Product Description
"Southeastern Europe under Ottoman Rule, 1354-1804" provides an over-all picture of the least studied and most obscured part of Balkan history, the Ottoman period. The book begins with the early history of the Ottomans and with their establishment in Europe, describing the basic Muslim and Turkish features of the Ottoman state. The author goes on in subsequent sections to show how these features influenced every aspect of life in the European lands administered directly by the Ottomans (the 'core' provinces) and left a permanent mark on states that were vassals of or paid tribute to the empire.Whether dealing with the 'core' provinces of Rumelia or with the vassal and tribute-paying states (Moldavia, Wallachia, Transylvania, and Dubrovik), the author offers fresh insights and new interpretations, as well as a wealth of information on Balkan political, economic, and social history not available elsewhere.The appendixes include lists of dynasties and rulers with whom the Ottomans dealt, as well as data for the House of Osman and some of the grand viziers; a chronology of major military campaigns, peace treaties, and territory gained and lost by the Ottoman Empire in Europe from 1354 to 1804; and, glossaries of geographical names and foreign terms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Likely to be good
I have not yet received this item from Amazon so have a little bit of difficulty knowing what it is lke, but I expect it will be good.

Outstanding History!
I was fortunate enought to read this book while taking a class taught by the author,Dr. Peter Sugar, at the Unversity of Washington in 1983.This is not light reading, but will be engrossing to those to whom History is a passion.I would also recommend any of Dr. Sugar's books regarding the History of Eastern Europe and the Balkan States (Dr. Sugar is a Bosnian, raised in Hungary who came to the United States at about the time of WWII, as I recall) as the author's insights and clarity are superb!! ... Read more

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Mary Fulbrook's Introduction to this splendid concluding volume in The Short Oxford History of Europe begins with a vivid contrast, setting the struggle for survival in a devastated rubble-strewn street of East Berlin in 1945 against the same location in the reunited city at the end of the century, unrecognizable in its gleaming, confident, cosmopolitan affluence. The book brings home the extraordinary waves of transformation that have washed across Europe in the second half of the twentieth century, sketching out the major general patterns of this change, and exploring some of the local themes and variations in different parts of Europe. The result is both illuminating and engrossing:a must for students of contemporary history, politics, and European studies, it also offers immense rewards to any reader interested in the roots, and fruits, of the post-war European renaissance. ... Read more

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This bestselling atlas is an ideal introduction to the major events and developments in Europe from 1815 to 2000. It now includes more than fifty completely new and updated color maps complemented by accessible, concise text. This revised edition also includes a new section covering 1980 to the dawn of the twenty-first century, with information on a wide range of issues, from population growth to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Atlas of Recent History
This series is quite good for the casual history fan, focusing on Europe. But even European countries interacted a bit more broadly by this period. It cuts off at Southern Scandinavia and at the other end North Africa. 1848 to 1980.

For WWII you can find better maps elsewhere, but I found it sufficient for WWI. Also for the period between wars.

The Napoleonic age is in the previous volume.

In pocket size, only the German origin books by Kinder, Vol II of them out of print, offer similar portability:
The Penguin Atlas of World History - Volume II - From the French Revolution to the Prsent (Paperback)
~ Hermann Kinder and Werner Hilgemann (Author)

An Excellent Ancillary Text for AP Modern European History
I am writing this review to call this book (and its companion, The Penguin Atlas of Modern History by the same author) to the attention of all the teachers and students of Advanced Placement Modern European History. Its conciseness, the entertaining nature of its narrative, and the lucidity of its well-conceived maps make it a wonderful supplement for whatever textbook you use for teaching and learning this subject matter. It can be used effectively throughout the year to make the bewildering detail of the successive epochs of European development more understandable by its clear pinpointing of the strategic objectives the various European states were aiming at. Its discussions are also so compact that they make excellent reviews before tests -- and before the big exam at the end of the year, especially. I can't recommend another work available in this field more highly. Criticism of the military and political emphases of McEvedy's narrative seem beside the point as these were instrumental in acquiring wealth and were, whether we like it or not, the basis of policy decisions for all European rulers. The introduction to this volume is particularly valuable as it challenges the universally accepted notion that Scientific and Industrial Revolutions occurred within an encapsulated time periods as a result of immediate causative factors. Here, McEvedy clearly states that the advantages European states enjoyed were not military, but cultural and administrative. These advantages were accumulated gradually. McEvedy's military/political emphasis is merely the result of his recognition that the acquisition of financial power is the objective of the modern state and that history is the resulting record of the means that shaped these ends. Lastly, one reason I find this work so useful because it is written by a British author with all the advantages that perspective entails for a view of Eurocentric history. Use this work for your APMEH courses!

Brief and Limited in Scope, but Well Presented
Perhaps a better title for this book would have been:The Penguin Atlas of Recent Mostly Military History: Europe 1815 to 1980.Much attention is given to military campaigns and political boundaries, but little is said of the populations within the borders, except when they are reduced to population figures.Since the book was published in 1982 and not updated since, you won't find any discussion of the important changes in the past two decades.

The writing style is usually engaging, although the author has the irritating tendency to view nations' developments as a contest to attain the greatest levels of population and industrial production.

