What do you think?
Rate this book
The Force of Destiny: A History Of Italy Since 1796
The greatness of Italy's culture and way of life have had a powerful attraction for many generations of visitors. This has created an overwhelming sense that Italy is a fundamentally benign and easy going country. The Force of Destiny, Christopher Duggan's immensely enjoyable new book, lays waste to this idea. While sharing everyone's enthusiasm for Italy as a place, he strongly distinguishes this from its political role over the past two centuries, which has been both vicious and ruinous for Europe as a whole.
500 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2007
52 people are currently reading
1008 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Duggan
16 books15 followersChristopher John Hesketh Duggan was a British historian specialising in the political, social and cultural history of modern Italy. He began his career as a research fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford and then at All Souls College, Oxford. In 1987, he moved to the University of Reading where he remained until his death. He had been Professor of Modern Italian History since 2002.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 8, 2012
In many cases, I'm not a big fan of post-modernist methods of relaying history. A strict linear recounting of "facts" can get tedious, to be sure, but all the claptrap of myth and narrative involved in post-modernism can make a reader lose the sense of what happened and when. Duggan is one of the few historians I have read who can combine linear and post-modern methods and come up with a viable, readable, and interesting book. He uses a strict linear historical method when necessary, but also asks the question, "Why did the Italian people like Garibaldi? Why did they find a lying thug like Francesco Crispi useful in the Versailles era?" And of course, the answers to those questions show us why someone like Mussolini could come to power, and why Italians could elect, re-elect, and re-elect a clown like Berlusconi. This is not the ultimate book to provide a history of the fascist years, or a history of modern Italy, spanning the Red Brigades years to the Berlusconi clown-time. Instead, it is a sweeping view of myths and attitudes toward nationalism in Italy, covering the years from the House of Savoy in the 19th century to the decline and fall of Berlusconi. The book is written with a charming sense of humor and a master's touch for the turn of a phrase.
January 22, 2016
The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796, by Christopher Duggan, is a history of Italy around the time of its independence up until the present. The history often focuses on the literary and social aspects that many political events in the country sparked. This work can be squarely defined as a post modern history.
First I will talk about the good. This book does have some highly engaging content, with interesting anecdotes from local peoples, authors and political figures that existed through Italy's tumultuous history since 1796. For example, the author equates scenes from Carlo Collodi's "Pinocchio" to Italian moral ineptitude. The work is dotted with references like Pinocchio, which can provide an interesting background to the historical analysis. I was particularly impressed, however, with the quality of information on Italy's political climate. Much of Italy's history has been dominated by political factionalism related to a strong sense of regional identity (municipalism) and the subsequent upheaval this has played in Italy's development (with it's North/South split) or the characteristics of it's political landscape is fascinating.
However, there are many low points in this narrative. For one, the post modernist aspect of this history often detracts from the history itself. An uneducated reader may have difficulty understanding the shift in events because they are barely mentioned at all. For example, the Occupation of Fiume in 1919 played an important part in Italian Fascist ideology and was a symbol of Italy's growing militarization. This is all explained in detail, but the annexation of Fiume in 1924, and the critical years that an independent Fiume played between 1919-1924 in Italy's international relationships with the UK and USA are not mentioned. The annexation itself is only mentioned in parenthesis, in less than a sentence.
Issues like these persist throughout the book. The history is often sidelined for the analysis, and this is a clear weakness in Duggan's work. I would have found the development of Italy and the political, social and economic consequences of unification and subsequent historical events more interesting if they were explained in any detail. Instead, tangent analysis often occurs, and although some of these tangents are interesting, they almost entirely focus on the ideological stance of Italy's current political climate, and nothing else.
In all, I would say this is a middling history, in my opinion. It focuses far too much on historical analysis, which may or may not be coloured with the authors own prejudices and ideological viewpoints, and far too little on the actual historical events in Italy since 1796. I would hesitantly recommend this book to those who have a background in Italian history, or who know a lot of the background facts. In this case, the analysis may be refreshing. If you are looking for a book to learn more about Italian history however, this one may be a skip.
First I will talk about the good. This book does have some highly engaging content, with interesting anecdotes from local peoples, authors and political figures that existed through Italy's tumultuous history since 1796. For example, the author equates scenes from Carlo Collodi's "Pinocchio" to Italian moral ineptitude. The work is dotted with references like Pinocchio, which can provide an interesting background to the historical analysis. I was particularly impressed, however, with the quality of information on Italy's political climate. Much of Italy's history has been dominated by political factionalism related to a strong sense of regional identity (municipalism) and the subsequent upheaval this has played in Italy's development (with it's North/South split) or the characteristics of it's political landscape is fascinating.
However, there are many low points in this narrative. For one, the post modernist aspect of this history often detracts from the history itself. An uneducated reader may have difficulty understanding the shift in events because they are barely mentioned at all. For example, the Occupation of Fiume in 1919 played an important part in Italian Fascist ideology and was a symbol of Italy's growing militarization. This is all explained in detail, but the annexation of Fiume in 1924, and the critical years that an independent Fiume played between 1919-1924 in Italy's international relationships with the UK and USA are not mentioned. The annexation itself is only mentioned in parenthesis, in less than a sentence.
Issues like these persist throughout the book. The history is often sidelined for the analysis, and this is a clear weakness in Duggan's work. I would have found the development of Italy and the political, social and economic consequences of unification and subsequent historical events more interesting if they were explained in any detail. Instead, tangent analysis often occurs, and although some of these tangents are interesting, they almost entirely focus on the ideological stance of Italy's current political climate, and nothing else.
In all, I would say this is a middling history, in my opinion. It focuses far too much on historical analysis, which may or may not be coloured with the authors own prejudices and ideological viewpoints, and far too little on the actual historical events in Italy since 1796. I would hesitantly recommend this book to those who have a background in Italian history, or who know a lot of the background facts. In this case, the analysis may be refreshing. If you are looking for a book to learn more about Italian history however, this one may be a skip.
