Ireland Books

Paul Stephenson reached several conclusions that are really revolutionary for the study of the Byzantine administration in the Balkan provinces. The increasing interest for the Balkan history (not only for the modern times) denotes the need to understand the roots of the present conflicts. Stephenson's book explains how and why the disintegration of the Byzantine administration and the emergence of the ethnic states in the Balkans were possible. His main idea is that "Byzantine authority was almost always exercised through existing local power structures". Can we consider these surviving local structures to be a cause of the future Balkan separatism, even if they were not always the expression of "national" solidarities ? We think so, because also the Ottoman administration preserved and used in its interest the power of some Albanian, Serbian and Bosniac local potentates, after their conversion to Islam and even before. Stephenson has payed a special attention to the significance of the frontier as an ideological limit between the civilized world and the barbarians. He also introduces a new concept: the internal frontiers of the territories mastered by the local authochtonous rulers by whom the Byzantine administration was exerted. The book brings valuable arguments for the new interpretation of the 11th century supported by P. Lemerle and more recently by M. Angold against Ostrogorsky's old viewpoint. Stephenson shows that the shift to `civilian' government was not a decline, because "the Byzantine economy was growing rapidly" and that the defence policy based on warfare was replaced with a more adecquate policy based on trade and gifts for the barbarians ("traiding, not raiding"). He considers that Basil II left a poisoned legacy: a too large and expensive army, and that his `civilian' successors tried to transform the general strategy after the hard Pecheneg inroads of 1036, when became obvious that a classical limes is not useful. Unlike many works of Byzantine political history, this book gives much attention to the rich archaeological and numismatic evidence, carefully used in order to supply the scarcity of the literary sources. Some points are disputable or even wrong, but, generally speaking, the use of archaeology led him to important conclusions I consider that the most important Stephenson's contributions concern the history of the Paradunavon province (in northern Bulgaria and Dobrudja) and the Byzantine-Hungarian relations in the 12th century. Other subjects dealt in are: the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria, the restoration of this state after the rebellion led by the Vlach rulers Peter and Asan in the form of a Romanian-Bulgarian state, the small Slavic principalities in the Serbian lands. Albeit a high-scientific work, this book can easily be read by any people interested in the medieval history. We can be sure that this book will be considered a major contribution to the history of the South-Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages.

Dr. Alexandru Madgearu

Paul Stephenson reached several conclusions that are really revolutionary for the study of the Byzantine administration in the Balkan provinces. The increasing interest for the Balkan history (not only for the modern times) denotes the need to understand the roots of the present conflicts. Stephenson's book explains how and why the disintegration of the Byzantine administration and the emergence of the ethnic states in the Balkans were possible. His main idea is that "Byzantine authority was almost always exercised through existing local power structures". Can we consider these surviving local structures to be a cause of the future Balkan separatism, even if they were not always the expression of "national" solidarities ? We think so, because also the Ottoman administration preserved and used in its interest the power of some Albanian, Serbian and Bosniac local potentates, after their conversion to Islam and even before. Stephenson has payed a special attention to the significance of the frontier as an ideological limit between the civilized world and the barbarians. He also introduces a new concept: the internal frontiers of the territories mastered by the local authochtonous rulers by whom the Byzantine administration was exerted. The book brings valuable arguments for the new interpretation of the 11th century supported by P. Lemerle and more recently by M. Angold against Ostrogorsky's old viewpoint. Stephenson shows that the shift to `civilian' government was not a decline, because "the Byzantine economy was growing rapidly" and that the defence policy based on warfare was replaced with a more adecquate policy based on trade and gifts for the barbarians ("traiding, not raiding"). He considers that Basil II left a poisoned legacy: a too large and expensive army, and that his `civilian' successors tried to transform the general strategy after the hard Pecheneg inroads of 1036, when became obvious that a classical limes is not useful. Unlike many works of Byzantine political history, this book gives much attention to the rich archaeological and numismatic evidence, carefully used in order to supply the scarcity of the literary sources. Some points are disputable or even wrong, but, generally speaking, the use of archaeology led him to important conclusions I consider that the most important Stephenson's contributions concern the history of the Paradunavon province (in northern Bulgaria and Dobrudja) and the Byzantine-Hungarian relations in the 12th century. Other subjects dealt in are: the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria, the restoration of this state after the rebellion led by the Vlach rulers Peter and Asan in the form of a Romanian-Bulgarian state, the small Slavic principalities in the Serbian lands. Albeit a high-scientific work, this book can easily be read by any people interested in the medieval history. We can be sure that this book will be considered a major contribution to the history of the South-Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages....END

Competently translated, entertaining, enlightening, and well-selected. If you want a real feel for medieval French society, go back to the source; this book is a wonderful and affordable way to sample a wide variety of contemporary historians (and get your share of scurrilous stories in the meantime).