A Comprehensive study of Europe since 1815
Detailed Information should be provided taking the base year as 1815.Political boundaries should be drawn on the basis of langauge spoken taking a village/town as a unit.Detailed maps should also be available ondisplay for review. ... Read more

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Examines the economic history of Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. ... Read more

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A highly-illustrated series that explores the lives of people in past civilisations ... Read more

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The only comprehensive, single-volume survey of magic available, this compelling book traces the history of magic and superstition in Europe from antiquity to the present. Focusing mainly on the medieval and early modern era, Michael Bailey also explores the ancient Near East, classical Greece and Rome, and the spread of magical systems_particularly modern witchcraft or Wicca_from Europe to the United States. He explains how magic was understood, constructed, and frequently condemned and how magical beliefs and practices have changed over time yet also remain vital even today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Lucid, thoughtful, engaging
Bailey successfully tackles a daunting project here, providing a sweeping yet nuanced overview of a vast topic within only a few hundred pages.He displays a masterful command of the material (few historians are able to write expertly across time frames spanning the ancient and modern), and writes in a very engaging and readable manner.I particularly appreciated his attention to key shifts and developments over time, and how so many different cultural, political, scientific, and religious developments in European history shaped ideas of magic and superstition.For readers (such as the other reviewer here) who want detailed studies of particular magical practices in certain times and places, there is a vast literature already in place -- such encyclopedic miscellany certainly would not belong in a concise survey.Having dragged myself through a number of such volumes and come away more confused than edified, I am grateful to Bailey for providing such a lucid framework within which now to place and make sense of other magic/witchcraft studies.Highly recommended.

Don't expect too much!
In his introduction, the author writes `My approach is not philosophical (that is, theoretical) or scientific; still less is it legal or theological. Rather, it is historical, seeking to trace the development of magic and superstition in Europe from antiquity to the present'.
The author is true to his word, in the sense that readers must not expect anything in the way of theory or philosophy, and very little in the way of description (full details of what magic entailed during every period under consideration). The book is more an example of what a history can be in its narrowest and least rewarding sense: a list of names and dates.
Even within these self-imposed limits there are perplexing holes in the account. The author does not include words like `grimoire', and `Zohar', but manages to include mention of Newton, Diderot and Hobbes.
The low point of the book for me is the central section describing the witch trials. The author's attention is devoted entirely to a history of the beliefs and practices of the authorities of the inquisitions, and shirks the effort of attempting a fuller description of the accused and their beliefs and practices, i.e. a history of magic and superstition in Europe.
... Read more

Product Description
The twentieth century has seen both the greatest triumph of Jewish history (the birth of the nation of Israel) and its greatest tragedy (the state sponsored genocide of the Holocaust). A People Apart is the first study to examine the role played by the Jews themselves, across the whole of Europe, during the century and a half leading up to these events.

In this monumental work of history, David Vital explores the Jews' troubled relationship with Europe, documenting the struggles of this "nation without a territory" to establish a place for itself within an increasingly polarized and nationalist continent. The book ranges across the whole of the continent during this crucial period, examining Jewish communities in all the major countries, describing everything from incrementalism in England to the impenetrable hostility to be found in Germany. The author describes pogroms, poverty, and migration, the image of the Jew as revolutionary, the rise of Zionism and the "Palestinian idea," and much more.Vital is particularly interested in the dynamics within the Jewish community, examining the clash between politically neutral traditionalists and a new group of activists, whose unprecedented demands for national and political self-determination were stimulated both by increasing civil emancipation and the mounting effort to drive the Jews out of Europe altogether. The book ends on a controversial note, with Vital suggesting that the fate of the Jewish people was to some degree their own doing; at times, by their own autonomous action and choice; at others, by inaction and default.

This powerful and stimulating new analysis represents a watershed in our understanding of the history of the Jews in Europe.Amazon.com Review
In 1744, at the height of the War of the Austrian Succession,Empress Maria Therese came to believe that the Jews of Prague wereplotting against her, in league with Austria's Prussian enemies. Shedecided accordingly to expel every member of the city'slong-established Jewish community--"a brutal sanction," Anglo-Israelihistorian David Vitalnotes, that "would have put an entire population on to the roads ofEurope to march through lands in which they were highly unlikely to beallowed to settle in search of one in which they might." Maria Thereserelented eventually, but the Jews of her empire were reminded onceagain of their precarious position, always potential victims of aruler's whim.

Half a century later, for the first time in European history, the Jewsof France were accorded equal rights of citizenship in the wake of therevolution. From that time on, Vital writes in his encyclopedichistory of Jews in early-modern Europe, secularism replaced the formerhierarchy of ghetto leaders and rabbinical authority. Able to movemore or less freely in the larger society, Jews no longer had to bandtogether for protection, and in short order many of them playedimportant roles in finance, government, and industry. Reaction totheir rise was swift: with it came an increase in anti-Semitism andmilitant nationalism throughout Europe, opposition from both right andleft. Their communities now weakened, Jews were ever more vulnerableto attacks by their enemies. These tendencies would culminate inHolocaust, a nightmare of history that, Vital shows, was decades inthe making. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Impressive Achievement
This is a thorough and detailed examination of Jewish history.In my view, this is the beginning of any serious analysis of the time period.The book which provides a through review of many original sources with many areas of research.For example, the Nuremberg laws were not a horrible group of laws afflicting a group, but a return to pre-Weimar laws.
The only criticism is that the review can be depressing as the writer chronicles various anti-Jewish laws andd oppression.

Frequently the Jews seem to be doing all right and then a problem arises, and a threat to expel them prompts the Jewish community to raise money and hope that their saving will prevent expulsion.The book is basically a strong argument for a Jewish state and demonstrates the many difficulties people had as second-class citizens.

A Seminal Work
A fantastic book, full of ideas, that will be rewarding even for readers who know quite a bit about Jewish History.Most histories of the Jews inEurope, even those written by Jews, are written from a Eurocentric(Christian) viewpoint, looking at the Jews from the outside.This book isfrom a Jewish point of view, and makes no apologies.Does anyone rememberwhat happened to the Jews in Europe, and not just during the ThirdReich?