February 23, 2018
Lo sto rileggendo, perché mi era piaciuto moltissimo. Descrive il formarsi dell'Italia, dapprima, e non solo coi soliti fatti che tutti abbiamo studiato a scuola, ma anche attraverso letture di letterati, storici, arti ( il melodramma), cercando di farci entrare nel clima dell'epoca. Perché il 1796? perché le truppe napoleoniche si presentarono come apportatrici di libertà e per quanto egemonizzati dalla Francia, ci furono una Repubblica cisalpina, una cispadana, un regno d'Italia, una bandiera tricolore... che la restaurazione successiva coprì ma non riuscì a far dimenticare.
Finito: ripassando la storia d'Italia in realtà si pone il problema di chi siano gli Italiani e quanto si sentano tali.
Finito: ripassando la storia d'Italia in realtà si pone il problema di chi siano gli Italiani e quanto si sentano tali.
March 2, 2023
Probably 3 and a half stars if I was feeling generous. My other half had bought it for a trip to Italy but upon starting it she found it much too dry so decided to pick it up myself…
Firstly - for students of Italian / European history I’d definitely recommend it as an overview of the key events and some of the themes that continue throughout modern Italy. The dynamic of Italy being made up of multiple ‘nations’ and not having a natural identity, for example, flows throughout the work. For those interested in historiography itself, it’s also a good example of how post modern history is written and does actually do a good job in parts; I found some of the earlier sections looking at how themes of Italian reunification were found in the popular culture at the time to be quite interesting (as it’s not a period I’m hugely familiar with). The analysis of the ‘southern problem’ around the turn of the 20th century I also enjoyed. There are ebbs and flows to this book, there’s particularly gripping sections particularly around the period of the revolutions of 1848 and the Risorgimento, but there are parts where it’s more difficult to stay engaged.
The one thing I would absolutely say is that I don’t think this is a particularly accessible piece of history. I studied history to a postgraduate level and I found this book a bit difficult to follow in parts, primarily because it can jump quite quickly between narrative and thematic analysis. Granted this is only one of the few ‘serious’ history books I’ve picked up since then, but it took me over a month to read and I haven’t been reading anything else. If you’re not a frequent reader of history, I’d suggest something more narrative driven.
Don’t think I’ll pick it up again unfortunately.
Firstly - for students of Italian / European history I’d definitely recommend it as an overview of the key events and some of the themes that continue throughout modern Italy. The dynamic of Italy being made up of multiple ‘nations’ and not having a natural identity, for example, flows throughout the work. For those interested in historiography itself, it’s also a good example of how post modern history is written and does actually do a good job in parts; I found some of the earlier sections looking at how themes of Italian reunification were found in the popular culture at the time to be quite interesting (as it’s not a period I’m hugely familiar with). The analysis of the ‘southern problem’ around the turn of the 20th century I also enjoyed. There are ebbs and flows to this book, there’s particularly gripping sections particularly around the period of the revolutions of 1848 and the Risorgimento, but there are parts where it’s more difficult to stay engaged.
The one thing I would absolutely say is that I don’t think this is a particularly accessible piece of history. I studied history to a postgraduate level and I found this book a bit difficult to follow in parts, primarily because it can jump quite quickly between narrative and thematic analysis. Granted this is only one of the few ‘serious’ history books I’ve picked up since then, but it took me over a month to read and I haven’t been reading anything else. If you’re not a frequent reader of history, I’d suggest something more narrative driven.
Don’t think I’ll pick it up again unfortunately.
June 28, 2020
Prima osservazione da fare: è vero che il libro racconta la storia d'Italia fino a oggi, ma in realtà sul post-seconda guerra mondiale è molto sbrigativo (2 capitoli sui 29 totali), anche se piuttosto incisivo.
Duggan dà ampio spazio soprattutto agli eventi che hanno portato al Risorgimento e ai decenni post-Unità fino al fascismo.
Il focus del libro è la difficoltà (e forse il fallimento) nel costruire una concezione di "Stato" in Italia, che sia davvero sentito dagli italiani stessi. Insomma, la difficoltosa impresa del "fare gli italiani" dopo aver fatto l'Italia, come auspicava D'Azeglio.
L'ho trovata una lettura molto interessante, per almeno tre motivi.
Il primo è che mi ha fatto capire che ero (e sono tuttora, non credo che basti la lettura di questo libro) ignorante sulla storia del mio Paese, in particolare ignorantissimo sul Risorgimento.
Il secondo motivo è che ho trovato sconcertante come certe riflessioni e preoccupazioni di intellettuali dell'Ottocento sullo "spirito" degli italiani, siano ancora piuttosto attuali. Certi problemi del nostro Paese, ad esempio lo scarso senso civico, hanno radici antiche.
Infine, ho trovato affascinante il "fil rouge" dall'Unità al fascismo. Una ricostruzione con il senno di poi, ovviamente, ma che ha una sua base solida, credo.
Ampio spazio agli aspetti culturali (in particolare sui capitoli dell'Ottocento, con vari stralci di brani di intellettuali e personaggi di rilievo), una scrittura molto scorrevole ed il giusto livello di dettaglio (tenendo conto che non è un manuale di storia).
Non so se sia un libro valido per chi ha una forte conoscenza storica, ma per il mio standard è stata davvero una lettura illuminante e arricchente.
Duggan dà ampio spazio soprattutto agli eventi che hanno portato al Risorgimento e ai decenni post-Unità fino al fascismo.
Il focus del libro è la difficoltà (e forse il fallimento) nel costruire una concezione di "Stato" in Italia, che sia davvero sentito dagli italiani stessi. Insomma, la difficoltosa impresa del "fare gli italiani" dopo aver fatto l'Italia, come auspicava D'Azeglio.
L'ho trovata una lettura molto interessante, per almeno tre motivi.
Il primo è che mi ha fatto capire che ero (e sono tuttora, non credo che basti la lettura di questo libro) ignorante sulla storia del mio Paese, in particolare ignorantissimo sul Risorgimento.
Il secondo motivo è che ho trovato sconcertante come certe riflessioni e preoccupazioni di intellettuali dell'Ottocento sullo "spirito" degli italiani, siano ancora piuttosto attuali. Certi problemi del nostro Paese, ad esempio lo scarso senso civico, hanno radici antiche.
Infine, ho trovato affascinante il "fil rouge" dall'Unità al fascismo. Una ricostruzione con il senno di poi, ovviamente, ma che ha una sua base solida, credo.
