Europe Books

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. ^__^

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!

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.

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.

The emotion that produces Vishniac's work,in the Eastern Europe Jewish comunnities a few years before the II World War is hard to put in words, because it's really a world that vanished not because of progress but because someone, with hatred, erased it from earth.
I feel grateful to Vishniac cause he allows us not to forget.

This book moved me a great deal. The black and white images convey such innocence in the children. The simplicity of the beautifully produced photographs juxtaposed with children's songs and rhymes (in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English) gives the impression of viewing the images in a gallery. The photographs, the narrative, and the publication itself are of very fine quality. And the message is unforgettable.

This is a powerful book. In its pages we find starkly beautiful black and white photographs of children laughing, crying, playing, studying, working, in the course of their daily life... unaware of the horrific nightmare that will overtake them soon and destroy their world.

The children's eyes look at you with all the innocent curiousity and wonder of eternal, universal childhood. You look again and apprehension grips you: in a few short years after being photographed, the future of many of these children will be brutally terminated in an unmarked mass grave or a crematorium. The poignancy of this harsh reality is driven home when you read editor Mara Vishniac Kohn's dramatic description of her father's desperate, futile efforts to use his photographs as a means of arousing the conscience of the world and inspiring action to save these children and their families. We learn that Roman Vishniac sent these photos to the White House, only to recieve a perfunctory note thanking him for "the excellent pictures you sent the President."

I must express my heartfelt compliments and appreciation to the editors, Mara Vishniac Kohn and Miriam Hartman Flacks, for the way in which they have presented these precious images-- accompanying them with the lyrics of appropriate Yiddish children's songs, in the original Yiddish and English transliteration and translation, rather than the standard dry caption text. I am especially grateful to the editors for including the music and annotation for these wonderful songs.

This book belongs in every home and library.

In a haunting collection of black-and-white photographs, Roman Vishniac records the lives of Jewish children in Eastern Europe in the early part of the century, before the start of the Holocaust. The text is a series of children's songs (in Hebrew with English translation), which are touching and show how much children are alike whether they're from one side of the world or another. But the shadow of the Holocaust, while never shown, shades readers' appreciation of the images. This is a book I will not soon forget.

I am an amateur photographer. 90% of good photography is in finding the right subject. These photos are stirring.

The USS Macedonean (originally HMS) is largely forgotten today, but her legacy is intertwined with the early days and wellfare of the young American republic. She was the first English warship to be captured by the American Navy, and was instrumental to putting an end to the Barbary pirates, and even had a hand in the reopening of Japan to the world.

It is only fitting therefore that a book would be written about her. De Kay's book, "Chronicles of the Frigate Macedonian" is an extremely entertaining read, one that well worth the time. There aren't many single ship biographies out there about the American sailing navy, which makes this book a solid gem.

Chronicling the Macedonean from her construction in a shipwayd in england, to her (What was left of her) final destruction at the hands of a fire in 1922, De Kay weaves a entertaining account of the ship, her glories and her more tarnished incidents. The true cast of character is diverse, ranging from the honorable John carden, who lost the Macedonian to the USS United States and never commanded a ship again, to Commodore James Biddle, who's own tenure as captain was filled with sickness and death on the ship, to "Commodore George DeKay" who successfully used the Macedonian to bring much needed relief to an Ireland suffering from famine.

The Macedonian's history was filled with political intruige, madmen, jealousy, courage, an death. De Kay chronicles it all in vivid color. If you enjoy C.S Forester, Patrick O'Brian, or Naval History, I'd strongly suggest this book.

You don't often find a biography of a ship. Especially a ship which has a history as rich and varied as this one. The lives, careers,countries this ship saw. Wonderful history. It ties time together and does what few teachers can, makes history live. With a broadside!

The USS Macedonean (originally HMS) is largely forgotten today, but her legacy is intertwined with the early days and wellfare of the young American republic. She was the first English warship to be captured by the American Navy, and was instrumental to putting an end to the Barbary pirates, and even had a hand in the reopening of Japan to the world.

It is only fitting therefore that a book would be written about her. De Kay's book, "Chronicles of the Frigate Macedonian" is an extremely entertaining read, one that well worth the time. There aren't many single ship biographies out there about the American sailing navy, which makes this book a solid gem.

