Reviews (2)

a conspiracy of silence
i had a certain agenda in reading this book . . . there is a conspiracy of silence regarding death in america/europe.
Different Perspective of History
I initially started reading this for a "Sex and Death" class I took at school. Amazingly, "Western Attitudes Towards Death" has been one of the most inciteful books I've ever read.Aries makes it interesting to look at death in a historical aspect. For me, it was most interesting in the fact that you can see how people lived during a specific time period by studying how they viewed death. The parallels between life and death in EVERY society has become astonishingly clear to me. It's short reading...definately in a day...and well worth the time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Death    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. History - General History    4. Movements - Humanism    5. Sociology    6. Medical / Health Policy    7. Sociology, Social Studies   

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & Latin American    2. Caribbean & West Indies - Cuba    3. General    4. History    5. Sociology    6. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Beatus,    4. Bible.    5. Commentaries    6. European    7. Graphic Arts - Use of Color    8. History - General    9. Illumination Of Books And Manuscripts    10. Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval    11. Illustrations    12. In Apocalipsin    13. N.T.    14. Revelation    15. Saint, Presbyter of Liebana,    16. Techniques - Calligraphy    17. d. 798.    18. Antiques & collectables: books, manuscripts, ephemera & printed matter    19. History of art: c 500 CE to c 1400    20. Illustration    21. Religious subjects depicted in art    22. Spain    23. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Arts, Latin American    3. Caribbean & Latin American    4. Civilization    5. History - General History    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Latin America    9. Latin America - South America    10. Linguistics    11. Central America    12. Cultural studies    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    14. Literary studies: general    15. South America    16. Spanish   

Reviews (1)

An examination of the foundations of Empire
This book examines the different ideologies behind the empires of the great European powers.This book does not examine the impact of empire upon native people, that is not it's focus.It can be tedious at times, but overall is very informative and interesting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Modern - General    6. British & Irish history    7. Europe    8. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    9. History / Europe / General    10. History / General    11. Imperialism    12. Political science & theory    13. Spain    14. United Kingdom, Great Britain    15. c 1500 to c 1600    16. c 1600 to c 1700    17. c 1700 to c 1800    18. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. History - Military / War    2. History: World    3. Military - General    4. Military History - Modern    5. Military Science    6. Special Forces    7. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    8. History / Military / General    9. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    10. Land forces & warfare    11. Military life & institutions    12. Spain   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Latin America    5. Latin America - General    6. Latin America - South America    7. To 1830    8. American history: c 1500 to c 1800    9. History / Latin America    10. Latin America--History--To 1830    11. South America   

Reviews (2)

He saves the best for last ...
First, the review from Dulles, VA is spot-on correct. Thorough and Scholarly
This historical study, written by the former head of the Spanish and Spanish American Studies Department at the University of London, describes both the last surviving Moorish kingdom in Spain and the situation of Moslems in Christian Spain during the same period.The author has drawn on both Christian and Moslem source materials, sometimes quoting them at length.He describes the politics as thoroughly as these sources allow.Some of the material on the Mudejars living in Christian kingdoms is too detailed to sustain the interest of most readers.On the other hand, the final chapters about the decline and fall of Muslim Granada have some of the fatal momentum of Greek tragedy.The biggest disappointment is the maps, the line and dot variety that give no hint of the terrain the contesting forces had to cross. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    6. History / Spain & Portugal    7. Islam    8. Social history    9. Spain    10. c 1000 CE to c 1500    11. c 1500 to c 1600   

Reviews (3)

A good reference but a tough read
The major problem with this book is that it tends to get bogged down in narrative without enough analytical insight.The result is that the reader is faced with hundreds of pages of which kings fought which, married whom and so on.While there is commentary on which events are more important than others and why, it is a little sparse.I read all but the last 100 pages or so as I just ran out of steam.However, as a person who is interested in Spain and Spanish history, I plan to keep it on my shelf for reference purposes. Inadequate
O'Callaghan's history of the Iberian peninsula, though exhausting in its detail, falls prey to typical western biases and employes the fallacious traditional historiography of Iberia, emphasizing the "Re"-Conquest and a supposed "move towards unity."This approach is woefully inadequate for understanding the events of Medieval Iberial, and fosters an unfair appraisal of the Muslim culture that flourished there for centuries.Additionally, O'Callaghan has managed to, through his exceedingly dry prose, completely emasculate this otherwise exciting and vibrant subject.In all my years as a history student, I have never read another text from which I retained so little; my classmates concur on the matter.Therefore, I wholeheartedly denounce this text.

