Reviews (2)

Exhaustive and a little exhausting
This book reads a lot like a master's or doctoral thesis.As such, it would be excellent.As a history book for general consumption, it's rather lacking in warmth.In addition to other books on Wales, I recommend it, but you probably don't want to start with this one. Good book for Medieval Scholars
This is a very good book for those people who wish to learn more about Medieval Wales.Dr. Walker goes through the history of Wales chronologically, and at the same time also does a great job of dividing the chapters.By doing this, the reader can go either straight to a certain time frame, or a certain topic, without having to read all the other stuff.For example, I wrote a term paper about King Edward's conquest of Wales and invasion of Scotland for a Medieval History term paper in college.Instead of having to read through the book until I got to the part I needed, I just went straight to the topics of use to me.I skipped reading what I didn't need, and hence saved a great deal of time. For only being a couple of hundred pages long, there is a great deal of detail about many facets of medieval Wales.I strongly recommend this book to anybody who's interested in the topic. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1063-1536    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Wales    7. Western Europe - General    8. British & Irish history: c 1000 to c 1500    9. History / Great Britain    10. Wales--History--1063-1536   

Editorial Review

Anyone who has ever traveled in Switzerland cannot help but to have remarked upon the overwhelming tranquility of the country. But this tranquility is illusory. As John McPhee writes in Read more

Reviews (12)

A portrait of Switzerland
La Place de la Concorde Suisse is about the Swiss army, but, as they say, when you talk about Switzerland, you talk about their defense. Because everyone in Switzerland is in the army, you are talking about their country. An incredibly rich country, and thus, an incredibly paranoid country. Although many people are now looking at the Swiss, and especially their banks, with new eyes following the revelations of Nazi war booty being hid within their anonymous, numbered accounts, McPhee put them in the spotlight a decade earlier here. While his light is not as bright as some of those today, he did discover some interesting bits which had been hid by shadows before, like their placement of explosives (or identification of where to place such) under each bridge into the country, a discussion of the surreptitious bombing they suffered under Allied planes in the war, and the old boys network that links the army and the industry. At the end, you don't necessarily emerge with a message, but rather a portrait of the country.

A faithful rendition of the Swiss military tradition
In German, La Place de la Concorde Suisse is rendered Concordiaplatz, and it is visible from the Jungfraujoch, which means "virgin saddle," and which is reached via funicular railway from Interlaken. Depending upon the season, one can either hike or ski from the Jungfraujoch down the Aletsch glacier to Concordiaplatz and view the redoubt containing the sunken armory described in McPhee's book. There may even be a visible contingent of soldiers guarding and maintaining it, just as their brethren maintain the explosives stashed in the outerworks of all key bridges in the country, or inspect the radar installations on key peaks such as the Weissfl�hgipfel above Davos. As one who lived and worked in Switzerland for eight years, and whose published memoir, Living Among The Swiss, is listed on this website, I can attest to the accuracy of McPhee's account. Most of my business colleagues were required to take annual two- or three-week military leaves, and one sees soldiers everywhere: on trains, in ski resorts, along low and vulnerable mountain passes such as those north of Sargans, and, increasingly, at airports. Their efficiency of organization has been admired not only by the Israelis, who imitated it, but also by the Russian defense minister, and McPhee accurately captures their esprit de corps - in the process expanding, as usual, the reader's vocabulary.

A faithful rendition of the Swiss military tradition
In German, La Place de la Concorde Suisse is rendered Concordiaplatz, and it is visible from the Jungfraujoch, which means "virgin saddle," and which is reached via funicular railway from Interlaken. Depending upon the season, one can either hike or ski from the Jungfraujoch down the Aletsch glacier to Concordiaplatz and view the redoubt containing the sunken armory described in McPhee's book. There may even be a visible contingent of soldiers guarding and maintaining it, just as their brethren maintain the explosives stashed in the outerworks of all key bridges in the country, or inspect the radar installations on key peaks such as the Weissfl�hgipfel above Davos. As one who lived and worked in Switzerland for eight years, and whose published memoir, Living Among The Swiss, is listed on this website, I can attest to the accuracy of McPhee's account. Most of my business colleagues were required to take annual two- or three-week military leaves, and one sees soldiers everywhere: on trains, in ski resorts, along low and vulnerable mountain passes such as those north of Sargans, and, increasingly, at airports. Their efficiency of organization has been admired not only by the Israelis, who imitated it, but also by the Russian defense minister, and McPhee accurately captures their esprit de corps - in the process expanding, as usual, the reader's vocabulary. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History - General History    3. Military Science    4. Political Science    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Western Europe - General    7. Social Science / Customs & Traditions   

