Europe Books

While Sir Martin Gilbert is known mostly for his detailed histories of Winston Churchill, WWI, WWII, the Holocaust and so on, his book, "Holocaust Journey," which documents his two-week trip with graduate students to major sites of the Holocaust (starting in Berlin) is gripping and wrenching. He provides both historical commentary for many of the stops, while his colleagues bring first-person stories that add detail. I would recommend it for students of the Holocaust -- and for those considering following his itinerary.

This moving and fascinating book describes the fourteen day journey of historian Sir Martin Gilbert and a group of his students of the holocaust , exploring sites associated with Jewish history both before and during the Second World War.

The group moves through France and Belgium and then on through Germany , onto Berlin , where at Wannsee plans where made , in 1942 , for the anihilation of Euope's 11 million Jews.
Moving south and then east the group moves on to the sites where the diabolical 'Final Solution' was actually put into practise - the death camps themselves - Auschwitz , Chelmno , Belzec , Majadanek , Sobibor and Teblinkla.

Gilbert fills this volume with both horrifying eyewitness accounts and details with his own phenomenal knowledge of Jewish and holocaust history , in this geographic pilgrimage and historical excavation.

We learn about the ancient and mediaeval roots of Jewish communities in Europe and about the rich Jewish life and culture that flourished in thousands of cities , towns and villages before the Nazi inferno destroyed European Jewry. Gilbert details the attacks on Jewish communities in Germany and elsewhere during the crusades and the pogroms , and blood libels through the ages. Gilbert details the specific horrors of the holocaust associated with each location.

We learn interesting and little known historical facts , such as that Spanish leader Francisco Franco protected the Jews , refusing Hitler's demmands to deport the Jews of Spain , who had been marked out for mass murder at the Wannsee conference , and how Franco also gave shelter to thousands of Jews from France who had managed to cross the Pyrenees.

We learn of the plans Stalin devised before his death to mass murder the Jews of Russia and deport the remainder to Siberia.

The horrors in the book which are recounted are inumerable and at times very graphic-sensitive readers should be careful. These are horrific and bloodchilling accounts of demonic inhumanity and cruelty , of unbelievable suffering.
We also read of heroism and survival against the odds.

It is difficult to believe that such a rich Jewish life existed in places where today there are no or very few Jews.
Holocaust survivor Rachael Fraenkel speaks of what for her was the most 'painful reminder' of the Holocaust "was an exhibition in the building in Prague. Burial Society of paintings by children in Terezin. In the majority of cases the only reminder of the child's life seems to be the paintings they had produced. The mixture of subjects from beautiful countryside scenes wretched and and tormented faces was painful to see. To see such horrific scenes from the minds of such young people , must surely reflect their mental anguish. All that went through my mind was "so young , so innocent , so dead."

The origins where in a village in Poland of the Israeli National Anthem-Hatikvah-The Hope.
Israel is the country that arose out of the ashes of the holocaust - the reborn life of the Jewish people.
The international fury against the collective Jewish presence in Israel certainly mirrors the rise of Nazism.
If we can learn anything from the holocaust it is to defend Israel and her people from the hatred that inievitably leads to mass murder.

Until reading this book, I really didn't understand the true scope of the Holocaust. As a kid, I learned about Anne Frank and the Jews who were required to wear yellow stars; later on, in high school, when we were deemed able to handle such things, we watched "Night and Fog" with its graphic images of those murdered by the Nazis. These experiences were all somewhat clinical, really. The true human cost of the Shoah takes a while for one to fathom.

Gilbert's book does that through his readings of eyewitness accounts, usually on the scenes of their occurrences, of the unspeakable horrors which the Nazis committed. (Readers who are easily shocked should be warned that many of the stories are indescribably gruesome and will haunt one's dreams, as they did mine.)

But apart from the toll in human flesh which the Shoah exacted, the spiritual cost becomes clear through this book. Gilbert, through his readings and observations, paints a portrait of a country which was literally raped of its vitality and life by the Nazis through the indiscriminate murder of Jews and Gentiles alike. Especially poignant are the descriptions of the pre-war Jewish neighborhoods, alive with activity, commerce, and religion, all completely decimated.

It's fashionable for one to claim they are against anti-Semitism and radical nationalism; it's a much more complicated affair for one to understand why these are bad things. This book goes a long way towards reaching that understanding.

I took this book with me on the same trip thoughout Eastern Europe in November. This was the second visit to Eastern Europe with American Jewish Congress. This is the book to read before the trip, and then to take with you when you visit these horrible places. Nothing can prepare one to see what was once full of Jewish life, and is now empty of Jewish life. However the personal comments and views of Martin Gilbert explain what was once full of a Jewish life, and is now no more.

This is a book that one must read to understand the Holocaust.