Chronicling the Macedonean from her construction in a shipwayd in england, to her (What was left of her) final destruction at the hands of a fire in 1922, De Kay weaves a entertaining account of the ship, her glories and her more tarnished incidents. The true cast of character is diverse, ranging from the honorable John carden, who lost the Macedonian to the USS United States and never commanded a ship again, to Commodore James Biddle, who's own tenure as captain was filled with sickness and death on the ship, to "Commodore George DeKay" who successfully used the Macedonian to bring much needed relief to an Ireland suffering from famine.

The Macedonian's history was filled with political intruige, madmen, jealousy, courage, and death. De Kay chronicles it all in vivid color. If you enjoy C.S Forester, Patrick O'Brian, or Naval History, I'd strongly suggest this book.

Fascinating account of how the capture of one ship from the British during the War of 1812 boosted national morale and elevated the United States in the international arena. De Kay skillfully illustrates how the US's leaders shrewdly manipulated the Macedonian's psychological power by sending her on highly visible missions. As a result, the Macedonian was there for over 100 years' worth of some of the US's most fascinating history, and captained by some of the most colorful officers in the United States Navy. De Kay masterfully ties the Macedonian's history with our history. Excellent!

During the War of 1812 many early land battles ended terribly for the United States. Our soldiers were volunteers who lacked the training to sustain the fierce attacks of the seasoned British troops who had just defeated Napoleon.

America needed a boost of confidence to thwart those in the land who would capitulate to the British rather than fight what they saw as a loosing battle.

In a short span of several weeks, two sea battles took place against the British. These intense conflicts with cannons blazing and men fighting as they never fought before, resulted in victories for the U.S. Navy.

This turn of events brought the British government great shame in their own country and gave the Americans much to celebrate.

In the first battle, the British ship sank, but in the second the Macedonian was captured by Stephen Decatur and his brave and dedicated crew.

When this ship was brought to America's shores the people were greatly motivated to try and fight everywhere to save their country. the War of 1812 is often called the second American Revolution and could have marked the end of this new form of government.

The defeat and capture of the Macedonian was so grand and uplifting to the U.S. Navy and the American people that it remained in service and was kept as a reminder of our strength for about 100 years.

The story that unfolds about this ship brings so much rich history about the United States and its people that it is well worth getting excited over.

This is a scholarly analytic type book that investigates not only the colliseum building itself,but the spectacles that took place inside.The book also describes why the Colliseum was built as well as how it was bulilt.The Colliseum according to my read of the book was an important propoganda and public education tool of the Roman rulers.It showed the populace that not only had Rome conquered,but that all the beasts and "savage peoples" of the world were Roman possesions for amusement.The building may have also served as a warning,"you too could end up here" and was an outlet for high risk takers to make a name and a fortune. Also alot of these gladiatorial spectacles were actually public executions of criminals,the sword of a gladiator maybe no worse than the electric chair or gas chamber!Unfortunately no work on the Colliseum has covered the gambling on an immense scale that must have gone on at these events.For one I have always thought that the Gladiatorial helmet that is always used in movies and art appears awkward. It seems as if the fancy ornate designs and rims would block not just the peripheral view but about every other one as well.The author points out that these helmets that were found in the buried ruins of Pompeii may have actually been "parade helmets",used for the pre-fight spectacle to identify and give status to the Gladiator.In the arena he may have found such a helmet in fact a great disadvantage. That's the kind of research contained in this book.In regard to the wild animal fights the author spends alot of time breaking down and analyzing the industry that was involved in transporting "wild beasts" of all descriptions from various parts of the world. It must have been a great part of Rome's GNP.The author also questions alot of the traditional source material for acounts in regard to the Colliseum and its spectacles.It seems in times past that writers may have been as prone to exaggerations as they are today.You'll leave this book with a good knowledge of "the Games" and realize that alot of them were anything but "fair contests" between men and beasts.Rather alot of stage theatrics and "smoke and mirrors".Could it be that the the Roman popes banned these spectacles not only for the brutality,but because they were just plain boring.In fact these games were continued on well into the Roman Christian era,so there may not have been an initial Christian "moral outrage" when Rome was Christianized under Constantine.Anyway,I got my tickets to my first(and last) game from a scalper who had "copped them" free from a "charity organization"On the final page I seriously believed that the Retiarius Gaius was using steroids,and someone had spilled their greasy nacho cheese on my"Gladius" t-shirt.I also had to move 2 seats over because I believed the man next to me was coming down with a case of "bubonic plaque"That's how real this book is.

