The Congress Dances

What a great little book about the power politics of the Congress of Vienna 1814-1815. The author, Susan Mary Alsop brings a female perspective to the politics of the Congress. Whereas most male historians would write about how Alexander I, Talleyrand, Metternich, Hardenberg, and Castlereagh determined the fate of Europe, Alsop gives insight on how some women influenced the course of history. For example, both Metternich and Alexander I slept with the same mistress during the Congress. These insights provide the reader with some background behind the Congress that determined the makeup of Europe for the next hundred years.This is a lively read and at a little over 200 pages, the reader will have invested little time for a great deal of history. A great read.