Although reading Martin Gilbert's book will do no harm if you are just beginning to study the Holocaust, it will certainly be more difficult to appreciate. What you are buying in this book is a detailed travel journal, not meat-and-potatoes Holocaust history. It is a rich vitamin supplement of insights and prepared readings delivered during a 1996 excursion which Gilbert and his students took to former sites of Jewish deportation, genocide, and Nazi occupation. Roughly outlined, the journey starts in London and passes through Brussels, Berlin, Theresienstadt, Prague, Auschwitz, Krakow, Belzec, Sobibor, Lublin, Majdanek, Treblinka, Warsaw, and Chelmno. The travel entries, while thoughtful and considered, do not lack spontaneity and can even be startlingly raw.

While this book has much to offer, how to most benefit from it is something of a conundrum. It is likely best to refer to "Holocaust Journey" after having read about or visited a particular site mentioned in the travelogue. Basic background and history should be gotten elsewhere, as what Gilbert largely documents here are impressions, feelings, and observations. Reading Gilbert prior to confronting these geographic locales ourselves, either in person or via the printed word, may well taint our own first impressions and rob us of a more pristine emotional state from which to experience our own responses. My now-dilapidated hardcover copy of "Holocaust Journey" traveled with me to the Jewish quarters of Warsaw, Lublin, and Krakow, and to the concentration camps and memorials of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Majdanek, and Treblinka in early 2002. When I read Gilbert's book prior to my arrival at a site, I found myself wanting to experience what Gilbert experienced, as impossible as that clearly is. Our responses to the Holocaust are as different as the individual stories which comprise it. On the other hand, having traveled alone much of the way, I found this book a comforting companion and empathetic sounding board after I had visited a site, sometimes even expressing my own feelings, thoughts, questions, or fears.

The readings and brief background notes which Gilbert supplies at each location are extremely well researched, relevant, and poignant. While there are too many to mention in a review, I will remark that those providing insight into the mind and heart of educator and orphanage director Janusz Korczack proved particularly moving. Rather than allow them to meet their fate alone, Korczack chose to be deported along with his orphans to the extermination camp at Treblinka. "Holocaust Journey" directed me to Korczack's memorial stone at Treblinka and the courtyard of the still-present orphanage in Warsaw. For me, a handful of words in Korzac's diary aptly captured the grotesquely distorted existence under Nazi rule. For Korzac daily life had become "a stock exchange quoting the weight of conscience."

No one knows it more than Isabel Campion that life is not very thrilling for a young girl living in London, England in 1592. Leaving her frustrations at home, she finally decides to make her own adventure, even though she knows it's risky. However, taking that risk just might be the beginning of the change of pace she was looking for. Her dreams just might be in reach.

The author did an excellent job of incorporating just enough facts about the time period, and about their daily lifestyle, that the entire story seemed very realistic.

I loved everything about the book and I would read it again in a heartbeat!

Isabel Taking Wing is really enjoyable because it is about
a girl in the 1700's. My opinion is that it's really good if you like historical fiction. It's really good to read from beginning to the end.

Isabel: Taking Wing is a VERY good book. It tells about her life as a twelve-year-old in England in 1592. She becomes friends with Meg, a servant girl. But when she an Meg go to a theater alone, they end up staying too long, and they steal a boat that almost sinks. When Isabel returns home very late, her strict aunt tells her father what she's done, and she's sent away to her Aunt de Vere's country estate. When she finally returns home, her father forgives her after she saves her baby sister from dying. The only bad part in this book is when Meg dies from the plauge. This is a fantastic book.

This book provides for the reader a very accurate and correct description of England in the year 1592 while still providing and interesting read for a variety of age groups. Let's look at this book from the point in which you might want to read it and the different points of view of different people.

If you wanted to read this book for information on the culture of England during the year 1592 there are several specific details which may be of special interest to you. First of all, the whole book, especially in the Then and Now part, have accurate descriptions of the clothing that was worn by women and girls in this time period. You learn about the different layers of their clothing and how clothes were used as a symbol of wealth and priveleage. You also learn of the accesorie called a pomander, which was important as it was supposed to ward off dieases such as plague. You also learn a bit about the hierarchy of birds and plays in that time. There are also hints about a women's place in society at the time.

If your purpose in reading this book was to learn about plauge, you also have several important details. In the book, especially at the end, you can find the symptoms of plauge. These may not be written out and palced in a list so to speak, but if you look for them and are good at inferencing, you will easily find them. Also, in the Then and now Section, you find about the attempts made my doctors in those times to ward of plauge. You also find out about how plauge spread, when it happened, and what families did if plauge hit them.

Of course, for many people, the reason they read this book was just to find an interesting book to read, and this book had details for them too. There are good descriptions in the book. Also, there are some parts in the story that are not necesseraly important to the overall plot, but form interesting, small sub-plots of their own, that make the book interesting and fun to read all around, although people who were reading this for specific information might have found those parts annoying. Many girls can connect to Isabel and her feelings, which are ones that we most likely have all experianced during our lives. Most of us can also probably imagine how it would be in this situation and if not you'd still might feel a bit saddened at first for Isabel.