In depth survey of medieval Spain
O'Callaghan provides us with an in-depth (728 pagess), well written survey of medieval Spain, starting with the Visigothic era in 415. The major sections of the book cover the monarchs, government, society, economy, culture and religion through the reigns of Ferdinand and Isabella. The book includes numerous maps, illustrations and genealogical charts.I highly recommend this book for the historian, student and general public with an interest in medieval Spain. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History - General History    3. History: American    4. Spain And Portugal - History    5. European history: c 500 to c 1500    6. Spain   

Reviews (1)

Too Authorized a biography
Living in New Mexico for 37 years it would not be possible to have never heard of Concha Ortiz y Pino de Kleven.Her formal name along brings attention to her and if you ever saw her you would remember her.Her life has been long and interesting but this book does not do her story justice.Perhaps it is because it is an "authorized" biography.I felt Concha was looking over the author's shoulder, or at least saying what was and was not to be included in this book.I really wished there were opinions and comments from others....not just words of praise.There are many contrasts and indeed contradictions in her life and these were not brought out.She was the first, or near first, woman in many situations yet she never identified herself with feminists nor supported the movement in the 70's.She always considered being "feminine" important, but what of the story of her interactions both political and social with leading feminists of her long life?This story is not told. There are hints of tensions within the Hispanic community (LULAC opposed some of her ideas), but not the story of her viz a viz La Raza and Chicanas in New Mexico.If this were not an authorized biography I think the tale would be richer and more informative and she would still come across as a very important figure in New Mexico.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. General    4. Hispanic American women legislators    5. History    6. Latin America - Mexico    7. Legislators    8. New Mexico    9. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. GED (General Educational Development Tests)    2. History & Philosophy    3. Juvenile Nonfiction    4. Spanish: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    5. Study Aids - Test Preparation    6. Study Guides   

Subjects:  1. Cookery, Spanish    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Food habits    4. History    5. Popular Culture - General    6. Regional & Ethnic - Spanish    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Spain    10. Cultural studies    11. Customs    12. National & regional cuisine    13. Social Science / Popular Culture   

Subjects:  1. 711-1516    2. Civilization    3. Europe - Spain & Portugal    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Jewish influences    8. Jews    9. Spain   

Reviews (2)

Still The Best Overall Synopsis
Professor (Emeritus) Chipman has written an excellent book that is highly informative, impressively researched, thoughtfully organized, and well written.
A thorough and valuable reference about Early Texas History
Drawing on vast resources contained in the United States and Spain, this work covers the rich and long early history of the region now known as Texas. Spain controlled this land for over three centuries, before losingit to Americans who moved in to start a new life in the West.Spanishconquistadors, as well as their successes and defeats, make for afascinating read all by themselves.The book documents their struggleswith the French to the east (Louisiana), and how even the early empiresfeared the newly independent colonies of Great Britain, the United States.The research that went into this book was complete...and it shows.Thoseinterested in the early history of the New World and of Texas are notlikely to find a better resource anywhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Spaniards    6. Texas    7. To 1846    8. United States - State & Local - General    9. History / United States / State & Local    10. USA   

Reviews (9)

