Europe Books

Roy Bainton is a British journalist. He wrote a short narrative history of the Russian revolution in 1917, an excellent introduction in a very fluid style. He focused on the experience of the people, great and small, who influenced or just lived through those momentous events (mostly in Saint-Petersburg, the capital city). 1917 was a year of great suffering for the Russian people. The " First revolution", in February, that put an end to the Old autocratic Empire, unleashed huge hopes for freedom. The October " coup" of the Bolscheviks, however, crushed these hopes for at least 70 years, and inaugurated unheard of barbarism in the name of ideology "for the good of the people".
Roy Bainton used a variety of "general" sources, but most importantly, because he meant to recreate the ambiance of the times, contemporary eyewitness accounts; he also traveled several times to Saint-Petersburg in 2000 to speak to people who either had been through the events (although at the time they were still very small children)or who told the author about their parents' experiences. That would not have been possible before the 1990's. This is the first book I read about the Russian revolution but I found its approach particularly refreshing.

I found the book informative and paced fairly quickly ... but I knew very little, so each and every tidbit was new to me. Not academic-y, which is a common trap to fall into for books like these. There were a few slow parts, but suprisingly readable overall.

Roy Bainton is an outstanding writer and historian, the best. Excellent.

Superbly researched and written in such a manner that the facts are easily digested and you might find it hard to put down. This is not dry history; Bainton provides the atmosphere to make it an exciting read.

This is the kind of book that might be produced in any free country about almost any incident of interest. It's the memories and personal recollections of a large group of people.

In the Soviet Union such recollections had to match the party line from the time of the revolution (1917) until recently. That makes this a breakthrough book. The number of people old enough to remember what they were doing that year is rapidly shrinking.

Mr. Bainton visited Russia several times seeking people to interview. He was successful in finding a great many people to talk to him. Most were original observers, some were telling stories that had been told to them by parents or earlier relatives.

It's a very enlightening book.

A Bright Sun and Long Shadows is a marvelous book for everyone who even considers leaving the culture they grew up in. Being a foreigner anywhere is not easy. I'm fortunate in that the Thai general citizenry adore foreigners, which is not the case in many countries . . . but a foreigner is still all that I am. Because I don't speak the language I believe it is assumed I don't have a brain. Because of my accent (when I do attempt to speak for myself), I'm treated like I'm a two-year-old learning how to speak . . . much the same way my Thai husband, Jit, was treated speaking English in the United States of America for twenty-eight years.

I'm jealous of Val and Linda's ability to communicate in the language of the land. I'm also jealous of their home. The descriptions in the book attest to the entire house being really beautiful, but oh, the work involved to get it that way. Our home is a far cry from even remotely attractive. I comfort myself with it does provide shelter and that's the original purpose of building. Clearly the authors are not one iota lazy while I am just the opposite. I gave up probably the first year we lived here, a privilege I could afford being married to a Thai. Val and Linda are living proof that what one truly wants is attainable . . . but often at a very high cost, not only monetarily but mentally.

There is no comparison between living in France and living in Thailand but the similarities of some situations seem to be universal.

A Bright Sun and Long Shadows is a wonderful piece of work.

This a refreshingly direct book. For anyone who has read any of the scores of ex-pat books about setting down roots in a new country, this will be a welcome and loving splash of cold water. The authors' depiction of life in a small French town gains so much from their refusal to see things other than as they are. We see real people in real time and I suspect that my reactions would be very much like the authors.

But there is more to this book that a how-to survive with the French. The authors' sometimes painful honesty points us to deeper questions about living in the mess of life with a direct and honest passion. I have returned to this book several times and always gained from it.

My husband and I read this book aloud to each other, and finished it within a day of arrival. It is a compelling, true account of a planned move to France, international renovation/restoration, and many personal reflections on the process - and the people involved. It was fully engrossing. I completely recommend this book for any student of French culture, or person considering international living in retirement. I feel it would be helpful for any person considering a domestic relocation in retirement as well. (note: I spoke with Val today, and am happy to report that they are well, the guests are coming, and the neighborhood children have aged a bit!)

I have read most all the travel essays on expats travails, from Mayle to Mayes, with their moves to foreign homes and usually only hear about the "Bright Sun", but seldom of the "Long Shadows"! As my wife and I continue our search for a property in France, it was refreshing to hear the realities of adjusting to a new culture and the difficulties in accomplishing everyday tasks.

We stayed at Val and Linda's wonderful B&B in Florensac several years ago, so it was fun to read about all the "sweat equity" required to get their most beautiful, La Petit Jardin, habitable.

Val's candor and transparency is rare and confirms one's suspicions that, the French la bonne vie, the good life, is not always on the green side of the pasture.

This book really lays out, that despite extensive planning, retirement (anywhere) is not the bed of roses that many think it should be. Of course, retiring to another country (or even geographical area of the U.S.) would/could exacerbate things considerably, the book illustrates the many emotions/reactions that I've heard from others who have retired. And, if you are a Type A person it can be really difficult to make such a switch without some modification of behavior and expectations.

As a future retiree, I'd recommend this book to others who may being making that change in the not too distant future.

Belmonte's book should be require reading for all Anthropology students as well as those interested in Naples life, before graduating college. As an ethnography, Belmonte writes an excellent detail account of life in poor Naples. He makes you "see" Naples through the eyes of the people in his book and not by those glossy travel brochures.