This book is also very well written. The desciptions are very colorful and entertaing but they still give us insight on life in 1592 England. The parts that are funny, entertaining, and don't completely relate to the overall plot do not take over the book as in some other novels that I can metion but would prefer not to. The grammer is also very correct and the sentence starters vary, thus keeping the book from being dull.

In conclusion, this book is very informative, while still being interesting and entertaining. We can probably relate to it and it is extremely well written. I reccommend this to anyone of any age no matter what your reason for reading is.

The year is 1592, and twelve-year-old Isabel Campion is living under the strict rule of her Aunt Elinor in an upper-class neighborhood located in London. Isabel, unlike other 12-year-olds, wants nothing more than to escape the "conformist" society she is forced to grow up in. She doesn't want to spend her days cleaning stains out of shirts, or learning how to sew perfectly; but rather longs to explore the world, and become an actor like the boys she sees perform at the playhouse. Unfortunately, that's another thing Isabel is unable to do. Perform. For girls are not actors, and even the roles of females are played by males. When Isabel is sent to her Aunt de Vere's home, she becomes lost, and joins a group of boys who accept her as one of their own, and allow her to become an actor like them. But maybe acting isn't what Isabel was after all. Maybe there's nothing in the world that is perfect for her.

As a fan of the GIRLS OF MANY LANDS series, as well as sixteenth-century London, I found that ISABEL: TAKING WING was a perfect addition to the collection. Isabel is a spirited young girl, who is brave, and kindhearted, and will easily keep readers enthralled from the first page to the very last. Filled with many informational tidbits regarding sixteenth-century life, as well as information about London-born girls of today, Annie Dalton's effort will be cherished.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

I bought this book in a bookstore in Hollywood,(my friends said I was the only person they knew who could go to Hollywood and find a bookstore). "Land of The Firebird" is one of my all-time favorite books. Suzanne Massie, the wife of Russian historian Robert Massie, (Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandria), has a great love for Russia and its people and it glows from every page. As a historian, I hate to admit it but too many history textbooks can bore one to the point of tears. No one who reads this book can be bored. In its pages you meet characters from Russian fairy tales like Maryushka and the wicked sorcerer Kaschei the Immortal, Prince Vladimir of Kiev who became a Christian and changed the course of Rusian history forever, the tragic Ivan the Terrible, and the titanic Peter the Great who brought Russia kicking and screaming into the modern world.
But along with the history of the great rulers of Russia is the story of how they all added to the body of work that makes Russian art some of the most beautiful in the world. Russians loved to live on a grand scale, and their art was as lavish as the lives they led. Even the common people had a great love for vivid colors and rich peasants made their wooden homes into works of art. The book comes with beautiful illustrations and leaves the reader wishing for more. It is great as a textbook in art history and history classes or for anyone who wants or needs to know more about the Russians. My copy of the book is worn and falling apart. I am going to order a new copy from [...] so I can keep this treasure for years to come.

This is a very detailed book on Russian History by Suzanne Massie and I greatly admire it. It is certainly a must have for those who are interested in Kievan Rus, the Mongol Invasion, Ivan the Terrible, or any of the Russian composers like Glinka and Stravinsky and the Mighty Handful. Just don't expect any Soviet history. This is all about the times before the Revolution.

A+

I've had this book for years and it's one of my all time favorites- a must read, insightful. Beautiful- exquisite illustrations.

I first read this magnificent tome on Russian history and culture in 1997. As it was part of a history class in college, the first read was a bit of a drag...page after page of description concerning the minutia of Russian life: clothes, churches, meals, religious & superstitious rituals, architecture, commerce, political strife, and so on. Really, with the whirl of the Social Circus of that college year, trudging through all this obscure information brought me no end of grief and silent lamentation! To think of all that time I could have been out with friends looking to score whatever cheap release was on hand or burning inside...spent instead sludging through *detailed history*!

Cut to four years later...

I'm going to Russia. In two weeks. Like so many other unplanned affairs that seem to formulate out of nowhere and take one by the lapels, shoving one screaming into the storm of life, this reviewer took it in stride and decided to find some quick-but-informative text on the destination in mind--especially one with such contradictory reports as Mother Russia. Thus, I dug this out of my library and began anew, stifling a faint unpleasant feeling no doubt inspired by those long sleepless college nights. There had to be some merit here, yes?

Oh yes.

