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Frederick the Great

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Three warnings about this book: 1.) It is an abbreviated translation of the 1983 work in German and leaves out key Chapters, for example on Frederick's place in history, and Frederick and his contemporaries. 2.) Worse, it leaves out the Critical Apparatus, both Footnotes and Bibliography, of the German Edition completely, substituting this with a "Further Reading" List. 3.) It does not concentrate enoughm in my opinion, on the Military side of Frederick the Great. If you are expecting, or interested in this, seek out Christopher Duffy's work instead. These reservations aside, the book provides an ample introduction to the remarkable life of Frederick the Great and Prussia. Not much new on Frederick's youth, but the discussion of his Court is of interest, particularly the presumed reason why he produced no heir. Discussion of the Army, the Officer Corps and the Middle Classes are also good. Not much is mentioned about the lot of the Prussian Peasantry, which was of course dismal. Prussia's relations with its neighbors, Austria and Russia are also covered amply. A final Chapter on Frederick as "Philosopher king" will surely be of interest. As a whole, this book is well researched and written, and is a good introduction, though it would have been much more useful in its unabridged form. What is really needed is a new thorough scholarly Biography.