I have this book in a socialsience method class, and for that i am realy glad! This book is writen with such understanding, and such respect. He could have choosen an easy way and just written what he saw and assume about all he doesn't see or know. Like about the family he get's to know, he even mentions it himself, that he could have just assumed that all familys in Naples in this area and in other poor areas, are the same, and that the family structure and habits and behaviours are the same, but he doesn't, he tells you all he sees, and all he gets to know, and he tells you what he doesn't know, he uses other peoples work and what they have found to compleet his own. I undrestand why we have it on the book list!! cause it is so valid, he has done an amazing job. Also this book is so well writen that it's almost like a novel, i sometimes caught myself in forgetting that this has happend, its none fiction. This book is really worth a read! it's worth both your time and money... and the thoughts you might sit with after wards! Kudos To You MR. Belmonte, this is one WELL writen book, with insight, understading and truth.

Belmontes field study of Urban poor of Naples Italy makes great reading. Belmonte writes as a chemist would, capturing the kind of graphic detail that puts you right at the head of a Neapolitan famly's table at Sunday dinner. Watch that knife! Belmonte's Naples is filled with unforgettable people in an unforgettable place.

Thomas Belmonte brings the reader into the book. He doesn't simply write a sob story about those in Naples, yet he writes about the bare-truth and amazingly highlights the implications for the poverty. A must read for anyone who needs an understanding of unfair world systems.

Thomas was my cousin. He was always an amazing person to be around. He died a few years ago from a disease called AIDS. He was a very brave man. He was not a man dying with AIDS, he was a man living with AIDS. Throughout his lifetime, Tommy was a very devoted man. He was a caring generous person. He is greatly missed.

As the author of this book I would like to point out that I am not the same person as my namesake who writes homoerotic novels such as "To Serve Two Masters". "Buying a House in Italy" belongs to a different genre altogether.
Perhaps Amazon could follow the example of their UK branch and put a C in front of my name on their listing to differentiate between the two Gordon Neales.

We bought a house in Cortona Italy 12 years ago only after a long hard search. IF ONLY we had Gordon Neale's book with us on that first trip hunting for the perfect house. His detailed knowledge of the intracacies of house buying law in Italy is infinite and we would have had fewer grey hairs if this book was available then
. Apart from that it is a wonderful guide from a very sympathetic student of the history, language and humanity of the Italian nation. In concise chapters he will give you the benefit of his long study and experience of the regions, their differences and special charms. The stuff this man has learned would take the casual visitor more than a life time to obtain. Here is his knowledge for you to savour at the cost of a paperback. This is not just a book for aspiring house buyers, it is an invaluable asset to anyone travelling in Italy. IF ONLY, we had had this book all those years ago, but we have it now and it brings even greater pleasure to our life Bella Italia

This book was well worth the money There are some serious mistakes when dealing with history. other then that a very usefull book.

I was sent this book for Christmas since I had stayed in Tuscany and am interested in buying there. Wow! This book is like a Whole Earth Catalog for Italy. Beyond the details on how to buy a house, it's got material on living there in a way that puts you right in the middle. I loved how the author interspersed Italian words and phrases throughout the book and had various glossaries for buying a house and even gardening and dealing with builders doing renovations. I find that I can recall the words easily because of the way he put them in the context of how I would actually use them in conversation to get something I want. The wit and wisdom sidebar on Berlusconi is a real gem. His listing of things like Italian TV and radio, I mean, I can see myself living there, important in the actual determination to buy. Also, he's got Web Site addresses throughout for additional information like real estate agents by region. This is a terrific book that's fun to read and dip into. I recommend it, highly.

An excellent guide. I loved the sections on the history of Italy and the one on gardening.
The book is packed with information which is clearly written. It is a joy to read and a must for anyone contemplating buying a house in Italy.

I can't praise highly enough this well researched, masterful look at the mechanisms of cultural diffusion in the Balkans and Russia in the Byzantine period. Obolensky, an unquestioned leader in the field of Byzantine studies, has put together a cogent, precise and elegantly written book that, while not really for the layman, is clear enough for most persons with some familiarity with the topic. He demonstrates the role of what he calls "intermediaries", e.g. merchants, missionaries and mercenaries, in spreading Byzantium's unique Graeco-Romano-Christian culture throughout the Slavic world. A little attention is paid to Byzantium's influence on the West and on the structures of the Ottoman state, but the real focus realy is on the Balkan states. And, well, where have you seen that lately?

The East Roman Empire provides an extraordinary study of survival. Beset on every side by newly arrived tribes and established rival empires, Byzantium not only endured but exerted a cultural influence that helped shape successive nation states once within its orbit.

Central to Obolensky's classic account is Byzantium's `cultural diffusion' and the most striking example of this is how its spiritual culture, transmuted into Old Church Slavonic through the linguistic brilliance of its missionaries, helped provide a basis of literacy alongside the visual impact of its iconographic art. Many a pagan tribe fell under the Orthodox spell; the Bulgarians, Russians and Serbs were all converted at various times, apostasy finally giving way to unequivocal faith.

Acknowledgement of the Empire's military dominance was, however, often contested. After the Turkish conquest of 1453, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia and Russia retained much of the cultural influences and ideology of Byzantium and it is the intermingling of Greek and Slavonic elements that Obolensky brings so well into the foreground.