Editorial Review

In the summer of 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set off aboard theRead more

Features

• Abridged

Reviews (361)

The original book of Shackleton's adventure
When the Endurance steamed south into the splitting ice pack of the Weddel Sea in the summer of 1914, she carried aboard the renowned British explorer Earnest Shackleton.The Endurance was specially designed and massively constructed by one of the world's finest shipyards, staffed with scientists and qualified volunteers and outfitted with meticulously tested equipment. Shackleton himself was an experienced polar veteran who had once come within a day's march of being the first to reach the south pole.But in spite of careful planning, the Endurance was doomed, and this expedition would be Shackleton's last Antarctic voyage.Unexpected cold weather froze the ship solidly into the ice, and 7 months later, the mounting pressure of millions of tons of ice crushed the three-foot wooden hull. The Endurance sank into the black water, and left the 30 exhausted men marooned on the treacherous melting ice flows of the storm-churned antarctic sea.For six months the poorly-equipped castaways wouldstruggle under inconceivable hardship until the drifting ice broke up enough for Shackleton to lead his expedition in three open lifeboats through freezing open water to a lifeless bit of rock called Elephant Island.With 5 companions aboard the remaining battered lifeboat, Shackleton left his crew and stuck out across the open ocean in a desperate attempt to reach a remote whaling station to obtain help.His faithful men would remain behind to weather the winter storms sleeping under the upended wreckage of a lifeboat -- their lives dangling by the frail promise that he wouldsomeday return. Alfred Lancing is an experienced journalist whose detailed research combines with direct and perfectly-paced prose and a handful of the expedition's original photographs.It is a tale ofleadership, unflagging courage, and determination in the face of impossible odds.But maybe the real definition of heroism is to be undaunted by the impossible.After sixteen days covering 900 miles of water in an amazing feat of open boat navigation, Shackleton struck land at South Georgia Island -- and after a three-day sleepless march over the 10,000 foot mountains in the huge island's interior, Shackleton and his remaining companions finally stumbled into a remote whaling outpost.And 450 days after being shipwrecked, after 5 attempts in three different ships, Shackleton managed to return to Elephant island to rescue his 22 remaining crew members in a tugboat borrowed from the Chilean government -- finally delivering all 29 of his men without the loss of a single life --and making Endurance one of the most inspiring stories of human survival every written.
An account of breathtaking courage
The author has clearly been rigorous in piecing together diary extracts and interview notes to put together this account of an adventure, or perhaps ordeal, which required of its survivors a degree of courage, composure and determination that cannot fail to humble yet uplift and inspire the reader.The style of narrative is rather matter-of-fact, rather than dramatic, and its coverage is limited to the expedition itself without dwelling much on the lives of the key players before or after.

An incredible book
Alfred Lansing's book, Endurance, dramatically details the 1914 expedition to the Antarctic led by Sir Ernest Shackleton.Although a non-fiction book, Lansing manages to make it read like a thriller, adventure.He wrote his story using first person accounts, interviews of survivors, journal entries, etc.While sometimes history can be a bit dry, this novel truly makes you feel a part of the adventure and reads very quickly.Ernest Shackleton's leadership abilities ensure not only the survival of the crew, but demonstrate his character as a man.Crew and officers were treated alike and shared in the duties of survival.Order was maintained and his personality and command of the situation enabled the group to survive what could have been a disaster. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1922    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. Endurance (Ship)    5. History    6. Polar Regions    7. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,    8. Sir,    9. Unabridged Audio - History    10. Western Europe - General   

Reviews (11)

