Social and cultural history Books

Book SynopsisNow widely recognized as a novelist and essayist, working-class writer Ethel Carnie Holdsworth first published as a poet. The three books collected here demonstrate her growth in this genre from her early poems, written when she worked full time in the mill, to her last book of poetry, Voices of Womanhood, which realizes her mature insights into the lives of working-class women. Carnie Holdsworth’s poetry provides both a unique perspective on British life in the early twentieth century and an invaluable testament to the experiences of her gender and class.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis text gives a formative account of the development of Islamic thought from the death of Muhammad in 632, to 950. It demonstrates how various religions and political movements within Islam contributed to what has become standard form, including the positive contribution of sects later regarded as heretical, and the key interaction of religion and politics. Drawing on many previously unresearched Arabic sources, it presents a comprehensive, balanced and clear picture of the main lines of philosophical development in this important period.Table of ContentsPart 1 The beginnings: the Kharaijites; Proto-Shi'ite phenomena under the Umayyads; the general religious movement; God's determination of events; faith and community. Part 2 The century of struggle (750-850): the establishment of the 'Abbasids; the attraction of reasoning; the great Mu'tazilites. Part 3 The triumph of Sunnism; the political background; the maturing of Sunnite theology.

Read more less

Book SynopsisUntil the 18th century or even later, beer was the staple drink of most men and women at all levels of society. Tea and coffee were expensive luxuries while water might well carry disease. To supply the needs of both owners and servants, every country house with an accessible source of water had a brewhouse, usually close at hand. Although many of the brewhouses still stand, in some cases with the original brewing vessels (as at Lacock and Charlecote), their habitual conversion to other uses has allowed them to be ignored. Yet they are distinctive buildings - as much part of a country house as an ice-house or stables - which need both to be recognized and preserved. The scale of brewing in country houses, which went on to a surprisingly late date in the 19th century (with odd survivals, such as Hickleton in Yorkshire, in the 20th), was often considerable, if small besides that of commercial brewing. Copious records for both brewing and consumption exist. Pamela Sambrook describes the brewing equipment, such as coppers, mash tuns, underbacks and coolers; the types of beers brewed, from strong ale to small beer, and how they were kept; and the brewers themselves, their skills and attitudes. "English Country House Brewing, 1500-1900" shows the role beer played in the life of the country house, with beer allowances and beer money an integral part of servants' rewards. Generous allowances were made for arduous tasks, such as harvesting. For celebrations, such as the heir's coming of age, extra-strong ale was provided. This book, which is heavily illustrated, is an important and original contribution to architectural, brewing and social history.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy 1700 London was the largest city in the world, with over 500,000 inhabitants. Very weakly policed, its streets saw regular outbreaks of rioting by a mob easily stirred by economic grievances, politics or religion. If the mob vented its anger more often on property than people, eighteenth-century Londoners frequently came to blows over personal disputes in a society where men and women were quick to defend their honour. Slanging matches easily turned to fisticuffs and slights on honour were avenged in duels. In this world, where the detection and prosecution of crime was the part of the business of the citizen, punishment, whether by the pillory, whipping at a cart's tail or hanging at Tyburn, was public and endorsed by crowds. The Mob draws a fascinating portrait of the public life of the modern world's first great city.Trade Review'scholarly' The Sunday Telegraph, 'there is no doubting the vigour of the book, or the fascinating and refreshing depth of analysis' Andrew Holgate, The Sunday Times, 18 July 2004 'Shoemaker's vivid depictions of 18th-century Londoners' drink-fuelled aggression and lack of community spirit out to be read by anyone tempted to think that these are aberrations specific to recent years.' Freya Johnston, The Daily Telegraph, 24 July 2004 'The London Mob is a fascinating, highly detailed analysis of a period of immense change in the history of London and Londoners Lucy Moore, The Daily Mail, 13 August 2004Table of ContentsChapter 1: Street Life;Chapter 2: Insults;Chapter 3: Violence;Chapter 4: Riots;Chapter 5: Duels;Chapter 6: Policing the Streets;Chapter 7: Punishments;Chapter 8: Going to Law;Chapter 9: Going into Print;Chapter 10: The Changing City

