Customer Reviews (2)

Lots of info--supplemented and updated via the web, but caution must be used in using it as a reference
This second edition of the Visual Geography Series, Ukraine in Pictures, not only covers an area much broader than just geography in its 80 pages, but it also touches on these topics: the Land; History and Government; People; Cultural Life; and the Economy.

A nice feature of Ukraine in Pictures is that it's web enhanced. Anyone needing more detailed information needs only to visit the website, and in the left-hand column click on Ukraine for quick access to: downloadable maps, a flag, and photos for reports; and, links, which correspond to the main sections in the book. The website will give students quick access to notes/instructions, report writing tips, a sample outline and tips on how to write a bibliography. There's also a section entitled Teacher Resources.

Each of the main headings in the book is enhanced with colored panoramic photos spanning two pages. Throughout, notes are highlighted; as an example: reference is made to the Russian spelling of the capital city, Kiev.We're told that it is being replaced by the Ukrainian spelling, Kyiv, and that throughout the book, Ukrainian spellings are used whenever available (Russian spelling follows in parentheses).

Another example: in the past, Ukraine was known as the Ukraine since it was considered to be an extension of the larger Russian (and later Soviet) Empire.With independence, the Ukrainian government announced that the nation would be known as Ukraine (one word) to distinguish it as a separate country.

Although the book is called (as are others in the series) Ukraine in Pictures, the photos are used as supplements to the text rather than being a photo album with captions. For anybody wishing wonderful photo albums depicting Ukraine and Ukrainians, please see my reviews of Simply Ukraine, Lviv, Ukraine in Postcards, Kiev in Autumn Colours, and Ukraine Worldwide. I also heartily recommend Ukraine, Its History and Its Arts and Ukraine and Ukrainians--both by Peter Kardash. If they aren't available for purchase on Amazon, they usually can be obtained through libraries or through interlibrary loan.

Since so many topics are explored in only 80 pages, it stands to reason that for an in-depth education, the reader will need to investigate further. An example is mention of the famine. Famine conjures natural occurrences; Ukraine had man-made famines--genocides. Please see my reviews of Genocide in Ukraine, Harvest of Despair, the Unknown Holocaust, and Enough. Other good sources are The Encyclopedia of Ukraine (on the Internet) and Robert Conquest's book, The Harvest of Sorrow.

Features of the book include a timeline of history, currency fast facts, a description and photo of the Ukrainian flag, the national anthem, famous people (again, for a more extensive exploration, please see the website of The Encyclopedia of Ukraine), sights to see, glossary, selected bibliography, and further reading and websites. There are good references listed such as: Professor Orest Subtelny's book Ukraine: A History (the book's bibliography misspells his name as Subtleny), Kyiv Post (on the Internet), Ukrainian World Congress, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and Robert Conquest's book, The Harvest of Sorrow.

One of the bibliography entries needs a word of caution. Please read my review of Anna Reid's book Borderland: A Journey through the History of Ukraine. Although it's mentioned in the selected bibliography, I found her book to be extremely biased and anti-Ukrainian.

Regarding the description of Cossacks by Anna Reid on pg. 23 where she compares them to cowboys, I do believe that she takes Professor Subtelny's (Ukraine: A History) quote out of context. Here are, in part, his words: "And the Polonization of the Ukrainian elite drew the Ukrainian Cossacks into a role that was fulfilled elsewhere by the nobles. Consequently, the Cossack became a key figure not only in the history of Ukraine but also in Ukrainian consciousness. The growing importance of the Cossacks was accompanied by renewed vigor in Ukrainian religious and cultural life."

Please consider the following: Ukrainians don't consider Cossacks (Kozaks) to be cowboys! In my review of the video entitled, `Ukraine: Ancient Crossroads, Modern Dreams,' I quote from the movie: In one segment, the narrator explains that Kozaks not only fought and danced, they also financed the building of many churches...andother developments to the region, but, perhaps, their most important achievement was holding off the bondage of serfdom... The video is available through interlibrary loan--it is a must-see video.

