European history Books

Book Synopsis"A Traveller's History of Cyprus" offers a complete and authoritative history of the island's past and also touches on the sensitive present-day issues for both sides of the island. Although Cyprus is a relatively small island, its position in the East Mediterranean has always given it strategic importance beyond its size. Well-placed for travel from all over the globe with plenty of sunshine throughout the year, Cyprus has become a favored tourist destination. All visitors, whether to the Greek or Turkish side of the island, discover the immensely rich history, which has resulted in so many civilizations making their mark upon its soil. With a historical gazetteer, chronology of major events, index, bibliography and historical and contemporary maps, this book is an invaluable companion to students or visitors to the island.Trade Review"Ideal before-you-go reading' The Daily Telegraph 'One of an excellent series of brief histories' The New York Times

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1915 the Royal Naval Air Service found itself engaged in an unexpected war at sea, the fight to prevent the German submarine fleet from disrupting the flow of vital supplies to the British Isles, necessary for the conduct of the war. It was a war that had to be won because by the spring of 1917 the U-boat campaign against Allied merchant shipping was close to bringing the British war effort to the point of collapse. Airships of the RNAS played a vital part in this new war at sea. This book tells the story of the young men who ventured out over the often hostile waters around the British Isles in airships, who were expected to hunt down the German submarines and to attack them with the hopelessly inadequate weapons at their disposal. The story is told by those who took part in this new form of warfare, through pieces written by them or via interviews with veterans. It covers the entire experience of being an airship pilot, from initial training, through their numerous adventures while flying these frail craft over the coastal waters of the British Isles, to the final victory in 1918.

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Book SynopsisThis engaging book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. So much of what people today accept as ancient Irish history—Celtic invaders from Europe turning Ireland into a Celtic nation; St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland and converting its people to Christianity—is myth and legend with little basis in reality. The truth is more interesting. The Irish, as the authors show, are not even Celtic in an archaeological sense. And there were plenty of bishops in Ireland before a British missionary called Patrick arrived. But In Search of Ancient Ireland is not simply the story of events from long ago. Across Ireland today are festivals, places, and folk customs that provide a tangible link to events thousands of years past. The authors visit and describe many of these places and festivals, talking to a wide variety of historians, scholars, poets, and storytellers in the very settings where history happened. Thus the book is also a journey on the ground to uncover ten thousand years of Irish identity. In Search of Ancient Ireland is the official companion to the three-part PBS documentary series. With 14 black-and-white photos, 6 b&w illustrations, and 1 map.Trade ReviewWell-written...informative...new and fascinating material challenging many myths. -- Lawrence J. McCaffrey, Emeritus Professor of History, Loyola University of ChicagoYour search for the roots of Irish history and culture begins here, with this marvelous book. -- Terry Golway * The New York Observer *Journeys across the centuries to explore fabled Erin's remarkable past and uncover the real story behind the island nation's rich global legacy. * Irish Connections *In bite-sized morsels that accommodate the busy lives of modern readers Search tells us about both the major figures central to momentous events and the daily lives of commoners. * Richmond Times-Dispatch *As much as can be excavated or deduced of ancient history is superbly featured with a wealth of fine detail in this fascinating and highly readable resource. * Library Bookwatch *...A clearly recommended pick for anyone interested in an updated, scholarly research tool covering the latest truths about Irish history.... Provides an important gateway to understanding early Irish roots. * The Bookwatch *...An illuminating look at the new finds and scholarship and their place in Ireland's past.... The deft and meticulously researched prose...brings ancient Ireland to vivid life. * Bostonirish.Com *A great story, interesting to read and appealing to anyone with an interest in Ireland...A readable history...poignant, not pedantic. -- Virginia Garnett * Carroll County Times *

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Book SynopsisThe harrowing first-person account of a French foot soldier who survived four years in the trenches of the First World WarTrade Review"A century after the guns of August first boomed, World War I has lost none of its power to boggle the mind. . . . Louis Barthas, an enlisted man from southwestern France, managed to reduce the conflict to human scale with a pen and 19 notebooks. . . . With Edward M. Strauss’s translation of Poilu, English-language readers now have access to a classic account of the war, a day-to-day chronicle of life in the trenches and a richly detailed answer to the seemingly unanswerable question: What was it like?"—William Grimes, New York Times"Barthas was an ordinary working man, a barrel maker of socialist inclinations, and there was nothing about him to suggest he harbored literary gifts or genius. But his notebooks, assembled under the title Poilu, are among the great works of the war, deserving a place of mention with memoirs like Guy Chapman’s A Passionate Prodigality and Ernst Jünger’s Storm of Steel."—Geoffrey Norman, Wall Street Journal"Nothing ever written provides a more accurate, raw and close-in account of the beastly life of the common soldier. . ."—Marc Wortman, Daily Beast"One wonders why it took so long for an English translation—this is clearly one of the most readable and indispensable accounts of the death of the glory of war."—Nicholas Mancuso, Daily Beast"This translation of the diaries and letters of a French corporal on the Western front in World War I brings the gritty reality of trench warfare to an English-speaking audience in a manner unparalleled even in the best soldier writings from that war. The reader feels and smells and hears the mud, the blood, the fear, the deafening noise of exploding shells, the clatter of machine guns, the cries of the wounded and dying. Here is the war as the men in the trenches experienced it."—James McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom"An exceptionally vivid memoir of a French soldier's experience of the First World War."—Max Hastings, author of Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War"Louis Barthas, cooper, citizen, cynic and reluctant reservist, is one of the truly authentic voices of the Great War. A classic in France from its first publication, his account of the fighting (and he saw more of it than most) speaks not only for the 'poilu' but for all solders of the conflict."—Hew Strachan, author of The First World War"A revelatory book that brings the French experience of the Great War to life as you read. However much we may think the British and Americans suffered, their agony was shorter and less intense than the tragedy that overwhelmed the French nation in 1914-1918."—Peter Hart, author of The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War"Ah, the notebooks of Louis Barthas! This book has profound historic value. It is also a genuine work of literature."—François Mitterrand, former president of France

