A review by mbates185
The Enemy at the Gate: Habsburgs, Ottomans and the Battle for Europe by Andrew Wheatcroft

3.0

This book was interesting, though it set out to do two things (to which it accomplished to varying degrees): to tell the story of the Ottoman siege of Vienna in 1683 and to tell the complicated history of the Habsburg dynasty with the Ottoman Empire from the 16th - 20th centuries. I feel that the narrative about the siege itself was well done, albeit brief since it comprised about 60% of the book, despite being the major centerpiece of the conflict between these two powers in 17th century Europe. The rest of the book made an attempt to explain the history between these two powers before and after the siege (with a brief bit about how they came to be friendly and the unlikely allies in the late 19th century and into World War I). I feel these sections were hit or miss, especially the material describing the 19th century onwards (there were good bits about conflicts in Europe during the 18th century). Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was engaging and well-written, but I think some prior knowledge of Ottoman interactions with Europe helped increase my enjoyment. Notably, I would recommend reading 1453 by Roger Crowley and the Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman to gain more insight into the Ottomon Empire in those time periods (15th and 20th century respectively).