The cover left me a bit puzzled, since it isn't what would come to mind when thinking of Ukraine. For future editions, if searching for the unusual, perhaps covers with: woodcuts or etchings by Ukrainian born painter and sculptor Jacques Hnizdovsky (America's greatest woodcut artist), trembita players in the Carpathian Mountains (a trembita is a Ukrainian alpine horn made of wood), or Ukrainian dancers.

Ukraine in Pictures is worth first reading and then exploring in greater depth. Caution must be used, however, to ensure sources aren't biased.

Addendum: Readers, you're invited to visit each of my reviews--most of them have photos that I took in Ukraine (over 600)--you'll learn lots about Ukraine and Ukrainians. The image gallery shows smaller photos, which are out of sequence. The preferable way is to see each review through my profile page since photos that are germane to that particular book/VHS/DVD are posted there with notes and are in sequential order.

To visit my reviews: click on my pseudonym, Mandrivnyk, to get to my profile page; click on the tab called review; scroll to the bottom of the section, and click on see all reviews; click on each title, and on the left-hand side, click on see all images. The thumbnail images at the top of the page show whether photos have notes; roll your mouse over the image to find notes posted.

Also, you're invited to visit my Listmania lists, which have materials sorted by subject matter.

Perfect for Your Jr Hi Term Paper
I was actually hoping for a "coffee table book" with lots of glossy pictures of Ukraine. This is more like a research book for teens doing school papers, and it would be great for that. There are quite a few pictures but they are mostly small. It does give a good overview of the country (history, culture, economy, etc.) and is up to date (copyright 2006 with a weblink to get current stats). I bought it for my husband (who traveled to Ukraine twice this year) just to fill in some background and history. He breezed through it on the plane and liked it. It is not a travel guide and the maps are very general. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Prut, Kiev Voivodeship, Jijia River, Lemkivshchyna, Ruda River, Donets Basin, Hotin County, Climăuţi River, Falcău River, Târnauca River, Sadău River, Bilca Mare River, Laura River, Cimirnariu River, Ramsar Sites in Ukraine, Beskids, Egher River, Bătarci River, Pripyat River, Alt Danzig, Right-Bank Ukraine, Southern Bug, Seversky Donets, Horyn River, Cogalnic River, Izmail Oblast, Left-Bank Ukraine, East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Inhulets River, Nikitsky Botanical Garden, Sula River, Vorskla River, Psel River, Zbruch River, Cheremosh River, Tiasmyn River, Samara River, Berestia, Styr River, Ros River, Sniatyn, Teteriv River, Sluch River, Taganrog Bay, Seym River, Chornohora, Gorgany, Alta River, Pisky, Kodyma River, Chernihiv Voivodeship, Romen River, Bazavluk River, Chilia Branch, Superior Prut and Lower Danube, Verecke Pass, Mius River, Trubizh River, Central Russian Upland, Podolian Upland, Stuhna River, Hnyla Lypa, Kosovskoye Lake, Kosovska River, Rock Formations in Ukraine, Transdnieper, Bugec, Kosovska Field. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 162. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Prut -The following towns are situated along the river Prut, from source to mouth: Delatyn, Kolomyia, Sniatyn, Chernivtsi, Novoselytsia, Darabani, Lipcani, Ungheni, Leova, Cantemir and Cahul. The following rivers are tributaries to the river Prut: Left: Racov, Ciuhur, Lpuna, Seret Right: Cheremosh, Hera, Poiana, Corneti, Isnov, Rdui, Ghireni, Volov, Badu, Baeu, Corogea, Berza Veche, Râioasa, Solone, Cerchezoaia, Jijia, Cozmeti, Bohotin, Mona, Prute, Siret, Elan, Horincea, Oancea, Stoeneasa, Chineja On 19 July 1711 Russian forces, divided to Peter the Great's army on the west bank and Boris Sheremetev's army of on the east bank of the Pruth met with the Ottoman army led by Grand Vizier ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=303767 ... Read more

