Reviews (4)

A good read, but with reservations
This is a well written, fast paced book that has a lot to say about the Irish experience during the famine. But it is hardly the story of a typical Irish emigrant. Fergus benefits from an unending sequence of coincidences and lucky breaks. This allows opportunities for philosophizing and reflections on the plight of the Irish at the time, but requires an effort on the part of the reader to suspend disbelief and buy in to the story. The story is very much told from Fergus' point of view. But Molly is a key driver in the story, and we never really understand why she acts as she does. (I won't complain too much to avoid suggesting the turn of events.) Suffice it to say that for all Fergus' philosophizing he never seems to try too hard to understand Molly. He may wonder about her actions, but the powers of analysis he applies to the political situation at the time fail him in his personal relationships. Yes, this is a book well worth reading, but as an entertainment. It doesn't live up to any hype trying to make it a new classic. Enjoy it and pass it on, but no one is going to care in twenty years.

brilliant
The Law of Dreams is an astonishing excavation of both human vulnerability and resilience. Whether you give a rotten potato for historical fiction, or Irish history, or not, Fergus's story willcompel you to keep on with it. The genius of it lies in the author's gift for blending traditional, familiar storytelling with a starker more modern but no less lyrical voice you've never heard before. His characters speak like no others and though a muscular novel, it moves inexorably towards its finish with the lean telling of a short story. Indeed, Peter Behrens is able to bring together seemingly disparate styles of storytelling -- ancient and modern, language-drunk and spare -- and the final effect is one of enduring beauty and relevance. The book tells an archetypal and epic story but perhaps its best bits lie in the dark corners that Behrens illuminates with his particular gift for immediate, sensory detail. While the story is loaded with cinematic action and peopled with a huge cast of characters, private, interior moments of melancholy are equally recognized within the great scope of the author's abilities.

Four and a Half Stars
It's as good a book as I've read all year.Behrens's first novel is a Homeric saga of a young Irishman, Fergus, driven from his country by the Great Potato Famine.It is a decidely unsentimental read, for Fergus doesn't find a land of milk and honey awaiting him in America, but a series of trials and tribulations depicted in bare, poetic language that keeps a slight distance and allows the reader to observe, but not follow wallow in Fergus's sufferings.It will probably be compared to 'Cold Mountain', but is better in my opinion for its lack of rounded love story.Life, Behrens, insists, wasn't that rosy for most of the immigrants escaping the direst circumstance.Instead, Behrens has given us fiction that feels factual.The best compliment you can give Behrens is that his tone is constant and honest and carries the authority of history that most non-fiction fails to capture. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. English Canadian Novel And Short Story    2. Famine, 1845-1852    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Fiction - Historical    6. Historical - General    7. Historical fiction    8. History    9. Immigrants    10. Ireland    11. Literary    12. New England    13. Fiction / Literary   

Editorial Review

In 1919, Johan Huizinga revealed in the original version of this book that the ideals, aspirations, and behaviors of humanity in history were dramatically different from those in present day. In Herfsttjj der Middeleeuwen, he recalled the waning years of the Middle Ages--the low countries in northern Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries--and argued against those who claimed that human belief systems remain the same even if contexts change. His account rested not on historical fact, but on the emotions and ambitions of the people as expressed through the art and literature of their culture. Many people treated the book as groundbreaking work, and it was translated into English in 1924. This new translation is a complete, more direct version of the original and allows modern readers a full appreciation of life in an era rarely revisited. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

