Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Budapest    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. Exiles    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Hungary    9. Jews    10. Jews, Hungarian    11. Modern - 20th Century    12. United States    13. History / General   

Reviews (3)

A remarkable and exceptional book
When I read Charles Gati's prize winning "Hungary and the Soviet Bloc," I then thought that he had written the last and best word on our understanding of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 during the Cold War. Then, unexpectedly, several years later the Berlin Wall came down, Hungary and the USSR's East European satellites regained independence, and heretofore closed Cold War archives began to open. From archives in Budapest and Moscow as well as from dozens of interviews with participants of '56 both East and West, Professor Gati has written a classic of Cold War history and analysis which arguably will become the definitive account of the multi-sided, tragic events of 1956 in Hungary. No stone has been left unturned -- the author has read the minutes of the Politburo meetings in the Soviet Union and Hungary, as well as the interrogation and trial transcripts from the last days before his execution of Imre Nagy, former Prime Minister of Hungary. This fluently written, masterfully organized, and exeptionally well integrated small volume deserves to sit on the Cold War history shelf along with Allison's "Essence of Decision," the study of another major event of the era, the Cuban Missile Crisis.
A HumanJourney
Take the experts' word that this study is a reliable, extensive, and insightful account of the 1956 Hungarian Revolt. What strikes me is the personal element. We go from the recollections of a young, unsophisticated journalist of 22, caught in the tide of momentous events he does not understand, to the retrospection of a highly sophisticated scholar revisiting those events and doing his very best to look behind history's curtain to resolve their meaning. It is a gripping, honest, and personal account, rendered with the binocularity of five decades of study. A century from now, this will still be the book to read, not just for the facts but also for the feel of one of the 20th century's signal struggles.

First rate history
Gati's definitive account of the Hungarian revolution and the American role in it reads like a LeCarre novel with documentation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Europe - Austria & Hungary    3. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    4. Foreign relations    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Hungary    9. Revolution, 1956    10. Revolutionary    11. Soviet Union    12. United States    13. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    14. Revolutions & coups    15. c 1945 to c 1960   

Reviews (26)

Answers the What Happened, But WHY?
The whole idea of the Holocaust is so abhorrent to many of us that we find it difficult to understand or believe as many otherwise 'normal' people participated either directly or indirectly. In France, in most of the occupied countries, and of course in Germany itself Jews were regularly turned over to the authorities. (Although I must add that in Denmark, Italy and Hungary the Governments at least resisted with more or less success.) So many people find it so unbelievable that they simply have re-written history to pretend that it really didn't happen.
Well written but with the unforgivable bias
This book is well written and starts with an excellent review of the context of Polish history after the World War 2 (Chapter 1). Unfortunately, following chapters go downhill from there, to end up with the incredibly biased conclusion. Shattering, factual crime descriptions (such as the description of the Kielce pogrom) are getting more and more intertwined with the one sided anecdotal evidence, author's opinions, as well as clear omissions of important facts, not to mention some clearly misleading and untruthful statements.
Another Case Study In Polish Savagery!
In pondering this disturbing and provocative tome by Jan T. Gross, one is reminded not only of his previous shocking entry, "Neighbors" (see my review) but also of the increasing evidence of a shockingly resurgent and quite virulent anti- Semitism across Europe as well as throughout the Middle East. With horrific detail, Mr. Gross describes the almost indescribable violence and murder systematically visited against returning Jews to Poland in the aftermath of the Second World War. This current work indicates just how typical the previous study ("Neighbors") he had conducted concerning the events in one particular rural town (Jedwabne) had been. In that account he detailed how the local inhabitantsintentionally clubbed, murdered, and mutilated its local indigenous Jews in 1941 under the urgent ministrations of a cruel Nazi occupation. Since many stood to gain materially from the Jews' demise in the way of money, farms, houses, furniture, and other earthly possessions, they were seemingly encouraged by local German occupying forces to engage in the bludgeoning murders of as many as 1,000 of their Jewish fellow villagers; men, women, and children.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Antisemitism    3. Discrimination & Racism    4. Eastern Europe - General    5. Eastern Europe - Poland    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Jewish - General    10. Jews    11. Kielce    12. Persecutions    13. Pogroms    14. Poland    15. Poland - History    16. History / Europe / Eastern   