Ampio spazio agli aspetti culturali (in particolare sui capitoli dell'Ottocento, con vari stralci di brani di intellettuali e personaggi di rilievo), una scrittura molto scorrevole ed il giusto livello di dettaglio (tenendo conto che non è un manuale di storia).
Non so se sia un libro valido per chi ha una forte conoscenza storica, ma per il mio standard è stata davvero una lettura illuminante e arricchente.
April 28, 2018
Dalla Repubblica Cisalpina all'Italia di Berlusconi, per quale alchimia, si è formata l'Italia unita, così diversa, per non dire inaggregabile nelle sue componenti regionali? Quale malattia genetica, ab origine, ha contratto l'Italia? o cosa è mancato durante la sua "forgiatura", oppure che cosa d'impuro, di allogeno si è mescolato ancor prima, durante la fusione dei suoi elementi deversi, per cui, quasi anomalia europea, ad uno stato unitario, più o meno autoritario, quasi totalizzante in certe epoche, non si è prodotto se non in parte minima, quasi irrisoria, il senso dello stato, o per lo meno il senso civico degli italiani? perchè manca oggi più di allora il sentire casa comune la nazione, bene comune la repubblica e le sue istituzioni, la società civile una famiglia nel senso più largo?
Un'Italia unita a forza dal destino (e del caso!)? Forse è proprio questo il nocciolo, mi è parso di capire.
Molto bello questo libro, da leggere e, forse, meditare; avvincente nella prima parte (si legge con foga, sembra un romanzo), diventa meno scorrevole e un po' superficiale con il Novecento.
Un'Italia unita a forza dal destino (e del caso!)? Forse è proprio questo il nocciolo, mi è parso di capire.
Molto bello questo libro, da leggere e, forse, meditare; avvincente nella prima parte (si legge con foga, sembra un romanzo), diventa meno scorrevole e un po' superficiale con il Novecento.
April 12, 2015
Don't normally read Non Fiction but this provided a good background on the history of Italy, and relevant to my Foundation Degree Course. If you wanted to learn more about the history of the state of the country since 1796, I'd recommend reading this.
July 17, 2019
Christopher Duggan died at only 57, and while that is tragic for all the usual reasons, his contribution to the literature of modern Italian history is nevertheless immense. This culminated in his masterful 2007 synthesis 'The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796'.
There is rather more to that subtitle than may at first appear. With a comparable book such as Jonathan Fenby's 'The History of Modern France', there is at least a tacit assumption that, say, 'France' is a noun with some coherent meaning and substantive basis. Not only can no such assumption be made here, but in fact exploring the conceptual problem of 'Italy' is the central thesis and driving force of the book. It is frequently highlighted that despite the process of 'material unification' culminating in 1860, the 'moral unification' required for nationhood proved elusive. De Gaulle may famously have had 'a certain idea of France', but there have been too many ideas of Italy for any lasting consensus to have been reached.
Whether by accident or design, Duggan implicitly comes out against the 'Great Man' theory of history. This is not to say there are no 'Great Men' in the text, as it is full of them, from Joachim Murat to Silvio Berlusconi and the whole rogue's gallery in between. But the overall impression is that there are forces at work - or rather resistance to forces - in the Italian character upon which even decades of exertion by Mazzini, d'Azeglio, Cavour, Garibaldi, Crispi, Giolitti, D'Annunzio, Mussolini and their ilk can only make the most transitory of impressions. This is not so much the force of destiny as the inertia of immutability.
Thus Duggan provides a solid grounding in some of the many divisions and forces which have served to despoil unity. There is the broad north-south divide, the narrower parochialism of city-states such as Modena and regions such as Sicily, the mutually incomprehensible dialects, the competing claims to hearts and minds of Catholicism with (at different times) socialism, Liberalism, fascism, communism, consumerist capitalism, and 'Christian Democracy'.
Then there are the numerous complexities surrounding the Papacy and the Papal States and their interactions with various regimes. We also look at the complexities around defining 'mafiosi' and 'the mafia', and determining its historical role, whether as a pattern of culturally-endorsed behaviour, an abstract concept, a convenient scapegoat, or a discrete hierarchical organisation. And of course there are the usual difficulties of interpretation surrounding resistance fighters, anarchists, and terrorists.
Culture - from high art to mass media - is important and sometimes in counter-intuitive ways. Duggan explains how Italy's world-class artistic and intellectual achievements were often seen as obstacles to 'moral unity', and as symptomatic of the ineffectual personalities of a people chronically incapable of the sacrificial mindset required of nationalism.
It's doubtful that another author will attempt a second edition of this book, and therefore it will inevitably require supplementing as time marches on (one wonders what Paul Ginsborg's opinions on the matter may be). Nevertheless, it will not soon be surpassed as a summary of over two centuries of Italy's painful struggles to achieve modern nationhood.
There is rather more to that subtitle than may at first appear. With a comparable book such as Jonathan Fenby's 'The History of Modern France', there is at least a tacit assumption that, say, 'France' is a noun with some coherent meaning and substantive basis. Not only can no such assumption be made here, but in fact exploring the conceptual problem of 'Italy' is the central thesis and driving force of the book. It is frequently highlighted that despite the process of 'material unification' culminating in 1860, the 'moral unification' required for nationhood proved elusive. De Gaulle may famously have had 'a certain idea of France', but there have been too many ideas of Italy for any lasting consensus to have been reached.
Whether by accident or design, Duggan implicitly comes out against the 'Great Man' theory of history. This is not to say there are no 'Great Men' in the text, as it is full of them, from Joachim Murat to Silvio Berlusconi and the whole rogue's gallery in between. But the overall impression is that there are forces at work - or rather resistance to forces - in the Italian character upon which even decades of exertion by Mazzini, d'Azeglio, Cavour, Garibaldi, Crispi, Giolitti, D'Annunzio, Mussolini and their ilk can only make the most transitory of impressions. This is not so much the force of destiny as the inertia of immutability.