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst published in Irish in 1961 and in English in 1967, this classic work has never been superseded as a treatment of the fascinating subject of traditional wakes in Ireland. As well as eating, drinking, smoking a pipe and taking snuff, many other forms of entertainment were common in Irish wakes, to pass the long hours of the night or two nights of the wake. These included storytelling, singing, dancing, music, card-playing, riddling and rhyming, and feats of agility and strength both inside the wake-house and in an adjoining field before the funeral started next day. Seán Ó Súilleabháin also shows that Ireland, far from being different from other countries, was part of the general European (and world) pattern in holding prolonged and merry wakes.Trade Review'Macabre but a fascinating exploration of the games, practical jokes and general revelry that accompanied wakes and which are now increasingly things of the past. Helpful background to Finnegans Wake, by James Joyce, which takes place at a wake and features many jokes, literary games and high-spirited hijinks.' - J. Geary -- J GearyTable of ContentsIntroduction Wakes at Present and Long Ago Storytelling; Singing; Music and Dancing; Card Playing; Riddles; Tongue Twisters; Versifying and repetition of Jingles. Contests in Strength; Agility; Dexterity; Accuracy of Aim; Endurance and Toughness; Hardihood and Athletics. Taunting and Mocking; Booby Traps; Mischief-making; Horse-Play, Rough Games; Fights at Wakes and Funerals. Imitative Games Catch Games Games of Hide, Seek and Guessing Various Other Games The Keening of the Dead Church Opposition to Wake Abuses The Extent of Wake Abuses and Their Decline The Origin and Purpose of Wakes and Their Amusements Sources Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis important translation looks at World War I from the perspective of German working-class women. The author demonstrates the intimate connection between 'general' social history and women's history while analyzing the dynamics between these different levels of interpretation. She asks: - How did women view the war and whom did they hold responsible for it? - How did military leaders and politicians perceive women at work, in the home, and on the streets? This book explores the ways in which the people themselves interpreted their world and their lives -- a perspective often neglected by historians but one becoming increasingly relevant in Germany today. Essential reading for all those interested in War Studies, German Studies, History and Women's Studies and an excellent text for course use.Trade Review'(Book title) makes an important work accessible to an English-speaking readership."... An important analysis of the conditions under which women and families lived in the war years.'English Historical Review'an excellent introduction to the history of working women during the First World War and its translation is to be welcomed, not least because it permits further comparative study of women's wartime experiences.'H-NET Book Review'Tells important stories which challenge the received history of the First World War.'Canadian Journal of History'This important volume, now in translation, is a welcome addition to the others appearing in the series 'The Legacy of the Great War' 'The Journal of Modern History'This translation of Ute Daniel's original German study of working women in the First World War is to be welcomed. ' ... this is an important study which contributes to a fresh interpretation of the role of the home front in Germany during the FirstTable of ContentsWar as event - August 1914 and the first months of the war; women's wage labour in the First World War; the family in the First World War; the fight over the meaning-endowment of the war.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe way a society deals with hair speaks volumes about its structures, its wealth, and its values. How is hair arranged? Is it left long or cut short? How often is it washed? Do men and women treat their hair differently and what does this tell us about gender? This stimulating book contains articles written by the Paris hairstylist Emile Long between December 1910 and December 1920 for an English trade journal. Long's purpose in writing was to keep English coiffeurs informed about the goings-on in the world of fashion and hairdressing in France, and especially in Paris. In doing so he has provided us with a personal cultural history of the world's most fashionable city in a period that stretches from the end of the Belle Epoque, through the First World War, and into the opening year of the Roaring Twenties. His investigation of hairstyles and fashion inevitably leads him to a fascinating discussion of important historical issues: the 'true' nature of Woman; the genesis and democratization of fashion; and popular attitudes towards hygiene. With his engaging literary style Long invites us to think about consumer habits and technology, notions of fashion and cleanliness, and changing ideals of femininity and the social order.Students and scholars of history, fashion and French society will enjoy these rich and revealing accounts of what hair