As in the west but developing along divergent lines, much of the spirit of the East Roman Empire survived by it's interrelationship with so called 'barbarian' peoples. Obolensky's Byzantine Commonwealth, along with Frank Eyck's Religion and Politics in German History, reveal that process at work. Both books show how the Roman Empire became absorbed into Medieval European culture.

A span of almost thousand years marks the blooming and decadence of the Byzantine Empire.
"The Byzantine Commonwealth - Eastern Europe 500-1453" is a balanced and informed history of the outer lands (provinces, independent principalities and kingdoms), mostly inhabited by Slavic populations, whose history intersected the one of the Empire.
It is mostly a history of assimilation, with its many facets.
The strategy of the empire to develop an extensive diplomacy of the sword and of the cross. The cautious and balanced use of force, diplomacy (both political and religious) and money. The widespread and deep phenomenon of inclusion and assimilation of cultural values that Constantinople inspired. The gradual political emancipation of the emerging new nations (Bulgaria, Serbia, Russia, Hungary and lastly Rumania)
It ends in 1453, the year of the fall of Constantinople to the Turkish armies: in that moment the Byzantine commonwealth disintegrates and the great eastern diasporas begin (with the rise of the myth of the third Rome in Russia, the emergence of the principalities of Rumania, the defeat and toll of resentment in the Serbian and Balkan lands).
Obolensky's study is already somehow outdated since first printed in 1971 for the "History of Civilization" Series of Phoenix Press (in the same series you can find the still unsurpassed "The Greek Experience" by C. M. Bowra,). It cannot take account of the events following the disintegration of USSR and the widespread renaissance of an Orthodox "koinè" (cultural community), especially religious but sometimes also political and social (this at least is one of the - highly debatable - theses advanced by professor Samuel P. Huntington in "The Clash of Civilizations"): a feature this one that cannot change the overall picture, but is nonetheless a strong indication about how deeper went the Byzantine influence.
"The Byzantine Commonwealth" is sometimes very specific, and yet immensely interesting.
I greatly enjoyed the history of the missionary work and travels of st.Constantine (Cyril) and Methodius, their invention of the Glagolitic (and later Cyrillic) script and the inception of the movement of translation from Greek to Old Church Slavonic (the medieval common language of the Slavic populations).
Compelling are also the chapters dealing with the presence and spreading of heretical movements, especially Paulicianism and Bogomilism, sects influenced by Manicheism and that very likely "exerted a powerful influence upon the Patarene and Cathar (or Albigesian) movements in Italy and Southern France".
It is amazing to realize the scantiness of our knowledge and the prejudices we still retain about the Byzantine world. While for Rome and classical Greece we have still outstanding and impressive remains (temples, theatres, aqueducts, weapons and literature), the whitewash following the Turkish conquest and censure of history (from "the idle liars of neither gender" of bishop Liutprand of Cremona to the "tedious and uniform tale of weakness and misery" of Gibbon) have almost cancelled a thousand years of European history.
The Iron Curtain tried to eradicate the deep-rooted marks of a common culture of the Russian and Balkan lands: a heritage of art and faith, common language and culture.
But this civilization has been able to endure the floodings of history, Turkish conquests and Socialist utopias.
And this is one of those rare books than can make us feel the warmth of this candle, still alight.

In the Epilogue a part deserves to be cited in full because of its poetic and evocative force:
"It is hence not surprising that the fall of Constantinople aroused these countries immediate feelings of horror and dismay. Greeks, Slavs and Rumanians reacted to this event by composing laments, in poetry and prose, for the captured and stricken city. A Greek popular poem probably composed in the second half of the fifteenth century, describes an imaginary scene of the last liturgy celebrated in St Sophia in the presence of the emperor and the patriarch, which was interrupted by the arrival of the infidels: as tears were seen in the eyes of the Virgin on the church's icons, the clergy was commanded by voice from heaven to send the cross, the Gospel book and the holy table to Western Europe lest they be profaned by the Turks. In another version of the story as the Turks broke into St Sophia a priest bearing the chalice left building through a door which miraculously closed behind him: on the day the Greeks recapture their city, he will re-emerge to complete unfinished liturgy."

For my background reading on Central and East European EU Candidate Countries, I have been reading several books on the history of the Balkans. For the period 500-1453 I took the book from Prof. Obolensky (for 1453-early 20th century I recommend L. Stavrianos, Misha Glenny, and G. Hodos). I found the book clearly written and well set out. The central message of this study runs like a red thread thorugh the book. The influence of the Byzantine East Roman Empire on the law, culture, religion and art of the countries in that region is shown to be of major importance and is clearly one of the major shaping actors in the early history of the Balkans. Yet at the same time during this period there was no slavish following of whatever came from Byzantium. The complicated story of attraction and repulsion, the ongoing flow and struggles with the 'Byzantine Commonwealth' (i find prof. Obolenksy's expression in this contect quite useful) of the different peoples in the Balkans makes good reading and, for me, gives met the sense of a good first grasp of the outset of history on this fascinating region. This book is not always easy to read and not only for beginners, but the more rewarding for it.

After the fall of Rome, Byzantium was the greatest, richest, most prestigious city in the known world. It was the center of the Orthodox religion and a great center of culture. It was also the target for every barbarian tribe who wanted a piece of the wealth land and culture.