If you have an interest in the Carolingians, Dutton's book is a 'must have' resource. Many entries are otherwise unavailable or very hard to find in English.

The best way to judge the value of this book is by it's contents:

CHAPTER ONE: THE TIME OF PEPIN THE SHORT
1. A List of Superstitions and Pagan Practices
2. The Correspondence of Boniface, Missionary and Martyr
3. The Coronation of Pepin the Short
4. The Reanointing of Pepin in 754
5. The Donation of Constantine
CHAPTER TWO: THE TIME OF CHARLEMAGNE
6. Pope Stephen Scolds Charlemagne and Carloman
7. Einhard's Life of Charlemagne
8. Pepin's Victory over the Avars
9. Epitaphs and Eulogies
10. The Equestrian Statue of Theoderic
11. The Lateran Palace of Pope Leo III
12. Charlemagne and Pope Leo
13. Capitularies
14. An Exhortation to the Faithful
15. The Iconodule Controversy in Francia
16. Theodulf and the Antique Vase
17. Six Short Poems by Theodulf
18. Theodulf of Orleans: Precepts for the Priests of his Diocese
19. Letters of Alcuin
20. Five Poems of Alcuin
21. Alcuin's Dialogue with Young Prince Pepin
22. Charlemagne's Division of his Kingdoms
23. The Diet of Aachen in 813
CHAPTER THREE: THE TIME OF LOUIS THE PIOUS
24. Lament on Charlemagne's Death
25. Thegan's Life of Louis
26. Benedict of Aniane: His Life and Times
27. The Ordinatio Imperii of 817
28. The Vision of the Poor Woman of Laon
29. Louis's Public Penance in 822
30. The Polyptyque of Saint-Germain-des-Pres
31. Agobard of Lyons and the Popular Belief in Weather Magic
32. Of Bread and Provisions 33. A Royal judgment of Pepin in 828
34. Einhard and His Holy Relics: The Translatio
35. Claudius of Turin's Complaint
36. The Penitential of Halitgar
37. Saint-Riquier (Centula): Its Precious Goods
38. The Emperor Louis's Palace at Ingelheim
39. The Astronomer's Account of the Rebellions
40. Paschasius Radbertus's Defense of Wala
41. The Letters of Einhard
42. Rudolf of Fulda, The Life of Saint Leoba
43. The Final Days and Death of Louis the Pious
CHAPTER FOUR: THE TIME OF THE CIVIL WAR
44. Nithard's History
45. Engelbert at the Battle of Fontenoy
46. The Treaty of Verdun, 843
47. Dhuoda's Advice to Her Son
48. Walahfrid Strabo's Little Garden
CHAPTER FIVE: THE TIME OF THE THREE KINGS AND THEIR SONS
49. The Annals of Xanten for the Years 844 to 862
50. Gottschalk and the Predestination Controversy
51. The Epitaphs of Ermengard and Lothar
52. Sedulius Scottus, On Christian Rulers
53. Lothar II's Divorce
54. Otfrid of Weissenburg on Old High German
55. The Vision of Charlemagne
56. Letters of Lupus of Ferrieres
57. The Wandering Monks of Saint-Philibert
58. A Judicial Dispute in the Loire Valley
59. A Charter of Immunity from Charles the Bald
60. Saint Remi's Protection of People and Property
61. The Coronation of Charles the Bald as King of Lotharingia
62. Eriugena's Periphyseon: the Beginning and End
63. Eriugena's Homily
64. Wulfadus's Library
65. Wulfadus Goes to Court
66. Charles the Bald Grants a Benefice
67. The Capitulary of Quierzy, 877
68. The Death of Charles the Bald
CHAPTER SIX: THE TIME OF CHARLES THE FAT
69. The Annals of Saint-Vaast for the Years 882 to 886
70. The Song of Louis: Ludwigslied
71. Abbo's Account of the Siege of Paris by the Northmen
72. Hincmar of Rheims, On the Governance of the Palace
73. Notker the Stammerer Addresses Charles the Fat
74. The Saxon Poet's Thoughts on Charlemagne
75. The Vision of Charles the Fat
76. Last Thoughts
Index of Topics