Top Notch Biography
My Lady Scandalous: The Amazing Life and Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, Royal Courtesan by Jo Manning is a delightful work, decidedly unstuffy but very well-researched. For anyone interested in late 18th C. and Regency era England, it is a MUST.
A must for every bookshelf
MLS is a wonderfully sympathetic biography of one of the Regency eras most intriguing courteseans. Grace knew everyone who mattered and everyone "knew" Grace. Or did they? Jo Mannings' detailed and painstaking research uncovers many facts about Grace, members of the Regency Ton and the French Revoluton and presents them in an entertaining and readable format. MLS is simply crammed with period details not readily found in other reference books on the period. MLS sparkles with wit and much humour for period afficiandos "in the know" regarding the period and its players. Truly a must have for the shelves of every reader, writer and fan of the Regency era.
Grace Dalrymple?Who?
I have to agree with the few reviewers who found this book too gossipy and unfocused.I have nothing against a chatty writing style, but this book takes it too far.After reading the first chapter, I found myself wondering what the heck it had to do with the subject of Grace Dalrymple.The author meanders away on side tangents to such an extent that there's really very little of Grace present in the book (and too much talk of other famous women like Cleopatra and Princess Di).I understand the limited research material on Grace, but that's a rather poor excuse.Great biographies have been written on less than well documented subjects before, but this is not one of them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1762-1830    2. 18th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. British    8. Courtesans    9. France    10. George    11. Great Britain    12. Great Britain - History - 19th Century    13. Historical - British    14. Historical - General    15. History    16. IV,    17. King of Great Britain,    18. Monarchy And Aristocracy    19. Relations with women    20. Western Europe - General    21. Biography: general    22. British & Irish history: c 1700 to c 1900    23. History / General    24. London, Greater London    25. c 1700 to c 1800   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Western Europe - General    6. British & Irish history    7. England    8. History / Europe / Western   

Reviews (13)

Comme ci, comme ca
This is a very interesting book to read, what with the glitz and the glitter that the author presents.
Pretty good and fair-minded biography
While some "revelations" in this book should probably be taken with a grain of salt, overall, this is better than many Grimaldi biographies in that it is neither a hagiography nor a hatchet job. Glatt doesn't portray, say, Princess Grace as a saint, nor does he portray, say, Princess Stephanie as a monster. Glatt, though he clearly feels a measure of annoyance, even disgust, for some of the antics of the Grimaldi family, he also has compassion for them. For instance, when recounting one of the most salacious scandals to plague the family -- the videotape and photographs which showed Stephanie's husband making love to a Belgian stripper -- Glatt clearly feels bad for Stephanie (despite her appalling lack of judgement in latching on to the creep in the first place); she had really loved him and was genuinely hurt and humiliated by his betrayal.
"Royals" without the lies
John Glatt pens a more truthful version of "The Royals," with less favoritism and more fact. Admittedly this isn't the British royal family (who have provided us with entertainment for many years) but a lesser-known (and no less juicy) dynasty, the Grimaldi's of Monaco.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1923-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Grimaldi family    7. Historical - General    8. History    9. III,    10. Monaco    11. Prince of Monaco,    12. Princes    13. Princesses    14. Rainier    15. Rich & Famous    16. Royalty    17. Western Europe - History    18. Biography & Autobiography / Royalty    19. Biography: royalty    20. Europe    21. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    22. Family    23. South East Asia   

Reviews (3)

Excellent
As an Historian, I found Ms. Power's book to be enlightening.She has managed to capture the true day-to-day existence of women in this time period, without falling into the mire of Courtly Love.Her use of recordsis inovative as are the truths she draws from the records.All in all oneof the better books written on the subject.

nicely done
I found this book to be very nicely done.As my hobby is historical re-creation, I have found that many books about medieval women are very textbookish in style, and frequently BORING!!!Medieval Women is writtenin a very easy to read, conversational style.This book had short, simplechapters with rich documentation of everything that the author said. Thisbook also has some great illustrations from the period which enrich thetext and make this short piece quite a page-turner.