This is a demanding book, Vital likes long sentences, but doesn'twaste words.Anyone who reads this book will be in a position to thinkmore clearly about the position of the Jews in history and of minorities inthe Western world.I wish every intelligent person would read this book.

Another biased treatment of Jewish diaspora history
I picked up Mr. Vital's book in the hope of finding in it a balanced, scholarly treatment of the much-misunderstood subject of Polish-Jewish relations from the late 19th century up to 1939. Unfortunately, "APeople Apart" only repeats the old, ethnocentric, anti-Polishsentiments without even the slightest attempt at objectivity.

One of themost glaring examples of this partisan attitude is the fragment regardingthe "pogrom" in Lvov in November 1918 (p.738). There exists alarge literature on the subject in Polish, which presents a completelydifferent picture; Mr. Vital supports his scathing condemnation of thePoles with a single quote from a propaganda brochure written by a Jewishauthor in French!

This selective attitude toward the sources is veryvisible in the bibliography. Although Mr. Vital's discussion of PolishJewry takes several hundred pages, and the quoted publications number closeto 500, I could find there just one(!) text in Polish, and even this oneonly tangentially related to the subject. If this was done because of thelinguistic difficulties for the non-Polish reader, why quote dozens ofworks in Hebrew? In any case, Polish authors writing in French or Englishdidn't fare much better (four or five references).

All in all, Mr.Vital's book, although rather monumental in scope, is quite parochial inperspective.

Very Readable
I enjoyed this book in spite of the above review. In fact I was so enthralled I read it in a very short time. The reader should be warned that it is far from a complete history of the Jews in that time period. Theauthor focuses almost entirely on political Jewish nationalism, Jewishsocialism, and Zionism. I think that although most European Jews at thetime were traditional or orthodox, those that assimilated were a verydiverse lot politically, culturally, and socially. Really the book toucheson only a small minority of Jews. Mr. Vital's focus and the book's titlewould have one think otherwise. With those caveats in mind I highlyrecommend this book.

Very Readable
I enjoyed this book in spite of the above review. In fact I was so enthralled I read it in a very short time. The reader should be warned that it is far from a complete history of the Jews in that time period. Theauthor focuses almost entirely on political Jewish nationalism, Jewishsocialism, and Zionism. I think that although most European Jews at thetime were traditional or orthodox, those that assimilated were a verydiverse lot politically, culturally, and socially. Really the book toucheson only a small minority of Jews. Mr. Vital's focus and the book's titlewould have one think otherwise. With those caveats in mind I highlyrecommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the re-emergence of central Europe and moves towards monetary, economic and political union within the European Union, Europe in the 1990s is at a crossroads. This book puts the idea of Europe in its historical context, tracing it back to the ancient Greeks and their association of Europe with political freedom.The first essay shows how Europe became identified with Christendom in the fifteenth century and with ``civilization'' in the eighteenth, before nineteenth-century reformers and reactionaries made Europe the grounds for their different political purposes. Twentieth century developments are the focus for discussion in the last two essays.Contributors examine a number of ``projects'' for Europe against the background of the two world wars, considering recent trends towards political and economic integration.This volume provides also an assessment of the contemporary relevance of the European idea. ... Read more

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Since the opening of the Iron Curtain, migration has become a major cause for concern in many European countries. However, migrations to, from and within Europe are nothing new, as Klaus J. Bade reminds us in this timely book.

Bade presents a history of European migration over a range of eras, countries and migration types, examining the driving forces and currents of migration as well as their effects on the cultures of both migrants and host countries. He focuses mainly on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, paying particular attention to the period from the end of the Second World War to the present day, and includes public perceptions of migration as well as migration policies. This emphasis on recent history enables the author to illuminate the problems that Europe is presently experiencing.

The book touches on one of the most controversial areas of current European politics, demonstrating that the reactions of today’s host populations are often alarmist, and reminding us that many Europeans are themselves descendants of earlier migrants. ... Read more

Product Description
Many are aware that baseball's European ancestry stretches back centuries, but few realize just how extensive the modern game's history is on the Continent and British Isles. Baseball as we recognize it has been played there since the 1870s, and in several countries the players and devoted followers have included royalty, Hall of Famers from the U.S. major leagues, and captains of industry. Organized by country, this heavily researched book delves into the history of baseball in 40 nations, describing not only the efforts to spread the game but also the culture of baseball unique to Europe. Appendices cover topics from major leaguers who have played in European domestic leagues to a glossary of baseball terms in seven European languages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Realy good book
This book is realy intresting and giveslot of information about baseball in Europe. For everyone who is intrested in baseball a must

comprehensive, well illustrated and documented, up-to-date
Author Chetwynd, a former pro ballplayer in Britain and Sweden, hits a home run with this well researched tome on baseball's past and present in Europe. Book is meticulously researched, as we expect from McFarland. Snappy illustrations e.g. a ticket from a baseball game at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; posters and programs from here there and everywhere; and an image proving that Italy's fashion sense in baseball uniforms was as bad as ours during the 1970s.

Great cultural contrasts, e.g. learn where the intentional walk is considered unmanly, and in which Euro-baseball powerhouse the fans would certainly never consider booing. Book takes a country-by-country approach, with vivid stories like the Italian grave diggers who learned the game from WWII GI's, not far from the beaches of Anzio. There are also several incidents of U.S. ballplayers retarding the international growth of the game by making less than diplomatic comments to the press.