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Chapters: Pannonian Plain. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 85. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Pannonian Plain is a large plain in Central Europe that remained when the Pliocene Pannonian Sea dried out. It is a geomorphological subsystem of the Alps-Himalaya system. The river Danube divides the plain roughly in half. The plain consists mainly of the Great Hungarian Plain (in the south and east) and the Little Hungarian Plain (in the northwest). The term of "Pannonian Basin" was not in use until the end of World War I. The usage of "Pannonian Basin" or "Pannonian Plain" also causes semantic problems, because this term was constructed from the name of Pannonia, an ancient province of the Roman Empire. However the territorial parity of ancient Pannonia and modern Pannonian Basin is low. The Pannonian Plain is part of the somewhat larger geographical area referred to as the Carpathian Basin (especially in Hungarian texts) or Pannonian Basin (in South Slavic texts). The name Pannonian Plain can also refer to Croatian Panonska nizina, Serbian / Panonska nizija and Slovenian Panonska nizina, which are the traditional names for the lowland part of the Pannonian Basin in Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia. The plain is roughly bounded by the Carpathian mountains, the Alps, the Dinaric Alps and the Balkan mountains. Although rain is not plentiful, it usually falls when necessary and the plain is a major agricultural area; it is sometimes said that these fields of rich loamy loess soil could feed the whole of Europe. For its early settlers, the plain offered few sources of metals or stone. Thus when archaeologists come upon objects of obsidian or chert, copper or gold, they have almost unparalleled opportunities to interpret ancient pathways of trade. Approximate extent of Pannonian S...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=311367 ... Read more

Product Description
The Ukraine is one of the most neglected countries in the world.It has a population of 52 million - larger than Britain's - and a land mass the size of France; it also has Chernobyl and after Russia the largest nuclear power.The word 'Ukraine' means 'borderland' and for most of its history the lands that make up present-day Ukraine have been a collection of other countries' border regions. Prior to Stalinism and Naziism, Ukraine was ethnically extremely diverse, including Russians, Poles, Jews, Greeks and Armenians. Their ghosts linger in language, literature, and architecture, quite distinct from Russia's. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Solid Introduction to Ukraine
The author uses a narrative approach which makes this history easy and enjoyable to digest. Having said that, it is not an exhaustive history and should be treated as an introduction to a land and people deserving of more attention. Ukraine is historically fascinating and represents unrealized promise and potential. As Reid points out in her last chapter, is Ukraine its own country possessing a unique and defendable identity or is it 'Little Russia'? I am a Ukrainian Canadian and my father was fond of saying, "Put two Ukrainians in a room and they will form three associations." That, in effect, may be the country's biggest problem in the 21st century.

Interesting History but Antiquated Commentary
After reading many history books including this one, I have come to the conclusion that I am part of the "Ukrainian Diaspora". I say this up front so that the reader of this review can determine my 'bias' on the subject. My credentials are impeccable: Grandparents born in Ukraine towns, ending up in Germany after the war, displaced persons camps, eventually the U.S., etc.

A few quick impressions of this book:

* I have not read a book in recent times that was in such dire need of an addendum or afterward... something. I was in Ukraine in 2008 and can barely relate to what Anna Reid experienced. Don't get me wrong, I can visualize it. But her experiences were definitely not my experiences by any stretch. I was in many cities including Kiev, Sevastopol, Simferopol, Melitipol, and smaller villages as well. Orange Revolution anyone?

* It is amazing to read a book where I kept waiting for the crescendo of some fantastic point but only to find the chapter ending. Seriously. Is this something they teach in Journalism School? I was left to make my own conclusions, which based on her facts always seem to be: "Oh you silly Uke's. You don't have any real history, what are you getting so uptight about?"