I met Dr. Coulson at the parish church in Nonington several weeks ago and have since had one of the staff at the Center for Kentish Studies recommend his book so I'm really looking forward to getting it. Coulson is history staff at the University of Kent. The recommendation I received was based on his attention to daily life and the social implications of what we might call "Castle culture" in the localities. We will see......I will post again after the book arrives.

Coulson seeks to revise the understanding of castles as basically military structures to an understanding of them as images of the primary factors and the complexity of European society in the time from the fall of Rome to the late Middle Ages. This society was basically hierarchical and aristocratic. Today's conventional conception of a castle as more or less a fortification is a largely romantic notion bearing little relation to the true place of castles in medieval society. In medieval Europe, towns, ecclesiastical areas, estates and mansions, and even temporary earthworks of a traveling army were regarded as castles. The word "fortalicium" originally used for "castle" meant "element" or "sign" of fortification more than strictly a military fortification. In the medieval society, this was understood to mean above all "a symbolism of aristocratic armed power." As symbols of this power, castles were also social centers where most of the interaction of the different social classes took place. As Coulson remarks, there is no military history associated with most castles. In his revision of the conception of castles, the author elaborates on the presence of high-rankng women in many of them. Coulson is a research fellow at England's U. of Kent. He does not undercut the significance of castles in medieval society; rather, he shifts the understanding of what their significance was.

A very good book, Castles of Britain and Ireland: The Ultimate Reference Book contains exelent quality photographs, and contains information of almost every known castle on Britain and Ireland. It talks about their evolution through the years and about the people involved on their construction. I greatly recommend it to anyone interested on knowing more about british castles, its information is very clear and easy to understand. If you are a castle fan, this is a must-have book.

Castles of Britain and Ireland by Plantagenet Somerset Fry is the most important and most used book in my library. Not only is it a great read front to back but is invaluable as a reference when reading any history book about Britain and Ireland. It covers every aspect of Castles; The History, the people, the construction, the defenses, and even the art of attacking a castle, including seige engines. When I travel to Britain this book will be in my backpack.

Luisa Lang Owen's recounting of her childhood and the losses she and others experienced before, during and after the war, including three years in a concentration camp is, at once, both hauntingly beautiful and horrific. Her captors, in seeking to exterminate individuals and their culture ironically distilled, in this young woman, the essence of being. Her lush and loving attention to detail, her artistic perceptions were heightened and strengthened in those years, and what we sometimes refer to as the "strength of the human spirit" is clearly defined in the telling of this woman's coming of age under life-threatening conditions. Both fascinated and saddened by the telling, I felt as if I'd entered the spirit of someone who has always lived and continues to live fully and attentively in the world.

This book should be read by all Danube Swabians and their offsprings as well as all freedom-loving, truth seeking and fair minded people of this world.

Written by a Jesuit priest and teacher of moral theology in Rinteln, Germany, the year 1631. Witch trials had reached almost epidemic proportions; madness and burnings were going on everywhere. Friedrich Spee dared to speak out against the injustice he had personally witnessed as a confessor ministering to accused witches in prison. He used the ruse of having the publisher take his manuscript and publish it "without the author's knowledge" to get it past the review of his superiors in the Jesuit order. A second edition was published the following year by a printer thought by historians to be fictitious. It was met with disapproval by the authorities and was recommended to be put on the Papal list of banned books, but it never was. All of this is from the translator's informative introduction.
The book itself is a monument of rational thought in a world seemingly gone mad. It is addressed to "the princes of Germany" though Spee pessimistically states that he doubts those who should read it, ever will. His plea for justice, mercy, and basic human rights is nothing short of brilliant and has much to offer to us today. Many of the principles and ideals which are the Constitutional foundation of the American judicial system are expressed here. Hellyer's English translation sparkles, bringing Spee's relentless logic, passion, and occasional biting sarcasm into an immensely readable form for modern audiences.
Spee makes no attempt to refute the existence of witchcraft. He admits that it is a horrible crime which should be punished severely. However, he must bring to the princes' attention that trials are being conducted in such a way that innocent people are being burned. "Out of fifty" he says, "I doubt that five, or even TWO are guilty." Point by point, question by question, he demolishes every argument used to justify the arbitrary and brutal practices of judges and Inquisitors. He demonstrates clearly from a Biblical standpoint, from the authority of learned doctors of theology and law, and from the perspective of natural law and simple common sense, that trials conducted in this manner CANNOT continue, since putting innocents to death is a great sin and places the princes themselves in moral danger.
I can't adequately express how enjoyable, uplifting, and inspiring this book is. Definitely a must-have for anybody interested in history, witchcraft / witch trials, law, religion, and human rights.

