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fascinating and informative. The year 1824 is presented as a year of monumental cultural achievements, not only in the launching of Beethoven's last and greatest symphonic work, but also in the works of Pushkin, Coleridge and others. These accomplishments are all set against the backdrop of the troubling spirit of the times characterized by the repressive backlash against the liberalizing reforms of Napoleon. Memories of what could have been, glimpses of another kind of world, are buried under the heavy handed authoritarian measures of Metternich and the Congress of Vienna. Parallels exist within our own times - the nasty repression of liberal values by the forces of the right who gleefully turn back the advances made in human rights since 1945, and work to dismantle the concept of the caring society, paving the way for the rich to get richer, the mighty to get mightier.

One drawback for me - this book is written for music afficianados. One quarter of the book is a highly detailed and technical analysis of the 9th symphony in language beyond my experience. It did encourage me to carefully listen to the music to try to follow what the author was saying, but I often felt like a kindergarten child in a university lecture hall. Still, a worthwhile read for me.