'Land of the Firebird' is a WONDERFUL and ENGAGING in-depth look of Russian history from 987-1917, spanning the ascension of Vlad and the Orthodox Church to right before the Revolution. With colorful prose Suzanne Massie details the variety of Russian existence--tsars and serfs and merchant-princes and babushkas--no stone is left uncovered as she cross-references nearly a thousands years, writing with equal consideration of art, poetry, country-life, court-life, politics and its myriad games, myths and legends, influence "outside the sphere." It would be impossible to truly set down the full range of Russia experience for this time in the 450 pages allotted the reader, but the author does an admirable job in covering the major shakers and movers and events while sparing a considerable amount of print for the minor peoples and patterns that set the foundation of this ancient, troubled country. It certainly put an interesting light on what I saw come the spring of '01.

Indispensable for the casual student of Russia.

A comprehensive pursuit of pre-Revolutionary Russian history, well crafted and beautifully written. In my view, this is one of two distinctly outstanding single-volume histories of early Russia available. The other is Orlando Figes' "Natasha's Dance". The first six chapters proceed up to the first Romanovs, granting Ivan the Terrible a captivating revealing that is clearly informed by good scholarship. Chapter 10, "Catherine: A Mind Infinitely More Masculine", delivers a riveting, provocative look at Catherine and her Russia, with probably the finest chapter in the book. The VERY best thing about Land of the Firebird is the profusion of illustrations, all meticulously chosen. Photographs are plentiful (including an amazing snow-covered Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour), but three ample sections of color plates pour out a stunning array of Russian paintings, which, if not unrivaled by other comparable single-volume efforts, is remarkable for an exquisite discretion. Land of the Firebird is a knowing work with respect to Russian art history. Here are Ryabushkin's "Russian Women of the Seventeenth Century in Church", Repin's "Ivan the Terrible at the Death of His Son", Serov ("Peter II and Princess Elizabeth Riding to Hounds"), Levitsky, Argunov, Kiprensky, Shibanov's "Celebration of a Marriage Agreement" (beautifully reproduced), Briullov, Venestianov, Chernetsov, and Sadovnikov (the darkly beautiful "View of the Winter Palace at Night"). Indeed, there are multiple paintings by Repin, F. de Haenen (five paintings c.1912, including the exuberant "Ice Slide"), Serov, Larionov, Malevich and Kustodiev (1916), including his bewitching "Moscow Tavern". The final plate is Serov's heartbreaking "Nicholas II". I mention these artists' names (and more are included) for those familiar with art history, to say to them this is a very worthwhile book. But the magic of pre-Revolutionary Russian art is unreservedly here for us all in a masterfully drawn Russian history primer. Useful bibliography in appendix. Absolutely recommended.

This book makes fascinating reading. It helped me to appreciate more the musicians I was already familiar with, such as Jack Teagarden, and opened my eyes to a lot of people I knew little or nothing about. Be sure to pick up the companion CD, too.

This is the finest book about jazz that I have ever read. I own many of the records that the author dissects, as well as having seen several of these great jazz artists perform, and I find his judgment perceptive and unerring. But this is far more than just a book about jazz music. What makes these musicians tick, how did they happen to assemble together for a recording session, how did the record business impact their selection of pieces to perform? The author draws on a variety of academic disciplinces, including art, psychology, economics, and social history, to put his subjects in perspective. Most important, he is a fine storyteller who empathizes with the people he writes about. While many reviews focus on his overall thesis about race in jazz, this is but one theme he articulates, and it serves more as an organizing structure for the book than as its sole message.

First of all, Dick Sudhalter is a gifted writer. He crafts his narratives like a well constructed solo or composition. Second, this book tells us about early white jazz musicians and correctly describes the interplay between vital African American innovations and the contributions of Caucasian jazzmen. Sudhalter in no way diminishes the seminal contributions of African American jazzmen. He simply talks about the contributions of other artists, and does a masterful job of helping us to see the interplay between musicians who have given us this wonderfully entertaining music. I thought I knew a fair amount about the history of jazz. After reading this book, I know more. Nothing is more American than Jazz music (just my opinion), and the more you understand it, the more you know about the USA in the 20's and 30's. I keep re-reading parts of this book because there's so much here.

While a brilliant documentary, Burns' "Jazz" also reinforced the notion that jazz is exclusively an African-American artform. Fortunately, "Lost Chords" does much to blow away that misperception. While never belittling or downplaying the role of those African-American giants in jazz, this book does an outstanding job of profiling all of the individuals and bands who received short shrift from Burns: Steve Brown, who pretty much invented jazz bass playing; the Jean Goldkette Orchestra; Miff Mole; Frank Trumbauer; and may more. And he does so in a way that is both interesting to the casual fan (with anecdotes and such) and the hardened muso (excerpts of scores abound). A scholarly tome, this is a worthy addition for any jazz fan's library. I look forward to Volume II.