Interesting.
A good starting point for those with interest in the high Medieval Ages and womens place in society.I thought the passages on education and guilds were interesting, as was the little said on courtly love. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Medieval    5. Medieval, 500-1500    6. Middle Ages, 500-1500    7. Social Science    8. Social conditions    9. Social history    10. Sociology    11. Western Europe - General    12. Women    13. Women - Medieval History    14. Women's Studies - General    15. Women's Studies - History    16. British Isles    17. History / Great Britain    18. Women's studies    19. Women--History--Middle Ages, 500-1500   

Reviews (1)

Love of the Loved
I cried thinking of the tormented genius we all admired in the recent feature biopic Modigliani starring Andy Garcia.As Jeffrey Meyers points out in his workmanlike bio, Modligiani inspired at least five poems and nine novels, and also there was an earlier biopic which sounds terrific starring from 1958, directed by France's great cinema genius Hacques Becker.This film, Les Amants du Montparnasse, stars Gerald Philipe in the title role, and Lea Padovani (from CHRIST IN CONCRETE) as his leading lady, and of all people Lilli Palmer playing the very English Beatrice Hastings, while poor Anouk Aimee assigned to undergo the mist difficult of all the parts, poor doomed Jeanne Hebuterne.Can't wait to see this one on DVD!
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Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Artists, Architects, Photographers    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Expatriate painters    7. France    8. Individual Artist    9. Individual Painters - 20th Century    10. Italy    11. Painters    12. Western Europe - General    13. Biography: general    14. History / Jewish    15. Individual artists   

Reviews (2)

Good history, lots of good pictures
I really enjoyed this one.The book focuses much more on the artistic aspects of the situationists, and the letterists, than most other books on the subject I have come across.The book also contains a great selection of pictures of artworks, writtings, photots, and etc.This is not however a good overview of the more theoretical aspects of the situationists; you would probably be better of reading works by the situationists themselves.

the best thing out there
This book is the best resource up to now on the history of the Situationist movement.I have read just about everything published on this subject, even in French, and this book stands head and shoulders above the rest.The text explains things clearly and without the usual mythologizing.Which doesn't stop it from being quite favorable to the Situationists.And the accompanying pictures, many in color, are by far the best selection of situationist art or anti-art available in print.Included for example are Guy Debord's most famous collages and psychogeographic maps, color reproductions of works by Asger Jorn, examples of the underrepresented German faction of the Situationist movement, a sample from Ralph Rumney's "Psychogeographic Venice", and many good-quality photos of the various contributors to the movement - with (sadly a key point) accurate captions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. European    4. History - General    5. Western Europe - General    6. Art / History / General    7. Art styles: c 1900 to First World War    8. Europe    9. Western Continental Europe   

Subjects:  1. Chronology    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Great Britain    4. Great Britain - History    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Western Europe - General    10. British & Irish history    11. British Isles    12. Great Britain--History--Chronology--Handbooks, manuals, etc    13. History / Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. 17th century    3. Early modern, 1500-1700    4. English literature    5. Europe - Great Britain - General    6. Great Britain    7. Historiography    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History and criticism    11. History: World    12. Literature and history    13. Tudors, 1485-1603    14. Western Europe - General    15. British & Irish history    16. British Isles    17. Great Britain--History--Tudors, 1485-1603--Historiography    18. History / Great Britain    19. History of ideas, intellectual history    20. c 1700 to c 1800    21. c 1800 to c 1900   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Children    2. Children's Studies    3. Civilization    4. History    5. History: World    6. Social History    7. Social conditions    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Marriage & Family    10. United States - General    11. Western Europe - General    12. CHILD REARING    13. CHILDREN_HISTORY    14. CHILDREN_SOCIAL CONDITIONS    15. Family & Relationships / Parenting    16. PARENT AND CHILD    17. USA    18. Western Continental Europe   

Reviews (1)

One of the best.
DPs: Europe's Displaced Persons, 1945-1951 is one of the best written history books about a time often ignored by most authors.Read more

Subjects:  1. Emigration & Immigration    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Military - World War II    6. Modern - 20th Century    7. Refugees    8. Western Europe - General    9. World War II - Europe    10. World War, 1939-1945    11. Civil rights & citizenship    12. Europe    13. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    14. Immigration & emigration    15. Jewish studies    16. Political oppression & persecution    17. c 1945 to c 1960   

Reviews (8)

If the synopsis is any indication.....
Inasmuch as Robert the Bruce never actually lived at Castle Tioram, as the book states according to at least one reviewer, I might exercise some caution......

In Search of Ancient Scotland, a Guide
A useful book if you're planning a trip, know where you're going, and want to add some very old, off-the-beaten-track sites.If you're planning a trip and trying to figure out what part of Scotland to visit, another guide such as the Michelin is probably more useful as the latter guide differentiates better between the must see sites and those of only modest interest.