This is a rather specialized account of the Colosseum, and any student intending to visit the structure should read it. It debunks some myths about the place, but shows that it is a fascinating world wonder which deserves the attention of all visiting Rome. The research seems impeccable.

All the reviews here so far were written on the tourist side, not the scholar's. The great merit of this book, in my view, is that it fits both audiences in a very nice manner. Scholars would of course expect a more exhaustive treatment, but it's striking that there are almost no other academic books devoted to the subject of the Colosseum. Many studies on this building and other amphitheatres concentrate on technical, architectural issues, but this book offers concise and clear analyses on social aspects of gladiators, the interpretations of the Colosseum through the ages (a fascinating part!) and other varied issues. Profs. Hopkins and Beard are two leading authorities in Roman History, but their text is lively, fluent, good-humored and very pleasant - I wish all scholars could write like this! Therefore: for specialists, it's not a thorough book, but very welcoming all the same.

As for the occasional interested tourist, as others here have also said, this book is as useful, appealing and enjoyable as it can be. Having been to the Colosseum myself, though, I don't agree with the advice of getting there one hour before it closes (last entrance allowed is at 3PM). Packed crowds of tired tourists with noisy kids are better to be avoided if you want to take your time inside, so get there as early as you can. Also, like the authors, I strongly recommend a visit to the nearby Palatine - but get a good guide, so that you can understand the ruins you're seeing (use Oxford Archeological Guide, Coarelli's book, or even Blue Guide Rome).

Small though it may be, this wonderful book contains a wealth of information on the Colosseum. The authors - scholars in this field - very ably guide the reader along this amazing structure's long journey through the ages up to the present, debunking myths along the way. Although details on the formidable challenges faced by those who built the Colosseum are relatively few, its history and archaeology, as well as snapshots of the lives and times of those who used it and performed in it, more than compensate. Occasionally, the authors challenge the "generally accepted" interpretations of some of the often-sparse archaeological and historical evidence and offer alternative views. Near the end of the book, useful advice for the potential visitor is provided, followed by an extensive bibliography. The writing style is clear, friendly, authoritative and quite lively. This book can be enjoyed by anyone, but especially by those fascinated by ancient history and archaeology.

The Colloseum in Rome is arguably one of the five most famous buildings in the world but there are very few books about it. At least I have found that to be the case, as I have always had a fascination for the place. May this is the macabre side of me coming out. But it is not just the gladiatorial contests and many other blood letting contests that went on including wild animals fighting both humans and one another or the naval battles that were fought there. Yes naval battles, with real ships and the arena flooded with water. I readily admit that I find these interesting and have done for many years.

However the main attraction of the Flavian Amphitheatre, to give it its correct name is its architectural beauty. It is a building that we would be hard pressed to replicate today, even with all the modern building techniques that we now possess. A building that could fill with people and empty at the end of the games quicker than most modern football stadiums. A building that has stood the test of time. It is only vibration and pollution from modern day traffic that is now affecting the building more than the last two thousand years ever have.

A building that had more happening underground than ever happened above ground. Gladiator quarters, infirmaries. Lifts and hoists moved by an intricate network of pulleys and cables, that allowed wild animals to be brought up to the arena level.

This book tells you everything you need to know and more. It is well written And has some illustrations, but these are secondary to the excellent text.

When this book appeared, it collectively took the breath away from World War Two armor enthusiasts and historians alike. Karlheinz Munch has cleared away decades of half-truths and assumptions by going directly to the source. He has interviewed unit veterans and consulted original military documents and private diaries to produce the most complete history of the 653rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion, a unit that operated some of the most remarkable vehicles of the war, the Ferdinand, a self-propelled antitank gun built on the redundant chassis of the Porsche Tiger (and later renamed the Elefant), and the Jagdtiger, a self-propelled 128 mm antitank gun built on the chassis of the King Tiger. The other surprise was that the soldiers were avid shutterbugs, and the veterans and their familes have opened their private photo collections to the author. These are vehicles previously known through a mere handful of German propaganda photos and US Army Signal Corps pictures. Suddenly, we have not dozens but hundreds of fresh photos, showing details of operations, unit markings, and more. Rarities include a Porsche Tiger P prototype converted to a command tank, a recovery Panther with a Panzer IV turret bolted to the roof, a Russian T-34 converted to a German antiarcraft tank, and more.
What you will not find is breathless, blow by blow recreations of thrilling battle scenes (for that, read books by Franz Kurowsky). Munch offers straightforward reprints of unit after-action accounts augmented by some private materials provided by unit veterans. Publisher Stackpole books has taken the enormous hardcover edition originally published in Canada by J. J. Fedorowicz, and reissued it in a slightly edited softcover edition at 20% of the original price. A superb investment for the historian or model builder.