Not a mere antidote to political correctness in jazz criticism; Lost Chords is a prewar cultural history, a lesson in music structure, a history of woodwind instruments, a guide to innovations in guitar tuning, AND MORE. It shows the musicians as human beings with all their failings, humor, drives, hard work, and talent. I especially loved the account of the bass sax --- an instrument that looks like it could double as a moonshine still --- and its usefulness in the early days of sound recording. Sudhalter admonishes us to listen to the music and to make up your own mind. Exactly right. A good place to start is Robert Parker's Bix Beiderbecke Great Original Performances 1924-1930 (available on Amazon) If you have ever heard an early 78 rpm record, you will be astonished at Parker's sound restoration.

Having served as a Lead B-17 Radar Navigator/Bombardier (Pathfinder) in the same outfit as Captain Alling, it brought back many memories of my tour in the 34th Bomb Group. I too served in the 4th Squadron on the Knockout Dropper, piloted by Jim Sain who was mentioned in this book. Many of the experiences of the author were similar to mine and I participated in several of the same missions. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in getting an exciting description of serving in a lead plane on many missions.

A matter of fact account of U.S. airraids over Germany in WWII. Not told with bravado or hyperbole, but just plain gripping accounts of hair-raising, almost suicidal bombing runs. You get a feel for conditions in the B-17, and the fear and trepidation the pilot (book's author) and his crew experienced, with the flight back to the States at the end of the European theatre one of the most nerve-wracking. I highly recommend this account, which is just one of several devoted to this part of the war.

Having been reading various WWII books this fall and winter, I rate this as one of the best. If you have any interest in what it was like to fight (and luckily survive) the US air war bombing offensive, grab this book today. You will not be disappointed.

A couple of days ago while I was in the middle of this book I mentioned I was reading it to a fellow across the table from me. He said: 'I flew in B-17's during the war.' He went on to say that he had been the radioman/dorsal gunner. I said something about the guys in this book flying 27 missions. He said that he had only flown seven.

I couldn't help but think that this was kind of puny compared to what these guys did. But then he went on.

On his seventh mission, somewhere over occupied France they were attacked and he was hit. Back in England he was hospitalized and told that it would be unlikely that he would ever walk again. He was still in the hospital when the plane went out on its 9th mission and didn't return.

I said that this sounded pretty rough.

'Everybody had it pretty rough in those days.'

This kind of 'aw shucks' attitude, from my lunch mate to the author of this book is why they are called 'The Greatest Generation.' Even though they would never admit it.

This is the story of one plane, one crew. It's told in a matter of fact way. Perhaps this is the only way that such a story can be told. Mr. Alling waited a lot of years to tell the story. Perhaps that too is the only way. Perhaps the time and the distance are necessary to get a realistic view. Thank you Mr. Alling for sharing the story.

Captain Chuck Alling masterfully recounts his experiences as pilot of the 34th Bomb Group's lead B17G bomber during the last two years of WW2. "A Mighty Fortress" should be required reading for every military officer and is a "must read" for anyone interested in the Mighty Eighth Army Air Force's operations against the Third Reich. As a retired officer and military historian myself, I believe "A Mighty Fortress" is most probably the most inspirational book about WW2 ever written.

This is a great book. The book is easy to read and has all the information on Monte from the day he was born all the way to his death. It tells us how Monte gave his life to the Armenian nation. After reading the book I sent a thank you later to his brother for writing the book. This is a must read for anybody who is intereted in Armenian Heroes.

The above title are three words that come to mind after reading My Brother's Road. Markar Melkonian puts a human face on an "American-Armenian" legend, noting not only his brother's amazing accomplishments, but also his failings. Never-the-less, this book confirmed the fact that Monte Melkonian deserves the title of a national hero. His selfless ways and unstoppable drive for a cause bigger than himself are deliniated in the context of historical events. In short, one cannot help but admire Monte Melkonian while reading this book.
I thank Makar Melkonian for producing this fitting text about his brother, a revered son of Armenia.

I really dont know what else to say. This book details his constant resolve to better the Armenian cause. Though it involves conflicts with other Armenians, his focus is for the Armenian nation (past, during the cold war, present, and future).
He literally gave his life for the Armenian people. Though drawn into political conflicts, he was clearly an apolitical nationalist, and a true hero. May God bless his memory, and his brother, who wrote this book.
I thank Monte and Markar for teaching me so much about Armenian history. Like you, Monte, I am reborn and my spirit will rise up like a phoenix. I am more an Armenian, having learned of your life. You gave yourself for (our) my future, and I will always honor you for it.

In reading My Brother's Road, one can't help being made aware of the inevitable reciprocity of history. Monte, and others like him, were modern-day Maccabees, that cultural paradox of virtue and brutality, ideological fervor and compassion. To his added credit, Markar does not shy away from discussing the hard realities of the NKR conflict. In the end, that kind of honesty is the least his brother would have required.

Every Armenian and non-Armenian alike should pick up this book and read it.