With that being said, I really think Anna Reid did a fantastic job discussing Communism: the Kulak purges, the political famine, etc. If she is giving the 'Russian' version of events she doesn't seem to have a problem throwing the commies under the bus. At times it was hard to read because it churned my stomach. I feel fortunate to be able to trace my family tree and not find it ending in some Siberian gulag or a mass grave in a forest.

The World War II section was illuminating as well. Ms. Reid has some interesting historical stuff regarding the German attitudes towards the peasantry. As the Grandson of an 'Ostarbeiter' I felt like she was talking about my Grandma; anti-semitism and all.

She does seem to gloss over the Cossacks. After just finishing The Black Sea: A History it is hard to believe that this book doesn't give them short shrift.

Here is my bottom line: I would not give this book to a friend travelling to the Ukraine for the first time. I would rather they experience the hustle and bustle of Kiev. The warm breezes of Sevastopol along the Black Sea. Picking cherries near the sea of Azov. Upon returning they can read this book and compare it to their own experiences and flesh out their understanding of the region.

Certain parts of this book serve as a decent historical reference. Ms. Reid's commentary on the other hand... well it seems to be stuck in the past while Ukraine moves forward.

Don't blame Anna Reid for the book's cover...
...the choice of graphic material for book covers is the publisher's, not the author, and this is a prerogative which publishers guard jealously. Needless to say, the publisher is probably not pursuing some sort of Russophile strategy -- just looking for striking images which it hopes will move books.

Excellent
Amazingly thorough sweep, for such a relatively short book. Vivid history interwoven with anecdotes ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. A great way to wade into the often puzzling culture of Ukraine.

An outsider's history
This book is written by an outsider.Many of the negative reviews here are from aggrieved people looking for their version of Ukraine history.The author is not trying to promote one aggrieved party version of history.As an outsider like Anna Reid, I liked her approach.Its a small book covering a big topic, but the author does manage to paint a detailed picture of the sad 20th century in Ukrainian history.I read this book during my recent six weeks in the Ukraine.Ukrainians are digging out from the ashes of the last 100 years.The future looks bright.I found myself thinking if the Ukraine can stay free and avoid a repeat of the disastrous wars of the last century, they could be a first-world nation in a generation or less. ... Read more

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The works of Roman authors are key to understanding the ancient history of Ukraine. Extant excerpts are presented in the original Latin with English translation, commentary and bibliography. ... Read more

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Ukraine is Europe's second state and this lavishly illustrated volume provides a concise and easy to read historical survey of the country from earliest times to the present.Each of the book's forty-six chapters is framed by a historical map, which graphically depicts the key elements of the chronological period or theme addressed within. In addition, the entire text is accompanied by over 300 historic photographs, line drawings, portraits, and reproductions of books and art works, which bring the rich past of Ukraine to life.

Rather than limiting his study to an examination of the country's numerically largest population - ethnic Ukrainians - acclaimed scholar Paul Robert Magocsi emphasizes the multicultural nature of Ukraine throughout its history. While ethnic Ukrainians figure prominently, Magocsi also deals with all the other peoples who live or who have lived within the borders of present-day Ukraine: Russians, Poles, Jews, Crimean Tatars, Germans (including Mennonites), and Greeks, among others. This book is not only an indispensable resource for European area and Slavic studies specialists; it is sure to appeal to people interested in having easy access to information about political, economic, and cultural development in Ukraine.

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Pictorial Rendition of Ukraine's History with Generally Balanced Information--a Superb Supplement to Subtelny's Book!
Author Paul Robert Magocsi, Ph.D., an acclaimed scholar, emphasizes the multicultural nature of Ukraine throughout her history rather than limiting his study to an examination of Ukraine's numerically largest population--ethnic Ukrainians. All other peoples who've lived or who live within the borders of present-day Ukraine are also analyzed: Russians, Poles, Crimean Tatars, Jews, Germans (including Mennonites), and Greeks, among others. Political, economic, and cultural developments in Ukraine are examined, which makes Ukraine: An Illustrated History not only a reference resource for European area and Slavic studies specialists, but also makes it one which will appeal to people wishing an easy-to read/easy-to-understand informational reference.