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Book SynopsisThis translation with notes is primarily for classroom use. It aims to be true to the basic meaning of the text and tries to bring across some of the beauty of the poetry as well as the rhetorical power of the dialogue and speeches.Trade ReviewThis is a very useful edition, excellent for classroom purposes. The translation is clear and lively, and several students commented on how much they enjoyed it. The introduction provides an excellent overview of the issues in the play, as well as of earlier scholarship, making it a good resource for more advanced classes. The cover photo is an added bonus and provided the starting point for stimulating class discussion. --James B. Rives, York UniversityAn excellent translation which captures Bacchae's combination of colloquial and lyric language. The Notes and Introduction are also very helpful. --Mary-Kay Gamel, University of California, Santa Cruz

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Book SynopsisThe ''Industrial Revolution'' was a pivotal point in British history that occurred between the mid-eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries and led to far reaching transformations of society. With the advent of revolutionary manufacturing technology productivity boomed. Machines were used to spin and weave cloth, steam engines were used to provide reliable power, and industry was fed by the construction of the first railways, a great network of arteries feeding the factories. Cities grew as people shifted from agriculture to industry and commerce. Hand in hand with the growth of cities came rising levels of pollution and disease. Many people lost their jobs to the new machinery, whilst working conditions in the factories were grim and pay was low. As the middle classes prospered, social unrest ran through the working classes, and the exploitation of workers led to the growth of trade unions and protest movements.In this Very Short Introduction, Robert C. Allen analyzes the key features of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, and the spread of industrialization to other countries. He considers the factors that combined to enable industrialization at this time, including Britain''s position as a global commercial empire, and discusses the changes in technology and business organization, and their impact on different social classes and groups. Introducing the ''winners'' and the ''losers'' of the Industrial Revolution, he looks at how the changes were reflected in evolving government policies, and what contribution these made to the economic transformation. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewa landmark outline of global economic growth and the British Industrial Revolution in alignment with mainstream economic thinking today. * Avner Offer, Economic History.net *An authoritative overview of recent perspectives on the Industrial Revolution which is very clearly written and a pleasure to read. * Nick Crafts, Professor of Economic History, University of Warwick *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisOffers a comprehensive history of ancient Greece. This title brings alive Greek civilization from its Stone Age roots to the fourth century B C E. Focusing on the development of the Greek city-state and the society, culture, and architecture of Athens in its Golden Age, it integrates political, military, social, and cultural history.Trade Review"This is a superb introduction to the Greek world for beginning students, precise and stimulating without overwhelming students with too many details."—David Graf, University of Miami"A polished and informative work that will be useful for general readers and students."—Daniel Tompkins, Temple University

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Book SynopsisFierce warriors and skilled craftsmen, the Celts were famous throughout the Ancient Mediterranean World. They were the archetypal barbarians from the north and were feared by both Greeks and Romans. For two and a half thousand years they have continued to fascinate those who have come into contact with them, yet their origins have remained a mystery and even today are the subject of heated debate among historians and archaeologists.Barry Cunliffe''s classic study of the ancient Celtic world was first published in 1997. Since then huge advances have taken place in our knowledge: new finds, new ways of using DNA records to understand Celtic origins, new ideas about the proto-urban nature of early chieftains'' strongholds, All these developments are part of this fully updated , and completely redesigned edition.Cunliffe explores the archaeological reality of these bold warriors and skilled craftsmen of barbarian Europe who inspired fear in both the Greeks and the Romans. He investigates the texts of the classical writers and contrasts their view of the Celts with current archaeological findings. Tracing the emergence of chiefdoms and the fifth- to third-century migrations as far as Bosnia and the Czech Republic, he assesses the disparity between the traditional story and the most recent historical and archaeological evidence on the Celts.Other aspects of Celtic identity such as the cultural diversity of the tribes, their social and religious systems, art, language and law, are also examined. From the picture that emerges, we are -- crucially -- able to distinguish between the original Celts, and those tribes which were ''Celtized'', giving us an invaluable insight into the true identity of this ancient people.Trade ReviewArchaeologist Barry Cunliffe brings up to date his classic work on the Ancient Celts, those fierce warriors and skilled craftsmen who were famous throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. In this fully updated, and completely redesigned edition, Cunliffe assesses the disparity between the traditional story and the most recent historical and archaeological evidence on the Celts. * Timeless Travels *This book is of wider significance than just a volume for the general readership. It matters. It is at the forefront of a battle in Iron Age scholarship and the presentation of different ideas to the public, a battle which through publications like this one and others, Cunliffe is currently winning hands down. This is a fine book combining scholarly erudition and depth with popular appeal. Professor Cunliffe is one of the few academics able to achieve this fine balance. * Dr Jody Joy, The Prehistoric Society *Table of ContentsPreface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition 1: Visions of the Celts 2: Constructing the Historical Celts 3: In the Beginning: 5500-1300 BC 4: The Atlantic System: 1300-200 BC 5: Western Central Europe and the Mediterranean:1300-450 BC 6: The Migrations: 450-50 BC 7: The Communities of the Atlantic Façade 8: Celts and Others on the Eastern Fringes 9: Warfare and Society 10: The Arts of the Migration Period 11: Religious Systems 12: The Developed Celtic World 13: The Celts in Retreat 14: Celtic Survival 15: Retrospect A Guide to Further Reading Chronological Tables Map Section Illustration Sources Index

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Book SynopsisGilbert Markus brings a stimulating approach to studying this elusive period, analysing both its litter of physical evidence and literary sources, as a method of shedding light on the reality of the period. In doing so, he reforms our historical perceptions of what has often been dismissed as a `dark age .Table of Contents1. Introduction/The field and the sources; 2. Into the Light-Britain under Rome; 3. Four peoples, five languages - up to c.800; 4. Christianity: conversion and consolidation; 5. Society; 6. The Corpse-Herring's Din'-Vikings and Scandinavian Scotland; 7. The emergence: Alba and Scotia.