means to identity and culture.Trade Review'The evolution of fashion is driven by 'some internal logic of mind and eye' rather than by sex or functional considerations [for Steven Zdatny]. It is a proposition which readers may test for themselves, both in Zdatny's sharp, stimulating introduction and in the main business of this engaging, handsomely illustrated book: the pensees of Emile Long, a Parisian coiffeur de dames ... Tut-tutting, sniffily pompous and snobbish, Emile Long ... lights up the social history of his times.'TLS 'Since January, when the Washington Post persuaded him to untangle the significance of Paula Jones's sleek hair makeover, Steven Zdatny has reigned as this country's most quoted expert on 'the aesthetics and politics of hair'.'Lingua Franca'At first sight a study of fashionable hairdressing might seem an unlikely topic for academic attention. However, as Steven Zdatny's collection illustrates, even a ha

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Life has become more joyous, comrades.' Josef Stalin, 1936Stalin's Russia is best known for its political repression, forced collectivization and general poverty. Caviar with Champagne presents an altogether different aspect of Stalin's rule that has never been fully analyzed - the creation of a luxury goods society. At the same time as millions were queuing for bread and starving, drastic changes took place in the cultural and economic policy of the country, which had important consequences for the development of Soviet material culture and the promotion of its ideals of consumption.The 1930s witnessed the first serious attempt to create a genuinely Soviet commercial culture that would rival the West. Government ministers took exploratory trips to America to learn about everything from fast food hamburgers to men's suits in Macy's. The government made intricate plans to produce high-quality luxury goods en masse, such as chocolate, caviar, perfume, liquor and assorted novelties. Perhaps the best symbol of this new cultural order was Soviet Champagne, which launched in 1936 with plans to produce millions of bottles by the end of the decade. Drawing on previously neglected archival material, Jukka Gronow examines how such new pleasures were advertised and enjoyed. He interprets Soviet-styled luxury goods as a form of kitsch and examines the ideological underpinnings behind their production.This new attitude toward consumption was accompanied by the promotion of new manners of everyday life. The process was not without serious ideological contradictions. Ironically, a factory worker living in the United States - the largest capitalist society in the world - would have been hard-pressed to afford caviar or champagne for a special occasion in the 1930s, but a Soviet worker theoretically could (assuming supplies were in stock). The Soviet example is unique since the luxury culture had to be created entirely from scratch, and the process was taken extremely serioTrade Review'Jukka Gronow describes the development in the hungry 1930s of a Soviet rhetoric of cultured living that privileged luxury commodities like champagne, caviar and perfume ... The thorough research in the archives it is based on makes Caviar with Champagne useful to scholars, and general readers will enjoy its vivid illustrations.'London Review of Books 'Jukka Gronow has applied his mastery of the every-day economy and taste cultures to the bewildering world of Stalinist consumerism. In an engaging style, he expertly explains how a luxury goods market came about in a socialist state in the midst of widespread poverty in the 1930s. Both Russians and foreign visitors familiar with Sovetskoe Shampanskoe and the old Soviet department stores and food and fashion shops will enjoy a thrill of discovery about their origins.' Richard Stites, Professor of History, Georgetown University'An excellent and innovative contribution to the study of consumer culture. By exploring in detail the

Read more less

Book SynopsisPeter Sluglett has been teaching Middle Eastern History at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City since 1994. He is co-author of Iraq since 1958: from Revolution to Dictatorship (I.B. Tauris) and co-editor of the first major comparative study of the mandates,'The British and French mandates in comparative perspective.'Trade Review'This is an excellent, reasoned, historical analysis of Iraq, lucidly written, theoretically astute, empirically based, politically firm.' -Fred Halliday 'A very good book indeed.' -Albert Hourani 'This new edition extensively revised and updated is the first book to explore the emergence of modern Iraq, from its foundation in 1920 in the 21st century.' -- The Middle East, 1 Nov. 2001 'This extremely readable book pulls the story together, telling it--almost unbearably poignantly--as it is perceived from both sides.' -Asian Voice, 27 April 2002Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Foreword to the Third Edition xiii Foreword to the First Edition xv 1 Iraq Before the Revolution of 1958 1 Early Modern Iraq: from Ottoman Frontier Province to British Military