Paul Robert Magocsi, Ph.D., is Professor of History and Political Science at the University of Toronto (since 1980), permanent Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (since 1996), and member of the Canadian Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences. Professor Magocsi is the President of the World Congress of Rusyns and author of many books on Rusyn history. He holds the chair of Ukrainian studies at the University of Toronto. Born in New Jersey, Dr. Magocsi completed his undergraduate studies at Rutgers University (B.A., 1966; M.A., 1967) and graduate studies at Princeton University (M.A., 1969; Ph.D., 1972). He then went to Harvard University, where he was a member of the Society of Fellows between 1973 and 1976. Professor Magocsi has taught at Harvard University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The dust jacket illustration is a monument to the legendary founders of Kyiv along the shores of the Dnipro River. According to a widely known legend, Kyiv was founded by three brothers, Kyy, Shchek, Khorev, and their sister, Lybid, in 482. Kyy, the prince of the Slavic tribes of Polians, is considered the city founder, and it's for him that the city is named. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine, and 'was the capital city of the mighty state of Kyivan Rus-Ukraine and the seat of the Ukrainian Orthodox Metopolitanate.' The apropos jacket design is by Katherine Patton. University of Toronto Press printed and bound this volume in Toronto, Buffalo, and London in 2007. This volume was published in the United States by University of Washington Press in Seattle.

The back of the dust jacket provides two endorsements. Dr. Serhy Yekelchyk, Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies, University of Victoria, provides one endorsement: "This is a magisterial introduction to the history of Ukraine. Combining excellent maps with an erudite historical narrative, Professor Magocsi's new work is a tour de force. He offers a wealth of data, makes sound judgments on controversial issues, and guides the reader through almost two millennia in the space of 350 (sic, 336) pages."

Another endorsement is from a colleague, Dr. Serhii Plokhii, Department of History, Harvard University, who writes: "There is a strong need in the English-speaking world for a short history of Ukraine--something that visitors could take along on a trip, or that high school and university students could use in their classes. Professor Magocsi has fulfilled that need with this well-written, generally balanced, and informative survey of Ukrainian history."

Wholeheartedly I concur with both Professors Yekelchyk and Plokhii. Additionally, this large-sized illustrated history is easy to read and digest; the placement of photos and illustrations (which are a decent size) enhance the generally balanced history of Ukraine, which is presented in an engaging, engrossing style.

Heartily recommended, each page of Ukraine: An Illustrated History has at least one or two, sometimes an entire page of black-and-white illustrations, images, line drawings, maps, portraits, and reproductions of books and art works. Many of the images are unique to this book; all of them are captioned with informative details.Indeed, this volume is an illustrated history of Ukraine, and the title and contents complement each other.Since all of the illustrations and images are in black-and-white, there is a continuity throughout the book; it would have been nice, however, to have had some of the photos appear in color.

For those wishing to see Ukraine's history depicted via color images, outstanding supplements to Professor Magocsi's Ukraine:An Illustrated History and also to Professor Subtelny's Ukraine:A History, are books by Peter Kardash, Ukrainian-Australian activist and author of Ukraine: Its History and Its Arts (see my review)and Ukraine and Ukrainians (see my review).In his 1988 book, Ukraine and Ukrainians, Kardash states that: "Soviet authorities did not take kindly to photographs being made of buildings and monuments with a history rooted in the Ukrainian national consciousness, so some were taken at great risk." Both books contains a treasure trove of color photos that are rarely encountered in other books--and all are captioned with informative details.My Listmania list entitled "Guaranteed Outstanding--Fortuna Company" has links to books mentioned above.Additionally, outstanding color photography is showcased in Simply Ukraine (see my review)by Ukrainian-American photographer Tania D'Avignon, who has worked for National Geographic Magazine.