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Book SynopsisThucydides called his account of two decades of war between Athens and Sparta “a possession for all time,” and indeed it is the first and still the most famous work in the Western historical tradition.Considered essential reading for generals, statesmen, and liberally educated citizens for more than 2,000 years, The Peloponnesian War is a mine of military, moral, political, and philosophical wisdom. However, this classic book has long presented obstacles to the uninitiated reader. Written centuries before the rise of modern historiography, Thucydides'' narrative is not continuous or linear. His authoritative chronicle of what he considered the greatest war of all time is rigorous and meticulous, yet omits the many aids to comprehension modern readers take for granted—such as brief biographies of the story''s main characters, maps and other visual enhancements, and background on the military, cultural, and political traditions of ancient GTrade Review"This is the best book with which to start study of Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War. It presents the finest English translation. Its maps, scholarly appendices, and notes permit the beginner to understand the text and to move easily and at once to a higher level of study than has been possible up to now." -- Donald Kagan, author of On the Origins of War and Pericles of Athens"Reading Thucydides remains an indispensable part of a liberal education. But this text has been wanting a useful English language, annotated version that would make it easier for the contemporary reader to encounter its brilliance and eloquence. Strassler's meticulous and imaginative achievement is as welcome as it is astonishing. Students of history and politics will be forever in his debt." -- Leon Botstein President, Bard College"At last readers of The Peloponnesian War can have at their fingertips the background information they need to read the narrative with understanding." -- W. Robert Connor Director, National Humanities Center"Thucydides knew that human nature was unlikely to change over time, and it is this awareness that has allowed his work to be, as he hoped it would, a 'possession for all time.' But even he did not imagine how much warfare and customs would have changed over 2,500 years, or how the differences between past and present practices would make his work difficult for modern readers to follow. This new edition helps make Thucydides accessible once again by providing readers with the maps and detailed background information they will need to understand the full significance of his work." -- Mary Lefkowitz, Andrew Mellon Professor in the Humanities, Wellesley College

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Book SynopsisSince the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989, Prague has become one of Europe’s—and the world’s—most popular tourist destinations. As in London, Paris, and Rome, visitors flock to the gorgeous buildings and monuments that grace the streets of Prague, entranced by structures ranging from Gothic and baroque to cubist and neoclassical. And while hundreds of thousands stroll over Charles Bridge and gaze up at St. Vitus Cathedral each year, far fewer venture away from the crowds to seek out the countless gems of art nouveau peppered throughout Prague. With Art Nouveau Prague, Petr Wittlich—one of Europe’s leading experts on nineteenth- and twentieth-century architecture—tours those monuments and buildings of Prague that are most representative of the art nouveau movement while offering insightful commentary on each. Along the way, Wittlich visits such sites as the Municipal House, the Wilson Railway Station, the Grand Hotel Europa, and works by sculptors František Bílek, Ladislav Šaloun, and Stanislav Sucharda. An introductory essay by Wittlich emphasizing the role of art nouveau within contemporary currents of modern European art accompanies more than one hundred color illustrations of some of the most stunning examples of art nouveau architecture and decoration in existence, and a detailed bibliography provides additional reading for each of the sites displayed in the book. Art Nouveau Prague is a must-have for those traveling to Prague for the first time or for anyone who appreciates or wants to learn more about art nouveau style.Trade Review“The color images of this small paperback are intelligently selected and gorgeously reproduced; the professionalism of Maly’s photography is evident in every page. Most heartening, the authors include not just a checklist of the illustrations but also precise addresses for the structures, making the book attractive and useful.” * West 86th: A Journal of Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture *“For many years Wittlich has been the most respected art historian of his generation in the Czech lands.” -- Otto M. Urban, National Gallery Prague * Slovo a Smysl *