Loads of statistical appendices and footnotes, plus a fun glossary on baseball terms in seven languages. Don't get thrown out of the game by the Schiedsrichter in Germany! In Italy a "doppio gioco" turns out to be a double play, not the team mascot. And who else but the French could convey the grace of a slider, or "glissante"?

A fun read for ball fans around the world, and a must buy for sports libraries. ... Read more

Product Description
The recent history of Eastern Europe is one of ethnic and national conflict following the collapse of Communism. In A History of Eastern Europe, Robert Bideleux and Ian Jeffries argue that the increasingly complex problems of the post-communist present cannot be understood without the long context they offer here.

The authors provide a thematic historical survey and analysis of the formative processes of political, social and economic change which have played the paramount roles in shaping the development of this region. Though giving particular weight to the last century, this book also includes: coverage of ancient and medieval times; a discussion of the Reformation, counter-reformation, the Renaissance and the medieval kingdoms; the influence of Russia and Prussia; and a useful bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Inadequate
This is one of those books that bring coal to Newcastle. The main thesis of Part I is that not everything about Ottoman Empire was bad and the authors proceed to prove it by refuting statements of books written mostlyin the 60's incommunist countries (as if previously revisionist views onthis topic haven't been almost thepredominant opinion since the last fewdecades). The refutations are carried out mainly by quoting statements froma few books from the 50's and 60's, thus sparing the reader of supportingarguments and documentation on beliefs fostered by the most up-to-datestereotypes (such as the obscurantism of Orthodox church and the absoluterejection of 'ethnic nationalism'). We learn (together with newinternational students in their college orientation program)to be lessEurocentric with sentences like: "Europeans were caught almostcompletely off-guard by the remarkably rapid rise of the Ottoman 'menace'(as contemporaries perceived it)" : Quotation marks apparently aren'tenough to warn us that the menace was subjective.They need to make thewarning explicit. Throughout the book, the authors (although they 'areconversant with several European languages')have focused mainly onEnglish-language secondary sources for the interesting reason that lookingat primary sources and more specialized research monographs wouldn't beefficient enough for them to reach their geopolitical moral.Ironically,the political correct warnings and

quotation marks don't prevent theauthors from their neo-colonial tendencies expressed most amusingly intheir skepticism about the national liberation movements of the 19thcentury because of the new state's failure to become immediatelyindistinguishable in form from the most advanced Western European states.(By the way, they do prove convincinly that Western Europe has consistentlybeen more prosperous than the new Balkan states.)Despite its being veryreadable the interested reader would be better off with other books on thesubject (M. Glenny's book on the Balkans, Mazower's 'Dark Continent' cometo mind) and, yes, 'more narrowly focused research monographs'. ... Read more

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This classic account of the medieval world, from end of the Roman Empire, through the Barbarian Invasions, has been updated. Packed full of new research this is a vital resource for anyone new to medieval history.

• Best Introductory book in medieval history for 50 years
• Packed full with new rserach and intepretations
• Contains moe maps, tables adn illustrations

Customer Reviews (2)

Sweeping narrative
I read this book from cover to cover as part of a course I did on Medieval Church History - this book is about history in general, but I guess that it deals with a time period where the church was so ubiquitous that there is little need to deal 'separately' with church matters. Indeed, Davis gives entire chapters on things like the rise of the Papacy and the First Two Crusades. His book deals with a massive expanse of history and geography. He delves into matters concerning Russia, the Mongols, the Sassanids etc. etc. when needed, but his focus is overwhelmingly continental Europe - as the title leads us to expect.

The book is actually organised thematically, which is quite amazing. Of course the chapters come in a kind of chronological sequence, but what Davis seeks to do, daringly, is to highlight the major issues of this period of time (such as Feudalism, or the Investiture Controversy, for instance), and tell history that way. Only a master of the field would attempt such as thing, and Davis pulls it off remarkably. Nonetheless, the result is kind of... potted. It's just too easy to lose a sense of flow as he shifts gears to move from one theme to another. You come out of the book appreciating medieval history, and understanding certain things (such as Justinian's conquests and the Fall of Rome, for example) really well. What's lacking sometimes is a sense of how these things fit together and what the overall sequence of events actually was.

Don't get me wrong - this is a brilliant book. The timelines at the beginning of each chapter and the appendices at the end are excellent frames for what is a lucid and incredibly informative text. For all I know, this is the best book there is dealing with this expanse of history, and I feel so enriched to really understand the 'whys and wherefores' of so many crucial turning-points in history such as the rise of monasteries and the sickening Fourth Crusade. I do definitely recommend this book, but it gets 4 stars from me because I found it just a bit too potted.

(The most bizarre thing of all is that the introduction to the second half of the book is all about architecture - but at no other point does Davis say anything about architecture other than in that 'introductory' section. Weird! I guess things like this give 'character' to a book.)

[Footnote: Just so people know, Davis was a brilliant medieval scholar who wrote this book about 60 years ago for an introductory course he taught on medieval history - it was a compulsory background unit for students of modern history! Now, another scholar named Moore has revised the text a little, updated the 'Further Reading' sections and added Appendicies dealing with major debates and research that have occurred since the book was published. As I've said, these updates and new sections are good. What's most astonishing, however, is the way that Davis seems to have 'anticipated' a great deal of the scholarly work that would be done later - his analysis of Feudalism is a great example of this.]

not just knights, castles, and cathedrals
This is the thinking man's intro to medieval history.It's complex, thoughful, never dry, lucidly organized, and, surprisingly, barely dated at all.This man must have been on the cutting edge of his time for his work to be so strong after 50 years.Be sure to get the newer edition with the little update at the end of each chapter, responding to recent scholarship.You won't find a smarter or easier-to-read short survey of medieval history anywhere. ... Read more