The Cautio Criminalis is a classic in the literature on witchcraft. It is both intensely logical and passionately involved with correcting the injustices of the witch trials. Marcus Hellyer has produced a highly readable translation which transmits both the clarity and the passion of the original. He has also included an introduction on the work which reflects the current state of historical knowledge. This book belongs to the classics of the struggle for human rights; it ranks with Johann Weyer and Beccaria. Hellyer also indicates, at the end of the introduction, that this is not only a historical question; where crimes that we consider heinous are concerned, we are only too ready to abridge the rights of the accused. The appearance of this book is more than welcome.

These dazzling transfers are exciting and varied. You won't be able to contain your creative impulses when you look at them. These designs are the stuff of late night art projects. Mallory Pearce has given us a very fine collection.

The art is great and the transfers are of high quality. The transfers are all different sizes, from full page designs to small trim pieces. Several of the designs can be chained to create borders. Some are mirrored and others are matched multi-part designs. Excellent quality and great variety.

A really lovely book to own with gorgeous photographs and a text that is as interesting as it is informative.

Highly recommended.

The religion and lore of the Celts had a tremendous impact on the development of Western spiritual thought. Today, Celtic knots, animals, and other figures are experiencing a new popularity. "The Celtic Cross" is a lovely, well researched volume that describes the art carved upon the stone crosses scattered across northern Europe, especially the British Isles. The iconography and other symbolism, the development of the art form, and the spiritual meaning are all discussed in some depth. The photos are terrific, and a list of place to see crosses in situ or in museums is also included, should you wish to see a few in person.

Celtic Myth And Arthurian Romance by Arthurian scholar Roger Loomis is a fascinating, persuasive, documented argument for the theory that the King Arthur of history was not an Englishman, but rather a Celtic warrior. Carefully annotated and researched chapters draw connections between the Camelot legend and Celtic lore, and bring to life a new side of the debate about who King Arthur truly was. An exciting and original analysis of one of history's most beloved eras and leaders, Celtic Myth And Arthurian Romance is a welcome and highly recommended addition to Arthurian studies reading lists and academic reference collections.

For anyone who's ever been fascinated by the tales of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, here's a book that puts it all in the fascinating context of Celtic mythology. The stock elements of Arthurian legend--the enchanted castles, the abducted princesses, the contests with mysterious knights--are revealed to have a coherent esoteric meaning.As Loomis writes, to understand the relationship between the familiar tales of Camelot and the wilder Irish myths "is to open suddenly the mountainsides into the glittering palaces of the Sidhe"--the home of the Celtic gods.

The brilliance of Roger Loomis--who wrote in the 1920s--is that while he draws the same kind of fascinating connections as Robert Graves, Loomis does so through careful argument and documentation. His work should inform any serious discussion of the origins of the Arthurian tales and the meaning of the Holy Grail.

This book has short stories that relate to Irish folklore around the time when the Tuatha De Danaan ruled the land. Many of the stories have been rewritten by other authors, however, I feel that this author does a incredible job of weaving in more information about the tales and people involved. Also in the introduction the author gives background to the history of Ireland and how the folklore came about. I would recommend this book to anybody intrested in Irish folklore, old and young alike.

Finally, a book of Irish stories that truly captures my heart and does justice to my ancestry. A wonderful job by the author of providing background and such. My favorite legends are brought vividly and hauntingly to life; I couldn't have asked for more.