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Book SynopsisThe Everyday Nationalism of Workers upends common notions about how European nationalism is lived and experienced by ordinary people—and the bottom-up impact these everyday expressions of nationalism exert on institutionalized nationalism writ large. Drawing on sources from the major urban and working-class centers of Belgium, Maarten Van Ginderachter uncovers the everyday nationalism of the rank and file of the socialist Belgian Workers Party between 1880 and World War I, a period in which Europe experienced the concurrent rise of nationalism and socialism as mass movements. Analyzing sources from—not just about—ordinary workers, Van Ginderachter reveals the limits of nation-building from above and the potential of agency from below. With a rich and diverse base of sources (including workers' "propaganda pence" ads that reveal a Twitter-like transcript of proletarian consciousness), the book shows all the complexity of socialist workers' ambivalent engagement with nationhood, patriotism, ethnicity and language. By comparing the Belgian case with the rise of nationalism across Europe, Van Ginderachter sheds new light on how multilingual societies fared in the age of mass politics and ethnic nationalism.Trade Review"The relationships of workers and the modern labor movement to social categories such as nationality, ethnicity, class, and religion are complex and poorly understood, usually treated separately from everyday experiences. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including a unique set of 'proletarian tweets,' this superb book both illuminates the Belgian case and provides a model for future research."—John Breuilly, London School of Economics"The Everyday Nationalism of Workers challenges the assumption that nationalism was imposed from above in the decades before the First World War. Based in extensive evidence, including the equivalent of 'tweets' from Belgian workers, Maarten Van Ginderachter's vivid examples build a convincing argument that will engage historians and political scientists interested in working-class patriotism."—Janet Polasky, University of New Hampshire"This well-written, innovative, and engaging study pushes us to reorient our understanding not only of language and national identity in Belgium, but also how to go about studying them. Students unfamiliar with Belgian history will have no problem jumping right into this book, for Van Ginderachter concisely introduces and contextualizes all key issues. One could even say that it serves as a kind of primer on modern Belgian history. It will be useful not only to readers interested in Belgian history, but also to those studying nationalism, language, ethnicity, and labor movements in modern European history."—Matthew G. Stanard, Journal of Social History"Van Ginderachter presents in vivid detail personal stories and interactions among different social classes....[This] volume is a valuable contribution to the study of nationalism."—Zeying Wu, Political Science Quarterly"Van Ginderachter gives a penetrating account of the attitudes of Flemish and Walloon workers toward the fragile Belgian national project and toward their respective and increasingly politicized ethnic identities.Showing that nationalism has been instrumental in the democratic critique of power, and not only in the exercise of exclusivist and antidemocratic power, is among this book's significant accomplishments."—Jakub Benes, H-Nationalism"All too often, nationalism studies and labour studies have followed separate paths, making it difficult to explore the way in which ordinary working-class people interpreted nationalist discourses. With this book, Maarten Van Ginderachter makes a significant contribution to counterbalance this trend while helping scholars and the general public to get acquainted with the role that national discourses played in Belgian history."—Lucas Poy, The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History"This sociohistorical narrative provides insights of contemporary significance, as it coincides with projects of nationbuilding that seem to be rampant alongside the rise of rightwing populism across the world....The Everyday Nationalism of Workers offers useful reading not only for scholars interested in the intersections of labour, history, and colonialism or methodological innovations but also for practitioners of labour activism."—Asmita Bhutani Vij, Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism"Van Ginderachter provides us with a refreshing look at national identities among the socialist urban working class of a society with several competing narratives of nationhood."—David J. Hensley, Journal of Modern History"[The Everyday Nationalism of Workers] has made a major contribution to the study of nationalism by investigating the complexities of class, religion, and ethnic identity in Belgium before the First World War....Van Ginderachter makes a powerful argument about nationalism as both pervasive and malleable."—Carl Strikwerda, American Historical Review"Martin van Ginderachter's brilliant study entitled The Everyday Nationalism of Workers provides a detailed case study of the Belgian Workers Party (BWP) and its attempt to forge a sense of national identity that appealed to their core constituency, i.e. industrial workers, but that was still capable of differentiating the BWP's vision of nation from that of its bourgeois rivals."—Stefan Berger, Moving the SocialTable of ContentsIntroduction: Workers into Belgians, Flemings and Walloons 1. A Socialist Pillar of a Hyperliberal State 2. Voting the Nation 3. Nationalist Celebrations and Mass Entertainment 4. An Anti-Militaristic State in Militaristic Times 5. The Royal and Colonial Paradox 6. Schooling the Nation 7. Encounters with the Belgian Flag and the National Anthem 8. Proletarian Tweets 9. Language, the Flemish Movement, and the Nation Epilogue: The First World War

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Book SynopsisThe latest, astonishing and award-winning book by acclaimed French author Annie Ernaux.

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Book SynopsisLike most all of Rebecca West's reportage, A Train of Powder approaches great literature. Written between 1946 and 1954, these accounts of four controversial trials explore the nature of crime and punishment, innocence and guilt, retribution and forgiveness. The centerpiece of the book is "Greenhouse with Cyclamens," a three-part essay on the Nuremberg trials written with precision, clarity, and daring insight. She also reports on two particularly brutal murder trials — one for a lynching in North Carolina, the other for a "torso murder" in England — and the espionage trial of a British telegrapher. Throughout, the question of guilt inspires Ms. West to feats of psychological detection wherein unerring craftsmanship and a powerful narrative sense combine to a high purpose — the pursuit of truth. "An astonishing book.... As compelling as Court TV but without the frisson of voyeurism (and with the compensatory satisfactions of West's breathtakingly lucid prose style), these elegant narratives remind us of the preciousness and fragility of our right to trial by jury."—Francine Prose. "It is her unique magic to combine impressionism and precision, as if Monet and Ingres could somehow be fused. Time and again a passage begins as a sort of iridescent cloud, and culminates in a diamond point."—Telford Taylor, Saturday Review. "Rebecca West...has raised journalism to a high art, breathing into it a depth, a poetry, a subtlety, and an understanding and compassion for human beings and their endless follies and tragedies that give it a legitimate place in contemporary literature."—William L. Shirer.Trade ReviewAn astonishing book...Elegant narratives with lucid prose. -- Francine ProseA beautiful example of journalism transformed into great art. -- Carl RollysonBrilliant and thought-provoking. * The Christian Science Monitor *West is a powerful and deadly serious writer, aware that our age has a beast in view...this belongs to the art of the really superb journalist. -- Maurice Dolbier * Harpers Wine & Spirit *Indisputably the world's Number 1 woman writer. * Time *