Dimitri Obolensky's readable book achieves two purposes. First he describes the relations between the Byzantine empire and her neighbors. Obolensky explains how the Byzantines used one barbarian tribe against another, like the Avars, Slavs, Bulgars, Pechenegs, Russians and Khazars. He also shows how the Byzantines used religion to influence the tribes and gain control over them. Eventually the barbarian tribes worshipped Byzantium, but did not trust it.

Secondly Obolensky describes how the barbarian cultures like the Bulgars and the Russians adopted the culture and civilization of Byzantium. The new comers learned art, literature, law and religion from Byzantium.

This book covers the period from 500 AD to the fall of Byzantium in 1453,
starting with a description of the geography, roads and trade routes the Byzantines used, and their strategic importance. Then Obolensky recounts relations in order of region, from the Balkans, then east-central Europe and finally the coast of the black sea.
Obolensky shows how the Byzantines became the source of legitimacy among the states that made up the commonwealth like the Bulgars and the Russians. Finally he recounts how the barbarians learned art, religion, law and literature, and civilization in general from the Byzantines.

The book includes many well placed maps and photos that make this complicated subject clearer. Obolensky's book is a must read book for anyone interested in the history of Byzantium or medieval eastern Europe.

If you want a travel book with lots of tips, a great deal of history, and -- most of all -- loads of humor and wit, these are the authors for you. This is third travel book by Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls I have read. Each is a gem -- worth reading cover to cover -- and that is very rare in travel books. I always search them out for my trips -- once to Sicily and another to southern France. Now I am planning to go to Paris this fall, so I was really pleased to find this guide to Paris. The core of the book is walking tours of the city, and each page is packed with opinionated history and unabashed commentary. The French, no doubt, would be shocked, but I love it. I highly recommend any book by these two. The three I have read -- Sicily, Southern France and Paris (2nd ed.) -- are first-rate literature. They are also "guide books" -- and that makes them rare gems, indeed.

We took four guidebooks over to Paris for our trip (my third, her first). It ended up being the only guidebook we used. The city walks made exploring the city a breeze.

Be prepared. This book definitely has a British persepctive, is very opinionated, and has very few pictures. But, it gave a great sense of persepctive and made it much easier to get context when we were there.

Without a doubt, this is a great book to use if you will have the time to explore the city. We have already purchased several more in the line for our honeymoon,

This guide, like others in the Cadogan's range is chock full of information, and not photos. If you are looking for maps (other than a Metro and RER railway map inside the back cover and the walking maps) and colour pictures you are advised to look elsewhere.

After opening chapters looking at `Paris in a Weekend' ,practicalities, history, art and architecture and several short pieces on topics such as dog poo and modernism (well worth reading - very entertaining, but make sure your spectacles prescription is up to date - the print in this section is very small!), the guide really gets into its strength.

The bulk of the book is built around 11 different walks, in 11 different neighbourhoods. All are thoroughly described with an accompanying easy-to-follow black and white map. Each walk has an indication of how long it will take (excluding museum visits), suggestions for restaurants and cafes on the route and comprehensive information on the sites.

This makes the book perfect for a visitor spending an extended time in Paris, who wants to discover the city the best way possible, or for the repeat visitor who has the good fortune to be able to return to Paris time and again.

After the Walks, the museums of Paris are listed and cross-referenced to where they occur in the Walks text. The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay are described at length. A section then follows on peripheral attractions - lying further afield than central Paris. There are listings for restaurants, accommodation and nightlife venues.

The writing in Cadogans tends towards the opinionated, witty, slightly ironic (but not smart-alec) and drily understated British style. It appeals to me in the same way as Rough Guides do.

This is not a book for the first-time short-term visitor intending to see the "Top Five" and then move on. There are plenty of other guides catering to that market, and fulfilling their brief admirably (try Rick Steves, Let's Go, Frommer, Lonely Planet for example). But if you want a book with some substance and detail which will be just as rewarding a read back at your hotel as accompanying you on your on-foot rambles around this beautiful city, then I can't recommend it highly enough.

Opinionated, controversial, occasionally intolerant, sometimes jarringly critical, but always possessing at heart a deep affection for the city, this guide will point your gaze towards places people, places and events that may well be unknown to the majority of born and bred Parisians.

It is deeply learned, but never stuffy, memorably describing the decor of one church and "cold potatoes", the descriptions on the walks ensure that once you arrive at a given site, you are aware of its historical and architectural context.

Previous reviewers have referred to the guided walks in the book, and these are indeed its jewel. It will absolutely make so much more of your time in Paris than you could have believed possible if you make the effort to follow as many of them as you can. They are not arduous treks, they can be leisurely strolls and the book makes sure that you know the very best places to stop an eat (or drink) on the way.

Buy the book, read the history (also humourous, but quite bloody) on the way, use it whilst there, and relive your Parisian peregrinations on the way back by rereading the walks you had a chance to follow.

You will want to go back

The walking tours in this book are incredible. Fun, interesting, perfect directions (even for those of us who are directionally challenged!). The history, art, architecture sections are also well worth reading and opinionated just enough to make them truly interesting and unique. I plan on buying as many other travel books by this couple as I can find.

This is a most remarkable piece of archival research that recreates the everyday life of a 16th-century Italian aristocrat as he and his family pursue his goal of attaining for him the rank of cardinal in the wholly worldly and corrupt Catholic Church of that era. Using an enormous trove of documents she stumbled upon in the archives of Modena, Hollingsworth brings to vivid and detailed life the world of Ippolito d' Este, one of the sons of the notorious Lucrezia Borgia and her last husband, Duke Alfonso d'Este of Ferrara.

