Frederick the Great

January 25, 2016
Blanning (The Romantic Revolution), retired professor of modern European history at Cambridge University, ambitiously explores the origins, outlook, and impact of Frederick II (1712–1786) in this wide-ranging biography. The enigmatic king was a man of contrasts: miserable during his strict military upbringing, he later proved an adept and enterprising wartime commander; a cosmopolitan man of letters more comfortable in French than his native German, his rule helped consolidate the foundations of a coherent German identity. Harangued by his father for preferring reading to “hunting, drinking, or praying,” Frederick nonetheless held himself out as “a beacon of reason,” establishing in Berlin an open and tolerant society unprecedented at the time. But as much as Frederick enjoyed exchanging poetry with philosophers, his reign was defined by the Seven Years’ War, a grueling conflict spanning four continents and entangling the Prussian forces in simultaneous fighting on five fronts. The youth who ran away from his barracks became a man “who could hold the balance between the other great powers of Europe,” yet expressed reluctance to return to Berlin even at the close of war. Blanning’s lively prose and command of the economic, social, and artistic currents of 18th-century Europe make this an attractive book even for those unaccustomed to scholarly reading. Maps & illus. Agent: Scott Moyers, Wylie Agency.

January 1, 2016
Prussia owes its reputation as the personification of militarism to Frederick the Great (1712-1786), who, though mocked by his own father as a weakling, foreshadowed Napoleon's military genius. British Academy fellow Blanning (The Romantic Revolution: A History, 2012, etc.) divides his biography into childhood, the Seven Years' War period, and Frederick's domestic efforts and policies. Throughout, the author explores and questions his subject's sexuality. Frederick's court was homosocial, even homoerotic, and lacked women. There are plenty of hints in his writings, and in those about him, but never a definitive statement. Blanning leaves it to readers to decide. Frederick despised Christianity and the Catholic Church. His music, his flute, and his art collection were his escapes from enforced religion. He corresponded with Voltaire for more than 40 years and accepted counsel only from him. Upon acceding to the throne, Frederick first dismissed his wife and then set out to surpass in war and conquest the father who abused him physically and psychologically. He invaded Silesia, the first of three Silesian wars; the third was better known as the Seven Years' War. In the middle section, Blanning concentrates on that war, demonstrating his abilities as a military historian. Frederick built a top-notch military machine, and his highly trained, devoted soldiers were well-provisioned; they not only followed him, they often saved him from his own errors. The author shows Frederick as inexperienced, inept, and overconfident. During the war, his reconnaissance was faulty, and the intelligence he received was inadequate. Facing numerically superior enemies, this absolute commander succeeded as they failed to coordinate attacks, their councils debated actions, and parliaments refused funding. His decisions to attack were quick and often wrong. As Blanning notes, "when madness succeeds, it has to be renamed audacity." Frederick made many mistakes, but his will and determination ensured success. While the sections about Frederick's childhood and reign are well-written and informative, it is the war coverage that will win over readers looking for a different view of the Seven Years' War.

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from February 15, 2016
Few, if any, European monarchs who bear the sobriquet the Great led colorless lives. As corroboration of that more-or-less rule, now appears a magnificently wrought biography of King Frederick II of Prussia, who marched across the eighteenth-century European stage, fortifying as he did so the reputation of his kingdom as a first-tier European power, while, at the same time, demonstrating depths and dimensions of character that continue to draw the interest of students and readers of history. Professor Blanning (The Romantic Revolution, 2011) explores with sensitivity and admirable fathoming Frederick's own psychological rehabilitation program that Frederick knew he needed after the death of his father, who disliked his son and thus practiced a brutal regimen of attempting to break his son's will. His father detested culture, which, when king, Frederick relished and fostered. But from his father he did indeed inherit a well-run state. Methodically but not ploddingly, Blanning, in clear thinking and prose, investigates all aspects of Frederick's personality and reign, including his probable homosexuality, which, Blanning writes, is central to his identity, aspiration and achievement. The last word on this significant king, for years to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

February 1, 2016

Frederick the Great ruled Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. In those four and a half decades, he transformed a disconnected territory of the Holy Roman Empire into an important European power. As historian Blanning (emeritus, history, Cambridge Univ.; The Romantic Revolution) writes, "Frederick purposefully set out to be different from his predecessors." After suffering an abusive childhood, Frederick took the throne at 28 and sought to create a name for himself through his participation in the Seven Years' War, all three Silesian Wars, and the War of the Bavarian Succession, as well as being involved in the arts via his writings, music, and patronage. His industriousness disrupted continental politics and heralded the rise of a new power. Blanning's comprehensive study is more analytical than chronological, and this investigation extends to all aspects of Frederick: his reign, character, and sexuality, making the book seem more like a history of the period, with Frederick having a starring role, than a sole biography. VERDICT Readers both casual and scholarly will enjoy this profile for the in-depth examination of its subject, his placement in the historical events of the time, and his future in German history. [See Prepub Alert, 9/28/15.]--Laura Hiatt, Fort Collins, CO

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2015

An award-winning author and former Cambridge professor, Blanning does not lead readers step by step through the life of Frederick the Great but instead works thematically through his many contributions--what politician today is an accomplished musician corresponding with the likes of Voltaire?

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.