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Book SynopsisIn 1609, the entire Muslim population of Spain was given three days to leave Spanish territory or else be killed. In a brutal and traumatic exodus, entire families were forced to abandon the homes and villages where they had lived for generations. In just five years, Muslim Spain had effectively ceased to exist: an estimated 300,000 Muslims had been removed from Spanish territory making it what was then the largest act of ethnic cleansing in European history.Blood and Faith is a riveting chronicle of this virtually unknown episode, set against the vivid historical backdrop of Muslim Spain. It offers a remarkable window onto a little-known period in modern Europe-a rich and complex tale of competing faiths and beliefs, of cultural oppression and resistance against overwhelming odds.Trade Review'Well-balanced and comprehensive … "Blood and Faith" is a splendid work of synthesis. … it is impossible to read this book without sensing its resonance in our own time.' * The New York Times *'Who remembers the last survivors of Muslim Spain, whom Spaniards contemptuously called Moriscos ("little Moors")? Impressive research on them has appeared in the last 30 years, yet until now, none of it has escaped beyond the walls of the academic ghetto. Matthew Carr's well-balanced and comprehensive book brings the story of their tragic fate to a wider public... Splendid.' * New York Times Book Review *'Matthew Carr['s] magnificent "Blood and Faith" charts the tragic end of the moriscos, … "a monumental historical crime" from which he seeks lessons for today.' -- The Guardian'Eloquently written and carefully researched, "Blood and Faith" is an important new study that synthesises much important scholarship on the moriscos, until now inaccessible to an English readership, and makes us aware of historical precedents to current ideological and cultural conflicts.' * European History Quarterly *'Balanced and thoroughly researched history.' * Literary Review *'Matthew Carr's well-researched account ... is carefully written and thoroughly documented. ... This is a reliable, if often harrowing, account of a sad episode in Spanish and European history, which deserves to be better known.' -- History Today'Carr navigates issues of assimilation and integration rather elegantly, and arrives at carefully considered conclusions with his deft analysis of the events that led to the expulsion and its aftermath. Indeed, Carr has written a valuable cautionary tale for the public on the pathways that crystallise imaginary evils.' -- LSE Review of Books'An estimated 350,000 Muslims were forced to abandon their homes; many died on the journey to the ships that would take them to North Africa, and many others were terrorized, raped, robbed and killed by forces that were supposed to protect them. Carr deftly narrates the complex events leading up to this little-known but horrific episode as a warning against religious intolerance and xenophobia.' * Publishers Weekly *'[A] sweeping panorama of a critical historical period . . . Carr's account is a powerful warning of the perils of intolerance of difference and of policies of forced conversion and assimilation.''A fascinating account of perhaps the first major episode of European ethnic cleansing and, just as importantly, the story of the beginning of the conviction that "blood" matters more than belief; a conviction that led, in the end, to modern racism. In an age when so many people, on both "sides", believe we face an historic confrontation between Christendom and Islam, it is essential to place the relations between these two global Abrahamic religions in a wider historical framework. This book does that eloquently and judiciously.' -- Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah'In this first comprehensive appreciation in many decades of the Muslim expulsion from Spain, "Blood and Faith" meticulously recaptures the fateful self-mutilation of a society that might have become Europe's first multicultural nation and offers a grim lesson about religious and racial repression in our contemporary age of contested faiths.' -- Professor David Levering Lewis, author of 'God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215'

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Book SynopsisIn almost every army in the World, the Military Police rank amongst those who are least liked by other soldiers despite the essential duties that they carry out, often being amongst the first in and last out in any theatre of war. In the German armed forces, however, opinions of the military police were often those of fear as much as dislike, so great were the powers held by these troops. Germany created a plethora of different branches of what were termed 'Ordnungstruppe' - Troops for Maintaining Order. Many wore a distinctive metal gorget plate on a chain around the neck, leading to their pejorative nickname 'Kettenhund' or Chain Dogs. Despite certainly being involved in often brutal treatment of partisans and other unfortunates who fell into their grasp, their skills were sufficiently appreciated by the allies that on Germany's surrender, a number of military police units of the Wehrmacht were allowed to remain in post under allied control to assist in controlling the vast number of now disarmed German troops. Kettenhund!The German Military Police in the Second World War, using primarily previously unpublished photographic material from private sources, provides a detailed study of the organisation of these units and the distinctive uniforms and insignia they wore.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book offers a new and refreshing approach. It repeatedly calls for more work in various fields, and it should be hoped that scholars do not shy away from taking up the many challenges it raises."--Matthew Neale, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies "Beckwith weaves into Greek Buddha long-standing questions about the origins of Buddhism, contact between Buddhism and ancient Greeks following the incursion of Alexander the Great into Central Asia in the fourth century BCE, and the nature of ethical knowledge... This is excellent scholarship, and Beckwith presents his thesis with skill, insight, and scholarly probity."--ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgements xv On Transcription, Transliteration, and Texts xix Abbreviations xxi Prologue: Scythian Philosophy: Pyrrho, the Persian Empire, and India 1 Chapter 1 Pyrrho's Thought: Beyond Humanity 22 Chapter 2 No Differentiations: The Earliest Attested Forms of Buddhism 61 Chapter 3 Jade Yoga and Heavenly Dharma: Buddhist Thought in Classical Age China and India 110 Chapter 4 Greek Enlightenment: What the Buddha, Pyrrho, and Hume Argue Against 138 Epilogue: Pyrrho's Teacher: The Buddha and His Awakening 160 Appendix A The Classical Testimonies of Pyrrho's Thought 180 Appendix B Are Pyrrhonism and Buddhism Both Greek in Origin? 218 Appendix C On the Early Indian Inscriptions 226 Endnotes 251 References 257 Index 269

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Robert Paul and the Origins of British Cinema will likely remain the definitive monograph on a fascinating and influential early British film pioneer. Christie provides novel insights into how British cinema in its earliest years documented historical events and lucidly traces the origins of motion picture copyright wars. This is an outstanding study that is certain to be welcomed by film scholars and to transform the study and teaching of the early years of cinema."--Edward Dimendberg, Professor of Humanities, University of California, Irvine