This is one of the best books on Country French that I've found. The illustrations are wonderful, whether you prefer the older designs or are looking for something with a more modern feel. I loved just looking at the pictures and getting a feel for the colors and styles. This is a book I'll return to again and again to get the feel of the French countryside.

Wonderful book on French Country Style. This book is packed with lots of vivid photos but what sets this book apart from all the other styling books is the wealth of information that the author shares with the reader. It is truly a must for any Provencal styling fan.

Really a wonderful book - both beautiful to look at and informative. Very interesting reading, as well as artistically lovely with wonderful, colorful photography. I am not a decorator or designer by trade, but go to this type of book for creative inspiration, and this one was a winner.

The book was very informative. It gave me many ideas on how to include my furnishings with a French feel.

I can see this book is going to sit on the top of the coffee table book pile for a long time to come. Aside from the fabulous photos of French Provincial homes, Dannenberg delicately picks apart the details that make a typical Provincial home and garden. It does the job so much better than we sitting in another continent can grasp from a few photos in a book. It teaches us how to copy this style and really appreciate the quality of each piece of furniture, artwork or chattel we acquire for own little pretend patch of France.
I love this book!

The book is enlightening concerning some aspects of the culture.

Prof. Ginzburg outlines in detail the information we have concerning the transformation from ancient agrarian cult to the witchcraft scare. This is not your mother's Margeret Murrey, this is done right.

Whether or not Carlo Ginzburg actually discovered evidence of shamanism in sixteenth-century Italy, in this or later books, is in part a matter of how one defines shamanism. What he undeniably found, in the seemingly unpromising records of the Inquisition, was evidence of beliefs so remote from those of official European culture as to be flatly unintelligible to the churchmen who first encountered them. Eventually, the Church courts managed to impose something resembling officially acceptable doctrines on the local population, but the process took generations, as Ginzburg is able to show from trial records.

Briefly, Ginzburg found that, in the Friuli district, there was a widespread belief that certain men and women were marked at birth as defenders against witches and demons, these being regarded mainly as the enemies of the people, their livestock, and their crops. The chosen defenders, the "Benandanti," or "good walkers," ventured forth in their dreams to do battle with the forces of evil. Those born with the mark of the Benandanti regarded themselves as good Christians, the allies of the Church. To those outside the local culture, this position was clearly nonsense; unauthorized and unsanctified supernatural power could only be Satanic in origin, and those who claimed to exercise it were, at best, dangerously deluded. In the end, if the court records are to be trusted, they persuaded even the Benandanti themselves that this was the case. At least, the "absurd" and "outrageous" testimony of self-described Benandanti fades from the records, to be replaced with conventional witch-beliefs endorsed by the Holy Office.

The official tendency, Catholic and Protestant, to lump local witch-doctors together with the witches they claimed to counter had long been recognized by historians. Ginzburg, however, discovered, and offered to surprised historians (in the original Italian edition of 1966), a stratum of belief that, when first recorded, seems to have been entirely outside the mainstream of medieval European culture. There is scattered evidence for similar concepts in other parts of Europe, and abundant evidence from other continents, but the connections and age of the beliefs in and about the Benandanti remain subjects for controversy. The demonstration that diverse local beliefs had been rendered uniform by the judicial process, and by intensive indoctrination of the "lower classes," however, remains a landmark.

As described in the "Preface to the English Edition," the Italian version rather quickly received favorable -- and some unfavorable or uncomprehending -- notice from historians of European witchcraft. It was interpreted, or perhaps misunderstoond, by Mircea Eliade, the influential figure in "History of Religions" at the University of Chicago, one of the great authorities on shamanism (and much else). Although sections had been published in English earlier, the whole book became available in English in 1983, in the present translation, from Routledge & Kegan Paul in Britain, and Johns Hopkins University Press in the U.S. I first read it a few years later, and eventually acquired a copy of a Penguin Books re-issue of 1986. (All the English-language editions seem to differ only in cover art, besides the name of the publisher.) I have re-read it from time to time over the years. Although historical views of European witch-beliefs and popular culture have both been in flux, this book remains among the most fascinating in its crowded field.

This is by far my favorite historical account of a witch hunt. The book looks at a northern Italian area called Friulian and the fertility rituals people performed in the 1600s and 1700s. The benandanti, marked at birth by the sign of the caul, served Christ and their community by leaving their bodies at night to fight evil witches that had attempted to destroy or steal their harvest. The Catholic Church believed the benandanti were witches and conducted inquisitions and trials. If you've ever been fascinated by the witch trials and don't know where to begin, I suggest this book as a fun yet informative read.

In his book, The Night Battles, Carlo Ginzburg addresses the historical problem of why, during sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, did the Friulian fertility rituals of the benandanti, or "good-walkers", gradually assimilate into witchcraft. The benandanti, marked at birth by the sign of the caul, served Christ and their community by leaving their bodies at night to fight evil witches that had attempted to destroy or steal their harvest. Because of the ignorance of the Friuli language and benandanti rituals, the Church conducted incessant inquisitions and trials against the self-proclaimed benandanti, which in effect, pushed the benandanti toward witchcraft and participation in the sabbat.