Product Description
Eastern Europe is a historical concept, Niederhauser asserts, and as such is subject to the movement of history that often takes place under geographical conditions.surveys the first five hundred years of Eastern European history, focusing on structural elements in the early period such as the lack of organized states or the existence of nomadic states. The book examines the disappearance, assimilation, and recurrence of ethnic cultures over time and how the intermixing of cultures influenced the formation of modern states. ... Read more

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Mediterranean Europe is often interpreted as a "Lost Eden"-once verdant and fertile but progressively degraded by the mismanagement of successive human civilizations. The authors of this engaging book challenge such a view. They find that the aridity and barrenness of the region today is not abnormal in terms of its historic and prehistoric past, and they identify the real threats to Mediterranean landscapes in the immediate future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

no need for anything else
This is definitely the best and only book about the Mediterranean, erosion, and desertification. A must for everybody working in these fields. I have worked deeply into the discussed issues and find the richest source for my disseration in this book. In fact, I wouldn't need much more, and would the book be widely accepted, my work could be superfluous.

But as many colleauges did not yet want to be convinced by Grove and Rackham, let's add some evidence to support their conclusions.

Everybody else who does not have to recall previous conclusions: this is the simply best work about the Mediterranean environment; brillant, outstanding, will become a standard in the future.

Like "The Making of the Cretan Landscape" but much expanded
This book has much in common with Rackham & Moody's "The Making of the Cretan Landscape." Indeed, the information from the earlier book seems to form the foundation of the later one. The inclusion of examples from other parts of the Mediterranean region (especially Spain and Italy) expands the new book considerably, so it is certainly true to its title. The new book is more generously illustrated than the earlier one, with more color photographs of various types of vegetation, geological phenomena, ancient trees, etc...

A review of The Nature of Mediterranean Europe
The authors of this work combine insights from their ownresearch in Crete with their colleagues works in other regions of Mediterranean Europe to provide an exceptional overview of the natural history of the region.Throughout the book the authors emphasize the pitfalls in using historical documentation in developing an understanding evolution of a specific environment, and emphasize the need for first hand observation.The presentation of the information is, therefore, a combination of summary of observations and an interesting lecture on interpretation of data and observation.

US readers may find the authors use of British vernacular and colloquiallisms in summarizing key points to be confusing. There are also occasions where the authors choose to compare methods of teaching in the US and Europe, wherein it is clear that the authors knowledge of US curricula is dated (e.g. the practice of teaching climax vegation theory is no longer in common practice in the US.)That aside, the information and analysis provided by the authors is insightful, well organized and above allchallenges conventional stereotypes of the region.

I took this book on a two week tour of Mediterranean Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey and quickly acquired a deeper understanding of; human history, the impact of anthropogenic disturbance, geomorphology, evolution of biota and climate.

I recommend this book to others studying or working in any of the natural resource fields, and especially to those who have not had a prior exposure to European ecology.Prior studies in ecology, botany, wildlife biology and the like will suffice to follow the refreshingly opinionated perspectives provided in this book.Unlike many other recent publications in ecology, this is not an anthology or synthesis of prior written works, but rather the analysis and opinions of two professionals with solid field experience.The authors leave the reader with ample grounds to agree, disagree or augment interpretation.Reading the book will make you want to join the authors on their next field trip.

The hardcover copy I purchased was well made with ample graphic illustrations (though landscape photographs would find improvement in depth of field).Good use of data tables and graphs are made throughout.I was particularly pleased by the format for footnoting chosen by the authors.I am a reader who distains the current practice of embedding references to other authors work within the text; a practice which I find makes the text less readable, while often times leaving the reader to guess where to find the supporting information.A good value for the money. ... Read more

Product Description
Europe after Rome: A New Cultural History 500-1000 is the first single-author study in more than fifty years to offer an integrated appraisal of the early Middle Ages as a dynamic and formative period in European history. Written in an attractive and accessible style, the book makes extensive use of original sources in order to introduce early medieval men and women at all levels of society--from slave to emperor--and allows them to speak to students in their own words. It overturns traditional narratives and instead offers an entirely fresh approach to the centuries from c.500 to c.1000.
Rejecting any notion of a dominant, uniform early medieval culture, Europe after Romeargues that the fundamental characteristic of the early middle ages is diversity of experience. To explain how the men and women who lived in this period ordered their world in cultural, social, and political terms, it employs an innovative methodology that combines cultural history, regional studies, and gender history. Ranging comparatively from Ireland to Hungary and from Scotland and Scandinavia to Spain and Italy, the analysis highlights three themes: regional variation, power, and the legacy of Rome. In the context of debates about the social, religious, and cultural meaning of "Europe" in the early twenty-first century, this book seeks the origins of European cultural pluralism and diversity in the early Middle Ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

I learned very little
I bought this book hoping to expand my understanding of the post Roman period. Unfortunately I learned a great deal more about the author then I did about post Roman Europe. She is like many feminist "scholars", more interesting in validating her own sterotypical ideas, than in understanding her subject matter.She also falls into the undergraduate writing trap, of using vocabulary which is unnecessarily filled with jargon and obscure words.

