The Enemy at the Gateby Andrew Wheatcroft

The Enemy at the Gate: Habsburgs, Ottomans, and the Battle for Europe by Andrew Wheatcroft
384 pages

This is, without question, a groundbreaking work: it opens up new dimensions in the world of tedious literature. When you've finished reading this lumbering history of the Siege of Vienna, you'll be amazed that it was only 384 pages. You will, however, have come away with a lot: an intimate knowledge of the topography in and around Vienna (circa 1683), the travel habits of Ottoman sultans, and...Well, nothing else really worth mentioning. This book is a dull recitation of historical details with little in the way of broader historical ideas. In short: yawn.