Occupation, c.1550-1914 1 Economy and Society, c.1850-1914 3 The Last Years of Ottoman Rule 5 The Origins and Development of British Interests in Iraq and the Gulf Area 7 British Occupation and Mandate,1914-1932 8 'Independent' Iraq 15 Political Currents, c.1920-1946 16 The Kurds under the Mandate and Monarchy 23 Economy and Society before the Revolution of 1958: Land Tenure and Rural Social Structure 30 Economy and Society before the Revolution of 1958: Urban Life and the Urban Economy 35 The Last Years of the Monarchy,1946-1958 38 2 1958-1963 47 Preparations for the Coup:Qasim and the Free Officers before July 1958 47 The Coup and the Revolution of 14 July 1958 49 The Political Climate in the Immediate Aftermath of the Revolution 51 The Emergence of 'Abd al-Karim Qasim 52 'Unity Now' versus 'Federation '55 The Split between Qasim and 'Arif, August to November 1958 5 The Rashid 'Ali 'Coup' 60 The Communist 'Threat' 62 Mosul, March 1959 66 Kirkuk, July 1959 70 The Attempt on Qasim's Life, October 1959 72 The Breaking of the Radical Left 74 Social and Economic Policies,1958-1963 76 The Kurdish Question, 1958-1963 79 Qasim's Last Years, 1961-1963 82 3 1963-1968 85 The Origins of Ba'thism 87 The Ba'th in Iraq 90 The Ba'th-Nationalist Alliance,February-November 1963 92 The Regime of 'Abd al-Salam 'Arif,1963-1966 93 The Government of 'Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz, September 1965 to August 1966 97 The Presidency of 'Abd al-Rahman 'Arif,April 1966 to July 1968 99 Social and Economic Policies, 1963-1968 101 The Kurdish Question under the 'Arifs 102 The Communists under the 'Arifs 104 4 1968-1972 107 The Background to the July 1968 Coups: the Ba'th Party and the Struggle for Power 10 The Coups of July 1968 112 The Government of 30 July 1968 116 The First Steps on the Road to Oil Nationalisation: Negotiations with the Soviet Union, March-July 1969 123 Relations with the ICP and KDP, 1969-1970 126 The Ba'th and Black September 132 Further Power Struggles: The Emergence of Saddam Husayn 134 Social and Economic Policies, 1968-1972 137 The Uneasy Road to Reconciliation: The Ba'th, the Communists and the Kurds, 1970-1972 140 The Background to the Nationalisation of the Iraq Petroleum Company 145 5 1972-1975 149 For and Against the National Patriotic Front 151 The Consequences of the Nationalisation of the IPC 154 The Formation of the National Patriotic Front 156 The Kurds and the National Front 158 The Defiance and Defeat of Nazim Kazzar, June-July 1973 160 The Ba'th,the Kurds and Iran, 1973-1974 164 Open Warfare, 1974-1975 167 6 1975-1980 171 1973-1975: the Ba'th Dig In 172 Iraq's Relations with Its Neighbours, 1973-1975 176 Domestic Politics, 1975-1979 17 The Kurds, 1975-1979 187 The Shi'i Opposition 190 Foreign Relations, 1975-1980 200 The Struggle for Power within the Ba'th Party -- Saddam Husayn and his Rivals, 1976-1980 206 7 Economy and Society since 1958 215 Oil and the Iraqi Economy, 1958-1963 216 Economy and Society under the 'Arif Brothers 219 Economy and Society Under the Ba'th 227 8 The War between Iraq and Iran 255 Iraq and Iran, 1975-1979 255 The Early Years of the War 257 The Political Impact of the War on Iraq 262 The Effects of the War on the Iraqi Economy 264 The Last Two Years of the War: 1986-1988 266 al-Anfal,1988 269 The Political and Military Situation after the War 270 The Reconstruction of the Economy and the Bureaucracy 274 Prelude to Invasion 277 9 The Invasion of Kuwait and Its Aftermath 281 Perceptions and Misperceptions: Some Considerations of the Background to the Invasion 283 The Aftermath of the Gulf War 288 The Risings in the Shi'i South and Kurdistan 289 Sanctions and the United Nations Inspections 290 Kurdish Politics since 1991 295 Shi'i Politics since 1991 299 Human Rights in Iraq 301 Iraqi Politics since 1991 304 Conclusion 30 Notes 311 Bibliography 361 Index 381

Read more less

Book SynopsisA CLASSIC STUDY OF CULTURAL ENDURANCE AND RADICAL CHANGE IN THE ARABIAN DESERT The Bedouin tribes of Northern Arabia have lived thousands of years as pastoralists, migrating across the semi-arid badia in search of graze and browse for their herds. Romantic images of Bedouin - black tents, robed Arabs and camels - still persist. However, mobile pastoral livelihoods have come under pressure to change in recent years. The modern nation-states of the Middle East view pastoralism as anachronistic and encourage Bedouin to become settled cultivators. An even more dramatic shift has taken place within the last few decades: the Bedouin have traded in their camels as beasts of burden in favour of the half-ton truck. The ship of the desert is now a Toyota, Datsun, Nissan or General Motors pick-up. Nevertheless, many Bedouin continue to herd livestock - sheep, goat and camel - at the same time as engaging in new economic activities. They have been open to remarkable change whilst firmly holding onto their culture, and their traditional moral and value systems. The truck has allowed many the possibility of interacting with the region's modern economy while still pursuing their mobile pastoral livelihoods. Extensive field research underlies