Editorial Review

They travel endlessly and seem to appear almost everywhere, yet they are the world's most mysterious people: Gypsies. Isabel Fonseca has done the impossible, entering into their world, living and traveling with Gypsies during several long trips to Eastern Europe, and she has brought back an insightful, highly personal, and very readable account of who the Gypsies are and how they live.The Gypsies have a legendary aversion to "gadje," or outsiders, but Fonseca has lifted the curtain and written gracefully about their lives on the edge of society. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Well Research and Developed, If Now a Bit Dated
Gypsies,(from Egyptians) or the more politically correct ROM or Roma or Romani have been around in Europe especially, have been the rug that you wipe you feet on before going into "Civilized" Eastern Europe. More than any group, except for the American Indians or Indigineous Peoples of Central and South America, the Rom have been looked at as being below contempt.They are the epitome of dirt, thievery, illiteracy, uncontrolled procreation and uselessness.
Unconventionally wonderful.
Bury Me Standing is not a book for those who want a story about traditional, nomadic gypsies. Instead, it is a book for those who want to be inspired by the perserverance of a beautifully stubborn people. The author travels through several Eastern European countries, during which time she has heartfelt encounters with Gypsies in various living situations. She discovers that although these particular Gypsy groups are seditary, often accultuared and often unaware of the greater Gypsy populations in the world, they retain the values that make them Gypsy.

Gadjo dillo
Bury me Standing is one of my favourite books and the one that put me on to reading non-fiction. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't feel that Fonseca was experiencing a case of gypsy-philia, nor was I led to despise Romanians or other non-gypsies. I found this to be an absorbing, intriguing and un-put-downable personal study of both the gypsies and the countries of Eastern Europe. In my ignorance, I was astounded to hear of the grinding poverty of some of these countries and it has engendered in me an on-going interest in Eastern Europe.
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Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Gypsies    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. History / Europe / Eastern   

Editorial Review

In Read more

Reviews (8)

Poetic scholarship!
Anybody wanting to gain a deeper knowledge of the Czech people, Czech culture, and Czech spirit should read Derek Sayer's 'The Coasts of Bohemia.'Anybody wanting to dive into the sticky mess of Central European history would also do well to read this book.And those unbelievers who think that a scholarly work must be by its very nature dry and dense, MUST read this book.
The Coasts of Bohemia -- a truly beautiful voyage of discovery
Derek Sayer's book is exceptional well written and informative, indeed the text is positively lyrical at times. The aim is to provide an understanding of a "people of whom we know nothing" in Central Europe, and Sayer does a masterful task in shaping and clarifying Czech national identity and national culture.
Where is My Home?
Sayer takes an original, creative approach in writing the history of Czech culture.Sayer's book is predicated on the notion that the nation is an imagined community, constantly being re-invented and examines what Czechs have long remembered and forgotten about themselves and their little nation.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Central Europe - History    3. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    4. Eastern Europe - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Comparative Literature    9. Cultural studies    10. Czech Republic    11. European History    12. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    13. Germany    14. History / Europe / Eastern    15. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    16. Political Science and International Relations    17. Sociology   

Editorial Review

If someone less distinguished than Jesus College, Oxford, fellow Niall Ferguson had written Read more

Reviews (50)

Brilliant and disturbing
For the sheer audacity and brilliance of his principle thesis, this volume has a place in historical studies.Unlike most other historians, who use the myriad 'facts' about the war to support a simplistic theory of 'good' vs 'evil'[just as the average Joe is into moral absolutes] --- the conclusion of Ferguson's breathtaking analysis can hardly be argued with: that the failure of England, France & the US to realize that the relatively new nation of Germany would be, at steady state, the dominant power on the continent --- and thus, what we call WWI AND WWII could have been averted.Of course, today's 'balance-of-power in the status quo' advocates will not learn much, if anything, from this brilliant book.The anointed moral superior (eg the US) is entitled to dominate.The truth: the US nor any other country is a morally superior agent.

