Books by Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas T. Parsons is the author of, among other titles, Blue Guide Austria and Vienna: A Cultural and Literary History, as well as Worth the Detour, a history of the guidebook as a literary genre, and The Joy of Bad Verse, a celebration of successfully bad poets. He has been writing about central Europe for thirty years and considers Austria a second home.
The Shortest History of Austria
by Nicholas Parsons
Today, Austria is a small country in Central Europe, but for centuries, it was the fulcrum of events going on in Europe, as the Habsburgs led the Holy Roman Empire and later the sprawling, multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire. This is a short (fewer than 250 pages) introduction to the country's entire history.
Interviews with Nicholas Parsons
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1
Central Europe: Enemies, Neighbors, Friends
by Lonnie Johnson -
2
The Siege of Vienna: The Last Great Trial Between Cross & Crescent
by John Stoye -
3
Maria Theresa
by Edward Crankshaw -
4
Vienna: How the City of Ideas Created the Modern World
by Richard Cockett -
5
The Man Without Qualities
by Robert Musil -
6
The Capuchin Crypt (aka The Emperor's Tomb)
by Joseph Roth
The best books on Austria, recommended by Nicholas Parsons
The best books on Austria, recommended by Nicholas Parsons
Today, the Republic of Austria is a small country in Central Europe, but for centuries, it was the fulcrum of events going on in Europe, as the Habsburgs led the Holy Roman Empire—and later the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire—until it all fell apart after World War I. Nicholas Parsons, author of the excellent The Shortest History of Austria, introduces us to books and novels that bring to life the history of a political, intellectual, and cultural powerhouse.
Interviews where books by Nicholas Parsons were recommended
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1
Bombard the Headquarters! The Cultural Revolution in China
by Linda Jaivin -
2
The Death of Stalin
by Sheila Fitzpatrick -
3
Putin's Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and Russia’s Collapse into Mercenary Chaos
by Candace Rondeaux -
4
Shamanism: The Timeless Religion
by Manvir Singh -
5
Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History
by Vali Nasr
Notable Nonfiction Books of Mid-2025, recommended by Sophie Roell
Notable Nonfiction Books of Mid-2025, recommended by Sophie Roell
From the death of Stalin and the career of Putin’s chef to shaministic rituals on the Indonesian island of Siberut, Five Books editor Sophie Roell gives an overview of some of the excellent new nonfiction books that have appeared since April.
