Thunder at Twilight: Vienna, 1913/1914

A beautifully told, clear explanation of how the European empires slowly descended into World War I, with Vienna and the Habsburg Empire as its point of departure. The book gives a sparkling impression of Vienna and the people who inhabited the city at this moment in time. This gave the bigger picture a wonderful full-bodied context. I also liked the balanced portrayal of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife Countess Sophie. They are so often overlooked or characterized as borish and uninspiring.

I listen to the audio book, which was beautifully read by Arthur Morey (only his German was sometimes unintelligible) and simultaneous read the paperback. The index was very comprehensive.