A different look at WWI
Niall Ferguson is known to stir the pot on touchy subjects and Pity of War does not disappoint.Filled with statistics and theories, Ferguson gives us his view of why the Allies won and Germany lost.This question has produced heated debates ranging from ludicrous (John Mosier and Fritz Fischer) to well thought out and researched (Hew Strachan and John Keegan).Ferguson falls somewhere in the middle by providing some good arguments such as Britain failed to provide the pivotal advantage needed to end the war despite their superior economy because the workforce was sent to fight.Another point made is why Germany failed to win despite having a vastly superior army.Ferguson believes the failure to pursue their political goals via force of the military removed any clear objective to obtain and relegated the war to senseless violence. Due to the lack of objectives, the war was extended needlessly and subsequently lowered the morale of the soldiers as was seen on both sides in the later years.
Interesting Arguments Well Presented
Niall Ferguson is a pretty amazing writer, a great researcher, and an interesting thinker. I'm not going to try to argue whether or not the case he represents is right or wrong. I suspect it's as much right as wrong. The interesting part is how well he presents a different way of thinking about what happened to the British Empire, and by pretty immediate extension, the world at the start of the 20th century. The book can get overwhelming in the economic details and occasionally the writers quoted, at length, are a bit dull, especially when compared to Mr. Ferguson. However, the read is engaging and informative and it will honestly leave you thinking anew about the causes and results of the Great War. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. Great Britain    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: World    7. Military - World War I    8. World War, 1914-1918   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (3)

Highly recommended
Professor Inalcik is one of the best in documenting the long history of the Ottoman Empire. To many readers, this book might look boring and excessively academic. But to other readers, especially those who are interested in taking a deep look into the history of the Middle East in general and the Ottoman Empire in particular, this is one of the must-read books.
Historians take note...
...this is how a text should read. Inalcik is not only thorough in his presentation of Ottoman history, but he includes cause and effect as well as the synthesis of events, something that Stanford J. Shaw's text on the Ottoman Empire seemed to be bereft of. Highly recommended.

Phoenix: The Ottoman Empire: A classical Book
Prof. Inalcik truly earns the reputation as one of the world's leading historians on the Ottoman Empire. The book explains the history, administration and social life of the Ottoman Empire during this time masterfully in seperate sections. An appendix of terms in Turkish and Ottoman is provided at the back for quick explanations, since the historical matter is rather heavy for a lay person.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1288-1453    2. 1453-1683    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Middle East - Turkey    8. Turkey    9. ASIA    10. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    11. History / Europe / Eastern    12. History / Middle East    13. Ottoman Empire    14. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes    15. TURKEY_HISTORY    16. c 1500 to c 1600   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights   

Reviews (39)

A Treasure for Avaition and History Buffs. A Great as well as an Emotional Read!!
Thank you Lynn Olson and Stanley Cloud for a clearly written and insightful book about the "Forgotten Heroes of WWII." The fearless and talented Polish pilots of the 303rd, that downed more German aircraft then any other squadron during the Battle of Britain, was wonderfully researched and truthfully told.
A very big question
This book raises some very difficult questions about the true commitment and loyalty of the Allies, especially The USA and England, toward the people of Poland. It is a very interesting and informative story and carries with it some disappointing truths about the BIG 3. A must read for anyone not clear on why World War II begun in Europe and how it turned out so dishonorably.

Great read on little known chapter in the Battle of Britain
This is a wonderful book giving an account of the unsung heroes of the Battle of Britain...Polish pilots who had fled their native country when occupied by Nazi Germany and went to England to continue the fight.The story is written in a narrative style that features great insight on both the personalities and battles of these brave men.The book includes footnotes and useful tables, photos and charts including aerial victories/losses.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Aerial operations, Polish    3. Air And Space Forces    4. Air pilots, Military    5. Eastern Europe - Poland    6. Great Britain    7. History    8. History - Military / War    9. History: World    10. Military - Aviation    11. Military - World War II    12. Military History - World War II    13. Poland    14. Regimental histories    15. World War, 1939-1945    16. History / Europe / Eastern   

Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Politics and government    7. Revolution, 1989    8. Revolutionary    9. Romania    10. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -   

Editorial Review

"Little did the coauthors realize at the time they embarked upon this project over a glass of plum brandy in Bucharest more than twenty-five years ago, that their work would result in the discovery of the authentic, bloodthirsty prototype for Bram Stoker's famous novel Read more

Reviews (19)