In support of this argument, Ginzburg employs inquisitorial records that reveal an unmistakable gap between the beliefs and mentalities of the benandanti with those of the inquisitors. Brian P. Levak's review, published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary History, notes the significance of Ginzburg's exploration of the mentalities and culture of the Friuli. Levak writes, "The Night Battles is a milestone in the history of popular culture, for it was one of the first studies to use judicial records to gain direct access to popular beliefs." In addition, by skillfully using his primary source material, Ginzburg is able to discern between the "genuinely expressed popular ideas and those that reflect the more learned notions of [the] interrogators, especially when the accused was faced with either the threat or the reality of torture." To Ginzburg's credit, he allows the strength of the inquisitorial records to stand alone in support of his thesis and in exposing the popular culture of the Friuli. Furthermore, Ginzburg's use of comparative methodology demonstrates, not only the evolution of the benandanti fertility rituals under inquisitorial pressure, but also the vast cultural and spiritual gap between the Church and the peasantry.

While Ginzburg's work is an example of ground-breaking historical writing, there are several critiques that can be made of The Night Battles. First, Ginzburg's book makes way for more questions regarding the experiences and participation of the benandanti in the fertility rituals. For example, Ginzburg admittedly does not address why the benandanti, spread out over a vast region, testify to similar experiences and physical participation in their night gatherings. How is it that these people all testified to a common experience during the inquisitions? Ginzburg would be well-served to investigate the parallels in testimonies, if only to further personify the popular culture and mentalities of the Fruili. Secondly, as Alby Stone noted in her Folklore review, "the book would be improved by making the index more comprehensive and, alas, there is no bibliography." The Table of Contents page is too simplistic, almost juvenile, and does not reflect Ginzburg's reputation as a consummate and seasoned historian. Ginzburg does offer a comprehensive appendix and notes section. However, he fails to include a bibliography - a necessity with historical writing. While the Contents and the Bibliography do not impact the overall significance of his work, these are areas that should be improved.

When I picked this book up from the library I was not sure it would be one that I would enjoy,but I was surprised how into the story I got and could not put it down! I am not going to tell all the details of the book but I will just say that if you want a book that will not only capture you mind but your heart as well than you will enjoy this book and even be sad when it ends cause you just want to keep reading!

Maurine F. Dahlberg.... wow can you ever write. This is one of my very favorite books of all time and I swear that I have read WAY to many books. Right now I am doing an Independant Novel studu on it and have to do a bibliography on you. I can't seem to find information but kids and/or Adults if you ever need a good book to read, I suggest you pick up a Play to the Angel and dig in!

" Austria 1938. War is coming. But Greta only cares about her music." What if suddenly you were practicing in your piano professor's apartment. When a loud banging comes from the door. You open it to see starched uniforms, shiny boots, pistols, swastikas, and lightning bolts. The Nazis are at the door.
This was just one of the many scenes from Pay to the Angel. Where words of cheerfulness and depression burn a seeping image in your mind. This author really sets the scene. Maurine Dahlberg wrote the magnificent and extraordinary novel.
Greta Radky loves to play the piano. But her mother does not want her to play. She threatens to sell the piano. But luckily, a piano teacher moved into the apartment not far away. Se learns how to play the piano from a Herr Hummel. But while at a party with her friends Mutti (the mother) finds out! But in a last desperate attempt by Herr Hummel and Greta, she decides... to keep the piano. So Greta plays better and better and eventually she is invited, by Herr Hummel, to a Recital at a huge musical academy, in front of a large audience! She had never done this before. And more than anything she wants Mutti to come. But at the end of the recital she is not there. When she leaves the academy, she why Mutti had not come. The Nazis had taken over Austria! But that's all I'm going to tell (I hate Spoilers).
One day, Greta was practicing on Herr Hummel's piano Sunday morning. Herr Hummel was never at his apartment room come Sunday morning. So he had given Greta a spare key to the room. Then a knocking came from the door. Too loud to be Mutti, Herr Hummel, or any of the neighbors. She opened the door, and the hall was filled with Nazis. Then they swarmed the room, tearing it apart, looking for signs of the unidentified Herr Hummel.
The theme to the book is that things aren't what they seem. Like cold- hearted Mutti, turns out to be, happy, loving, caring Mutti. And like Herr Hummel's identity. And how no one seemed to think that the Nazis would invade Austria.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books with mystifying people. And anyone who loves to read about history. This is a very creative story. If you wish to find out about Herr Hummel's secret past, Mutti's true feelings, and the story of Greta Radky, you will have to read Play to the Angel.