thought Provoking and Look into 14th century thought.
Every good historian knows enough to understand that every word of accounts of history is loaded with the adgenda of the author and he too knows enough to investigate theories and ideas that are foreign to his own to try to gather more insight into what actually happened.For that reason alone Johan Huizinga's "The Autumn of the Middle Ages" is a worth while book since even though it might truly be loaded with the authors own ideas it is well substantiated by excellent scholarship.Aside from that it is written beautifully with a poetic prose moder historians often forget to include when they publish their works.
The Mind of the Middle Ages
In his histroiograhical tour of middle ages scholarship, Norman F. Cantor puts Huiznga in his "outriders" section at the back of the book.While he candidly acknowledges the populairty of the "waning of the middle ages" among undergraduates, he takes issue with Huizinga's scholarship.
Difficult but Rewarding
This book is an exercise in the intellectual and social history of a bygone era.Huizinga proposes that one can extract information about the 14th and 15th Centuries in the Low Countries and France from sources other than the wars, the politics of the elite, and elite Church sources that illuminate significant truths about the era.This is not to say that all of these do not appear in the pages of this magisterial effort.They do, but primarily the author looks to other sources for information in an attempt to recreate the context of life during this period.One reader refers to this as the "most hellish book I have ever read," I will assume he is talking about content and not quality.This is a hard book.Most of us are unused to reading intellectual and social histories of bygone eras.It is difficult for us to understand because it demands a mental transition on the part of the reader into a world that does not conform to our experiences and values.This type of history also require a great deal from the historian.However, to denigrate this work as speculative is to miss the point. All historical writing is speculative.The farther the subject is removed from us in time and cultural affinity the more speculative the work may seem.The question ought to be, does this book help enlighten us as to the past and add to our understanding of the era in question?Arcane, old fashioned and rigorous as it may be, Huizinga's book accomplishes its mission with distinction.It remains the greatest source of information on the topic extant in English.Maybe Barbara Tuchman was right, she never said that "A Distant Mirror" was history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1328-1600    2. Civilization    3. Civilization, Medieval    4. Europe - France    5. Europe - General    6. France    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Medieval    11. Netherlands    12. Europe    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    14. History / General    15. World history   

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 (14)

Lots of ideas
This book was just what I needed. It has lots of ideas and how to make them.

Celti Knotwork Explained?
Acknowledging the complexities of this book's approach to Celtic Knotwork, Iain Bain, George Bain's son, has published a much more approachable introduction in his Celtic Knotwork, Constable, London 1986. It was reprinted last in 1992 but is unfortunately out of print. Used copies are available and I would stongly recommend Iain Bain's book as a most helpful place to begin. The senior Bain's book is however an informative reference, a far cry above the usual "picture book for colouring" approach.

Perfect addition to Book of Kells, Lindisfarne Gospel
How Bain has managed to come up with this method is beyond me, but God bless him for it!I have used his methods for creating cross stitch patterns, a complicated matter but well worth the results. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Decoration and ornament, Celti    4. Decoration and ornament, Celtic    5. Design - General    6. History - General    7. Techniques - General    8. History / Ireland   

Reviews (8)

Eh...
Okay review guide, I bought this trusting the Barron's name and after glancing at it a little bit.I hate how the multiple choice explanations don't tell you why the answer is wrong but what kind of question it is.It's only a month into the year but I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a new book to use with this one.

Average...
Barron's can be very boring. It is just a list of all the essential facts that you need to know for the exam. However, it is a good refresher of everything you've learned. I would recommend getting this early in the year so you can use it to review for class tests as well. I didnt use any other review guides, however I had an amazing teacher and a great book (McKay), and I managed to score a 5. So I think the point is, that if you study, you'll do well...But as for Barron's, it comes out as just average.

Better than the others
Many people are raggin on this book, but i don't know why. I personally preferred it over Princeton Review. I liked how it listen facts in chronological order in bullets rather than a story. This was specifically helpful since I procrastinated on the AP Test and needed to cram as many facts as possible. Also, the essays helped gave helpful ideas. I didn't like the practice test on it though. After taking the real test, I must say it wasn't completely accurate. Princeton Review had a few questions that were actually the exact same on the test, but I can't say that for Barons.
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Subjects:  1. Advanced Placement    2. Europe    3. Europe - General    4. Examinations    5. Examinations, questions, etc    6. History    7. Study Aids    8. Study Guides    9. Test Prep    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    11. Study & learning skills    12. Study Aids / Advanced Placement   