Great overview of the era
This book gave good overview of the era - I recommend to read it for everybody who are interested what kind of changes took place during the times when Europe was changed by goths, huns and other people who wanted to find a new place to live.
Europe after Rome: A New Cultural History 500-1000

Disappointed
---The once called 'dark ages' is my favorite period of history. I love the idea of the world - Europe, that is - after the fall of the Empire. I want to know all about the early medievel kings. How did men become kings in the first place, after Rome lost authoritian control? She names any number of kings, but doesn't tell us who they really were or where were their kingdoms. What authority did they have? Were they evil barbarian kings that waged constant war with each other or gentle law givers ushering in a thousand years of peace?
---And how did the common people live? Mostly in cities or on small farms in remote forests, on mountain side or on the plains? How and how often did they came together at fairs, markets, dances, church. What did they do when they came together? On horses or on foot? With carts bringing crops to market? Selling knitting or crafts? I want to know what they wore and did for labor and fun. Am I confusing cultural history with social history?
---Alas, 'Europe after Rome' told me nothing at all of what I wanted to know. As much as I admire anyone who can put together a scholarly volume, which this is, I guess, I must not be a scholar because this is not an edifying volume. It is irredeemablyconfused in its discussion and presentation. The author uses big words and long sentences in paragraphs without coherence or meaning. I could not follow it or keep awake.
---The author was clearly dismissive of the role of the church in this period, though it was only the church, apparently, that kept learning alive at all. She was somewhat more clear in respect of some women's issues. I take her to believe that women were not sufficiently empowered. I ken that she is concerned that abortion was not more readily available through 'abortifacient' herbs that were known.
---I really shouldn't be overly harsh, because a great deal of effort and research went into the work and Ms. Smith is a respected scholar. She deserves credit for her effort. But revising history from a woman's liberation point of view, though it isn't a large part of the book, is anachronistic in my mind and it rubbed me the wrong way.
---If you want a copy, well, I won't be going back to mine.

Cultural history, Modern-style sociologically oriented
This book is not divided into chronological chapters but into thematic chapters, treating each particular aspect of "culture" as she sees it once and for all at one place in the book, much like Norman Davis did in his delightful history of Poland, "Heart of Europe".
There are four major sections, each with two chapters. I: Fundamentals, with the chapters Speaking and writing and Living and dying. II: Affinities, divided into Friends and relations, and Men and women. III: Resources, divided into Labour and lordship, and Getting and giving. IV: Ideologies, divided into Kingship and Christianity and Rome and the peoples of Europe. There follow an Epilogue on pp293-297, and Notes on pp 298-313 which gives the sources for works quoted. The section Further Reading, occupying pp 314-343 is actually a so called commented bibliography, which I found valuable since it puts the reading list into a historiographic perspective and aids in picking out books that will interest me during further studies.
The topic of the book being Europe in the years 500-1000 AD, which earlier used to be referred to as The Dark Ages, I found it positive, for instance, that she does away with the concept of Barbarians (as opposed to supposedly "civilised" Romans) in a way which Peter Heather (who insists that there was indeed a Fall of the Roman empire, and of civilisation with it) would probably find blasphemous. She shows convincingly that the Europe of AD 1000 was very different from that of AD 500, so obviously a lot of things happened in terms of development within European societies, even during supposedly Dark Ages. No signs of stagnation there !
I noted some negatives. The lack of illustrations is rather unusual for a Cultural History. In fact, the only photo inside the book is the frontispiece (in b/w ! ), showing a Scottish decorated sarcophagus (whose importance is interpreted extensively on pp 7-9), plus there are two colour images on the front wrapper: the inside back flap shows a photo of the author. To give food not just for your thought but for your eyes you must clearly look elsewhere: Check out the (late) mediaeval world in pictures as offered by the Duke of Berry (France), in his commissioned work of exquisite miniatures in "Les très riches heures du duc de Berry" (alternatively called Les très belles heures in some editions; the Germans call this type of books a Stundenbuch, so you could search for all three synonyms to get your hand on copies of such literature). I wish I knew about some similar work covering the period of Miss Smith's book (AD 500-1000) but I don't. If someone out there knows, would you please post an update on this site ! Another feature is heavy-footed language at places, and long sentences (4-5 lines) are usual. But again, the intended readers of a work such as this will be indulgent towards such features.
As you may guess from the above, this is not some lavish coffee-table publication but a high-brow book which gives the reader much food for thought, serving as your companion for the long haul, to argue and disagree with at times. I come away from the first reading with a sense of deep satisfaction, and a wish to continue my studies of Mediaeval Culture.
Not being a professional historian myself I hesitate to mark this work: I might be unfair, but felt I should deduct one star from the maximum due to the slight deficiencies noted. But it might very well be regarded a 5-star work given its own premises, I guess.
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Product Description
A brilliantly different and stylishly written history of Europe in the uniquely destructive, uniquely creative 20th century: "Fascinating and immensely readable"-Glasgow Herald.

The problem with the history of twentieth-century Europe is that we all think we know it. The great stories of the century-the two world wars, the rise and fall of Nazism and Communism-seem self-evident in their importance. But behind the politics and the ideologies lies another history: the history of forces that shaped the lives of individual Europeans...and the lives of men and women around the world. (Americans need only think of the way that the history of Europe has shaped the flow of immigrants to the U.S. and thereby altered our nation's history.)

Richard Vinen contends that there is no single history that encompasses the experience of the century, but rather a multiplicity of different, interlocking histories-stories not only of politics and military movements, but also of culture, religion, sex, and demographics, related here with an unmatched eye for the telling detail and spiced with memorable anecdotes. As the Sunday Telegraph put it: "Vinen moves effortlessly from social and economic issues to politics, from ideology to military history.... The writing is lively, the enthusiasm infectious, and the gift for bold, epigrammatic summary genuinely impressive."