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Book SynopsisPico della Mirandola, one of the most remarkable thinkers of the Renaissance, has become known as a founder of humanism and a supporter of secular rationality. Brian Copenhaver upends this understanding of Pico, unearthing the magic and mysticism in the most famous work attributed to him, Oration on the Dignity of Man.Trade ReviewMassive, lively, and learned…He explains how and why historians decided to put this Renaissance philosopher and his ideas not only in a box, but in the wrong one…Copenhaver analyzes the arguments of Pico’s critics with precision and panache…[He] has cut through generations of misguided commentary and shown us how to read this complex, baffling text. -- Anthony Grafton * New York Review of Books *No one before Copenhaver has written such a careful and thorough review of the scholarship on Pico’s Oration…He is one of the best Pico scholars of our generation, and Magic and the Dignity of Man offers the fruits of his long labors. It puts to rest old myths and offers new interpretations. It is essential reading for anyone working on Pico’s Oration and will be of great interest to readers of the history of philosophy (and its historiography), especially late medieval and Renaissance philosophy. -- Denis J.-J. Robichaud * Journal of the History of Philosophy *An impressive work of scholarship…Copenhaver does a masterful job of making Pico’s arcana accessible to his readers. -- Lora Sigler * European Legacy *This book goes beyond a usual monograph in so many ways. It is not just a heartfelt history of the influence of Italian Renaissance humanist Gianfrancesco Pico on modern times, but a monument to Copenhaver’s scholarly contributions and enduring research on the life and work of this fundamental early modern philosopher…Indeed a remarkable love story, a delightful portrait of a protean, shapeshifting humanist, lost (and found) in translation. -- Marco Piana * Journal of Modern History *Copenhaver painstakingly reconstructs the story, or rather stories, of how Pico and his Oration were read and misread over the centuries. This is very much a project of love. -- Eva Del Soldato * Speculum *Brian Copenhaver’s Magic and the Dignity of Man is erudite, original, and eloquent. In it he carries out two major tasks, one of demolition and one of construction, with great skill and flair. The book reinterprets one of the most prominent thinkers of the Italian Renaissance in ways that will be widely discussed. No future interpretation of Pico’s life or work, no future reading of Renaissance philosophy, will be able to avoid engaging with it. -- Anthony Grafton, Princeton UniversityThis is nothing less than the definitive study of a text long considered central to the understanding the Renaissance and its place in Western culture. Even though the effect of Copenhaver’s reading is to demote the text from that status, this book will certainly be a must-read for anyone, especially historians of philosophy and intellectual historians, interested in the larger significance of the Renaissance. -- James Hankins, Harvard University

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Book SynopsisThe Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv reveals the local and transnational forces behind the twentieth-century transformation of Lviv into a Soviet and Ukrainian urban center. Lviv''s twentieth-century history was marked by violence, population changes, and fundamental transformation ethnically, linguistically, and in terms of its residents'' self-perception. Against this background, Tarik Cyril Amar explains a striking paradox: Soviet rule, which came to Lviv in ruthless Stalinist shape and lasted for half a century, left behind the most Ukrainian version of the city in history. In reconstructing this dramatically profound change, Amar illuminates the historical background in present-day identities and tensions within Ukraine.Trade ReviewIn its skillful mid-20th-century re-narration and source analysis, Amar's noir is a major achievement. Specialists, graduate students and historiographical belligerents in European history should read The Paradox of Ukranian Lviv in order to rethink Ukraine's tumultuous past and present. * Slavic Review *The use of case studies, life histories, and personal sources in Amar's book helps in dealing with complicated theoretical issues and makes the book even more readable.... Amar's study claims a place in the field occupied by Jan Gross in Polish historiography: and that is why the book is destined to become a subject of heated debate. More important, it will provoke further works that challenge both national and imperial myths, and will prompt new problematizing of the issues of historical subjectivity, actorship, and responsibility. * Ab Imperio *Deploying a keen eye for contradiction and counterpoint, Tarik Amar's book unpacks how [Ukrainian] identity today rests on [Lviv's] oxymoronic reshaping as 'Soviet Ukrainian' after 1939.... Amar's sustained focus on the related topoi of urban milieu, borderland and Ukrainian identity at large is welcome.... There is much to appreciate here, including pithy phrases, a gifted eye for telling detail and serious archival graft. Amar sheds new light on the realities of political and social life in Soviet Lviv, and gives grounds for reconsidering its influence in the present. * The English Historical Review *A sophisticated study based on extensive archival research in Germany, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and the US.... The result is more than impressive.... Surely, The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv will become a standard text for those who wish to study Soviet modernization. * The American Historical Review *Amar examines [the theme of diversity] with a keen eye, erudition and intellectual rigor. His focus on personal agency is particularly noteworthy. Based on an impressive array of archival sources and other material, Amar suggests a compelling account of persistence and malleability of local identities in the grip of Soviet communism, Nazism and nationalism.... This is a seminal study essential for everyone who wants to get a deeper insight into issues of ethnicity, nationality and nationalism in Eastern Europe. While examining historical consequences of statesponsored political, racial, and social ideologies shaping Europe in the 20th century, Amar's book also leads us to deeper understanding of the role of Lviv in the contemporary political mobilization in Ukraine. * Nations & Nationalism *Students of modernization and nationalism in the Baltics will find great utility and even inspiration in Tarik Amar's study of historical change in western Ukraine.... Amar's basic argument—that western Ukraine was defined by the short, sharp shock of the Holocaust and Sovietization as much if not more than the interwar or earlier periods—may not be original, but it is developed at a level of detail and verve that sets this work apart.... On the strength of its extensive primary research and cutting-edge analysis, the book is certain to assume a significant place in the historiography of east-central Europe and the Soviet Union. * Journal of Baltic Studies *Makes an important contribution to the growing literature on the manner in which the successive violence of the first Soviet occupation, Germany's genocidal war, and the brutal return of the Soviets, combined with local nationalist agendas and prejudices, fed each other in producing an extraordinary degree of violence, mass murder, property transfer, and population displacement. * Kritika *Amar makes an important contribution to a growing English language historiography of Lviv. * Choice *Meticulously researched.... The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv is clearly written and coherently structured. It presents readers with an accessible entry point to a bewilderingly complicated moment in history.... An impressive undertaking with an even more impressive result. Amar skilfully weaves together a lineage of state policies that vied for power over the Central European borderlands during the twentieth century. The book is a valuable resource for scholars and students of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Nazi Germany, as well as those interested in authoritarian regimes, nation building and nationalism. * Slavonic & East European Review *Amar's mostly chronological journey through Lviv's twentieth-century history challenges the many myths that continue to (mis)shape the city's own reflection of its past. It also adds to our understanding of recurrent tensions in Ukrainian society and the armed conflict between Ukrainian and (pro-)Russian forces in the country's East. * Laboratorium *The Paradox of Ukrainian Lviv provides a meticulous examination of Lviv's wartime and postwar transformation from a diverse multiethnic borderland city to a Soviet and Ukrainian urban center. Amar's work is sophisticated and meticulous, and provides very useful, haunting insights on the confusing and often misunderstood history of Lviv. * Canadian-American Slavic Studies *Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Lviv/Lwów/Lemberg before 19392. The First Soviet Lviv, 1939–19413. The Lemberg of Nazism: German Occupation, 1941–19444. After Lemberg: The End of the End of Lwów and the Making of Lviv5. The Founding of Industrial Lviv: Factories and Identities6. Local Minds7. Lviv's Last Synagogue, 1944–19628. A Soviet Borderland of TimeConclusion: A Sonderweg through Soviet Modernity