Reviews (39)

Full of contradictions and inaccurate facts
My current field of research is the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. I thought it would be a good idea to read about some of the ancient history in the region though so I read John Julius Norwich's A Short History of Byzantium as well as his History of Venice. Both excellent works. Then I read Lord Kindross' work, Ottoman Centuries. This was my first historical work that I have read devoted entirely to the Ottoman Empire.
Ottoman Centuries
Superbly written. Excellent overwiew of the Ottoman Empire, in such a short space.It may not reflect some of the newly uncovered facts, but so what.
East Meets West: Epic Film Material Waiting To Be Born!
Lord Kinross was the author of many splendid books but The Ottoman Centuries remains his crowning achievement. Published in 1977 shortly after his death and dedicated to Freya Stark, The Ottoman Centuries offers a positive view of the Turkish Empire without glossing over any of its shameful episodes.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Baltic States    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Middle East - General    6. Ottoman Empire, 1288-1918    7. Renaissance    8. Turkey    9. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    10. History / Middle East   

Subjects:  1. Football    2. Football - College    3. Football - General    4. History    5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Football team)    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. University of Notre Dame   

Reviews (9)

bibliographic data provided by EarthTomes:
Author:Tuchman, Barbara Wertheim.
Educational, but not her best work.
This is an interesting and educational read, although not as riveting or effective as Guns of August or First Salute. Of course, the topic is not as riveting. To describe the relationship between Britain and Palestine through the ages is a great challenge, given the rather unexciting nature of that relationship through most of the time at issue. The story necessarily includes a great deal of behind-the-scenes material that pales in comparison to the monumental affairs of war and revolution.
Personal Opinions Impede Objectivity
The review by "hopefulskeptic" is an accurate summary and interpretation of "Bible and Sword."I would like to add my opinion regarding Barbara Tuchman's approach to writing this book.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Great Britain    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: American    6. Middle East - General    7. Middle East - Israel    8. Palestine    9. Relations    10. Zionism    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history    12. British & Irish history    13. England    14. History / Israel    15. International relations   

Reviews (10)

Be sure you get the third edition
The third edition of this work is definitely the best.It contains the index to the entire 28 volumes in the series, which covers every county in Ireland.The second edition was published earlier, and does not contain the complete index to the series.The third edition has all the family history information from the second edition, PLUS the complete series info.This book contains the largest collection of Irish Family Names, locations and arms ever put to print.

A solid and accessibly presented genealogical reference
Now in an expanded and updated third edition, The Book Of Irish Families Great & Small by genealogy expert Michael C. O'Laughlin (Editor of the monthly "Journal of Irish Families) is a solid and accessibly presented genealogical reference based upon ancient and modern manuscripts. Offering 20,000 Irish family names, 700 illustrated coats of arms, ancient maps and illustrations, step-by-step guides for tracing Irish family roots, and so much more, The Book Of Irish Families Great & Small is a first-rate and enthusiastically recommended reference for any dedicated genealogist or aspiring family historian seeking to track down their Irish roots.

Too Much Equals Too Little
I had high hopes for this book when I ordered it along with the author's books for Waterford and Cork. I was disappointed with all of them. In trying to create such an all-encompassing book, the author has published a work that fails to provide much information on any particular family. And he manages to leave out valuable information. For example, in his book "Families of County Cork" he gives a very short paragraph about the Sherlock family being there, but fails to mention in this "Irish Families" book that the family is found in Cork, even though the Cork book was published first.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Ireland    2. Genealogy    3. History: World    4. Reference    5. Reference / Bibliographies & Indexes    6. Bibliographies & Indexes    7. History    8. Ireland    9. Names, Irish    10. Names, Personal   

Reviews (7)

A masterpiece of scholarship, dense but very extremely well done
I can not say if this is the best book on the subject, because I have not read the other books.I can say that this book is absolutely magnificient scholarship.Its subject is the Irish in America, and it gives a masterful presentation of the history of these people, both in Ireland and in America. This book is not a light read.It is very dense, and rather long.For readers with a serious interest in the subject, however, it is very rewarding to read.

