Book

Ozment, Steven. A Mighty Fortress: A New History of the German People. HarperCollins.

Library Journal: “Ozment has authored several important works on German history, but his new book may stand as his chief legacy….concise and readable…Both provocative and accessible, this work will have wide appeal. Recommended for most libraries.” Booklist: “Readable and absorbing. While some may be disappointed that Ozment devotes little space to the Nazi era, his analyses of the barbarian and Merovingian periods are fascinating and offer original perspectives on aspects of German history that are often given short shrift. This is an enjoyable and well-done work that is ideal for the general reader.” Kirkus: “Packs a vast amount of information into a comparatively few number of pages. A useful and welcome survey, though some may take issue with Ozment’s generalizations.” National Review: “Much of what Ozment says is thoughtful, though his style sometimes makes for ambiguity or, worse, academic cuteness. And to make his case, he omits evidence that doesn’t suit.” Publishers Weekly: “Oddly unsatisfactory. Ozment’s focus on disunity provides narrative coherence to a long, contentious and complex history, but the costs are huge. Particularly the early chapters read like ‘one damned thing after another’ as a succession of tribal leaders, princes, kings and emperors march across the pages. So many important issues that might grasp a reader’s interest are left out.”