When I started to read this book, I was captivated. It is interesting and provides a good insight to musical life to someone who is musically challenged. I thought Herr Hummel, or Karl Von Engelhart, was very well-done and interesting. When I finished this book I suddenly wanted to go to Austria and see what it was like. The only thing I didn't like was it ended on a cliff-hanger, and I really tortured myself thinking about if Greta ever saw Lore or Erika or Karl von Engelhart (Herr Hummel) again.

One thing I disagree with in the review above: they say that Doris Ogel's The Devil in Vienna is better than Play to the Angel. It is not! I read about half of TDIV and I was totally bored and disinterested, although I finished it. It was shallow and the emotions of Inge were very undeveloped. Though I'm getting off the subject. Read Play to the Angel and you won't be disappointed!

Greta was a piano player in Vienna, Austria in 1938. Her brother Kurt died about a year before and her mother is starting to get insane migraines. But those wont stop Greta from dreaming of becoming a famous pianist. She is different from all the girls in school. And now that her best friend Erica has moved to America, she truly feels alone sometimes. Even her neighbor Frau Vogel can't help her that is until she tells Greta about a piano teacher that lives in the apartment next door. She goes to the apartment one day but no one is there. She walks in to find a beautiful grand piano. She takes out some music and begins to play when Herr Hummel startles her. They eat and start to talk. By the time Greta leaves she has agreed to take piano lessons from him for free. She keeps this a secret from her mother for a while but when Herr Hummel brings up that he wants Greta to play at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts. Greta begins to practice music from Scarlatti and Mendelssohn for her recital. Finally the day of her performance comes. Her and her mother had gotten in a fight earlier that day but Greta had hoped that she could still make it. To her surprise her mother didn't arrive. When the recital was over Greta and Herr Hummel were rushed back to Herr Hummel's apartment where they found Frau Vogel and Greta's mother with an injured ankle. Apparently the Nazi's had invaded Austria and while Greta's mother was running out of the shop where she works she sprained her ankle. Soon one of Herr Hummel's old students Rudolf Beck, who Greta and Herr Hummel had seen while they were in the city, has sent the SS for Herr Hummel. Greta is in Herr Hummel's apartment when the SS came in tearing the place up looking for things. That is when she finds out that Herr Hummel is actually famous pianist Karl von Englehart, and that he is wanted for helping Jews escape the Nazi's. When the SS men leave Greta remembers the money and passports in Herr Hummel's desk and takes them across town to the Academy where he is with one of the directors. He tells Greta that he is going to Prague and that he will contact her when he is safe. Later Greta receives a letter from him saying that he is on his way to America. Greta and her mother escape the Nazi's by going to live with family in Switzerland. This book is good for students who like to learn about the affects of WW2 and who study music. This book shows students that no matter what they can always make their dreams come true.

In the beginning of the book Greta has suffered a great lose in her life, her brother Kurt, who also played piano, died and her mother is becoming very irritable. Her mother used to always have fun with them and enjoy listening to Kurt play the piano but now every time Greta touches it she says she has a headache and wants to rest. Also her mother almost sold the piano and Greta began to greatly doubt she could ever become a concert pianist.

Greta also doesn't fit in with many girls in her school. For one of her papers she has to write about the best day of her life and she writes about one where she spends it alone playing the piano but her fear of being made fun of lowers her self esteem and makes her nervous about her upcoming recital.

After her recital Greta realizes that many people believe in her and that she can accomplish anything she wants to. Her mother risked dying to see her play at the Academy and Herr Hummel risked being captured by the Nazi's to help her succeed with her playing. And she even makes a new friend, Lore, who likes her for who she is and what she does. Greta realizes she has nothing to be shy about and that her brother would be proud that she is accomplishing what he couldn't.

This book can truly teach students many things about the world around them and themselves. I recommend this book to students of all ages that would like to learn more about the piano or more about the affects of war on people.


T.Shene

I have been to Paris many times so I have seen the major sights and want to some lesser sights for my next trip. This book recommends many of these type of sights with good descriptions. I will take and use the guide on my next trip

This book is wonderful. Not only can one locate unusual spots to explore and soak up atmosphere; it is a treasure trove of historical and cultural minutia which add greatly to your enjoyment of these out-of-the-way finds. This is like having a Parisian friend who loves history and an entire library of reference books rolled into one. Kudos!

A charming book that will lead you to places known to seasoned and local Parisians. Not the run of the mill tourist spots. You will become part of "secret Paris".

A friend gave us this book before we left for a month's visit to Paris. We had been there, done that three times before, so we welcomed a guide to the kinds of places we had overlooked on previous visits. This book accomplished that. We visited more than half of the places and enjoyed almost all of them immensely.

I bought this book based on previous reviews. It is a wonderful little book with lovely photographs. I plan to use it to plan my next trip to Paris. The fact that all of the places mentioned are free to the public , is an added plus for travelers.