Thus Duggan provides a solid grounding in some of the many divisions and forces which have served to despoil unity. There is the broad north-south divide, the narrower parochialism of city-states such as Modena and regions such as Sicily, the mutually incomprehensible dialects, the competing claims to hearts and minds of Catholicism with (at different times) socialism, Liberalism, fascism, communism, consumerist capitalism, and 'Christian Democracy'.
Then there are the numerous complexities surrounding the Papacy and the Papal States and their interactions with various regimes. We also look at the complexities around defining 'mafiosi' and 'the mafia', and determining its historical role, whether as a pattern of culturally-endorsed behaviour, an abstract concept, a convenient scapegoat, or a discrete hierarchical organisation. And of course there are the usual difficulties of interpretation surrounding resistance fighters, anarchists, and terrorists.
Culture - from high art to mass media - is important and sometimes in counter-intuitive ways. Duggan explains how Italy's world-class artistic and intellectual achievements were often seen as obstacles to 'moral unity', and as symptomatic of the ineffectual personalities of a people chronically incapable of the sacrificial mindset required of nationalism.
It's doubtful that another author will attempt a second edition of this book, and therefore it will inevitably require supplementing as time marches on (one wonders what Paul Ginsborg's opinions on the matter may be). Nevertheless, it will not soon be surpassed as a summary of over two centuries of Italy's painful struggles to achieve modern nationhood.
June 16, 2010
An insightful record of Italy’s modern history and search for identity. Although the Italian peninsula dominated politics and culture during the Roman Empire and Etruscan periods and experienced a resurgence of art and intellectualism during the Renaissance, the entire region was subject to foreign invasion and subjugation. Italy as a concept, let alone a nation, did not exist until 1861, with the Risorgimento. Previously, the peninsula was more of a geographical expression, composed of city-states, largely under French or Austrian rulership at the time of Napoleon's invasion. The peoples identified with their area, which is clearly expressed by the use of dialect; a standardized usage of Italian was not determined until the Risorgimento. This book traces the difficulties and challenges of unification and nationhood: divisions between North and South, leadership, the Church, the monarchy, dictatorship, world and civil war, the mafia, and party divisions. Italy continues to struggle to this day with debt and corruption. If you want to deepen your understanding of a culture and its people, this is a rewarding and rich examination.
March 14, 2013
This excellent book is not so much a history of Italy as it is a history of the nation of Italy. As Christopher Duggan demonstrates, Italian nationalism was confined to a few intellectuals, artists and professionals, with regional identities predominant among the rest of the population. As a result, unification was superficial for much of the populace, who often found themselves at odds with the liberal state and forced to choose between this artificial link and their much deeper-seated loyalty to the Catholic Church. This approach helps make the appeal of Fascism much more understandable, with Duggan's analysis of this period one of the strongest points of this book. In the end, the reader is left with a deeper understanding of the problems Italy faces today, and perhaps as well a skepticism about the ability of Italians to address them in the future.
November 28, 2016
History may repeat itself but modern Italian history does seem unusually unique. Its union was nothing like that of Germany and its split (north-south) nothing like that of the United States. Duggan does a good job of drawing out these things.
January 18, 2018
If you want to know what events led to the modern Italian state, this is the book for you. A scholarly but readable text... some close reading required but well worth it.
June 26, 2023
I’m definitely coming away more informed about Italy! I think it did a good job giving the big picture while stil naming names and giving details. Not at all in depth about WWII or modern history but it gives the through line of past fears facing Italy.
In short: it starts with Napoleon invading and that kicks off a risorgimento movement. Austria rules the north for a while and in 1860 the people finally defeat them to become independent. The middle of Italy was always papal state and the south was the kingdom of two socialites. They “vote” and become a United country under the northern monarchy of King Victor Emmanuel. Now we have the problem of “making Italians.” There wasn’t a unified identity - which I find so ironic as Italian American is such a strong identity even today. We start with socialism and then fascism led by Mussolini takes over. WWI happens somewhere in there and really Italy played both sides trying to figure out how to come out on top with colonies because they were feeling inferior to other nations. It’s crazy Fascism time. Then WWII and Italy adopts antisemitism (bad for Mussolini’s mistress and other top government officials) and racism. Oh and they spend decades trying to conquer Libya and Ethiopia doing terrible things to win. Then we go anti-fascist, have the king for a bit still there and then he abdicates and they decide to be a constitutional democracy. Economy finally picks up and industry is good. Then the country is in crazy debt but still let into G7 and EU. Corruption is rampant. Oh so much about the church and Pope. Most of the time they’re not getting along. Then a crazy guy with his new political party is voted prime minister and that gets us to time of publication in 2008.
In short: it starts with Napoleon invading and that kicks off a risorgimento movement. Austria rules the north for a while and in 1860 the people finally defeat them to become independent. The middle of Italy was always papal state and the south was the kingdom of two socialites. They “vote” and become a United country under the northern monarchy of King Victor Emmanuel. Now we have the problem of “making Italians.” There wasn’t a unified identity - which I find so ironic as Italian American is such a strong identity even today. We start with socialism and then fascism led by Mussolini takes over. WWI happens somewhere in there and really Italy played both sides trying to figure out how to come out on top with colonies because they were feeling inferior to other nations. It’s crazy Fascism time. Then WWII and Italy adopts antisemitism (bad for Mussolini’s mistress and other top government officials) and racism. Oh and they spend decades trying to conquer Libya and Ethiopia doing terrible things to win. Then we go anti-fascist, have the king for a bit still there and then he abdicates and they decide to be a constitutional democracy. Economy finally picks up and industry is good. Then the country is in crazy debt but still let into G7 and EU. Corruption is rampant. Oh so much about the church and Pope. Most of the time they’re not getting along. Then a crazy guy with his new political party is voted prime minister and that gets us to time of publication in 2008.
May 4, 2018
Duggan isn't so good on post WW2 Italian history, but he covers the period from 1796-1945 (some 540 pages of this 600pg book) exceptionally well. As a one-volume history of Italy, you can't go wrong with this book. Fantastically well-written, incisive analysis, a thorough examination of the source material and a fine introduction to the wide array of problems that have plagued, and continue to plague Italian society.
January 2, 2025
A little bit dry but interesting
March 22, 2024
Libro muy interesante. Centra el 80% en la historia contemporánea de Italia.