This book MADE my trip
This book was simply wonderful.I purchased this book to help me plan a trip to Scotland this year, and I am so glad I did. The authors give a detailed descrpition of each site and give it a rating to help you, the traveller, prioritize. They also give some pretty handy directions for locating the sites as well (we found every one we looked for, even some that were far off the beaten track). Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Antiquities, Prehistoric    3. Europe - Gt. Britain/Scotland    4. Europe - Scandinavia    5. Guidebooks    6. Historic sites    7. History / Europe / Western    8. Scotland    9. Travel    10. Travel - Foreign    11. Travel / Europe / Great Britain    12. Europe - Great Britain    13. Europe - Western    14. History   

Reviews (11)

Thoroughly absorbing and revelatory work

More Arab Bashing from a Begin Advisor
Will the last right wing Israeli to write another one-sided Arab bashing book please turn off the computers? After exporting weapons, Israel's propaganda book writing corps must be its country's second leading industry backed by fellow traveler self appointed "critics" who have never met an Arab blaming book that they've never liked. The fantasy in this book, like so many others, is the one created by these conservative Jews/Israelis worldwide. There is plenty of blame for all sides but the only blame ascribed by the Likud Literary Legions is to Israel's left wing activists and critics. Stick to reputable university press volumes if you want at least a slim chance at a "fair and balanced" viewpoint.

Dispels a number of myths about the Arab-Israeli conflict
I think it's interesting to read history books by supporters and opponents of Israel.The ones by Israel's foes generally contain a surprising amount of misinformation.And that may be why books such as this one do not.Katz finds it easiest to support Israel by refuting antizionist lies, and he does so by telling the truth.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Middle East - General    5. Western Europe - General    6. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    7. History / Middle East    8. International relations    9. Palestine    10. Warfare & Defence    11. World history: from c 1900 -    12. Politics   

Reviews (3)

Not what I expected
When I first started this book I was hoping that it was one that would give some insight into the life of Anne of Cleves, what she was like as a person etc.I was also hoping that it would touch on the controverstysurrounding the portrait done of her by Hans Holbein (it mentions thescandal briefly to say that he did not misrepresent her in the portrait). Instead it focuses on marriage and uses Anne as its example.Not to saythat this topic was not interesting, I just felt as though the title wasmisleading in terms of the book's subject matter.It really does not talkabout her until you are half way through the book.I would recomendreading this book but only after it has become a paperback or if you wantto know about the history of marriage within the Church.

Warnicke's "The Marrying of Anne of Cleves" an Engaging Read
Dr. Warnicke's latest book is quite enlightening. I admit that I didn't know much about Anne of Cleves or how she came to be married to Henry VIII, but learned that what I had read was largely inaccurate. Dr. Warnicke makesAnne's situation quite clear, much as she did in her book about AnneBoleyn. The Marrying of Anne of Cleves: Royal Protocol in Early Mode
Excellent!Lots of detail and background.Ms. Warnicke provides details from many courts and now I finally understand just how Anne of Cleves ended up in England.I enjoyed this as much as her previous book on Anne Boleyn. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1515-1557    2. 16th century    3. Anne,    4. Biography    5. Customs & Traditions    6. England    7. Europe - Great Britain - General    8. Great Britain    9. Great Britain - History - Tudor And Stuart (1485-1714)    10. History    11. History - General History    12. History: World    13. Marriage    14. Marriage customs and rites    15. Marriages of royalty and nobil    16. Marriages of royalty and nobility    17. Queens    18. Western Europe - General    19. of Cleves, Queen, consort of H    20. Anne    21. Anne,--of Cleves, Queen, consort of Henry VIII, King of England,--1515-1557--Marriage    22. British & Irish history: c 1000 to c 1500    23. British & Irish history: c 1500 to c 1700    24. Henry    25. History / Great Britain    26. c 1700 to c 1800    27. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (1)

Just fine, for a textbook
Enjoyment of this book certainly improves with guided use under academic direction.It certainly has dry sections.There are a number of numerical charts of population trends and mercantile trends generally based on primary sources; if your interest in history is more technical than popular this is your sort of book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1648-1795    2. Commerce    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. International - General    7. Language    8. Language Arts & Disciplines    9. Linguistics    10. Netherlands    11. Wars of Independence, 1556-164    12. Wars of Independence, 1556-1648    13. Western Europe - General    14. European history: c 1500 to c 1750    15. History / Europe / Western    16. History, World | European | Other European Nations    17. c 1500 to c 1600    18. c 1600 to c 1700    19. c 1700 to c 1800   