A canvas encompassing both the broad and the particular, this is a major work of history-and history writing at its best.Amazon.com Review
A History in Fragments captures the sweep of an extraordinary century. Richard Vinen, a popular young London lecturer, traces Europe's tumultuous evolution from imperialism to democracy and cyberspace, "the new frontier." Rather than taking a political, cultural, or economic approach, Vinen combines all in a highly intelligent tour de force. He argues that the key to understanding 20th-century Europe is in its diversity, hence the book's title. Yet this does not do justice to the seamless way he ties together such overarching themes as the rise and fall of communism, the crumbling of social traditions, and total war. His command of vast quantities of material is awe-inspiring; his well-chosen anecdotes lively and right on the mark; his analyses pithy and easy to understand. For example, a simple comparison of the words "internationalism" as used by the communist camp and "globalization" as used by capitalists speaks volumes about the world view of the two ideologies. One of the book's many virtues is a refreshing objectivity. Conscious of his own prejudices as a middle-class British historian born in the 1960s, Vinen takes pains to see events from the viewpoints of those involved. A rather awkward section tucked before a chapter on post-war Europe presents striking photos and a short essay on the use and manipulation of images in the 20th century. Instead of a list of histories and biographies, the bibliography includes useful short critiques of reference material. A History in Fragments inspires both optimism and cynicism in the reader but never boredom. This is drama on the grandest scale and history-telling at its best. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fragments are the *point* of the book
Our friend from Ohio below has rather missed the point of this magnificent book. Vinen has set out not to tell a story we all already know, but rather to explore the multiplicity of experiences in Europe during the 20th century. In this, through anecdote, statistic and telling details, he succeeds brilliantly. The book is consistently thought-provoking and challenging, a hugely welcome antidote to history books which merely list battles, wars, elections, deaths of Great Men.

Not what it looks like
I'm afraid this one runs a risk of being misunderstood.If you judge it as straight narrative it is indeed weak.But that's not its purpose.Rather it is an attempt, mostly successful, at social history beyond narrative.Read it with an ear for the detail: how the women's vote kept the Christian Democrats in power; how average civilian lifespan in Britain actually increaed during World War I-- and the wonderful bit about the disappearing wristwatch under the made-up red flag.He's also good at the shrewd aside: how we know more about the lives of 17 people around Gordon Square than of all of Serbia.As a title, "Fragments" is perhaps a confession more than a boast; Vinen does not always keep control of his material. But many of his fragments are too good to be missed.

A Book in Fragments
As a prolific reader of history, I found this book to be a tremendous diappointment.There is no coherence to this project.It is pieces of history and the same oft-quoted statistics slapped together - a poor condensation of Keegan's various books, Ferguson's The Pity of War and Kershaw's Hitler.Read any of these, but not Vinen's.Yes history is messy, but writing about it shouldn't be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Interested in the Western Tradition - this is a must have!
My AP European History students are required to purchase this book - and we basically read it from cover to cover.I have looked at literally hundreds of primary source readers - and can honestly say, this book is the best.The great thing about this book is that it weaves together primary source material with outstanding commentary and interpretation.

The selections are short but normally they contain the basic idea of each thinker.In here you can find all sorts of thinkers;philosophers, artists, scientists, theologians, and literary figures.If they impacted Western civilization - they will probably be included in this volume.

Pretty inexpensive volume - just think about it, you get to converse with some of the greatests minds that have ever lived.Not a bad way to spend an evening.:o)

Great book -- like the rest of his work
Baumer crusades to teach us from a historical perspective why we think the way we do -- much as genealogies teach us about the way we look and act.While my interests lie in economics, Baumer's narratives on developments of western thought provide a relevant and thoughtful backdrop.Why not, of course, the study of economics is all about the study of human behavior.

An excellent historical resource
This anthology is a must-have for any student or teacher of Western history. Its impeccably selected collection of excerpts from all fields of study makes it an invaluable resource for capturing the essence of any erain modern history. ... Read more

Product Description
In this seminal work, described by the "Times Literary Supplement" as "impressive alike by the authority of its learning and the originality of its argument," Christopher Dawson concludes that the period of the fourth to the eleventh centuries commonly known as the Dark Ages is not a barren prelude to the creative energy of the medieval world. Instead, he argues that it is better described as "ages of dawn," for it is in this rich and confused period that the complex and creative interaction of the Roman empire, the Christian Church, the classical tradition, and barbarous societies provided the foundation for a vital, unified European culture.

In an age of fragmentation and the emergence of new nationalist forces, Dawson argued that if "our civilization is to survive, it is essential that it should develop a common European consciousness and sense of historic and organic unity." But he was clear that this unity required sources deeper and more complex than the political and economic movements on which so many had come to depend, and he insisted, prophetically, that Europe would need to recover its Christian roots if it was to survive.

Glenn Olsen has noted that Dawson’s point "was that the spread and history of Christianity had provided the narrative which had formed Europe and taken out of this narrative, Europe could hardly be spoken of as existing." In a time of cultural and political ambiguity, "The Making of Europe" is an indispensable work for understanding not only the rich sources but also the contemporary implications of the very idea of Europe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Indispensible!
This book has to be the best survey of the beginnings of European, i.e. Western, civilization in the English language.

It reveals that European culture has its origins in the confluence of four vital elements: (1) the Roman Empire; (2) the classical, or Hellenistic, tradition; (3) Christianity (more specifically, the Catholic Church); (4) and the barbarians who infiltrated the collapsing Western Roman Empire. Each is treated in detail, and the combination of Dawson's encyclopedic knowledge and eloquent diction has the singular merit of making a vast and complex subject accessible and appealing to the educated reader.