The great book on this unit, when you want to get know its history.
It's a pity, there is no table where you can easily find a particular vehicle's tactical number, its commander's name or the details on its end, especially when you look for any details on rearming this unit with Jadtigers.
The big disadvantage are the photos, not good quality in fact.

Superb pictures, exhaustive detail on all facets of this Unit. Great coverage of the Ferdinand. Combat diaries, maintenance records, tons of detail that you either love or hate. A treasure trove for the armor nut, highly recommended for the modeler as well.

This book does give you an idea of what working with these very heavy tank destroyers was like. In practice that meant dealing with the frustrations of equipment which was frequently broken down, and you will see how critical the infrastructure which supported the actual AFV is. There is very little about actual combat, but some. You do get a good feeling for the tradeoff of extremely heavy unit weight and combat effectivness. If you know what you are buying this can show you a lot, but it is not a combat narrative.

This book contains little combat information so it is not for the combat fan. However it does provide you with a written record of how this unit functioned, the trials and problems incountered with heavy tank killers.
The book is crammed with photographs, most of which I have never seen before. It is a wonderful source of information for the historian, heavy fan, or model nut. A must have for any reference library and the scale drawings and colour picture will please the model builder. An unbeatable value for the price!!

Let me state, before beginning to comment, that I did not read the English version, but the French one. The comment therefore pertains only to the contents.

There is a great deal of information in this book: technical, historical and cultural.

If there is something to pick upon, it will be that the book focus too much in France - but then, this is only normal and it may be argued that France having been one of the most important cultural centers of Europe this is no bad thing.

The book is very well written: in some places it may be difficult to understand unless one already knows something about printing and casting, but it is always very clear. The logical integration of the book - I mean, the connection of ideas - and the balance between facts and interpretations is extremely good. In fact, it is possible to read it for very long hours indeed, which is rare for books on books.

As far as I know, in terms of quality, it is the very best book on this subject.

Some people will deplore the lack of pictures. But I think the flow would be compromised and, in any case, there are other books which illustrate printing history.

Excellent

The written word isn't going away. Prose may read from the commercial to poetic, we may read more package copy than works of literature, and more off a screen or monitor than printed on the page; but read we do and will continue to do. One could say that reading is as natural (and necessary) a function as breathing, eating or drinking; but, in fact, the book has an techno/economic/political origin. And, why not learn something of that origin? Just how did the book happen? Why? And, once the proverbial genii left the bottle, how did the book change everything? Things just don't happen. Dots are not just connected. Or are they?

Febvre and Martin explain it all and with all its historical, political and economic implications. David Gerard translation is lucid and fluid and the book is a lovely read.

The Coming of the Book is essential reading for anyone interested in book history, the development of modern literary languages, or the growth of capitalism in early modern Europe. It's an excellent example of the social history that the Annales school of sociologists and historians worked to produce: coherent narrative drawn not from specific important events but from the interpretation of massive amounts of data on the 'everyday' professional lives of early type founders, journeyman printers, shippers and booksellers. Most importantly, Febvre and Martin analyze the affect that the unique pressures of print as a capitalist enterprise (the capital investment in type, the costs of paper and of labor, problems in transport and marketing) had on the development of standardized print-languages, the development of 'mass' culture, and the spread and evolving functions of literacy.

Lucien Febvre and Jean-Henri Martin have integrated careful archival research with a lively recounting of history which transcends individual rulers in this account of early printing. The book is particularly interesting since we also live in a time when the economics and sociology of information dissemination is changing quickly.

The reaction of the early copyright system in place at medieval universities to new realities, of the technical innovation necessary to make good type founts, and of early print censorship were particularly interesting. I also enjoyed the discussion of the documentary evidence about Gutenburg and his unhappy relations with his financial backers.