In the hands of the wrong writer, this kind of research could be deadly dull--little more than an endless 16th-century shopping list. But in Hollingsworth's hands these "dry" documents come to life, and take the reader into the day-to-day, material world of Ippolito d'Este as no other form of research could do. This is history that takes us from politics and power-seeking all the way to the level of perfumed gloves and crystal urinals, a world of mind-boggling aristocratic affluence and luxury.

The author's writing style, which some might consider a bit dull, is appropriate for her subject, in the sense that Ippolito needs no editorializing-- his documents themselves speak louder than anything the author could say about them. In any case, the writing is always competent, and often enlivened with flashes of dry British humor. Her ability to make sense of endless pages of accounts-- and to make the contents of those account books of interest to a modern reader-- is nothing short of masterful.

My only criticism is that, among all the illustrations, there doesn't seem to be a single one of Ippolito himself.

A boon for the historian of Renaissance Italy is that it was remarkably bureaucratic, and paper trails are all over the place. They do need finding, sorting, and placing in context. Mary Hollingsworth is such a historian, and was forced by weather to make a detour to Modena in 1999. As long as she was there, she started looking through the archives. A friend had already told her that the story of Ippolito d'Este would be worth looking up, and she started to do so. There were 2,000 of his letters, letters written to him, and 200 account books. She had found "a unique account of life in sixteenth-century Europe, a detailed record of how a Renaissance prince lived." Not just a Renaissance prince, but an archbishop who was a climber, aiming for a cardinal's hat and perhaps the papacy. In _The Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Everyday Life in the Court of a Borgia Prince_ (Overlook Press), Hollingsworth has set out her findings in detail. Ippolito has, of course, been written about before, but mostly as an important patron of the arts; he built the magnificent Villa d'Este at Tivoli and he was a patron of the musician Palestrina. The life and career have otherwise been ignored, and Hollingsworth here corrects this void through the remarkable documents she found.

Ippolito d'Este was born in 1509 in Ferrara, the second son of Alfonso d'Este and Lucretia Borgia. The firstborn son was fated to be the Duke of Ferrara, and Ippolito was fated to enter the church. Ippolito was no more pious than his brother; their respective careers were merely a matter of birthright. Ippolito became Archbishop of Milan at age nine, and his family was thereupon interested in making him a cardinal. The means for acquiring the cardinal's hat was financial. The cardinalship was in fact purchased from the corrupt Pope Paul III by the Duke for his brother, although there were many complicated arguments made as all the parties involved attempted to improve their positions in the arrangements. Ippolito's candidacy was greatly improved by his friendship with Francis I of France, with whom he seems to have had a sincere friendship. The two men were interested in the sorts of things young men were interested in, hunting, tennis, gambling, and women. A great deal of Hollingsworth's research has been into account books, and many of the entries are for elaborate, strange, or funny items. Ippolito was a dandy, favoring bright colors, especially expensive reds, with elaborate shirts, doublets, coats, breeches, and hose. One inventory includes 611 shoelaces. Another lists fifteen pairs of gloves, and while gloves themselves were relatively cheap, glove-wearing was expensive, because they were perfumed with ambergris and musk. There are relatively few religious items inventoried, evidence that Ippolito liked his pleasures more than his religious duties. Even his rosaries were filled with musk and ambergris.

Much of Hollingsworth's narrative necessarily involves listing of such properties. This is not really a biography as so many of the details of Ippolito's life are not known, but it is a splendid examination of how rich people of the age spent their time and money. The idea of a cleric and his family spending in such a way might strike our own sensibilities even as immoral, but Ippolito was a man of his time. He seems not to have been any sort of tyrant, and he did some modest good in his patronage of artists. Given his own time and his own goals, he was successful. He very nearly missed getting to be Pope, and he would probably have been as good a one as there were in his times. He and his brother did successfully campaign to get him the cardinalship, and after all the expenditures to that end, Ippolito racked in lucrative titles, becoming titular Abbott or Archbishop of Italian or French branches that brought in money. Francis got what he needed, too, as Ippolito went to Rome as Cardinal-Protector of France. The magnificence described here in such detail proved to be a necessity for political power and a virtue for theological advancement.

Few historical periods are as intriguing as the Renaissance; few families fascinate as much as the Borgias. However, we've not been privy to many firsthand accounts of daily life among the powerful in 16th century Italy. Now, thanks to a bit of luck and assiduous research, art historian Mary Hollingsworth presents a detailed picture of Ippolito d'Este, the second son of Lucretia Borgia who later became Archbishop of Milan.

In Modena, Italy, Hollingsworth came upon a treasure - over 2,00 letters and 200 account books pertaining to the days of Ippolito. The ledgers contain such minute details as the items in his wardrobe, what he ate. He wasn't timid about keeping a log of his women right along with his horses, dogs, falcons, peacocks, and a plethora of servants. Nor, was he embarrassed to note how much was spent on bribes and to whom he paid them. Thus, readers have the unparalleled experience of seeing courtly life on a daily basis, even to Ippolito's visit to the mistress of the King of France while she was in her bath.

Ippolito reached the ripe old age of 29 before he received the cardinal's red hat, which at that time was a guarantee of wealth and power. He was a man who enjoyed women thoroughly and often, gambled frequently, and spent time hunting rather than in prayer. Thus, his elevation to such a lofty position had naught to do with religiosity, much to do with politics.