How So Many Irish Became American
Emigrants and Exiles:Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America is a well documented history of the emigration of more than seven million Irish people who left Eire for North America in five time periods from pre-Revolutionary days to 1921.Author Kerby Miller's research included more than 750 sources in both public and privately held collections in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Canada, 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as well as more than 5,000 emigrants' letters,memoirs, poems, songs and folklore. Pretty thorough look at the Irish Diaspora
An excellent book covering the migration out of Ireland.Miller looks at the different time periods and at the different kinds of immigration, and traces the idea of emigration as "exile."Great background materials are included, as well as good statistical appendices and notes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emigration & Immigration    2. Emigration and immigration    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Ireland    8. Irish    9. Social Science    10. Social conditions    11. Sociology    12. United States    13. United States - 19th Century    14. Anthropology    15. Civil rights & citizenship    16. Immigration & emigration    17. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    18. Social Science / Emigration & Immigration    19. Social history    20. USA   

Reviews (11)

Awesome
I know so many people have complimented this book, but I have too also.The insights that Haffner puts forth explain much of the confusion of Hitler's moves during World War II.
Refreshing Perspective
Haffner offers a fresh perspective on Hitler, about whom most of us WWII buffs think we know a great deal. His major point--that Hitler was, in effect, a self-hating guy who turned his hatred in the end against the country he professed to love--is a very interesting viewpoint and one that can be argued and discussed forever. I'm encouraged to read more by this insightful writer!

Pretty brilliant
It's really odd how Haffner has managed to cram so many valuable and unique insights into such a small book. Others have done a good job of reviewing this book already, so I'll just mention that I was particularly impressed with how Haffner explained, without excusing anything, how *rationally* one could have come to support Hitler.
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Subjects:  1. 1889-1945    2. Biography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. General    5. Germany    6. Germany - History - Third Reich (1933-1945)    7. Heads of state    8. History - General History    9. Hitler, Adolf    10. Hitler, Adolf,    11. Political Science    12. Politics/International Relations    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    14. Fascism & Nazism    15. Political Science / General   

Reviews (3)

Extremely well written!
For some months, I've been educating myself about Anglicanism.In so doing, I've discovered the hard way that Anglican histories are sometimes not the most readable or well written books around.English Reformations is a happy exception to that.
Read alongside Dickens, English Reformation.
Haigh, Christopher. English Reformations: Religion, Politics, and Society under the Tudors. the complete guide to english reformations
In this book Christopher Haigh puts the 16th century religious reformations in England into their true perspective. He sees the religious reformations not as 'The Reformation' nor the 'English Reformation' but as'English Reformations' and that they were part of an ongoing movement whichencompassed the 18th century religious reformations. Previoushistorians,e.g, Dickens and Elton believed that the Protestant reformationwas a swift affair and complete by the time of the Religious Settlement of1559. With the Reformation out of the way the natural next stage of studywas 'The causes of the Civil War'.Haigh challenges this perspective andargues that the protestant reformation was less than inevitable andgradually enforced through parliament and by a slow but important processof evangelisation. For him Protestantism was not established in Englanduntil the end of Elizabeth I's reign. His arguements are compelling andsensible and, certainly for British undergraduates, his has becomeessential reading for the student of 16th century England. If there is onebook on the reformation worth having then this is it. It is clear, wellordered and lays out the Parliamentary reforms as well as assessing thesuccess of Protestant preachers. His final conclusion is that by the end ofElizabeth's reign England was indeed a Protestant nation, but without beinga nation of Protestants. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1485-1603    2. 16th century    3. England    4. Europe - Great Britain - General    5. Great Britain    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Politics and government    9. Reformation    10. Social conditions    11. British & Irish history: c 1000 to c 1500    12. British & Irish history: c 1500 to c 1700    13. History / Great Britain    14. History, World | British | 17th C    15. Protestantism & Protestant Churches   