Febvre and Martin's, The Coming of the Book, is a scholarly work without the dry academic tone of a textbook. Having said that, this isn't a casual read, as the authors will provide some of the details of edition sizes, costs, and distribution. The authors themselves give the reason for the present work, "...we hope to establish how and why the printed book was something more than a triumph of technical ingenuity, but was also one of the most potent agents at the disposal of western civilization in bringing together the scattered ideas of representative thinkers." In support of this thesis, Febvre and Martin spend a considerable portion of the book on technical issues such as the invention of the moveable-type press, how books were constructed, economic and social forces affecting the distribution and printing of books, and the geography of the spread of books. About the last third focuses on, "The Book as a Force for Change."

The first three chapters are devoted to the introduction of paper into Europe, the technical difficulties associated with the invention of the moveable-type press in Europe, and the basic construction of the book. It is important to note that both paper and moveable-type presses were not unique to Europe - they were invented in China centuries before. However, aside from paper there is no direct evidence that the moveable-type press was imported; it seems more likely that it was an independent invention. The major problem facing inventor(s) of the moveable-type press was finding suitable materials and processes for the creation of metal type founts. Febvre and Martin devote relatively few pages to such enabling forces as the development alphabetic languages (Douglas McMurtrie in, The Book: The Story of Printing and Bookmaking, provides a more complete summary). But they do spend some time discussing processes in related industries that provided adaptable techniques - the use of clay moulds to make relief inscriptions and the use of brass die-stamps by moneyers to strike coins to name two.

The next four chapters are devoted to the book as a commodity, the economic and social conditions affecting its production and sale, a short section on apprenticeships, and geography. Here the authors discuss the growth of book production into an international trade and its subsequent fracturing into more localized businesses, due in part to a series of wars and the increasing popularity of printed material in the vernacular. Febvre and Martin introduce the reader to the great printer/publishers of each age, Anton Koberger, Jean Petit, the Estiennes, etc.

It is the last, and longest, chapter that is devoted to how the book enabled some of the changes that occurred in Early Modern Europe. If there is one event that most readers will be familiar, it is the Reformation. Febvre and Martin discuss the distribution of Protestant literature and the ineffectiveness of the various laws and censoring edicts enacted in France, and other countries, with the intent to stem the spread of such material. But this chapter isn't limited to the Reformation. It also covers the effect of printing on Humanism and the knowledge of Latin and the classics and the effect on the development of modern European languages.

Throughout, Febvre and Martin provide details on the sizes of editions, and sometimes their geographic distribution, of the most popular works in each period; be warned though, the authors do not translate the French, Latin, Greek, and German titles. You can see how the increased availability of books led to social and cultural changes, which in turn led to changes in what works were produced, which lead...well you get the picture. As with many of the scholarly works I've read of late this one is also nearly devoid of illustration. It isn't a fatal flaw, but it would have been nice to include more maps and perhaps some images of incunabula. Though I haven't picked it up yet, The Smithsonian Book of Books looks like it makes up for this lack with over 300 color plates. You can also, as I did, find plenty of images and the occasional map on the web. One thing I do want to point out is that the Verso paperback edition is rather fragile. After a single reading the book is falling apart. If you are more careful than I was, you can probably keep it together.

If you are interested in learning some of the details of the invention of the moveable-type press in Europe, the economics of early printing concerns, and some of the social and cultural changes books enabled I'd recommend reading, The Coming of the Book.

I've spent the past year spending literally thousands of dollars on various books about ancient Greece. I wish to write about it, and I've read about 60 books so far on the subject. I found this book in a secondary book store, and as I've read so many specialty books, almost passed it up. Feeling the need to step back and get a more general perspective on how everything I'd been reading about fit in to the scheme of things, I bought it. Boy, am I glad I did. I've read many types of collections in my time from short stories to articles, and one never really thinks of the editor who put it all together. With this book, however, I was struck early on by the fluid and expert way the various articles and excerpts by varying archeologists went together as if it were all written by the same author. The choice of the little examples of ancient life, or the passing mention of a political outlook did a great job of illuminating whatever the excerpt was about, and since the excerpts had to be edited to fit the chapters, much credit must go to Mr. Nardo for his choices of passages as well as his choices of books to borrow from and his progression and layout of chapters. If you are starting study of Ancient Greece, there is no better place to start than this book. If you only want one book to get a general understanding of the greeks, this has to be the one. I've never seen this sort of thing done this well before. One thing that astonishes me is the price of it here on amazon, though, as I only paid 12 dollars for it at book store which had 3 of them in the Northgate mall in Chattanooga. Go figure.