Mary Hollingsworth has created an amazing view of everyday life among the rich and powerful in Renaissance Italy. Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

The beauty of this book is that it uses account books and letters to put together a
very detailed account of the life of an Italian noble churchman who aspired to be
(and near the end of the book becomes) a cardinal. And he's no ordinary cardinal --
he's a favorite of Francois I of France, a patron of Cellini, and the like.

The downside of the book is that every so often you feel as if you're reading an
annotated Visa bill. Long discussions of how much money was paid for different
items, where the best items came from, etc. Not everything is likely to be interesting.
In my case I enjoyed details of how clothing was made (and discovering that furs
were often recycled from one piece to another) but was bored by long discussion of
fees to bargemen and carters for hauling produce.

One of the most admirable tasks of an art historian is to endure long hours, days, and weeks in cold, often musty, archives to produce an incomparable image based on documents. Since the two previous reviews elaborate on the central figures of the D'Este family, their history, roots, and struggle for power, let me guide the reader to the fine details of Mary Hollingsworth's transcriptions of the family ledgers.

We learn about all levels of the "famiglia," the group of servants around the young Cardinal Ippolito, from men who clothed and fed him, to those who emptied his chamber pots and cleaned his bedchambers, made his candles, embroidered his shirts, and looked after his ledger books. Fascinating is the author's account of crossing the Alps in wintertime, the management of Ippolito's large entourage, transport of huge travel chests and the Cardinal's four-poster bed, worries about miniscule details like the cold feet of his favorite dogs. We learn about the life of a prince who spared no money to buy his cardinal's hat and to promote the image of his noble family.

Try a good glass of Italian wine, fresh semolina bread, and the oil from the former D'Este lands while paging through the book. Great reading for scholars and general readers alike.

The book ended too soon!!!! I wanna know if they got the second room back...I want to know how the finished product turned out...I want more pictures!!!!! A LOT more pictures!!!!!

What a delightful read. ^__^

I loved every minute of this book as was sorry to reach the end. I hope the author will consider a sequel of subsequent adventures? As an antique collector I'm in awe of this couple's ambition and fortitude in rescuing and restoring the ultimate antique, a wonderful old estate, and sharing this home and tale with the world. Judy Corbett (Welford) tells the colorful story with humour and grace; trials and tribulations, local characters, royalty, unbelievable discoveries, romance, and plain old fashioned luck (or is it fate?). Since reading the book, I have visited north Wales and Gwydir Castle, and both are beautiful beyond words. The resoration of the house and grounds is spot on, perfectly on tune with the age and history. Gwydir Castle and the Welfords are a match made in heaven. If you are thinking of purchasing this book, stop reading the reviews and buy it now! It's definitely part of my "keep" collection.

I purchased this book because I had visited Gwydir castle and thought I might enjoy learning more about it's restoration. I was amazed to find a great book about pursuing your dreams.

In northern Wales, 11 miles south of Conwy and 4 miles north of Betws-y-coed, across the bridge from the village of Llanrwst, on the floodplain between the River Conwy and the B5106 road, lies Gwydir Castle, the ancestral home of the Wynn family. Largely of 16th century construction, it's actually what remains of a more extensive Tudor courtyard manor house, and is the finest example of such in Wales.

Peter Welford and Judy Corbett, an architectural historian and a bookbinder respectively, pooled their meager life savings and a substantial bank loan to buy the place in the early 1990s. CASTLES IN THE AIR by Corbett is the utterly charming story of the pair's labors to restore Gwydir from its abysmally ruinous condition at purchase to something resembling its former glory.

The book offers a little something for everyone. There are the restoration adventures, of course, and also romance; Peter and Judy subsequently marry in an ancient chapel on a nearby hilltop. There's a fairly convincing supernatural ingredient that involves Peter being the unfortunate focus of animosity coming from the ghost of Lady Margaret Cave, a 17th century mistress of the manor, which resulted in his being struck on the head with a spade. There's hidden treasure, in this case the original carved wooden paneling stripped in totality from the dining room and auctioned off as a single lot in 1921 to (as it turned out) the American millionaire William Randolph Hearst, and later bequeathed to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, which still had it stored in the original packing crates in a warehouse on the rough side of town. Throughout the narrative runs Judy's dry English wit, such as when she describes the visit by an impeccably dressed representative ("Please, just call me Bill") of The Met, who was so impressed by his first view of the castle that:

"... he didn't look where he was going and stepped into the biggest pile of peacock guano you have ever seen. Peter silently directed him to a patch of rough grass where he endeavoured to remove the vile-smelling substance from the stitching of his fine Italian shoes."

Above all, CASTLES IN THE AIR is the story of the pair's love affair with and dedication to something old, historic, and worth saving in the face of seemingly impossible odds. And it would seem they've succeeded beyond their wildest dreams; the recovery and reinstallation of the Dining Room paneling brought a visit by the Prince of Wales himself, though his shoes did stick to the floor varnished only hours before his arrival.

