The Rothschilds

A Family Portrait

By: Frederic Morton

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

A National Book Award finalist from best-selling author Frederic Morton

No family in the past two centuries has been as constantly at the center of Europe's great events, has featured such varied and spectacular personalities, has had anything close to the wealth of the Rothschilds. To this day they remain one of the most powerful and wealthy families in the world.

In Frederic Morton's classic tale, the family is brought vividly to life. Here you'll meet Mayer, longtime adviser to Germany's princes, who broke through the barriers of a Frankfurt ghetto and placed his family on the road to wealth and power; Lord Alfred, who maintained a private train, private orchestra (which he conducted), and private circus (of which he was ringmaster); Baron Philippe, whose rarefied vintages bear labels that were created by great artists, among them Picasso, Dali, and Haring; and Kathleen Nica Rothschild de Koenigswarter, the "jazz baroness", in whose arms Charlie Parker died.

The family itself has been at the center of some of the most crucial moments in history: the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, the development of the Suez Canal, the introduction of Jews in the House of Lords. Through it all, the Rothschild name has continued to represent the family ideal, and no author has so nimbly captured the eccentric brilliance of blood as Frederic Morton.

©1961 Frederic Morton (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Wished for more balance

The author is too positive, not a drop of critical. I wanted something with more balance as to how they are great but also hear legit critism

Fantastic!!!

Superbly written and incredible story.
One of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to listen.

Not worth spending money on

This read like propaganda for the Rothschilds, never the less it had some interesting parts. If you can get it for free it’s worth listening to.

Charming and educational

Enjoyed it completely, lock, stock and barrel, from the opening bell all the way to the closing bell.

Good book....

Good book.... I had picked up the physical and saw that it was also available on Audible so I let my ears intake the info.... Start to finish, I was not disappointed... Will listen to again....

interesting

well researched hagiography with some ornate midcentury prose. reader good. had tone/attitude I have never heard before in a professional reader.

amazing rise from getting to sealth

this traces generations of Rothchilds from their genre beginnings to one of the wealthiest families in the world. it is very interesting to see how they were involved i
historic events.

great intro to the family

I've seen little YouTube videos and read a little about the actions of the family, but this book did a great job on introducing the family at the core. really enjoyed it.

Gilding Lillies

Story over dramatised,
Some descriptions were too flowery and made a simple situation more complicated

Engaging read but dubious sentiment

The reader manages to imbue the text with the right amount of unctousness and therein lies my problem with the book: it is astoundingly antisemitic. It purports the old clichés of the scheming, obsequious, devious jew. In the chapters about the family founder the author describes Meyer Rothschild as having an octopus-like way of doing business, planning, counter-planning and counter-counter-planning. His sons he sends out like hardened business sharks while he sits like a spider in his web in Frankfurt, beguiling the local ruler.
This all sounds like distressingly familiar rhetoric.

So despite the authors entertaining way to present a family's history the polemic turn of phrase is rather off-putting.