As general reference books for students go, this is absolutely first rate. The author, who has written numerous smaller books on the subject, goes all out here, providing almost a whole library unto itself about the ancient Greeks, their history, institutions, ideas, etc. This should be on every educated person's shelf, not to mention every library shelf.

Historian Don Nardo edited this large compendium of articles by himself and other noted classicists about ancient Greek civilization. Extremely well-organized, thorough, and informational, the volume covers all aspects of Greek history and culture, each aspect covered in a separate chapter that begins with a helpful introduction by the editor. The articles themselves also have introductions providing brief backgrounds of the various contributors. A chronology, glossary, bibliography, and indexes, all quite large and useful (especially the bibliography, which is one of the best I've ever seen for ancient Greece), round out this first-rate volume, which I highly recommend to students and teachers alike.

Wow! For high school or college students doing research on ancient Greece, or for anyone interested in the ancient Greeks in general, this is an extremely comprehensive, well-organized, and useful book! It starts off with a general overview of ancient Greek civilization written by the editor, Don Nardo, who is a noted authority on the subject. Then there are dozens of articles witten by other well-known historians, each covering some aspect of Greek history or life. There's information on democracy and and how it came about, about Greek literature, about Greek theater, which started in Athens, about commerce and trade, and weapons and war, and lots more. In the back of the book are short biographies of important people and gods and Greek places, and a huge!! glossary, and best of all a really huge bibliography, that gives the reader plenty of ideas about where to go for more information (though it seems to me that only scholars would need to look furhter than this book). The price is kind of high, but students should be able to find the book in a nearby library. It will be well worth the effort!

I teach high school history, including a course on ancient history. I spend quite a bit of time on the Greeks and Romans, of course, and I have used a number of Mr. Nardo's small but superbly written and well-documented books in the past as supplementary materials to the regular text. His LIFE IN ANCIENT ATHENS, AGE OF AUGUSTUS, LIFE OF A ROMAN SLAVE, LEADERS OF ANCIENT GREECE, and several others have proved invaluable as sources of information for both my students and myself. Mr. Nardo's more recent COMPLETE HISTORY OF ANCIENT GREECE, which I'm reviewing here, is easily the best single-volume overview of the ancient Greeks I ever seen for this age group. Though much larger and more comprehensive than his other books for young readers, this one is extremely well-organized, both chronologically and thematically. The essays he has chosen and edited are all clearly-written, highly informative, and each perfectly captures or illustrates an important aspect of Greek history or culture. Nardo's own quite fulsome chapter introductions are also very informative, well-written, and up-to-date. The appendices of this book also deserve special mention. The glossary is huge and accurate, the best available in any non-scholarly book about ancient Greece that I am aware of. The bibliography is also massive, again, the biggest and best I've seen outside of scholarly works. ... it is also proving a tremendous aid to me personally by giving me one, compact source from which to draw facts, topics, and ideas. Would that more professional historians took the time to write as much first-rate material for high school students as Mr. Nardo does.

IT'S GOT ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW, IN A VERY ENTERTAINING WAY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

This book perfectly served my purpose of reading an overview about European history without getting too deep into details. Considering the little free time I have and the thousands of other things keeping me busy, I found this book excellent.

It is written in clear language, divided into short paragraphs and adorned with pleasant-to-the-eye font and graphics.

Highly recommended!

My daughter's AP European History teacher recommended this book to parents during the open house. We were told that it may help during the year and so far so good.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to European History" is not an exactly correct title. It would be more accurate to say modern Europe, because the book begins at the end of the so-called Dark Ages. It then talks generally about most of the important movements in Europe; the Reformation, the Enlightenment, industrialization, the various socialist movements, and several of the wars of the last 700 or so years. It goes a long way to explaining how the European Union of today comes to be. If there is really any complaint it is that it is too broad and general. I know that is the point, and that all these Complete Idiot's Guide books are just a once over and a starting place for the subject at hand, but still...Oh well. It is great for what it is. I recommend this for anyone that has a western civilization class coming up in high school.

I read this book over summer because I wanted to get ahed in the European History class I would take in the fall. It is a very good overview of most of the major events in European history. Be Warned that this is a good, quick overview, which only covers the basics. Good for people who have not been in a European history class before.