Judy describes herself and Peter as socially reticent almost to the point of misanthropy. Therefore, the fact that they accept paying B&B guests as well as hire out the ground floor halls out for weddings - see the official Gwydir Castle website - is indication of the financial strain imposed by the ongoing refurbishment of the manor house that continues to this day and into the foreseeable future. The Welford's affection for the ancient pile is evident in Judy's words:

"... to walk in the moon-washed shadows of the yew trees and to see the ancient profile of the house silhouetted against a cloudless sky was to feel oneself suspended out of time, as though in that moment we were living in parenthesis. Sometimes, if the night was cold enough, the trails of yesterday's peacock tails would be cast in frost across the patches of lawn we had managed to scythe the day before ... We would walk down to the bottom of the garden and sit on the massive slate bench ... with the sounds of the night rustling and chirruping around us."

How incredibly rewarding the lives of these two must be!

for any fan of history or even just histoprical fiction, this is a fantasy come true .... the purchase of a Tudor castle in Wales to live in ... and the realities of accomplishing such a feat and renovation in today's age. Not only are the author and her husband brave hardy souls, but he is an artist and she is gifted with words - this is truly a great book to read!

Fabulous book. If you want to understand the French, this is a great book to read. It is amazing that such a cultural country took so long to come into the 20th century. I recommend this book highly.

As a frequent vacationer in France, some customs -- especially in the countryside -- bewildered me. Ms. Tindall weaves details of country life into an exquisite tapestry (tapisserie) that explains much that was confusing. She moves her readers back in time and gently brings us to the present.

I took this remarkable book by Gillian Tindall on vacation and enjoyed it very much. It is quite an impressive bit of social history scholarship. Tindall has really raked the public records to reconstruct this history. I had a bit of trouble keeping the villagers straight as time passed and new villagers arrived and departed the scene. But that does not matter; I grasped the overall picture. Even Celestine, whose letters first interested the author in the project, becomes but another character and the real subject of the book emerges as the evolution of rural France in the 19th century.

It is really quite a fantastic story, and, of course, I was wholly ignorant of the backward conditions in the Berry region until well into the 19th century. I always thought of France as in the forefront of the industrial revolution, the enlightenment and the political changes in Europe. But I now know that that was pretty well limited to Paris and perhaps a few other urban centers.

The book makes clear that lack of transportation was the chief culprit. People did not have horses and the paths were largely for walking and did not accommodate wagons. And the distances were vast given the conditions. The villages had no stores, no inns, no tradesmen. Goods were mainly consumed by the farmers themselves with only a small surplus available in good years for sale locally. Money was not in use and French was not used until the 3rd Republic pushed schools and roads into these rural areas. Essentially, as the author points out, notwithstanding the revolution and the Napoleonic period, the Berry in 1830 was much like it had been in 1430.

The author also hints at the romantic myth that the French have bestowed on their rural areas. She does not go into detail, but hints that this view results in their inability to lessen subsidies to their farmers or modernize their agriculture. All these Frenchmen, especially those in the middle class, with summer homes in the countryside, are apparently convinced that way back their ancestors were peasant farmers with a deep love of the land. The English and we Americans certainly do not encourage this illusion: that we are the salt of the earth - or at least the descendants thereof. We have our own myths, but our agricultural subsidies are based on the fact that farm states have more representation in the Senate than their population would justify and the strength of the agribusiness lobby. In other words, no romantic notions, just good old greed and political power. This is easier to deal with.

I had in mind to get 'Celestine' for a long time when it presented itself to me on a 'bargain table' at the LA Times Festival of Books... what a treasure! It is a quiet and gentle diversion into another world and time. Beautifully and lovingly written by Gillian Tindall, the book speaks of the timelessness of the human condition, of loyalties and relationships, of loves and passions and hopes and dreams, some realized and some not. Truly, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I highly recommend this book.

Gillian Tindall shows a great deal of erudition in painting with great exactitude the evolution of a French village over almost two centuries, showing how the life of the village and its people were affected by the arrival of the railroads, the changes of political regimes, the influences of the wars. She has been able to capture the spirit of the french peasants of the Berry with a deep understanding and she gives the impression of feeling much affection for them. Her book is warm and " vivant " and wonderful

I came to this book after reading several books on the Caucusus -- Yo'av Karny's 'Highlanders' (2001) being the best -- and a couple on Chechnya -- Khassan Baiev's memoir 'The Oath' (2004) the most profound of those. Admittedly, I came to Tishkov's work skeptical: he is Russian, after all. For those of us perhaps a little too eager to see local resistances to 'imperial' power and statehood as liberatory struggles, Tishkov engages us in a real marvel of anthropology, teasing apart threads, and questioning assumptions. Like Baiev, albeit in a very different way, Tishkov's professionalism, his belief in the rationalism of the anthropological method, carries this book. It is certainly possible he may have carefully selected and then edited his informants' words, but to what end? Throughout the book I was successively impressed by his unwillingness to engage in "a debate over the truths of who did what during the Chechen war." This is not to say that Tishkov avoids pointed commentaries about either Russian hubris or Chechen entrepreneurial violence, but it is to say that he does a profound job in helping his readers understand the precarious nature of war and peace, especially in a cultural climate where "even the slightest of differences can be used to justify violence."

Tishkov presents a blanced, well researched account of the two Russian-Chechnyan conflicts. Filled with interviews of both Chechnyns and Russians, the book gives a factual account of the war mixed with personal stories of the survivors. Highly reccomended if you want a down the middle view.

This is a very good book about the Chechen War written from the viewpoint of the fighters. Most books on this topic are written by Liberals apologists for terrorism, who sympathise with the rebels and blame Russia for the terrorist acts committed by Chechens. Others are by extreme Conservative Christians who just hate all Muslims. Chechnya went from being a struggle for independence to a Holy Jihad. If you want to hear the real story from the voices of the Chechens, here it is! This book is easier to read then Wolves of Islam, and I reccommend reading both!