Reviews (7)

Wonderful and Informative
I freely admit that I'm not some Napoleonic expert who keeps a sabre next to my desk & a shako on my mantle. I've been a fan of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series for years. I kept meaning to start reading books on the actual Peninsula Campaign and it just so happens this is the first book. That was great luck because this book is wonderful.
Highly readable and intelligent book for fans of the Greenjackets - and excellent Peninsular War history
The Rifle brigade is one of the most extraodinary of the British Napoleonic War regiments. Only put together in around 1800 by Sir John Moore - it played a pivotal role in the Peninsular War, and later at Waterloo. They were the first of the Rifle brigades based on the Austrian and French regiments such as the Voltigeurs and Tiralleurs - they were to the be first in and last out of most encounters.
Bravo!
Urban does fine work here.
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Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Army    3. Europe - Great Britain - General    4. Great Britain    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. History: World    8. Military - General    9. Military - Napoleonic Wars    10. Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815    11. Participation, British    12. Regiment of Foot, 95th    13. Regimental histories    14. Sharpshooters    15. Western Europe - General    16. History / Modern / 19th Century   

Editorial Review

It seems that Giovanni Giacomo Casanova (1725-1798) wasn't really a Casanova after all ... or, rather, not according to the contemporary definition of the word. Belgian psychoanalyst Lydia Flem presents a bold new interpretation of Casanova's life as seen through his 12-volume Read more

Reviews (10)

An Extraordinary Man Through Ordinary Glasses
The author's praise of Casanova as an extraordinary man is belied by a rather ordinary Freudian analysis to which he is subjected.Of course, Casanova's biography is understandably irresistible to Freudian analysts, but any such analysis of this giant individual and champion individualist is necessarily reductive.The book is also non-chronological and the jumps in time are at times annoying, for all that a chronology is provided at the beginning of the book.I wished there were more quotes from Casanova's autobiography.I wished to see the passage of such a life unfold before me in its natural progression.I then realized that Casanova was such an incredible being that I wanted him to tell his own story.Realizing I was likely reading the wrong book, I ordered "The History of My Life."

Excellent Primer on Giacomo Casanova.
It took me two weeks to finish the whole book, and I must say it was a fascinating read. I've always wondered who Casanova was and what he did with his life. This book answered my questions and more. Insightful Analysis of a Misunderstood Man
Lydia flem provides a refreshing account of the, often misunderstood in North America, Giacomo Casanova. She bases her study on Casanova's autobographical History of My Life which he wrote while exiled from Venice in a Bohemian castle.In many ways casanova was a romantic and an intellectual.he loved the good life, enjoyed aesthetic pursuits, was a violinist, writer, poet and even dabbled in medicine.he was also the contemporary of Mozart and was born in the city of Vivaldi (another misunderstood venetian who was exiled from his native city).Most significantly, Flem stresses the fact that casanova was more of a feminist than a womanizer.He did have affairs with plenty of women, surely (and why anyone should object to that is a mistery).However, he appreciated women, treated them as equals and only sought mutual pleasure.The misunderstanding comes from the notion that he only sought sexual pleasure.No, he was witty, spoke several langauges and his comapny was welcomed throughgout the courts of Europe.he was also a bit of a Robin-Hood and, like most fun-loving and charming people, spendthrift and unconcerned with financial matters.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1725-1798    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Casanova, Giacomo    7. Casanova, Giacomo,    8. Europe    9. Historical    10. Historical - General    11. Western Europe - History   

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. Civilization    3. Congresses    4. Court and courtiers    5. Elizabeth, 1558-1603    6. Europe - Great Britain - General    7. Great Britain    8. Great Britain - History - Tudor And Stuart (1485-1714)    9. History    10. History - General History    11. History: World    12. Western Europe - General    13. British & Irish history: c 1000 to c 1500    14. British & Irish history: c 1500 to c 1700    15. Elizabeth    16. England    17. Great Britain--History--Elizabeth, 1558-1603--Congresses    18. History / Great Britain    19. c 1700 to c 1800    20. c 1800 to c 1900