The Contents page of Dr. Magocsi's monograph includes: a List of 16 Tables, List of 46 full-page Historical Maps, a one-page Introduction, 46 chapters, a 23-page Index, and a four-page Illustration Sources and Credits section.

Financial assistance was received from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. The book was published with the help of grants from the Chair of Ukrainian Studies Foundation in Toronto, and from the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Also, the University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its publishing activities of the Government of Canada, through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).

Five stars plus for an informative pictorial history of Ukraine with over 300 large, captioned images and informative, easy-to-read historical references, which put Ukraine's history into clear context. Undoubtedly, this book will be referenced often not only for its illustrations, but also for its succinct, objective text. For a more detailed text, refer to Professor Orest Subtelny's monograph, Ukraine: A History. The author of this book, Dr. Magocsi, described Dr. Subtelny's book (please see my review) in the Journal of Ukrainian Studies as "an excellent history of Ukrainians." Both books superbly supplement each other, both deserve to be on your library shelves, and both books together will fulfill your quest for an impartial history of Ukraine.

As a supplement to the historic photos in Professor Magocsi's excellent book, Ukraine: An Illustrated History, you're invited to view some of my photos of Ukraine; as an example, I've posted 92 images from my trips to Ukraine on the product detail page of A History of Ukraine by Hrushevsky, which is another excellent reference (please see my review).

Visit each of my reviews--most of them have photos that I took in Ukraine (over 600)--you'll learn lots about Ukraine and Ukrainians. The image gallery shows smaller photos, which are out of sequence. The preferable way is to see each review through my profile page since photos that are germane to that particular book/VHS/DVD are posted there with notes and are in sequential order.

To visit my reviews: click on my pseudonym, Mandrivnyk, to get to my profile page; click on the tab called review; scroll to the bottom of the section, and click on see all reviews; click on each title, and on the left-hand side, click on see all images. The thumbnail images at the top of the page show whether photos have notes; roll your mouse over the image to find notes posted.

Also, you're invited to visit my Listmania lists, which have materials sorted by subject matter. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Journal of Cultural Geography, published by JCG Press on October 1, 2009. The length of the article is 9058 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Geographical imaginaries of the 'New Europe' and the 'East' in a business context: the case of Italian investors in Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine.(Report)
Author: Christian Sellar
Publication: Journal of Cultural Geography (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2009
Publisher: JCG Press
Volume: 26Issue: 3Page: 327(22)

Article Type: Report

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Vylkove, Balta, Ukraine, Moldavanka, Liubashivka, Illichivsk, Komarivka, Bolhrad, Liubashivskyi Raion, Yuzhne, Sarata, Yalpug Lake, Shabo, Dniester Liman, Reni, Ukraine, Arcadia Beach, Prorva Channel, Kotlovyna, Ovidiopol, Kotovsk, Ukraine, Tarutynskyi Raion, Reniyskyi Raion, Savran, Izmailsky Raion, Tarutyne, Kosivka, Odessa Oblast, Zatoka, Odessa Oblast, Nahirne, Rozdilna, Kodyma, Plavni, Lymanske, Artsyz, Zhovten, Novosilske, Dolynske, Orlivka, Berezivka, Teplodar, Ananiv, Biliaivka. Excerpt:Ananiv (Ukrainian : , Russian : , Romanian : Nani ) is a small city in Odessa Oblast , Ukraine . Population is 8,723 (2009). The town belonged to MASSR from 1924 to 1940. A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Coordinates : 46°25 38 N 30°46 00 E / 46.42722°N 30.7666667°E / 46.42722; 30.7666667 For the Oregon Arcadia Beach, see Arcadia Beach (Oregon) . Arcadia beach (Arkadia, Arkadiya) (Ukrainian : , Russian : ) Playazh Arkadiya is Odessa, Ukraine 's most famous beach. The beach was named after a mountainous district in Greece , which was known as the home of pastoral villagers. The founders of Odessa chose this name for this area in the hopes it would help make is a success as a holiday resort. It worked, today Arcadia is the most popular beach, health resort, and summer nightspot in Odessa. Its nightclubs are open from May through September, and are Odessa's primary nightlife during that time. Notes Websites (URLs online) A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Artsyz (Ukrainian : , translit. Artsyz ; Bulgarian and Russian : Arciz ; Romanian : Arciz , Turkish : Arts z or Ars z) is a city in Odessa Oblast , Ukraine . Population is 16,370 (2001). A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Balta (Ukrainian : , Romanian : Balta ) is a small city in the Odessa Oblast (province ) o... ... Read more