Following the tide of change that resulted in the breakup of the Soviet Union, the people of Chechnya proclaimed their independence in November 1991. Inevitably, many events took place between the newly formed nation and the Russian Federation, leading to the invasion of Chechnya by Russian troops in early December of 1994. A conflict that Anatol Lieven, the author of Chechnya: Tombstone Of Russian Power, has referred to as "the greatest epics of colonial resistance of the past century". Thus, for the next ten years, one bloody war after another reduced a thriving country to rubble; the Chechens enduring unimaginable suffering with no end in sight. To date, the struggle for self-determination has somehow, develop into an "Islamic" guerrilla war. Chechnya: Life In A War-Torn Society is not an account of the war; rather it is a reflection on a Chechen society forced into a never-ending, cruel and traumatizing war. The author of this scholarly text, Valery Tishkov, is currently the director of the Institute of Ethnography and Anthropology at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Therefore, his views on the conflict can be deemed authoritative and to some extent, biased.
In the first five chapters, the author seeks for the answer by explaining the historical context of events such as Stalin's atrocious deportation of the Chechens to the lifeless steppes of Kazakhstan during World War II, which the Chechens suffered in silence, undoubtedly created bitterness in their memories. Yet he asserts that it is not a reason for the unending conflict. Nor, according to Tishkov, do ethnic, tribal, or religious disparities explain the tragedy of this war. Tishkov however places the core of the problem in the early stage of Boris Yeltsin's presidency when rivalries between factions paralyzed the operations of the government in dealing with the Chechen crisis. He perceives the bloodshed as the result of unresponsiveness and puzzlements on the Russian leaders when the Chechen crisis first emerged and the reluctance to deal with General Dzhokhar Dudayev, whom the author introduces in chapter six, while the situation is still in control. All through the book, Tishkov observes the first war and its aftermath through the eyes of fifty-four Chechens whom he and his associates interviewed at length. These "informers" have infused his account of the war with an exclusive directness and subtlety. Their recollections offer a distinctive ethnographic description and analysis of the war, the outcome, and what precipitated it.
According to the survivors and Tishkov, the Chechens success in the first war can be attributed to the use of "guerrilla warfare", with tactics such as ambushes and attacks on the enemy's lines of communication which the author of Resisting Rebellion, Anthony J. Joes, stated as one of the vital strategy for insurgents to succeed. Tishkov goes on to express his admiration for the Chechen fighters' ability to overcome the psychological fear and intimidation and master the techniques of guerrilla warfare. Nevertheless, in chapter seven, when they staged and recorded their attacks, Tishkov portrays the exhibitionist behavior of the Chechen fighters as acts of terrorism. The author fails to realize that it is one of the ways that terrorists can get their objectives across to a wider audience. In his book Terror In The Mind Of God: The Global Rise Of Religious Violence, Mark Juergensmeyer, the noted sociologist and the Director of Global and International Studies, explains it as a theater that terrorists use to conduct terror for their audiences whom they are trying to terrorize. Yet, Tishkov fails to mention the atrocities that Russian troops committed on the Chechens that provoked the situation in the first place. On the aspect of religious, from chapter eleven to the rest of the book, Tishkov emphasizes the negative influences of Arab outsiders in the conflict, such as the al-Qaeda terrorist's network, whom he feels is using Chechnya as a stage determined to turn it into another Islamic state similar to the Taliban of Afghanistan. Tishkov's Chechnya: Life In A War-Torn Society is a recommended book since it does not try to venerate or condemn either side of the conflict but to expose how the war-monger parties in both Moscow and Grozny have made the erroneous political decisions that brought war to the Chechens and terrors to the citizens of Russia. Last but not least, the reader of this book must approach it with an open mind and not to form their judgments prematurely. Such as, in the view of some Westerners, the conflict is being about a small brave nation fighting against an imperial monster, or, in the view of Russia, an armed coup d'etat in Chechnya led by General Dudayev, resulting in the rise of an aggressive paramilitary regime that challenged both the Russian state and its armed forces. Nevertheless, it is a conflict that for Russia, according to Joes, who ranks it as one of the most disastrous counterinsurgent experiences on record, with the full implications of which have yet to manifest themselves.

Unlike many other books on Chechnya, this one offers a unique ethnographic account and analysis of this war and of what preceded it. Although very academic, it offers 'direct voices' of Chechens (mostly) that either suffered the war or have escaped it and now live elsewhere. The book does not attempt to glorify or condemn either side but, on the contrary, demonstrates how hawkish parties in both Moscow and Grozny have committed acts of political shortsightedness that dragged the country into war.

While this book is not going to satisfy anyone whose opinion has already been formed, especially anyone who views this conflict in terms of a small brave nation fighting against an imperial monster, it is more scientific and balanced than any other book that exists on this subject in English. It also takes a stab at Western preconcieved notions such as a failure to recognize ethnic cleansing of Chechnya in 1991-94 when the city of Grozny has been cleansed of non-Chechens who were forced to leave the republic or killed, their appartnments having been taken by the militants.

In short, this book will please you if you are looking for a balanced account or if you have an open mind and are not already set in condemning the Russians. After all, these are Chechen voices too.