Dance of the Furies

Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I by Michael S. Neiberg is about how the people of Europe viewed the start of the war and why it was able to start the way that it did. The author weaves a dense and near impenetrable web that breaks down many misconceptions about the beginning of the war, giving examples from the lowliest peasants to the aristocrats. 

Pros

The book follows a clear chronological order. At times it will stray a bit but these moments are usually brief, well defined, and help further the author's argument. Everything seems to flow nicely and I never felt that any part was rushed or out of place. While the book's main focus is on the outbreak of war in 1914 the author understands that one must look at many events in the past to understand how and why a major event such as this occurs. He does an excellent job describing all these different aspects and I never felt any part was lacking. He uses real world examples such as newspapers, letters, and even personal journals to back up his claims. There is a ton of information contained in this book and I was constantly taking notes and highlighting sections throughout the entirety of it. Much of the information presented here is not usually found in other books about the war and I commend the author for going the extra mile to expose the real history that took place at the start of the war. 

An example of highlighting I did while reading.

Cons

I really did not find hardly any issues with this book. The beginning was a little bit slow and a few times I thought that points were being repeated too often, repetition is probably my only real complaint. The author will make a claim and just keep hammering on it until by the end you’re really ready to move onto the next topic. It is certainly not unbearable, it's just a little annoying. I do not think it is a make or break issue and I was still able to enjoy the book overall. 

Things to Know

As I said before, there is a lot of information in this book so it could be tiring to read at length. There are a ton of real world examples used and there are multiple used per section so be prepared for that. Go into reading it with an open mind and I believe you will be surprised at how different the world of 1914 was compared to how it is usually portrayed. 

Conclusion and Recommendation

Dance of the Furries: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I by Michael S. Neiberg is a well put together book that dispels many of the misconceptions about the start of the Great War. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to better understand why the war started and/or would like to understand the thoughts and opinions of the average person at the time. Even those not well versed in the subject should find this book easy to pick up. Likewise it is a refreshing change of pace for those who already know a great deal about the war.