To me what makes this book so special is the author's unique capacity to project the reader into the period under discussion without filtering it through the distorted lens of modern mores and attitudes that seem typically to color texts dealing with medieval history. He seems to have an intuitive understanding of what was important to the people of the period, and conveys this to the reader while at the same time he refrainsfrom disparaging the so-called "dark ages" with remarks that emphasize its "primitiveness" by constantly comparing it to contemporary culture. (Aside from technological superiority, I see little basis for superciliousness on our part) Such parochialism of viewpoint is entirely absent from The Making of Europe, and for this, and other compelling reasons, I am sure that the interested and discriminating reader will find that it is, indeed, indispensible.

A better introduction would be hard to find
This concise little work attempts to cover the rise of nations from the crumbling Roman and Byzantine empires and the progress of Christianity all in less than 250 pages.Amazingly, the feat is accomplished with entertaining text.There is one shortfall in that there are no maps but the political characters and the events that brought about the European nations are given life. Very well done and a wonderful overview in its brevity and clarrity without paying the expense of literary color.

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!!!
What amazes me most is that this book is probably not even known about in most modern educational circles, yet it should be required reading in every 101 history class in academia. In fact everything Chistopher Dawson writes should be on that list.This book is brilliant on so many levels I couldn't address them all in this space.Christopher himself was one of those extreamly rare individuals who had the ability to truely see the 'forest through the trees' and even better he could write about it for the rest of us to understand.Its one thing to know about a giantic and complex topic and a whole different thing to be able to put it into understandable sentences.The amount of books he read, understood and then tied the thoughts together is itself a staggering feat.The bibliography iteslf list the 100's and 100's of books that when into forming Dawson's mind and then the concepts in this book.As Tiger is to golf Dawson is to history, particularly western cultural history.The other reviewers have done a good job of telling you what the contents of this book are about so read them to get the idea, I second all their thoughts and reviews. What I can add for you is about the author himself.He is from England and grew up in a wealthly and privilaged family of book worms. It is important to understand that he came from wealth for one reason only.He didn't have to waste time like the rest of us toiling away to make ends meet. He understood this yet didn't live the life of a rich playboy.He felt an obligation to his fellow man and dedicated his free time to learning history and then teaching it to the rest of us.He read an wrote for 5 to 10 hours each day. Married young and never divored. His uncle gave him a library full of books where he spent most of his time growing up.He went to all the finest schools and was a professor at Harvard later in his life.All I can say is that this book is well worth the effort of working your way though it.It will give you a deep down spiritual-like experience to know so much more about your roots and where you came from.Enjoy!

Learn your history, or rue the day
A rare book. It is profound, prophetic, insightful, level-headed. Christopher Dawson is one of the few authors whose books are still mandatory reading in university history circles because of the vastness of his knowldege exhibited in his books. Few writers have the ability to say as much so succinctly: reading one chapter gives you almost as much as a book on the same topic written by someone else.

We need to remember that if the West saw far, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants. The giants of our past who, step by step, brought disparate tribes, from many races, speaking many languages and coming from different parts of the world, into one cohesive whole known as Europe. We had better find out how our ancestors did it, before we lose it all.

The Making of the West
Catholic University Press of America is coming out with the Works of Christopher Dawson.To my mind, this is one of the most important publishing events in recent memory.In addition, these works are reset and contain solid introductions by experts in the field.This is third in the series (following Progress and Religion; and Medieval Essays).

The Making of Europe: An Introduction to the History of European Unity is an important book, which came out in 1932.Dawson highlights the central factors and contributions in the formation of European unity - the Roman Empire, Classical Culture, Christianity, the Barbarians, the Byzantines and Islam.Although Dawson was a Catholic, the book is balanced and can be enjoyed by just about anyone. I liked in particular the fair overview of Islam.It's fashionable to say that history books of the past ignored the contributions of other culture and only contemporary (and leftist) historians rescued us from the evils of "eurocentrism" and "ethnocentrism."This is silly, as anyone who has read history books from the past knows. (In addition, take for example the success of books in the nineteenth century such as Salambo by Flaubert, or the exaggerated claims of Masons of the contributions of Egyptians, which rival the "Black Athena" crowd).

In particular, I enjoyed Alexander Murray's introductory essay, which updates some of Dawson's arguments in light of current scholarship and also places this work within his oeuvre. ... Read more

Product Description

This textbook provides a comprehensive account of Britain’s uneasy relationship with continental Europe from 1918 to the present day.

Unlike other books on the subject, the author considers 'Europe' in its broadest sense and examines a wider history than just Britain's relations with the European Union (EU). This includes pre-war history and the role of key political institutions outside the EU such as the Council of Europe and the Western European Union.

Subjects covered include:

• how the experience of the inter-war years and the Second World War helped shape attitudes towards the EU
• european perspectives on Britain as well as the other way round
• key theories on European integration
• the changing nature of Britain's global role
• issues of sovereignty and legitimacy
• the role of political parties and the Europeanisation of national government
• the rise of Euroscepticism in British politics and how ‘Europe’ has become entwined in the ideological battles of the main political parties.

Exploring the political, diplomatic and military relationship between Britain and Europe, this accessible and wide-ranging textbook is essential core reading for students of British and European history and politics.

Product Description
Early Modern Spain: A social History explores the solidarities which held the Spanish nation together at this time of conflict and change. The book studies the pattern of fellowship and patronage at the local level which contributed to the notable absence of popular revolts characteristic of other European countries at this time. It also analyses the Counter-Reformation, which transformed religious attitudes, and which had a huge impact on family life, social control and popular culture.
Focusing on the main themes of the development of capitalism, the growth of the state and religious upheaval, this comprehensive social history sheds light on changes throughout Europe in the critical early modern period. ... Read more