Author:Timothy Snyder
Wilhelm von Habsburg wore the uniform of an Austrian officer, the court regalia of a Habsburg archduke, the simple suit of a Parisian exile, the decorations of the Order of the Golden Fleece and, every so often, a dress. He spoke the Italian of his archduke mother, the German of his archduke father, the English of his British royal friends, the Polish of the country his father wished to rule and the Ukrainian of the land Wilhelm wished to rule himself.
Timothy Snyder's masterful biography is not only a reconstruction of the life of this extraordinary man - a man who remained loyal to his Ukrainian dreams even after the country's dissolution in 1921- but also charts the final collapse of the ancien regime in Europe and the rise of a new world order.
Riotous and engrossing
—— IndependentSnyder's portrait of the Hapsburgs in all their eccentricity is a delight...Snyder is exceptional in bringing not only a vast expertise to the subject, but also an elegant style and a gift for narrative
—— Sunday TimesAs a vivid portrait of a vanished world the book is superb, being both prodigiously researched and elegantly written
—— Daily TelegraphHe is one of this country's most talented and innovative historians of Central and Eastern Europe... I hugely admired The Reconstruction of Nations and eagerly look forward to The Red Prince
—— Niall FergusonSnyder's biography brilliantly baits his readers with a glittering subject
—— The Times, Books of the YearThe Red Prince adds an absorbing chapter to the story of the Habsburgs in their last days of empire
—— Literary ReviewSnyder's research is impeccable
—— Sunday TelegraphTimothy Snyder is one of the most remarkable and original historians of Eastern Europe in his generation. His work commands our attention
—— Timothy Garton AshSnyder's biography fully captures the chaos, intrigue, and glamour of a vanished Mitteleuropa
—— Sunday ExpressScrupulously researched and eye-opening
—— Nicholas Bagnall , The Sunday TelegraphFor any biographer this would be a dream of a life, but Snyder is exceptional in bringing not only a vast expertise to the subject, but also an elegant style and gift for narrative.
—— Christopher Hart , The Sunday TimesAn engaging portrait of a little-known and puzzling character
—— Ian Pinder , GuardianThe talented historian Timothy Snyder recounts an intriguing life-history against the turbulent backdrop of east-central Europe in the first half of the 20th century
—— History MagazineTimothy Snyder is not only one of the leading authorities on Central European history writing today, he is also an elegant stylist, with a talent for storytelling - a wonderful combination
—— Anne Applebaum