July 13, 2016
The Force of Destiny is not a history of Italy, it is rather a history of the idea of Italy as held by the political and cultural elites of the region. Facts about the region which was unified into the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 are only alluded to when it is necessary to explain a change in this idea. Duggan writes in his preface: "This book ceases to examine how, under the impact of the Napoleon invasion and the mixture of their optimism and resentment that this engendered, an initially small group of men and women began to promote the idea of an Italian nation."
What results from this objective is a book of great pleasure for those Anglo-Saxons who periodically treat themselves to a Italian culture. Duggan explains the historical significance of Verdi, Mascagni, Manzoni, D'Annunzio, Marinetti, Boccioni, De Sica and Fellini to this English speaking readers. He even provides a very brilliant analysis of Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio. As an undergraduate, this book which lacks any economic, demographic or sociologic analysis would have made me purple with rage. As a retired person who loves to go to the opera, I enjoyed it immensely.
The problem with the book is that Duggan seems to feel that the world ended when Mussolini died. He states: "The approach the country's problems of the generation of the Risorgimento retained a powerful allure long after unification in 1860. ... It reached its apogee with fascism."
Duggan seems to feel that after the fall of Fascism, Italy became simply a banal social-democracy led by politicians obsessed with the material well-being of the population. Thus only 60 pages are devoted to the period from 1946 to 2008. In contrast, Mussolini's two decades get 120 pages. Mussolini after all was poet with a vision. Those that have followed him have been prosaic in the extreme.
Whatever its faults, The Force of Destiny is guaranteed to please fans of Italian opera, futurist art and neorealsimo cinema. If you are one, then read this book.
What results from this objective is a book of great pleasure for those Anglo-Saxons who periodically treat themselves to a Italian culture. Duggan explains the historical significance of Verdi, Mascagni, Manzoni, D'Annunzio, Marinetti, Boccioni, De Sica and Fellini to this English speaking readers. He even provides a very brilliant analysis of Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio. As an undergraduate, this book which lacks any economic, demographic or sociologic analysis would have made me purple with rage. As a retired person who loves to go to the opera, I enjoyed it immensely.
The problem with the book is that Duggan seems to feel that the world ended when Mussolini died. He states: "The approach the country's problems of the generation of the Risorgimento retained a powerful allure long after unification in 1860. ... It reached its apogee with fascism."
Duggan seems to feel that after the fall of Fascism, Italy became simply a banal social-democracy led by politicians obsessed with the material well-being of the population. Thus only 60 pages are devoted to the period from 1946 to 2008. In contrast, Mussolini's two decades get 120 pages. Mussolini after all was poet with a vision. Those that have followed him have been prosaic in the extreme.
Whatever its faults, The Force of Destiny is guaranteed to please fans of Italian opera, futurist art and neorealsimo cinema. If you are one, then read this book.
October 20, 2017
A pretty good reference book, a bit dry but fairly comprehensive, endeavoring to untangle the complexities of Italian history from the time of the Napoleonic invasion until almost the end of the 20th century. It therefore clearly covers a great deal of territory and does so in an even-handed manner, which is no small achievement, given the degree of passionate rivalry, internecine warfare and general skullduggery that characterized much of that period. That said, the high drama of the Risorgimento, the protracted and bitter struggle between the Church and the secular world, the topsy-turvy adventurism of successive Italian regimes leading up to and during the two Great Wars, all of that I believe merited a more colorful and even a light-hearted approach, to capitalize on the sheer outrageousness of many of the players and their adventures. There is surely the stuff of great theater here but the scholarly Duggan seems not to have noticed it.
In a nutshell: Long on facts, short on entertainment.
In a nutshell: Long on facts, short on entertainment.
September 5, 2019
It took me two months to read this. I'm normally a very fast reader. This was a slog.
I did not enjoy the book, though there were sections that were interesting and engaging. Mostly, reading this felt like work. It seemed heavy on analysis of events and, in some places, light on the historical facts behind those events. This was my first time attempting to dive into Italian history, and I found portions of it to be confusing because of how quickly the author glossed over details that were, in appears, crucial to really understanding his analysis.
It also was just incredibly dry in many places. I found the chapters on the world wars, Italian colonialism in North and Eastern Africa, and the rise of fascism to be more interesting. But those were (probably not coincidentally) topics of which I already had some knowledge. I wonder if the rest of would have been more interesting if I were more familiar with the less recent history. Ultimately I do not recommend this book.
I did not enjoy the book, though there were sections that were interesting and engaging. Mostly, reading this felt like work. It seemed heavy on analysis of events and, in some places, light on the historical facts behind those events. This was my first time attempting to dive into Italian history, and I found portions of it to be confusing because of how quickly the author glossed over details that were, in appears, crucial to really understanding his analysis.
It also was just incredibly dry in many places. I found the chapters on the world wars, Italian colonialism in North and Eastern Africa, and the rise of fascism to be more interesting. But those were (probably not coincidentally) topics of which I already had some knowledge. I wonder if the rest of would have been more interesting if I were more familiar with the less recent history. Ultimately I do not recommend this book.
April 11, 2009
For a class; helpful. For reading for pleasure...not so much.
March 10, 2012
Great history from 1796 until unification. Decent job on 1930s and 1940s. Rest of the book is a bit dry (especially from 1880s until Mussolini).
May 27, 2021
The history of Italian unification is in many respects the history of an idea, in the beginning only carried by a fraction of the population. Over time, the diversity of ideas surrounding what the ideal Italian nation state should look like has probably become as diverse as Italy is itself. This is a very well-written, well researched book which presents these ideas and their consequences, and serves as a fantastic introduction to the historical facts of modern Italy in general.
What stood out to me here was the author’s remarkable ability to carry me through the centuries; the events and the players who set the trajectory for the peninsula’s history. This is done simply by letting the actors speak for themselves in their art, music, literature, journalism, correspondences, or diary entries, allowing us to identify some of the key themes surrounding the question of Italian unification at the time. Of course this gives the author a lot of privilege in the evidence and the analysis he chooses to give. But nonetheless, this approach is actually quite refreshing as many other history books just seem to consist of lists of forgettable facts.
