Product Description

First published in 1962, Morton's classic saga of the Rothschild family, the most magical of European dynasties, is being reissued with a new Afterword by the author. 17 photos. 20 illustrations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #685483 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 360 pages

Review

"Hardly a page without sparkle. Morton writes a chromium-plate style...[he]enables the reader to grasp some of the fundamental secrets of the Rothschild success-above all, its endurance." -New York Herald Tribune Books

About the Author

Born in Vienna, FREDERIC MORTON now lives in New York City. He is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction, including Thunder at Twilight and A Nervous Splendor: Vienna 1888-1889, also a National Book Award nominee.

Customer Reviews

Rothschilds Lite
There are very few families in history that have managed to maintain a tradition of excellence over several generations -- "Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations" is the rule. The two notable exceptions to the rule are the Medici and the Rothschilds.

I purchased this book thinking that the author would provide some insight into how the Rothschilds achieved their long-standing record of success. Unfortunately, Mr. Morton is merely a sycophant, apparently incapable of providing the kind of detailed analysis the question calls for. Instead, he constantly marvels at how this family of rag merchants from Jew Street in Frankfurt ended up hobnobbing with the crowned heads of Europe. That is certainly an accomplishment of sorts, but absent any kind of descriptive analysis, it is little more than fodder for People magazine. Indeed, one can argue that the recent decline in the family's fortunes is due to their emulation of European aristocracy.

A far better book on the same topic is the two-volume set, "The House of Rothschild: Volume 1: Money's Prophets: 1798-1848 and The House of Rothschild: Volume 2: The World's Banker: 1849-1999. After reading Mr. Morton, it is both refreshing and illuminating.

Confusing Narrative and a Shame
Buried in this detailed narrative are colorful and interesting phrases like "In one day, he reduced the bank's gold reserves by almost 100,000 pounds." This deals with an enraged Nathan Rothschild almost sinking the Bank of England by cashing hundreds of small notes, because the bank would not cash his notes which would be, uh checks. Ok, confused? The whole book is like this. Dramatic stories covering Mayer Rothschild from a German Jewish ghetto creating success and amazing good fortune. Sons and strong family power continue the legacy-financing princes during war, to controlling Brazil. Accounts describing Napoleon to Hitler.
Counting houses and branches in England, Germany and throughout Europe. You want to read these stories but the script is flawed OR at the extreme height of high intellect. I think the former. I am employed in finance and banking-and I cannot follow the threads!
And yet there are descripive, powerful passages that keep you turning the pages. The fact that the House of Rothschild is credited to Mayer having sons, as Morton starts off, is a telling statment but he buries you in all these individual accounts as decades roll by and the dynasty becomes mythic. The pictorial section is wonderful and perhaps paints a clearer picture than the text of a book, whose paperback cover claims to be a "Number One Best Seller."

Excellent biographical sketch of a family.
The Rothschilds: Portrait of a Dynasty reads more like a novel than a biography, yet provides facinating information on the family from Mayer's founding of the family business/fortune through the 1960s. While the majority of the book was excellent, the epilogues meant to update the family's recent history were sparce and as a result, had a very different feel from the rest of the book, creating a slightly jarred feeling as you finish the book. Overall, a wonderful read.