A Distant Warning
Spain experienced a metamorphosis in the 16th century.It had been a divided country battling with an age-old enemy.Its separate parts worked more against each other than with each other; Castile concentrated on the fight to reconquer the land from the Muslims, while Aragon and Catalonia fixed their sights on a Mediterranean trading empire and control of southern Italy.Under Ferdinand and Isabella, well-known as the patrons of Columbus, the Moors were conquered, the Jews expelled, and all three main parts of Spain joined under one crown.Spain soon acquired a vast empire in the Americas and Asia.Through marriage, its fortunes were hitched to the Habsburg crown, thus despatching Spanish arms and treasure to the endless European wars in Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries.Spain rose to a certain proud zenith, both in war and in administration of its vast lands.The arts began to flourish.Portugal came under the Spanish crown for sixty years.The glory days did not last long as history goes.By 1640, Spain had crashed.It was bankrupt, taxed-to-the-limit, and losing everywhere.Its European empire fell away, even Portugal threw off Castilian rule.Government fell to mostly incapable favorites of the weak and indecisive kings.Bereft of a middle class, the only good income was to be had from the church or the court.In short, the imperial greatness, which had shot across the world like a brilliant comet, had winked out in financial collapse and administrative failure, though literature and painting continued to shine.Poor education and religious ultra-conservatism had denied Spain the leaders that might have saved it.
A justly celebrated historical classic
Over the years I have managed to read a fairly large number of historical works dedicated to surveying particular periods of history, but I have rarely found one that managed to combine learning with readability as well as this one.Although a historian, Elliott must of necessity tell a story, and that is how Spain went from being a relatively unimportant afterthought on the tip of Europe to being for a period of time perhaps the dominant power on the globe, only to fall into a state of decline and veritable collapse.It is an amazing, improbable story, yet Elliott manages it without ever losing the reader in historical minutiae. Concise but insightful
This book is accessible to a general reader although it assumes some basic familiarity with European history.Without being overly long, it does a great job of cutting to the heart of matters: what were the factors that made Spain a world power in the 16th century and why did this power ultimately fall apart?Elliott concisely helps the reader to understand Spanish politics, the Inquisition, tax policy, foreign affairs, as well as social and religious tensions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Spain And Portugal - History    6. European history: c 1500 to c 1750    7. European history: c 500 to c 1500    8. History / Spain & Portugal    9. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    10. Spain    11. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Subjects:  1. Description And Travel    2. History - General History    3. Latin America - South America    4. Photography / Travel    5. South America    6. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    7. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/South America    8. Travel    9. Travel / South America    10. Argentina    11. Photography    12. Pictorial works   

Reviews (13)

Covers the people, culture, economics, politics, and history
Students and travelers requiring an introduction to the people, culture, economics, politics, and history of Portugal will benefit substantially from reading A Concise History Of Portugal by David Birmingham (Emeritus Professor of Modern history, University of Kent at Canterbury). Now in its second edition, A Concise History Of Portugal is a modern account and the first to be written in English since the termination of dictatorship. No international history series can be considered complete without the inclusion of this Cambridge University Press edition of David Birmingham's A Concise History Of Portugal.

A distorted picture of the country and its history
In my view, this history of Portugal gives a distorted image of the country. It stresses the country's problems and plays down its achievements. The book pictures Portugal as a country struggling to establish a place on the world scene; modernise its economy and society; and secure political stability (!). In contrast, one can not find much on Portugal's gold age of the voyages of discovery and a worldwide maritime empire in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In fact there is not much on the first centuries of Portugal as a country. The whole book is rather biased, giving a one-sided and not particularly flattering picture of Portugal. I much prefer the more objective and well-balanced approach of 'Portugal: A Companion History, by Jose Hermano Saraiva et al.

Pretty good. Could be better.
David Birmingham does a pretty good job of sharing a CONCISE history.Maybe more detail should be given to the history of Portugal before 1700 CE.If you are looking for a reasonably quick overview, then this an excellent starting point.If you are looking for greater detail, you are going to need more than this publication supplies you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Portugal    7. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    8. History / Europe / General    9. Portugal--History    10. Spain   

Reviews (13)