anthropologist Dawn Chatty's comprehensive study. She examines contemporary Bedouin society of Lebanon and Syria in the contexts of history, economy and political and moral culture. She details the consequences of motorized transport for this community - and she draws some surprising conclusions about its future viability.Table of ContentsList of Maps List of Figures and Charts List of Plates Acknowledgements Notes on Transliteration of Arabic Words Foreword to the New Edition Introduction Chapter 1. The Bedouin and How They Came to Be Where They Are Chapter 2. Pacification of the Bedouin in Northern Arabia Chapter 3. Arab Society and the Bedouin Chapter 4. The Camel: The Traditional Way of Life of a Bedouin Household Chapter 5. The Truck: The Changing Pastoral Way of Life Chapter 6. Conclusion: The Bedouin in the Modern World Appendix A: Glossary Appendix B: Table of Measures Selected Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAN ACCESSIBLE INTRODUCTION TO BIODIVERSITY, CONSERVATION AND THE ECO-CULTURAL NATURE OF LANDSCAPES Key issues are addressed in short, focused chapters, supported by a detailed thousand-year timeline based on the British Isles. Rotherham is convinced that to conserve wildlife or ecology, and to heal the wounds of human impacts, we must understand our own history and how, over countless centuries, we have forged today's ecologies from our impacts on, and utilisation of, nature. He argues that the interlinked concepts of biodiversity, nature conservation and of sustainability are too often mixed with notions of 'wilderness' and 'nature' and 'naturalness'. Much of the biodiversity that we hope to conserve is the result of long-term interactions between people and nature. It is a 'cultural ecology', the product of the environment, history and tradition. Recognising that the landscapes around us are 'eco-cultural' not 'natural' is, Rotherham suggests, the key to understanding contemporary biodiversity and major challenges for ideas of future conservation and sustainability. The book introduces the background to humanity's interactions with Nature and the forces at work in shaping today's world. It is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the nature of the global environmental crisis and how we got here. In particular, it will be a stimulating guide to students and teachers or lecturers from sixth form and college to university. It will also appeal to the ordinary wildlife enthusiast wishing understand the past, and to gain insight into what might be in store for the future.Trade Review'essential to understanding the history of conservation and sustainability, humanity's devastating impact on biodiversity, and the survival of civilization'. JoAnn Valenti in Applied Environmental Education and Communication.Table of ContentsPART 1. NATURE, ECOLOGY AND HISTORY PART 2. HISTORY, ECOLOGY AND THE BODY ODOUR OF HUMANITY PART 3. REPAIRING THE DAMAGE AND ADAPTING TO CHANGE PART 4. FUTURE, PAST AND CONCLUSIONS GLOSSARY ANNOTATED AND FULL BIBLIOGRAPHIES INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom 1772-1918 Jews were concentrated more densely in Galicia than in any other area in Europe. Bartal (modern Jewish history, Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Polonsky (Judaic and social studies, Brandeis University) are joined by a number of other scholars of Judaism to explore the Jewish community in Galicia and its relationship with the Poles, Ukranians, and other ethnic groups. Essays include discuss of the consequences of Galician autonomy; Galician Jewish migration to Vienna; the reforms of Maria Theresa and Joseph II in the 18th century, the assimilation of the Jewish elite; and levels of literacy among Poles and Jews.Table of ContentsNote on Names and Place-Names Table of Major Place-Names Note on Transliteration Part I Focusing on Galicia: Jews, Poles, and Ukrainians in Galicia, 1772-1918 Introduction: The Jews of Galicia under the Habsburgs ISRAEL BARTAL and ANTONY POLONSKY Dimensions of a Triangle: Polish-Ukrainian-Jewish Relations in Austrian Galicia JOHN-PAUL HIMKA Austrian First Impressions of Ethnic Relations in Galicia: The Case of Governor Anton von Pergen FRANZ A. J. SZABO The Jewish Question in Galicia: The Reforms of Maria Theresa and Joseph II, 1772-1790 STANISLAW GRODZISKI Ludwig Gumplowicz's Programme for the Improvement of the Jewish Situation HANNA KOZINSKA-WITT Enlightenment, Assimilation, and Modern Identity: The Jewish Elite in Galicia JERZY HOLZER The Consequences of Galician Autonomy after 1867 JOZEF BUSZKO Politics, Religion, and National Identity: The Galician Jewish Vote in the 1873 Parliamentary Elections RACHEL MANEKIN From Austeria to the Manor: Jewish Landowners in Autonomous Galicia TOMASZ GASOWSKI A Ukrainian Answer to the Galician Ethnic Triangle: The Case of Ivan Franko YAROSLAV HRYTSAK Galician Jewish Migration to Vienna KLAUS HA-DL Yiddish as an Expression of Jewish Cultural Identity in Galicia and Vienna GABRIELE KOHLBAUER-FRITZ Part II New Views Benard Singer, the Forgotten 'Most Popular Jewish Reporter of the Inter-War Years in Poland' JANINA KATARZYNA ROGOZIK Johann