Reviews (1)

Thorough, Generous, Beautifully Illustrated
This book is unique in its balance of primary sources and their interpretations. All the figures you'd expect are present: Macchiavelli, Luther, Locke, Paine, Engles, Freud, etc. And with secondary sources coming from Fromm, Ulam, et. al, the data is clearly and comprehensively analyzed. What readers will appreciate are the generous illustrations throughout the text which give you some idea how the philosophies/theories/values of the times are reflected in visual media. What some readers won't appreaciate is the single-spaced type that changes font and styles so often that one might get motion sickness. It's a minor point that has nothing to do with the value of the texts presented, but it does interfere with the pleasure of reading. Still, this is a great history book to teach from or just as a casual read/refresher for the history fan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civilization    2. Civilization, Western    3. Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Sources    8. World - General    9. American history    10. Europe    11. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    12. Historiography    13. North America    14. Other Geographical Groupings, Oceans & Seas    15. World history   

Reviews (18)

Classic Analysis of the Pacific War
This is a superb analysis of the Pacific War between the USA and Japan.It is always very difficult for an author to strike a balance between sufficient detail on the one hand, and the risk of overwhelming the "big picture" with too much detail, on the other.Here, the author hits it just right.This is a detailed and thorough analysis of the Pacific War that focuses on the main trends of the war, while supplying sufficient detail to support the themes that the author presents to the reader.
Excellent One Volume History of Pacific War
A very readable, interesting history of the Pacific theater in World War II.Despite being a single volume Spector does a masterful job of covering all the key aspects of the Pacific war and does so in a very complete manner.The earlier reviewers comments about the lack of maps is true; you might want to have an atlas handy while reading this book.Definitely worth your investment several times over in both time and money.

Strategic Decisions
If you're looking for a book about battles and fighting, this isn't the book for you.If you want a look at generals and statesmen struggling to find a way to victory, you'll enjoy this book. It tells the tale of how victory in the Pacific was found and fashioned. The disagreements between the services, the personal chemistry, the problems with logistics, the balancing of needs versus the fight with Germany, all these important issues are explicated in 'Eagle against the Sun'. It's not exhaustive in its treament of the war and not exhausting in the reading.Read more

Subjects:  1. Campaigns    2. History - General History    3. History: American    4. Japan    5. Military - World War II    6. Pacific Area    7. United States    8. World War, 1939-1945    9. Europe    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    11. History / Military / General    12. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (26)

The E-Mail That Created World War I
History wasn't supposed to be this readable in 1958, but when Barbara Tuchman published "The Zimmermann Telegram" it was not only an advancement of scholarship about the roots of World War I but a terrific example of how real life could work better than fiction when in the right hands.
World War One's Pearl Harbor?
If we remember anything at all from our high school history class about why the United States got into World War I, it might have something to do with unrestricted submarine warfare.But the Zimmermann Telegram, if it was even mentioned, has long disappeared from memory, along with most of the other "facts" we learned in school.Barbara Tuchman, in this superb little book, makes a strong case for the argument that it was the revealing of the contents of this one message that convinced the American public that war with Germany was necessary.
International intrigue at its finest!
Excellent book. Easy read. Besides info.on the telegram itself, Tuchman does a superlative job explaining the Mexican-Japanese connection which is often overlooked, but is exceedingly important in understanding the telegram's significance. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1864-1940    2. Causes    3. Europe - Germany    4. History - General History    5. History: American    6. Military - World War I    7. Military - World War II    8. World War, 1914-1918    9. Zimmerman, Arthur,    10. Europe    11. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    12. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (92)

Rasputin and Alexandra
In print and widely available for nearly half-a-century now, few works of non-fiction have proven as enduring and captivating as Robert Massie's historical love story about the demise of the Romanov dynasty.