TragicDownfall of the "Ornament of the World"
A previous reviewer for Amazon has compared Maria Rosa Menocal's THE ORNAMENT OF THE WORLD unfavorably to Richard Fletcher's MOORISH SPAIN.By contrast, I find them quite complementary.The difference is a matter of style: Menocal's book is philosophical, impressionistic, attempting to penetrate the "essence" of Muslim Spain, which she views as a "toleration of contradictions" and provide a vivid portrait of some of the individuals whom it produced.Fletcher's work is by contrast a conventional narrative history, although certainly a well-written one.One comes away from both books with the same conclusion: that compared with its contemporaries (as well as what was to come in Spain), Al Andalus was remarkable for its religious tolerance, aesthetic sensibility, and scholarly and scientific achievements.Its contribution to Western civilization was so great that we should really speak of our "Judeo-Christian-Islamic heritage" instead of just our "Judeo-Chrisian" one.That Fletcher chooses, in his final chapter, to negate all that he has said in his previous ones by judging Al-Andalus by standards which did not even exist until the Enlightenment is the book's greatest fault, and cost him a star, for surely the rest of the book deserves five.
Probably the best popular work on the topic
Richard Fletcher's "Moorish Spain" is a refreshing tonic against the plethora of books on Islamic Spain idealizing the supposed 'Convivencia' (especially, "The Ornament of the World" by Maria Rosa Menocal). Fletcher avoids the tendency among many scholars who wish to find an apt, hopeful (albeit unrealistic) precedent as Europe's demographic becomes increasingly Muslim. Presented in a well-researched, matter-of-fact fashion, the 'good' is presented in the context of the 'bad and the ugly'.

Bold claims with no justifications
In the beginning of the book, the author claims that his book is intended for the casual reader rather than an academic reader. However, the conclusion he makes in the end and the methodology he used to reach his conclusions are flawed.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Islam - History    8. Medieval    9. Europe    10. History / General    11. Miscellaneous Items   

Reviews (14)

A Lost Cuisine, and New Art for This Chef
Recently I picked up a copy of the book, "A Drizzle of Honey: the Lives and Recipes of Spain's Secret Jews".It has a fascinating and well documented history as well some marvelous redactions of the most likely constructs of recipes.I recall learning briefly about the secret Sepahrdim in hebrew school. This book gives marvelous insight and helps recreate a delicious cuisine.I am fairly certain that either this passover or the next I am going to attempt a full Sephardic sedar for a change of pace and add some culinary excitement.

Read it as history rather than as recipes
I received this book as a present several years ago, but I've never cooked any of the recipes. That's despite the fact that several of them sound good, some VERY good, such as roast chicken stuffed with fruit, ginger and lavender; or a fish and eggplant casserole.
I Lost my Appetite
Sorry, I was looking for cool kosher Spanish recipes. The title "A Drizzle of Honey" sounded good but....
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Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Europe - Spain & Portugal    4. Regional & Ethnic - Jewish & Kosher    5. Regional & Ethnic - Spanish    6. History / Spain & Portugal   

Reviews (4)

An author with a logic problem
Roth consulted some records but apparently failed to understand the the explicit meaning of forced conversion.This work is an example of failing to use the whole record for an accurate conclusion.There many are inquistion records, especially in the New World, of Jews clinging to the faith of their fathers and dying in inquisitional flames as a result.Also, the Amsterdam Jewish community was established by Crypto-Jews this author contends didn't exist.This blatant failure to get the facts right leads one to believe that Roth either has a hidden motive or is incompetent beyond belief.

Historian fails to glorify the past--finally!
Powerful, rebellious and intimidatingly concise, Norman Roth's tribute challenges our archaic assumptions. Unlike the typical perverse imagination many historical documents protect, "The Conversos, Inquisition, And The Expulsion Of The Jews From Spain" interrogates data, expels misconceptions and, very much like Einstein, reconfigures historical gravity.

Information from the author
(Unfortunately, I had to "rate" the book in order to get the review posted; obviously I think it's good, hope you will also).Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History Of Jews    3. History: World    4. Judaism    5. Judaism - General    6. Medieval    7. Religion - Judaism    8. Spain And Portugal - History    9. Christianity    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    11. Jewish studies    12. Spain