If you click here, you will get to The Guardian’s obituary for Jonathan Steinberg. He famously wrote Bismarck – a life. The obituary suggests that Bismarck – a life is “brilliantly readable – nearly 500 pages go by in a flash – the book brought a new perspective to bear on the much-studied “Iron Chancellor”. Indeed it is, and I would strongly recommend it. I have a copy I can lend to anyone who is interested.
The obituary also repeats Steinberg’s description of his writing method. This is insightful to us, in his own words he wrote, “the trick is to let those on whom the power was exercised, friend and foe, German and foreign, young and old, anybody who experienced the power of Bismarck’s personality close up and recorded the impact, tell the story.” The result is a vivid, kaleidoscopic portrait, full of memorable aperçus and quotations, all conveying a convincing and rounded picture of the great statesman”.
In short, it is a model of how to research and write excellent history.
Mr Kydd.