The "real" dracula
If given the choice I would prefer to split this book down the middle, the first half being given fours stars and the second 1. I would have to say that the title of the books says this is a history of vampires as well as dracula. I think this is incorrect; there is one chapter on vampiric folklore which to be blunt is very vague and doesn't really tell you anything.
AN ESSENCIAL GUIDE OF VAMPIRES
I THINK THIS BOOK IS VERY NECCESSARY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW EVERY THING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF DRACULA AND VAMPIRES, AS TO KNOW THE TRADICIONAL FOLK OF THE PEOPLE FROM ROMANIA.
interesting read
i enjoyed this book very much. it was an insightful read into the actual history of vlad the impaler and the legend of dracula. if you like history and vampires, then this is the book for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1430 or 31-1476 or 7    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Dracula, Count (Fictitious cha    5. Dracula, Count (Fictitious character)    6. Eastern Europe - General    7. Historical - General    8. History    9. History: World    10. III,    11. Occult Sciences    12. Occultism    13. Prince of Wallachia,    14. Romania    15. Vampires    16. Vlad    17. Eastern Europe    18. History / Europe / Eastern    19. Occultism & quasi-religious beliefs   

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. Historical - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Medieval    8. History / Europe / Eastern   

Reviews (15)

Under A Cruel Star & Reflections of Prague
My mother's book, in print since 1973 under various titles, the last being 'Under A Cruel Star', inspired me to write my own side of the story about my lost father, JUDr Rudolf Margolius. Now published and called 'Reflections of Prague: Journeys through the 20th century' it fills gaps in my mother's book provided by further research and historical information, some of which was not available to her and which many readers of her book had asked us for over the years. Hopefully this companion volume provides answers to these questions. I hope you find this book interesting and would welcome your feedback.

A mother's undying love for her son; a son's undying love for his mother...
When I finished reading Heda Margolius Kovaly's stunning chronicle of continuous struggle, concentration camp survival, and eventual triumph, I had to stare out my window onto the street below for a long while, watching the people.
extraordinary memoir in several languages
I am the English-language publisher of Ms. Kovaly's extraordinary memoir, that is now being read in major universities around the world for an eyewitness view of twentieth century totalitarianism --in this case Nazism and Stalinism -- in Central Europe. This translation has been the basis for the UK, French, German, Dutch and Japanese editions of this book. There are very few books in any language by or about Czech Jewish women. Another excellent one is my wife Helen Epstein's journalistic memoir of her maternal line of Bohemian Jews titled Where She Came From: A Daughter's Search for her Mother's History, which covers the years 1800-1948 in the Czech lands. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1938-1945    2. 1945-1992    3. Czechoslovakia    4. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    5. Eastern Europe - General    6. Eastern Europe - History    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Kovaly, Heda    11. Kovâaly, Heda    12. Biography: historical    13. Eastern Europe    14. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    15. Kovály, Heda   

Reviews (3)

Better than your average survey history of a country
This is a surprisingly fine book.It is lively and concise. It is efficient, covering all major episodes of Hungarian history from the beginnings to about 1995.It never lingers or goes into excessive detail. The author's opinions are balanced. The translation (from French to English) is really excellently done.There could be more illustrations, but those that are included are good. The rather dull cover leads one to expect a rather dull book, but in fact it is a very satisfying one and easy to digest.

History of a Proud and Unique People
This is an outstanding history of a country and people that deserve to be better understood and appreciated. The Hungarians are not a Slavic, Germanic, or a Latin peoples; their language and heritage are alien to that of their neighbors. In many ways, both historically and culturally, Hungary has been at the crossroads of the events and movements that have shaped the history of Europe. Yet Hungary has also been a forceful shaper and mover itself, its modest current size belying the fact that it was once a potential superpower on the Danube. The history by Miklos Molnar is excellent in every respect and highly recommended.

Hungarian History
This is a complete and comprehensive history of the Hungarian land, people, society, culture and economy from its nebulous origins in the Ural mountains of Russia to the elections of 1988. It was written by a Hungarian born, Latin educated, French speaking, Nazi persecuted Swiss historian. The book tells the story of a once upon a time great nation that went into decline following Ottoman, Austrian and Soviet occupations at the same time preserving its unique language and European culture. The author links Hungary's political decline to its social, economic and cultural deficiencies. The country was under Hapsburg domination for four centuries and achieved its independence only after World War I, after having lost two thirds of its territory and half of its population. Now free of Soviet domination since 1990, Hungary seeks its place in the European Union of nations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Eastern Europe - History    3. Europe - Austria & Hungary    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Hungary    8. European history: c 1500 to c 1750    9. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    10. European history: c 500 to c 1500    11. European history: from c 1900 -    12. History / Europe / General    13. Hungary--History    14. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    15. c 1000 CE to c 1500    16. c 500 CE to c 1000 CE   