For example, since the early writers of the Risorgimento (even to contemporary Italy), it had become accepted that the fragmentation of the peninsula and hence the lack of moral duty towards ‘la patria’, was to be attributed to centuries of class and regional divisions, foreign invasion, and religious servitude. Divisions in society were to become more political heady once other radical ideas such as socialism made their way from across the Alps. If such an incohesive and fragmented mass of people were given power in a party system of government (like that of in Britain), would not factionalism run amok and destroy the ability to govern? This leads to an even more important question: Are the Italians ready for democracy? Post war in the new Italian multi-party state, these fears become crystallised in the First Republic where, in order to secure their voter base, the Christian democrats and the Communists engage in crooked clientelism, staying in power through favours and collusion with the mafia. This contributed in creating the bureaucratic crony state which we all know today.
More interestingly, this same question on Italian democracy is tantamount in the advent of fascism which promised to redeem the hefty ideals of the Risorgimento. The ideas of the ages coalesce almost poetically into these momentous events and it makes for very rewarding reading. It is clear that some important events and figures are glossed over or missed entirely, and I would have liked a bit more exploration into Italy’s relationship with the rest of Europe and the World, and some more voices or opinions on how socialism and communism were able to take such a hold in particular parts of the country.
But as it is, this effort offers a very real and solid conceptual understanding of modern Italy as a whole; one that would serve extremely well as a springboard into more in-depth studies. And as another reviewer pointed out, this is the kind of understanding that permits meaningful discussion about what it means to be an Italian today, with Italian people. This is extremely valuable in itself.
What stood out to me here was the author’s remarkable ability to carry me through the centuries; the events and the players who set the trajectory for the peninsula’s history. This is done simply by letting the actors speak for themselves in their art, music, literature, journalism, correspondences, or diary entries, allowing us to identify some of the key themes surrounding the question of Italian unification at the time. Of course this gives the author a lot of privilege in the evidence and the analysis he chooses to give. But nonetheless, this approach is actually quite refreshing as many other history books just seem to consist of lists of forgettable facts.
For example, since the early writers of the Risorgimento (even to contemporary Italy), it had become accepted that the fragmentation of the peninsula and hence the lack of moral duty towards ‘la patria’, was to be attributed to centuries of class and regional divisions, foreign invasion, and religious servitude. Divisions in society were to become more political heady once other radical ideas such as socialism made their way from across the Alps. If such an incohesive and fragmented mass of people were given power in a party system of government (like that of in Britain), would not factionalism run amok and destroy the ability to govern? This leads to an even more important question: Are the Italians ready for democracy? Post war in the new Italian multi-party state, these fears become crystallised in the First Republic where, in order to secure their voter base, the Christian democrats and the Communists engage in crooked clientelism, staying in power through favours and collusion with the mafia. This contributed in creating the bureaucratic crony state which we all know today.
More interestingly, this same question on Italian democracy is tantamount in the advent of fascism which promised to redeem the hefty ideals of the Risorgimento. The ideas of the ages coalesce almost poetically into these momentous events and it makes for very rewarding reading. It is clear that some important events and figures are glossed over or missed entirely, and I would have liked a bit more exploration into Italy’s relationship with the rest of Europe and the World, and some more voices or opinions on how socialism and communism were able to take such a hold in particular parts of the country.
But as it is, this effort offers a very real and solid conceptual understanding of modern Italy as a whole; one that would serve extremely well as a springboard into more in-depth studies. And as another reviewer pointed out, this is the kind of understanding that permits meaningful discussion about what it means to be an Italian today, with Italian people. This is extremely valuable in itself.
October 2, 2024
Oh, man. I knew Italian history was a struggle, but I had no idea it was this bad. Duggan has masterfully documented two centuries of non-stop failure on the part of Italian nationalists. Over and over again, the worshippers of war as a unifying principle have managed to humiliate themselves, and their country. Italy, never quite as unified under Rome as the propaganda suggests, was a mess of competing city-states, and other polities, for over 1,000 years. Then, in a miraculous period between 1796 and 1870, Italy was unified.
I had never appreciated the extent to which Italian unification was almost completely an outside project. The Austrians put together parts of Northern Italy in the 1700s. Napoleon crushed the old mercantile republics, Venice and Genoa. The Second French Empire did most of the fighting to free the North from Austria in 1861. A ragtag army under Garibaldi managed to tack on the South during that same conflict, but few have thanked them for it since. In 1866, the Italians failed miserably to win Venice from Austria, but were gifted it by greater powers. France's loss to the Germans in 1870 allowed the Italians to walk into Rome. Incredible sacrifice and humiliation in World War I won new territories mostly because the Austrian empire ceased to exist. And finally Mussolini, the great fetishizer of military strength and unity, was so bad at war he may have (thankfully!) lost WWII for himself and his Nazi allies.
Yet despite this story of constant military failure, Italy didn't just unify in the 200+ years in this book, it transformed itself completely. Over the course of the 20th century, it went from one of the poorest countries in Europe, to one of the richest on the planet, briefly becoming the world's fifth largest economy in the 1980s. Despite the constant angst, and continued disagreement, Italy has become a unified country that shares a language and a, stumbling but still stunning, quality of life that draws people from all over the world. 200 years ago Italy was a nation of peasants who spoke mutually unintelligible languages. How do we reconcile this story of constant, egregious military failure, with tremendous societal and economic success?
As loather of militarism, I want to hold Italy up as an example of how pointless and counterproductive militant nationalism is. Countries don't need any of that violence! Italy failed at every military effort it made, yet triumphed anyway! As much as I'd like that to be true, I'm not sure it's the whole story. Certainly, Italy shows that glorious victory in arms has no direct link to the success of a country. But I do wonder if the struggle was necessary. The nationalists that thought they were saving, or creating a United Italy, were really just providing an easy mark for Italians to triumph over. Italy never really won a war, but the desperate quest to strengthen themselves to plausibly do so at one point, was a tremendous unifying force. The fact that Italy has lost every war they have tried, has yielded a rich, pleasant country, with an appealing sense of humility. It's all brilliant food for thought, and this book was a delight to read.