Anton Krieger, Printer of Jewish Books in Nowy Dwor EMANUEL RINGELBLUM The Alphabetical List of Payers of the Communal Tax in Warsaw for 1912 JOANNA HENSEL-LIWSZICOWA 'The City of Illiterates'? Levels of Literacy among Poles and Jews in Warsaw, 1882-1914 STEPHEN D. CORRSIN Poles, Jews, and Russians, 1863-1914: The Death of the Ideal of Assimilation in the Kingdom of Poland THEODORE R. WEEKS Kazimierz Kelles-Krauz, 1872-1905: A Polish Socialist for Jewish Nationality TIMOTHY SNYDER The Endecja and the Jewish Question ROMAN WAPINSKI The Return of the Troublesome Bird: Jerzy Kosinski and Polish-Jewish Relations MONIKA ADAMCZYK-GARBOWSKA Part III Reviews REVIEW ESSAYS The Historical Besht: Reconstruction of Deconstruction? IMMANUEL ETKES Four Days in Atlantis: Jozef Lewandowski's Complex Vision of the Polish Jewish Past JANUSZ KOREK On the Bowdlerization of a Holocaust Testimony: The Wartime Journal of Calek Perechodnik DAVID ENGEL Judaica in Slovakia ADAM BARTOSZ BOOK REVIEWS OBITUARY Note on Contributors Glossary Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisCommon wisdom has it that a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this series of paintings artist Samuel Bak wonders: can a word be worth a thousand pictures? Words are constructed from letters, which stem from hieroglyphic representations of the world around us. The use of letters, words, and sentences in art is not the domain only of comics and cartoons. Examples exist in medieval art, in the art of the post-Impressionists, the Cubists, the Dadaists, the Conceptualists, and more. Bak has always integrated letters and words into his art, incorporating both Hebrew and English characters, cleverly visualizing turns of phrase, and playing on multiple meanings and double entendres. In this series, the letters of the word hope appear in various conditions and ambiguous states—sometimes monumental, sometimes disguised, unnaturally large or unusually small, at times solid and whole, at other times broken and in disarray. They are both impish and foreboding, sometimes clearly presented and other times defying order or even recognition. They are wounded yet resilient, detached but seeking connection. Four simple letters—H, O, P, E—belie the significance and complexity of the word they spell. Is hope something we find or something we build? We dwell in a world that shapes us as we shape it and this interactive dimension applies to the feeling of hope, familiar to every human being who has ever anticipated, wished, or expected. For Bak, the work of building hope, or believing in the hope that others offer, requires engaging with the discarded and broken pieces of a previously trusted world now irrevocably shattered by the Holocaust. In landscapes, still lifes, and figural works, Bak gathers the layered elements of hope for us to contemplate and reminds us that they hold within and among them a promise for rebuilding and renewal. At best, hope is a wager of trust embodied in the venture of going forth. In his essay, Henry Knight guides us through the multivalent forms of hope in Bak’s work, asks us to question what we see and look beyond the visible, endeavors to define what hope after the Holocaust looks like, and teaches us that the process of creation after destruction represented by Bak’s work is itself the ultimate act of hope.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShakespeare, like many of his contemporaries, was concerned with the question of the succession and the legitimacy of the monarch. From the early plays through the histories to Hamlet, Shakespeare's work is haunted by the problem of political legitimacy. Shakespeare and Reniassance Politics examines his works as political events and interventions, and explores the literature of the Renaissance and its relation to fundamental political issues.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe medieval Crown of Aragon reached the peak of its power and influence in the thirteenth century, and Jews took an active part in this expansion. In this detailed and meticulously researched study Yom Tov Assis deals with many important aspects of this period, which was truly a 'Golden Age' in the history of Aragonese and Catalan Jewry, both in terms of their relationship with the Crown and of their own cultural achievements. Professor Assis provides the most extensive treatment yet of Jewish self-government in the Hispanic kingdoms and the mutual interdependence of the Jewish and Christian communities. He describes institutions in very great detail, and examines the acute social problems that arose in the Jewish community and the dissent, polemics, and controversies that divided it. He shows how the proximity of the country to France and Provence on the one hand, and to Castile and Andalusia on the other, made Catalan Jewry a point of contact between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewry, demonstrating the effect this had on religious and cultural life, and in particular the consequences of the growing influence in Spain of Franco-German Jewry. The book is based on a very wide variety of primary sources-Jewish and non-Jewish, archival and halakhic material, notarial and royal records-in Latin, Catalan, Aragonese, and Hebrew. By drawing on these extensive sources, the author has been able to create a comprehensive description of the social, religious, and administrative aspects of Jewish life that throws much light on the wider society and economy of that period under the Crown of Aragon. The abundant detailed source notes make this an indispensable work of reference for all scholars of medieval Spanish history.Trade Review‘General readers, as well as specialists, cannot fail to learn from the wide sweep of [the book's] erudition.’ - David Nirenberg, AJS Review‘Significant contribution to medieval Jewish history . . . absorbing and enlightening reading . . . One finishes the book with a satisfying impression of Jewish life in medieval Catalonia and Aragon. In addition to the superb text, bibliography and index, the book's appendices are of great value: maps, a glossary of relevant Hebrew Castilian, Catalan, Aragonese, and Arabic terms, a genealogical chart of sovereigns, and an explanation of the currency with monetary equivalents.’ - Leila Arvin, Jewish Book World‘It is solidly based on both Jewish and non-Jewish sources . . . The picture that emerges from this monumental work (for the two books must be regarded as one for this purpose and together they constitute a worthy and much more complete successor to the pioneering efforts of Jean Régné) does indeed contain many of the elements of a ‘Golden Age’ . . . they contribute significantly to our understanding of some vibrant Jewish communities which have often been neglected . . . the achievement of these books is to be lauded . . . excellent and valuable work.’ - John Edwards, Journal of Jewish Studies‘A much needed distillation of the fruits of scholarship on the Jews in the Crown of Aragon . . . conveys a sense of the variety and creativity of the Jewish experience in the Middle Ages, and of Jewish history as viewed from the inside. When all is said and done, this is an essential book for anyone interested in Jewish life in medieval Spain, or in medieval Europe.’ - Elka Klein, Medieval Review‘A most welcome book, solidly based on vast documentation. It crowns several decades of work by the author in these sources . . . it offers the reader a richly textured understanding of the real context of Jewish life in Iberia during this period.’ - David J. Wasserstein, Mediterranean Historical Review‘The thematic coverage is so broad that no survey can do it justice . . . Assis offers scholars a starting point (and much more) from which they can take up specific areas of interest . . . the fact that he clarifies the terminological confusion that frequently characterizes Hebrew sources is of great importance . . . a wealth of information and commentary that will serve researchers for many years.’- Marc D. Meirson, ZionTable of ContentsThe SourcesAbbreviationsMapsIntroductionThe ‘Golden Age’ The Crown of Aragon The Jews of Catalonia and Aragon before 1213Part 1 The Legal and Political ConditionsThe Status of the Jews in the Crown of Aragon Royal Privileges The Crown, the Church, and the JewsPart 2 Jewish Self-GovernmentThe Jewish Community in the Crown of Aragon The System of Communal Government Elections and Appointments Leaders and Leadership Communal Functionaries and Synagogue Officials The Law and the JudiciaryPart 3 Inter-Communal RelationsRelations between Communities Regional Communal Organization The Catalan Collectas The Collecta in Roussillon Inter-Communal Relations and Organization in Aragon Inter-Communal Organization in ValenciaPart 4 The Jewish QuarterThe Call or Judería The Synagogue and House of Study The Miqve and Public Baths The Slaughterhouse The Bakery The CemeteryPart 5 Jewish SocietySocial Classes Social Welfare and Mutual Aid Family Life Daily Life and Moral Conduct Crime and Violence in the JuderíaPart 6 Religious LifeJewish Religious Trends in the Crown of Aragon: Between Sepharad and Ashkenaz Scholars and Scholarship Religious Supervision Religious Practice, Divine Worship, and the Crown Pious and Synagogal Fraternities Jewish Education in the Crown of AragonConclusionAppendix 1: The monetary system in the medieval Crown of AragonAppendix 2: The sovereigns of the House of Aragon in the Crown of Aragon, Majorca—Roussillon, and Sicily, 1213–1336GlossaryBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmong a wealth of topics this book looks at the Rule of Law, the development of the criminal courts, police forces, jury, justices of the peace and individual crimes and punishments. It locates all the iconic events of criminal justice history and law reform within a wider background and context - demonstrating a wealth and depth of knowledge.Trade Review'Highly recommended': Choice (Current Reviews for Academic Libraries).'This is a good book from a well-respected publishing house. [It] could helpfully form part of the required reading on the programmes which develop the criminal justice system's senior managers, as well as occupying a place on the bookshelves of many other people': Prison Service Journal. 