Reviews (12)

The ABC's of Revolution
The life of Leon Trotsky is intimately entwined with the rise and decline of the Russian Revolution in the first part of the 20th century. As a young man, like an extraordinary number of talented Russian youth he entered the revolutionary struggle against Czarism in the late 1890's. Shortly thereafter he embraced what became a lifelong devotion to a Marxist political perspective. However, except for the period of the 1905 Revolution when Trotsky was chairman of the Petrograd Soviet and later in 1912 when he tried to unite all the Russian Social Democratic forces in an ill-fated unity conference, which goes down in history as the `August Bloc', he was essentially a free lancer in the international socialist movement. At that time Trotsky saw the Bolsheviks as `sectarians' as it was not clear to him that for socialist revolution to be successful the reformist and revolutionary wings of the movement had to be split. With the coming of World War I Trotsky drew closer to Bolshevik positions but did not actually join the party until the summer of 1917 when he entered the Central Committee after the fusion of his organization, the Inter-District Organization, and the Bolsheviks. This represented an important and decisive switch in his understanding of the necessity of a revolutionary party.
One of the best books ever written about revolution
In spite of its length, I've read this book several times. It isn't just a widely acclaimed historic and literary masterpiece, written by a leading participant in the events he describes. It isn't just vividly written and thoroughly researched.
How to overthrow the profit system
This is one of the most exciting books I've ever read.It tells the amazing story of the Russian revolution of 1917, from the overthrow of the Czar to the Bolshevik Revolution of October.What makes it an incredible read is that the author, Leon Trotsky, was at the middle of it all, as one of the central planners of the insurrection that took power. Trotsky was a great revolutionary and great writer. But one thing I especially like about the book is that Trotsky uses excerpts from many other accounts, including those who hated him with a passion, to tell the story accurately.It is an inspiring story, especially for new generations of young people, workers and farmers who need to learn about an example showing that the dog-eat-dog system of capitalism we live in can be overthrown.For the definitive account of how this great revolution was later derailed, see Trotsky's Revolution Betrayed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Revolution, 1917-1921    7. Soviet Union    8. European history: from c 1900 -    9. First World War, 1914-1918    10. Marxism & Communism    11. Revolutions & coups    12. Russia   

Reviews (28)

A FIVE STAR INTRO TO BYZANTIUM
This book is for anyone interested in history, especially ancient one. It is NOT for people who have NO interest in history at all, or (at the other end of the spectrum) people with a deep knowledge of Byzantine History (most of which have at least heard of Norwich and know they won't find anything new here).
An excellent survey-
For years I have wanted to understand how the ancient world gave way to the Middle Ages.This three-volume set illuminated many of the details of the Eastern Empire with its oriental influences and often dysfunctional theocracy. It is, however, a survey, and leaves one wanting the details which such an ambitious work cannot possible contain.I highly recommend it though and think it would be one way to discover that atrocities were not committed only by the Christians of history as we often hear nowadays.If Americans were as obsessed with medieval history as Muslims are, we would certainly teach our children about the Muslim hoards (the Ottomans) that took Byzantium in a bloodbath, slaughtered and enslaved its people, and turned its churches into Mosques. The Ottoman era is often referred to as a kind of "golden age" of Islam by some Muslims while others, Wahabis, for example, campaign for a far more severe regime.To understand more about that I suggest Dore Gold's excellent book, Hatred's Kingdom.

Great Book LOUSYPrinting
This is a great book by a great author but the printing was horrible! When I got to around page 190 the order was all screwed up. It went from 190 to 196 then I had to read backwards for a few pages. That has happend so much that I lost count of where I was everytime I started reading it. I am glad you sent this because I would like to return them both and get some copies with the proper paging. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Byzantine Empire    2. Byzantine Empire - History    3. Christianity - History - General    4. Christianity - Orthodox Churches    5. Eastern Europe - General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History / Europe / Eastern   

Editorial Review

The history of the Balkan states, like that of so much of the world, has for centuries been marked by ethnocidal fracases, savage wars of conquest, and periods of eerie calm. The mountainous region's shifting alliances and divisions have long puzzled outside observers, writes journalist Misha Glenny, the author of