Dueling

By Kevin McAleer,

Book cover of Dueling: The Cult of Honor in Fin-de-Siècle Germany

Book description

The question of what it takes "to be a man" comes under scrutiny in this sharp, often playful, cultural critique of the German duel--the deadliest type of one-on-one combat in fin-de-siecle Europe. At a time when dueling was generally restricted to swords or had been abolished altogether in other nations,…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Dueling as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I was hesitant to include this title because I’m not fully convinced by McAleer’s argument that the persistence into the 20th Century of violent pistol dueling in Germany signals a uniquely German mentality, an intensely caste-conscious and militaristic cult of violence “divergent from that of other Western nations” and “innately antithetical to classical liberalism,” or in other words, the exact opposite of what Steven Hughes describes for Italy. But the book is a brilliantly compelling read, and people have a right to make up their own minds.

Want books like Dueling?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Dueling.

Browse books like Dueling

Book cover of Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic
Book cover of Politics of the Sword: Dueling, Honor, and Masculinity in Modern Italy
Book cover of Masculinity and Male Codes of Honor in Modern France

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,355

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Germany, duels, and chivalry?

Germany 492 books
Duels 11 books
Chivalry 11 books