'It would be well if every criminal lawyer had a copy of this book, so rich in information and detail, but at the very least every student entering law school should have a copy and read it; thus would the intricacies of modern criminal justice law make sense. There is a rich bibliography and a comprehensive index, and at a cost of a few gallons of petrol it is a fantastic bargain': Criminal Law and Justice Weekly. 'I found this provided a comprehensive and very helpful and informative review of the history of criminal justice and will be adopting this book and placing it on the reading list for my 2nd year Justice Module students on the BA Hons in Youth Studies course that I teach': David Ellicott, Nottingham Trent University. 'Provides a comprehensive historical account of a number of different areas of criminal justice': Helen Poole, Coventry UniversityTable of Contents* Origins of Criminal Justice in Anglo-Saxon England * Saxon Dooms - Our Early Laws * The Norman Influence & The Angevin Legacy * Criminal Law In Medieval & Early Modern England * The Common Law in Danger * The Commonwealth * The Whig Supremacy and Adversary Trial * The Jury in the Eighteenth Century * Punishment & Prisons * Nineteenth Century Crime & Policing * Victorian Images * A Century of Criminal Law Reform * Criminal Incapacity * A Revolution in Procedure * Early Twentieth Century * Improvement After World War II * Twenty-First Century Regression? * The Advent of Restorative Justice * Conclusion * Select Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisNotting Hill is one of the most sought after locations in London. But its progress from 'ghetto' to gentrification spans half-a-century within which it was one of the most turbulent places in Britain - plagued by decline, disadvantage, unsolved killings, riots, illegal drugs, underground bars (or 'shebeens'), prostitution, 'no-go areas' and racial tension. It was also populated by characters such as self-styled community organizer Frank Crichlow, slum landlord Peter Rachman, Christine Keeler, the Angry Brigade, 'hustlers' such as 'Lucky' Gordon and Johnny Edgecombe, the activist Michael X (later executed in Trinidad) and the occasional radical lawyer. It was the location of the racist murder of Kelso Cochrane, the litigation-minded Mangrove Restaurant, the brief surge of Black Power in the UK and most notably the iconic Notting Hill Carnival with its heady mix of festivity, excitement, street crimes, potential for disorder and confrontations with the police. So what was it like operating in this 'Symbolic Location'? In this book, Tony Moore, one of those in charge of policing Notting Hill, shows how the area continually adapted to challenges that first began after the Empire Windrush arrived in England carrying immigrants who were initially met by signs saying 'No Coloured', but for whom Notting Hill became an area of choice. It is a wide-ranging account of the factors in play at a time of unprecedented social change, told from the perspective of an 'insider', based on prodigious research including in relation to hitherto unpublished materials and personal communications.Trade Review'Tony Moore is well-fitted to write a history of Notting Hill and its relationship with the Metropolitan Police': Lord Blair of Boughton. 'All Saints Road in Notting Hill is one of those areas of London, where crime is at its worst, where drug-dealing is intolerably overt and where the racial ingredient is at its most potent': Sir Kenneth Newman, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. 'From the late sixties until recently, All Saints Road was to drugs what Hatton Garden is to diamonds': Robert Hardman, The Spectator.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHelena Gleichen, Queen Victoria's great-niece and cousin to George V, gives the lie to the belief that Victorian women were meek, submissive and led restricted lives. A passionate horsewoman and successful artist, the autobiographical anecdotes in the earlier part of the book are lively and amusing. The longer second section gives a detailed account of how she and Nina Hollings, her long-term companion and sister of the composer and suffragette Ethel Smyth, raised and manned one of the first mobile X-Ray units to be used by the British in World War I - Marie Curie was organizing the French radiography service - for which they both received numerous decorations. Helena Gleichen paints a vivid picture of the war in Italy, which tends to be little remembered compared to the Western Front, and above all gives an extremely interesting account of how the X-ray Unit was set up and operated, and the considerable impact it had on the treatment and survival rate of the wounded. Gleichen's fascinating writings are here given a new Introduction by Caroline Stone.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe centenary, in 2014, of the outbreak of the Great War was the prompt to complete this study of the social and playing impact on Ayr United - and the clubs in the family tree - of the Boer War, the Great War, the Second World War and Afghanistan.

Read more less