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Book SynopsisElizabeth''s Sea Dogs investigates the rise and fall of a unique group of adventurers men like Francis Drake, John Hawkins, Martin Frobisher and Walter Raleigh. Seen by the English as heroes but by the Spanish as pirates, they were expert seafarers and controversial characters. This riveting new account reveals them for what they were: extremely tough men in extremely hard times. They sailed, fought, looted and whored their way across the globe; in the process, they established a lasting British presence in the Americas, defeated the Spanish Armada, and made Queen Elizabeth I very wealthy, if seldom grateful. Author Hugh Bicheno sets the Sea Dogs in historical context and reveals their lives and exploits through diligent historical research incorporating contemporary testimony. With additional appendices, colour plates, the author''s own maps and technical drawings, Elizabeth''s Sea Dogs tells their vivid, extraordinary story as it was lived, in the author''s Trade ReviewElizabeth’s Sea Dogs will interest both casual and serious students of maritime matters in Elizabethan times. It offers a good introduction to the era, while presenting new concepts those versed in the period will find thought-provoking. -- Mark Lardas * Naval Historical Foundation *A cracking good read * Military History Monthly *Will appeal to those with an interest in our maritime history and to those seeking to improve their grasp of the reality of the Elizabethan era * Pennant Magazine *A comprehensive account * Warships International Fleet Review *As a history, Elizabeth's Sea Dogs works well; worthy of a place on a maritime bookshelf. * The Nautilus Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe complete, authoritative edition of Anne Frank''s writings, including her diary in both the ''A'' and ''B'' versions now in continuous form, her further writings and important contextual essaysAnne Frank: The Collected Works brings together for the first time Anne''s world-famous diary, in both the version edited for publication by her father and the more revealing original, together with her letters, essays and important contextual scholarship. Supported by the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel, Switzerland, set up by Otto Frank to be the guardian of Anne''s work, this is a landmark publication marking the anniversary of 90 years since Anne''s birth in 1929. Anne Frank is one of the most recognized and widely read figures of the Second World War. Thousands of people visit the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam each year to see the annex where Anne and her family hid from the Germans before eventually being deported to Auschwitz in 1944.Trade ReviewA magisterial edition ... one of the virtues of The Collected Works is that it allows readers to track the evolution of the diary across its different incarnations ...The Complete Works thus gives a greatly enriched picture, and, as one reads its pages, one cannot help thinking of what Anne might have become. -- Bart van Es, Author of 'The Cut Out Girl' * The Guardian *An astonishing volume contextualising the significance of writing for Anne’s spiritual and practical survival, and inscribing her words in time. * New Statesman *Reveal[s] the German-born Frank as a complex human being, as much aware of her own flaws as of those around her * Wall Street Journal *Anne rewrote her diary with the intention of having it published as a book, entitled The Secret Annexe (Het Achterhuis). While working on her diary, she also wrote some short stories, as well as memories of her school life, and sketches of her family and friends. Published for the first time in The Collected Works, they show a fledgling talent […] We will never know how her writing would have developed. But the diary […] is a remarkable literary achievement. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsMessage and Legacy: Preface by The Anne Frank Fonds, Basle I THE WRITINGS OF ANNE FRANK THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL Foreword The Diary of A Young Girl TALES AND EVENTS FROM THE SECRET ANNEXE Introduction Personal Reminiscences, Daydreams and Essays Fables and Short Stories FURTHER WRITINGS Letters Verses in Friendship Books The Favourite Quotes Notebook The Egypt Book II PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS III BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Mirjam Pressler: Anne Frank's Life Mirjam Pressler: The History of Anne Frank's Family Gerhard Hirschfeld: The Contemporary Historical Context Francine Prose: The Publication History of Anne Frank's Diary IV APPENDIX Diary Versions A and B Editorial Note Family Tree: The Franks Chronology Table Further Reading About the Translators Picture Acknowledgements Editorial Note About the Anne Frank Fords

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Christian Krohg, the Radical Naturalist 2. Naturalism, the Dark Side of Realism 3. The Heroism of the Scientist 4. Hippolyte Taine and the Modern Breakthrough in Scandinavia 5. Christian Krohg in Skagen: Painting according to Taine 6. Naturalism and the Beholder: Sympathy and Theatricality 7. Naturalist Paragone: Literature and Painting 8. Albertine in the Police Doctor’s Waiting Room: Panopticon, Spectacle, Speculum 9. Modern Pessimism: From Naturalism to Symbolism Epilogue: Naturalism Is Dead, Long Live Naturalism!