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Examines the history, geography, ethnic mixture, politics, economy, and future of the former Soviet republic of the Ukraine. ... Read more

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From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, the geopolitical placement of Ukraine drew the attention of some of Europe’s most influential cartographers. Many of these maps, including ones of exceptional rarity, were collected by the Ukrainian scholar and journalist Bohdan Krawciw.

Krawciw traced the physical and aesthetic depiction of Ukraine across its changing borders as a means of self-recognition and as a cultural and political history of the contested nation and its peoples. Of special interest are his maps of Ukraine from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, at the crossroads of four empires: Habsburg, Ottoman, Russian, and Soviet.

As part of his personal archive, Krawciw’s maps were bequeathed to Harvard University upon his death in 1975. This book serves as both a catalog of his collection and a description of how the maps he collected serve as an invaluable source for Ukraine’s history and a symbol of Ukrainian national identity. The book contains nearly 100 examples from the collection, many in full color, as well as indices listing maps by cartographer and by place name.

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Ukraine's tumultuous history has left it standing on unstable ground, wrought with the devastation of the 20th century's wars, famines, and other struggles. Today, life in Ukraine is moving forward, stepping out of the shadows of Communism and into a modern, urban, and multicultural light, finally gaining for itself a sense of national identity. Now a cultural hotspot that serves as a crossroads between Europe and Asia, Ukraine's traditions of yesterday are evolving into today's daily life and customs. High school and undergraduate students will have the opportunity to delve into Ukraine's modern society by looking at its religious practices, language conflicts, gender issues, education policies, and media censorship struggles, as well as its cuisine, holidays, literature, music, and performing arts.A thorough and unique investigation of this young country, Culture and Customs of Ukraine is an absolute must-have for high school, public, and undergraduate library bookshelves.

Coverage includes historical background, religions, language, gender, education, customs, holidays, and cuisine, media, literature, music, and Ukranian theatre and cinema in the 20th century.

A chronology, photos, and bibliography including print and nonprint sources supplement this work.

Customer Reviews (1)

A useful book on contemporary Ukraine
The book is a part of the Culture and Customs of Europe series. It provides an excellent overview of contemporary Ukraine's history, religions, literature, music and art. Together with other books in the series it might be used for comparative studies of Europe's nations. ... Read more

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To the surprise of many, the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991, and out of its ruins arose an independent Ukraine. This was a remarkable achievement, and one that owed much to activities in Galicia, as Paul Robert Magocsi reveals here.

Magocsi begins with a brief historical survey of Galicia, where Ukrainian national and cultural interests have long flourished. His subsequent essays focus on the role played by Galicia during the nineteenth century, when Ukrainians were struggling for recognition as a distinct nationality. He places Galicia in the larger context of Ukrainian and eastern European politics, then follows with studies of the nuts and bolts of nation building - language, culture, ideology and so on. He also explores the influence of the Habsburg Empire in creating unique conditions for Ukraine's national and social revival, and considers the impact of both Habsburg and Soviet rule on the Ukrainian national psyche.

This study provides a solid background for understanding nineteenth-century Galicia as the historic Piedmont of the Ukrainian national revival. It is essential reading for historians, public-policy makers, and all those interested in regional differentiation within Europe's second largest country - Ukraine. ... Read more

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Concise maps of Ukraine prepared by historical periods. ... Read more

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Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Ukraine," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Ukraine in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Ukraine when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Ukraine, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more