some of the females involved in their own little political maneuvers. The author, Gregor Dallas, provides the reader with a deep insight into Europe during this period and what was at stake for each of the countries involved. The research conducted by the author appears to have been quite extensive and a number of maps, appendixes and notes are provided within the 544 pages of the book.

However, and this is my personal opinion, I found the book at times to drag. I really wanted to read this book, it sounded like an excellent story but I did not get as much enjoyment as I expected or as the other reviews obviously obtained. That is not to say that this isn't a well constructed story just that I found it a bit slow at times. Certainly this is the book to read if you want the full story of the intrigues and diplomatic maneuvers behind the Congress of Vienna.

[Kevin Moynihan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book once you’re familiar with the author’s writing style. I enjoy how he brings out the personal side of the various people. Read in conjunction with other books and it becomes even more useful.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very comprehensive. It took a long time for me to work my way through this book, as the author spares no details in explaining the Congress of Vienna and Napoleon's return from Elba and eventual final fall. My only real critique is that the author tries to cram too much into this book. He tries to give us juicy details about the players' personal lives (the Metternich-Sagan affair was the best part of the book to me), then he switches to what is often dry narrative of political intriguing and and then back again, in a manner that is not always seamless. I also felt that there were two separate books - the first half deals with the Congress of Vienna and the second with Napoleon's return from Elba. Kudos to the author, but I was exhausted after completing this book.