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Book SynopsisIn this colourful new history of Venice, Elizabeth Horodowich, one of the leading experts on Venice, tells the story of the place from its ancient origins, and its early days as a multicultural trading city where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together at the crossroads between East and West. She explores the often overlooked role of Venice, alongside Florence and Rome, as one of the principal Renaissance capitals. Now, as the resident population falls and the number of tourists grows, as brash new advertisements disfigure the ancient buildings, she looks at the threat from the rising water level and the future of one of the great wonders of the world.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of The Art Newspaper's Favourite Books of 2019""[A] catalog whose attributions and speculations on who painted what will keep connoisseurs debating for years."---Jason Farago, New York Times"I am fascinated by artists like Verrocchio who work in all media and that’s shown very well in the exhibition and catalogue. He started as a jeweller and you can see the relation to his later work: something intimate and precious in the way he paints, draws and sculpts. Edited by Andrew Butterfield, who wrote the monograph on Verrocchio and has worked on the subject for so long, this catalogue proves that if you want to make a good exhibition, you also need good research."---Taco Dibbets, The Art Newspaper"This book is a necessary addition to any library of the Renaissance art of Florence."---Alexander Adams, The Jackdaw

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Book SynopsisThis is the long awaited one-volume campaign history from the leading experts of the decisive clash of Nazi and Soviet forces at Stalingrad; an abridged edition of the five volume Stalingrad Trilogy.Trade ReviewAs always, Glantz and House have produced a thoroughly researched and detailed account of the Stalingrad campaign that offers cogent analysis of both German and Soviet strengths and weaknesses. In forgetting their original goal, the oil of the Caucasus, the Germans squandered a chance at victory and allowed the increasingly competent Soviet command time to organize an effective resistance. As they demonstrate, Stalingrad might not have been the turning point of the war, but it did mark the point at which it was unlikely Germany could win any sort of war." - Stephen G. Fritz, author of Ostkrieg: Hitler’s War of Extermination in the East"Concise and concentrated yet sacrificing no essential detail. A master class in strategic and operational analysis. A fine achievement." - Frank Ellis, author of Stalingrad Cauldron and Barbarossa 1941Table of Contents List of Maps, Tables, and Photographs Preface and Acknowledgments Prologue Part One: The Limits of Maneuver Warfare, 1942 1. Opposing Forces 2. Plans and Preparations 3. Preliminary Battles, April-June 1942 4. Punch and Counterpunch: Blau I and II, June-July 1942 5. The German Advance to the Don and the Volga Part Two: To the Caucasus and the Volga 6. Struggles on the Flanks, 25 July - 11 September 1942 8. The Battle for Central and Southern Stalingrad, 13-26 September 1942 9. The German Assault on the Workers' Villages 10. The Struggle for the Factories 11. The Final German Advances Part Three: The Encirclement of Sixth Army 12. The Genesis of Operation Uranus 13. The Advent of Uranus 14. Penetration and Encirclement, November 1942 15. Tightening the Noose, November 1942 Part Four: The Death of Sixth Army 16. Relief Attempts and Pressuring the Pocket, 1-15 December 1942 17. Little Saturn and the Failure of Relief Efforts 18. The Condemned Army 19. The Destruction 20. Conclusions Notes Selected Bibliography Index

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThough Michel Foucault is one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century, little is known about his early life. Even Foucault’s biographers have neglected this period, preferring instead to start the story when the future philosopher arrives in Paris. Becoming Foucault is a historical reconstruction of the world in which Foucault grew up: the small city of Poitiers, France, from the 1920s until the end of the Second World War. Beyond exploring previously unexamined aspects of Foucault’s childhood, including his wartime ordeals, it proposes an original interpretation of Foucault’s oeuvre. Michael Behrent argues that Foucault, in addition to being a theorist of power, knowledge, and selfhood, was also a philosopher of experience. He was a thinker intent on making sense of the events that he lived through. Behrent identifies four specific experiences in Foucault’s childhood that exercised a decisive influence on him and that, in various ways, he later made the subject of his philosophy: his family’s deep connections to the medical profession; his upbringing in a bourgeois household; the German Occupation during World War II; and his Catholic education. Behrent not only reconstructs the specific nature of these experiences but also shows how reference to them surfaces in Foucault’s later work. In this way, the book both sheds light on a formative period in the philosopher’s life and offers a unique interpretation of key aspects of his thought.Trade Review"In this innovative and thought-provoking intellectual history, Michael Behrent paints an intimate portrait of the young Foucault and his family, as well as a panorama of early twentieth-century Poitiers, the town in central France in which they made their lives. In doing so, he gives us a radically new perspective on one of the most important thinkers of modern times. Becoming Foucault should be on the bookshelf of every scholar interested in postwar French thought." * Edward G. Baring, Princeton University *"In what may very well be the definitive work on the topic, Michael Behrent’s innovative and insightful Becoming Foucault shows how understanding the thinker’s early milieu—born of a family of doctors, submitted to middle-class strictures, navigating wartime occupation, surviving local schooling—casts new light on his mature projects and positions. Neither traditional biography nor conventional intellectual history, Behrent’s book breaks new ground by demonstrating the mutual, irreducible relations between thought and experience. Well-written and accessible, based on remarkable archival research, and imaginatively argued, Becoming Foucault will interest anyone devoted to experiencing thought and thinking about experience." * Julian Bourg, Boston College *

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