I had never appreciated the extent to which Italian unification was almost completely an outside project. The Austrians put together parts of Northern Italy in the 1700s. Napoleon crushed the old mercantile republics, Venice and Genoa. The Second French Empire did most of the fighting to free the North from Austria in 1861. A ragtag army under Garibaldi managed to tack on the South during that same conflict, but few have thanked them for it since. In 1866, the Italians failed miserably to win Venice from Austria, but were gifted it by greater powers. France's loss to the Germans in 1870 allowed the Italians to walk into Rome. Incredible sacrifice and humiliation in World War I won new territories mostly because the Austrian empire ceased to exist. And finally Mussolini, the great fetishizer of military strength and unity, was so bad at war he may have (thankfully!) lost WWII for himself and his Nazi allies.
Yet despite this story of constant military failure, Italy didn't just unify in the 200+ years in this book, it transformed itself completely. Over the course of the 20th century, it went from one of the poorest countries in Europe, to one of the richest on the planet, briefly becoming the world's fifth largest economy in the 1980s. Despite the constant angst, and continued disagreement, Italy has become a unified country that shares a language and a, stumbling but still stunning, quality of life that draws people from all over the world. 200 years ago Italy was a nation of peasants who spoke mutually unintelligible languages. How do we reconcile this story of constant, egregious military failure, with tremendous societal and economic success?
As loather of militarism, I want to hold Italy up as an example of how pointless and counterproductive militant nationalism is. Countries don't need any of that violence! Italy failed at every military effort it made, yet triumphed anyway! As much as I'd like that to be true, I'm not sure it's the whole story. Certainly, Italy shows that glorious victory in arms has no direct link to the success of a country. But I do wonder if the struggle was necessary. The nationalists that thought they were saving, or creating a United Italy, were really just providing an easy mark for Italians to triumph over. Italy never really won a war, but the desperate quest to strengthen themselves to plausibly do so at one point, was a tremendous unifying force. The fact that Italy has lost every war they have tried, has yielded a rich, pleasant country, with an appealing sense of humility. It's all brilliant food for thought, and this book was a delight to read.
October 31, 2022
More a literary history of the idea of an Italy nation, rather than a history of the nation itself. I gave up after ~100 pages.
Most of the book concerns individual artists, authors and intellectuals from all around Italy. It recounts their lives and thoughts in more or less chronological fashion, jumping from city to city, describing how they reacted to various historical events, and how all their ideas were intertwined.
I didn't know of virtually any of these people, and won't remember their names after putting the book away. I wanted to know the history of the nation, and reading it through the eyes of these obscure historical figures (*and* the eyes of a very selective and verbose author) was too laborious for me. I don't have the fortitude or interest to get through 600 pages of this.
I tried to skip the parts that recount minute details on the lovelife of some tragic Milanese poet in the early 19h century, but that leaves almost nothing; and what is left, is too sporadic to weave together without the rest.
There are several maps in the first few pages, which are great. Three of them show the divisions of Italy into various states in three different time periods, and the last one shows the 20th century Italian empire. More maps (both from earlier time-periods, and within the existing periods) would have been even better, but they helped a lot.
There are also some nice images in the middle of the book. Some are paintings described in great detail in the text, others are photographs of people mentioned. They would be great illustrations to the text, except they are not referenced in the text, so you would have to keep checking the middle pages to see if whatever you're reading about has a corresponding picture. The best solution, of course, would be to just have the pictures integreated in the text. There are probably some technical printing-related reasons why most books don't do this, but a work like this would be *much* more accessible if you can see the painting next to the text describing it.
Ultimately, I can't really evaluate this book well, since it wasn't what I was looking for. Are all the figures portrayed really important in the modern concept of "Italy"? Are the accurately portrayed? I have no idea. If they are, and if you want to read a long and detailed history of the intellectual culture in artistic circles of Italy in the 18th-20th century, maybe this book is great. If you want to read a history of the nation of Italy, I don't recommend it.
Most of the book concerns individual artists, authors and intellectuals from all around Italy. It recounts their lives and thoughts in more or less chronological fashion, jumping from city to city, describing how they reacted to various historical events, and how all their ideas were intertwined.
I didn't know of virtually any of these people, and won't remember their names after putting the book away. I wanted to know the history of the nation, and reading it through the eyes of these obscure historical figures (*and* the eyes of a very selective and verbose author) was too laborious for me. I don't have the fortitude or interest to get through 600 pages of this.
I tried to skip the parts that recount minute details on the lovelife of some tragic Milanese poet in the early 19h century, but that leaves almost nothing; and what is left, is too sporadic to weave together without the rest.
There are several maps in the first few pages, which are great. Three of them show the divisions of Italy into various states in three different time periods, and the last one shows the 20th century Italian empire. More maps (both from earlier time-periods, and within the existing periods) would have been even better, but they helped a lot.
There are also some nice images in the middle of the book. Some are paintings described in great detail in the text, others are photographs of people mentioned. They would be great illustrations to the text, except they are not referenced in the text, so you would have to keep checking the middle pages to see if whatever you're reading about has a corresponding picture. The best solution, of course, would be to just have the pictures integreated in the text. There are probably some technical printing-related reasons why most books don't do this, but a work like this would be *much* more accessible if you can see the painting next to the text describing it.
Ultimately, I can't really evaluate this book well, since it wasn't what I was looking for. Are all the figures portrayed really important in the modern concept of "Italy"? Are the accurately portrayed? I have no idea. If they are, and if you want to read a long and detailed history of the intellectual culture in artistic circles of Italy in the 18th-20th century, maybe this book is great. If you want to read a history of the nation of Italy, I don't recommend it.
July 1, 2020
My parents-in-law fought with the Italian partisans and my mother went to school in Mussolini's Italy, so I was interested to read Dr Duggan's book.
Italian modern history is very confronting. There are Italian restaurants all over the world because of the number of Italians who wanted to leave Italy. Bear in mind, one, that Fascism glorifies violence and shuns humanitarian values. Then, two, that the rise of Mussolini and the consequent Italian atrocities in Ethiopia, Libya, Yugoslavia and Greece didn't arrive in history fully formed. They had their roots in the Risorgimento, at the beginning of the book.
