The House of Rothschild
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Amazon.co.uk Review
For nearly 200 years, the famed Rothschild banking family has weathered political revolutions, world wars and international financial crises. The House of Rothschild chronicles the family's rise and fall, and now its rise again, and describes the reasons for its lasting power. "Part of the secret of long-run success in banking is, of course, not to go bust; the Rothschilds' relative risk aversion is one reason for their financial longevity," writes author Niall Ferguson, who was surprised to discover during his research that the family had a return on capital as low as an average 3.9 percent from 1900-1909.
This book, the second of two volumes, is an authorised history. While members of the family read the manuscript, Ferguson said they did not censor his work. Ferguson details the Rothschilds' creation of the international bond market in the 1800s, through offices that stretched from London to Naples, and their eventual eclipse by American bankers like J. P. Morgan. He also explores the family's relationship to others in the Jewish community, the Rothschilds' climb up the social ranks and their role as adviser to kings and politicians during times of war and peace. The House of Rothschild is primarily an academic work with its footnotes, bibliography and quotations from Rothschild correspondence. The book is perhaps of most interest to fans of European political and economic history. But in the epilogue, where he describes the current resurgence of the House of Rothschild, Ferguson draws lessons about international finance that should interest those in the field today. --Dan Ring, Amazon.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
This second volume of Niall Ferguson’s acclaimed, landmark history of the legendary Rothschild banking dynasty concludes his myth-breaking portrait of one of the most powerful and fascinating families of modern times. With all the depth, clarity and drama with which he traced the Rothschild’s ascent, Ferguson shows how their power waned as conflicts from Crimea to the Second World War repeatedly threatened the stability of their worldwide empire, and how their failure to establish themselves successfully in the United States would prove fateful. At once a classic family saga and a major work of economic, social and political history, this is the definitive biography of some of the most powerful financiers of recent times.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Niall Ferguson has written the best account thus far of one of the world's preeminent banking families in history.
Most interesting and rewarding was the author's extensive coverage of the money making process as it developed from the beginnings.
A very major achievement.
Most interesting and rewarding was the author's extensive coverage of the money making process as it developed from the beginnings.
A very major achievement.
10 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
err my fault as I bought the wrong book when I wanted the first volume. I expected to look at the personalities behind the House of Rothschild but you rarely get that and instead I found it to be boring trawling through the numerous financial trades they made at the time. Not really interested in the financial history but characters. Wrong expectation I guess.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
15 reviews
38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
un-dumbed down
19 Oct 2000
Format:Paperback
let me begin by saying that i am not in the habit of handing out five stars in my reviews, but this fine book certainly deserves it. i am not quite sure what to make of some of the criticisms leveled at this book in the reviews until now--too many facts, overly exhaustive, too much about continental finances or politics? can a definitive work of non-fiction have too many facts or be too exhaustive? what meaning do the rothschilds have if not in the context of continental politics. i loved every one of those three qualities about this book and, to boot, though it was appallingly well written as well. i found ferguson exhiliratingly (is this an adverb? it ought to be one) willing to assume that i could assimilate mass amounts of data, only sometimes arcane, and still want to follow a linear, only sometimes, social history--that's what definitive works are all about, i think. i applaud ferguson's not dumbing down history. and perhaps that is the difference between those who very much this book and those who didn't. i wanted to read history, and got it; others, perhaps, wanted to read a good yarn and didn't.
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful
The House of Rothschild
24 July 2003
Format:Paperback
Ferguson insults the purchaser of the Penguin Paperback by omitting the bibliography and only providing sketchy footnotes. "Serious scholars" who desire these items are advised to buy the Harcover edition. Other than that, it is a good read
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Rothschild the world's banker
23 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very complete book, a mine of facts but the author was unable to sort what is important from miscellaneous. The mix of general european history, business history and family events is by moments as indigestible as porridge por a non-scot.
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