1200 Italian war criminals died un-prosecuted in their beds. We have Churchill and Roosevelt to thank for letting them off, Yugoslavia and communism notwithstanding. Africa wasn't communist and neither was Greece. I think Britain and America favoured Italy and that the racial mindsets so prevalent between the wars encouraged them to do so. The modern Italy you see on your TV screens is a creation of the west who poured money into the country after the war and set up the government they wanted.
I discovered all this by reading 'The Force of Destiny' so, if you feel depressed afterwards, remember, I warned you.
Italian modern history is very confronting. There are Italian restaurants all over the world because of the number of Italians who wanted to leave Italy. Bear in mind, one, that Fascism glorifies violence and shuns humanitarian values. Then, two, that the rise of Mussolini and the consequent Italian atrocities in Ethiopia, Libya, Yugoslavia and Greece didn't arrive in history fully formed. They had their roots in the Risorgimento, at the beginning of the book.
1200 Italian war criminals died un-prosecuted in their beds. We have Churchill and Roosevelt to thank for letting them off, Yugoslavia and communism notwithstanding. Africa wasn't communist and neither was Greece. I think Britain and America favoured Italy and that the racial mindsets so prevalent between the wars encouraged them to do so. The modern Italy you see on your TV screens is a creation of the west who poured money into the country after the war and set up the government they wanted.
I discovered all this by reading 'The Force of Destiny' so, if you feel depressed afterwards, remember, I warned you.
November 4, 2025
In terms of a historical work, this is decent and covers the big bullet points any history of Italy should.
I would definitely say that this is much more "Christopher Duggin's History of Italy" then "The History of Italy", if you catch my drift. As someone who has read about specific Italian events from other works and incidental events in Italian history, Duggin certainly picks and chooses certain moments to emphasize and talk about, while glossing over other events. Another reviewer correctly pointed out his glossing over the Fiume crisis and how it damaged Italy's international standing, but another point is broadly glossing over Austrian domination over North Italy and the specific political pressures that shaped Italian nationalism, instead opting for one much more focused on the cultural and social aspects of that formation and transformation. That this is a 'post-modern' history should not make the primary driving factors of historical events take a backseat, in the context of it being a general history.
This has a lot of valuable insight, but I would definitely recommend that people read other general histories to form a 'skeleton' so to speak that this book can then fit onto and give extra context for
With that qualification, yes its worth reading
I would definitely say that this is much more "Christopher Duggin's History of Italy" then "The History of Italy", if you catch my drift. As someone who has read about specific Italian events from other works and incidental events in Italian history, Duggin certainly picks and chooses certain moments to emphasize and talk about, while glossing over other events. Another reviewer correctly pointed out his glossing over the Fiume crisis and how it damaged Italy's international standing, but another point is broadly glossing over Austrian domination over North Italy and the specific political pressures that shaped Italian nationalism, instead opting for one much more focused on the cultural and social aspects of that formation and transformation. That this is a 'post-modern' history should not make the primary driving factors of historical events take a backseat, in the context of it being a general history.
This has a lot of valuable insight, but I would definitely recommend that people read other general histories to form a 'skeleton' so to speak that this book can then fit onto and give extra context for
With that qualification, yes its worth reading
March 16, 2021
Interesting post-modernist look at the creation of ‘Italy’ from the early nationalist movements of the early 19th century to the rise of Forza Italia at the start of the 21st. The approach taken is very strong on looking at ideological and cultural perspectives of Italy, particularly the impact of factionalism and the North/South divide. It is less strong on setting out key events, which are often mentioned briefly without a clear indication of their significance.
Nonetheless this is meticulously researched and very readable on the whole, particularly the sections on Fascism and Italy’s participation in WWII, where Mussolini’s vision of Italy is clearly linked to his actions in respect to creating an African Empire and entering the war as an ally of Hitler.
Overall I found this interesting and informative. My personal preference is for a more event-driven version of history, but this is coherent and comprehensive and well worth reading.
Nonetheless this is meticulously researched and very readable on the whole, particularly the sections on Fascism and Italy’s participation in WWII, where Mussolini’s vision of Italy is clearly linked to his actions in respect to creating an African Empire and entering the war as an ally of Hitler.
Overall I found this interesting and informative. My personal preference is for a more event-driven version of history, but this is coherent and comprehensive and well worth reading.
January 17, 2023
Primeira leitura de 2023... e que livro! Ultimamente estou a fugir aos romances e a ler calhamaços de história e esta foi sem dúvida uma leitura muito agradável. A história italiana de 1796 até ao presente, ou seja um pouco antes da união até ao presente. Ao longo de mais de 600 páginas somos transportados numa viagem de 200 anos e que nos ajudam a compreender o quais eram os diferentes territórios da Itália, os impérios, as figuras, as guerras, as revoltas, tanta mas tanta coisa que no mínimo o que faz é despertar interesse por tantos outros temas. Mazzini, Garibaldi, Verdi, Cavour, Napoleão, Victor Emanuel II, Mussolini são apenas algumas das personagens deste livro mas existem muitas mais. Está aqui um grande trabalho de investigação de leitura acessível, no fundo um livro excelente.
November 17, 2020
4 stars: for been a well written and documented book about italian history in the last 200 year. Still relevant today. For a Foreigner, it is a great introduction. For an Italian, it is a deeper and clearer understanding of our history.
Minus 1 star: I have the uneasy feeling that some events have not been given enough attention, such a talking about mafia in the '50s a cultural trait but without mentioning the sacco of palermo which was definitely not loved by the locals, or left out as involving the British, as having played down the role of the British and freemasonry in the southern unification.
Minus 1 star: I have the uneasy feeling that some events have not been given enough attention, such a talking about mafia in the '50s a cultural trait but without mentioning the sacco of palermo which was definitely not loved by the locals, or left out as involving the British, as having played down the role of the British and freemasonry in the southern unification.
January 9, 2021
An interesting account of the unification and nation-building of modern Italy. Duggan embellishes the chronological account with anecdotes, making for a mostly accessible read. Occasionally the pacing is off. At a few points (notably after Napoleon's conquest and before unification), the book drags a little, while the post-WW2 period is summarized rather briefly.
The book is especially informative on the cultural movement of the Risorgimento, and the wars of Italian unification.
The book is especially informative on the cultural movement of the Risorgimento, and the wars of Italian unification.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews