Amazon.com
Consistently lauded for its lively, readable prose, this revised and updated edition of A People's History of the United States turns traditional textbook history on its head. Howard Zinn infuses the often-submerged voices of blacks, women, American Indians, war resisters, and poor laborers of all nationalities into this thorough narrative that spans American history from Christopher Columbus's arrival to an afterword on the Clinton presidency.
Addressing his trademark reversals of perspective, Zinn--a teacher, historian, and social activist for more than 20 years--explains, "My point is not that we must, in telling history, accuse, judge, condemn Columbus in absentia. It is too late for that; it would be a useless scholarly exercise in morality. But the easy acceptance of atrocities as a deplorable but necessary price to pay for progress (Hiroshima and Vietnam, to save Western civilization; Kronstadt and Hungary, to save socialism; nuclear proliferation, to save us all)--that is still with us. One reason these atrocities are still with us is that we have learned to bury them in a mass of other facts, as radioactive wastes are buried in containers in the earth."
If your last experience of American history was brought to you by junior high school textbooks--or even if you're a specialist--get ready for the other side of stories you may not even have heard. With its vivid descriptions of rarely noted events, A People's History of the United States is required reading for anyone who wants to take a fresh look at the rich, rocky history of America.
Book Description
Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of -- and in the words of -- America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, working poor, and immigrant laborers.
This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
Customer Reviews:
American Hiostory.......2007-10-15
Amazon sucks. They are desperate and have stooped to "bait & switch" tactics. After years as a customer and thousands spent at Amazon, I have closed my account. There are too many like businesses competing with Amazon on the web so please use them. Amazon hates its loyal customers. Don't buy from Amazon.
The detail behind the headlines we were taught........2007-10-10
A thorough review of our country's unfiltered history through the eyes of an academic who recognizes and records the massive struggles that got us to present day. Once you read this text, you will better understand why we are who we are as a nation! Should be mandatory reading in every basic college history course.
The Things we aren't told about in school........2007-10-03
If you ever want the missing pieces of history filled in from your US history courses - READ THIS. Labor strikes, public strife, divide and conquer propaganda to keep lower classes at bay - all very interesting and angering.
Biased focus a disappointment.......2007-10-02
Zinn disappoints with a biased and narrow accounting of the United States' history. Despite the one-sided slant on key events (and much information not presented), this book is worth reading if only for the volume of factual stories and events gleamed over by conventional texts.
A people's History of the US.......2007-09-28
It is a book I needed for a college class. I have not read it but my review is on the speedy delivery of the book. I received it quickly and was the book was in great shape. Thanks
Book Description
The first volume of The New Cambridge Medieval History covers the transitional period between the later Roman world and the early middle ages, c. 500 to c. 700. This was an era of developing consciousness and profound change in Europe, Byzantium and the Arab world, an era in which the foundations of medieval society were laid and to which many of our modern myths of national and religious identity can be traced. This book offers a comprehensive regional survey of the sixth and seventh centuries, from Ireland in the west to the rise of Islam in the Middle East, and from Scandinavia in the north to the Mediterranean south. It explores the key themes pinning together the history of this period, from kingship, trade and the church, to art, architecture and education. It represents both an invaluable conspectus of current scholarship and an expert introduction to the period.
Average customer rating:
- COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!
- Hazards of being Royal, Oh my!
- Come into the Borgia Parlor ...
- Dark & Sensual
- Exciting
|
The Borgia Bride: A Novel
Jeanne Kalogridis
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Friendship
| Women's Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
I, Mona Lisa
-
The Ruby Ring: A Novel
-
The Dark Queen: A Novel
-
The Burning Times: A Novel
-
The Courtesan: A Novel
ASIN: 0312341385
Release Date: 2005-04-21 |
Book Description
In the tradition of The Birth of Venus and The Other Boleyn Girl comes a dramatic and compelling story of a princess from Naples who marries into one of the most glittering and infamous families of the Italian Renaissance Sancha of Aragon, beautiful and vivacious, arrives in Rome after marrying an heir to the Borgia dynasty. But Rome, seething with conspiracy and intrigue, is a world away from the sunlit Naples of her childhood. When she discovers her new husband in the embrace of not one, but several women, she is heartbroken. Lonely, she befriends her glamorous and tantalizing sister-in-law, Lucrezia Borgia, whose reputation as a seductress is unparalleled; among her conquests, it is rumored, is her own brother, Cesare. Her jealousy is legendary and some say she has used poison to rid herself of rivals. Gradually, the two women develop a cautious friendship, and Sancha comes to admire Lucrezia's ability to navigate the dangerous political currents. But when Sancha is seduced by none other than Cesare himself, whose sexual magnetism and cruelty have made him notorious, she realizes she has placed herself in serious danger. If her secret is discovered, it could not only destroy her, but threaten her beloved Naples. Possessed of an indomitable spirit, she must summon courage and cunning to protect her country, her family and herself.
Customer Reviews:
COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!.......2007-02-09
I LOVED this book. I read it in two sittings. If you like the works of Philippa Gregory, Karleen Koen, Sarah Dunant, Anya Seton, Susan Carroll, and Alison Weir you will enjoy this novel immensely.
Hazards of being Royal, Oh my!.......2006-12-28
A good read, it kept me interested but I did not care for this book as much as Jeanne Kalogridis', "I, Mona Lisa".
Dysfunctional is too kind a word for the Borgia family.
Come into the Borgia Parlor ..........2006-11-18
This is an interesting tale spun about who may have poisoned Pope Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia and why they were poisoned. I love the history and the intrigues of the period especially the intense and complex structure of the Borgia family. Cesare is darkly sensual, and deliciously evil as he manipulates his family and is consumed by his obsession with Sancha D'Aragon. Sancha is strong and determined, and the friendship she develops with Lucretia in their mutual love for Alfonso is definitely the highlight of this novel for me. Even Jofre Borgia is made interesting as we see his involvement in the Borgia's vendetta for control of 15th century Italy. Cantarella is still the poison of choice and readers should watch how this poison gets into the hands of Sancha. Historical readers will not care for the romance of the story, but the romance is crucial in driving the motive for revenge and justice in this novel as a turbulent love turns to consuming hatred because of an act of murder.
Dark & Sensual.......2006-07-19
I'll be frank here ~~ it wasn't what I expected at all but that didn't stop me from reading. I thought it'd be similar to "The Ruby Ring" but it's nothing like that novel. This one is darker and more sensual and more troubling. I couldn't put the book down though as I wanted to see how this book ends.
This is probably the first book I've ever read on The Borgias. Like one reviewer here mentioned, they sure bring new meaning to dysfunctional family! This novel focuses on Sancha of Aragon who marries the Pope's youngest and ineffectual son, Jofre Borgia. Once she arrives in Rome with Jofre, Sancha becomes ensared with Lucrezia and her brother, Cesare, who are also Pope Alexander's children ~~ and Sancha becomes deeply ensared in the sinister web of the Borgia family. Incest, murder, jealousy, adultery, lavish gluttony, and rumors swirl around Rome and Sancha had to rely on her own cunning to remain alive and beat the Borgias at their game.
This is a dark novel ~~ very sensual and troubling. Everything that man can possibly do to his loved ones ~~ are written here. It is a fast page-turner and while disturbing, it's also fascinating. I have not heard much about the Borgias and if this historical fiction is anything to go by ~~ they are intriguing and definitely interesting. That old saying that power corrupts definitely fit this family. It is an interesting historical fiction ~~ one that won't leave my mind for a long time.
7-18-06
Exciting.......2006-07-07
The history of the Borgia family is dark and intriguing, and this interpretation was true to tradition. It is an exciting read, but be warned, the sex scenes give it the feel of a romance novel at times.
Customer Reviews:
Complicates The National In The Origins Of Capitalism, Needs To Confront The Individual.......2006-03-14
Was capitalism a cultural project? Were the structural changes that created modern nations (rooted in capital) accompanied by significant and corollary changes in values, faith, religion, kinship, individualism, art, and other cultural phenomena? From the vantage point of twenty-first century cultural studies, the answer is an obvious "yes." It is not clear that Eric Wolf shares this vantage point in his field and in his period. For the most part, this work centers physical geographic connection, inclusion, and exclusion - - local and macrocosmic - - as the greatest influence on human behavior. For example: the peasant, newly excluded from the enclosed commons, turns to wage labor due to a lack of survival alternatives. Perhaps the peasant's motive for this change is not the most important question of history, but rather the change that history inscribes upon the peasant's cultural constitution. In other words, is the peasant merely a rational economic actor to be inserted in an equation of geopolitical determinism, or are they compelled at this broad historical juncture to do something newly irrational, counter-instinctual, and alien to the preparation of their human constitution? The problem is that Wolf's cool and rational engagement with the spaces, places, motions, and control of objects still subscribes to a fairly static reification of the individual. This individual must be unmoving in spiritual and cultural practice, trauma, affection, embrace and rejection, or at least conceived of as stable and reasonable outside of this variability, in order for Wolf's historical narrative to be a complete explanation. Of course, no author claims a complete explanation so the question becomes whether or not this is a viable one.
Without a doubt, Wolf's study of objects as moving and formative in the rise of prevailing world power was a radical departure from "situated" anthropology and the isolated empirical engagement of cultural objects. His work takes an important stand against ascribing the exceptionalism of modern nation states backwards through time as an acceptable constraint on historical inquiry. He thus separates himself from the study of "Dutch capitalism" or "Italian mercantilism" and instead presents a vision of connected communities and urban centers. In important ways, he upsets the claim that contemporary geopolitical and cultural divisions make on nature, a fallacy that prevailed across disciplines and credible discourses for centuries. Wolf rocks this boat. Surely, after reading this work, one is less comfortable with terms like "English feudalism."
However, this work does not trouble the claim that capitalism makes on nature because that claim is rooted in a very specific and historically modern reification of the liberal individual. Capitalism constructs the individual qua reason, a mind without a body and a rational actor whose flow is enabled, diverted, reversed, or stopped by resource and object politics. I remain unconvinced that history is quite so simple as changing the levers of human functionalism so articulated. While it is impressive (if not decentering) to document the history and rise of Europe as contingent on global object politics involving diverse peoples - - and the author openly admits that there is great and varied cultural context in each of the areas he connects - - somehow I also saw the "people without history" as the majority of human beings entangled in the wide net of capitalism's reductionism of the individual. I am not convinced that "the migrant's position is determined not so much by the migrant or his culture as by the structure of the situation in which he finds himself" (362). While this is true of physical location and perhaps even economic endeavor, this reduction of positionality is a modern phenomenon of capital. Is there a better interpretive?
A Chapter at a Time.......2002-10-31
This is a looong read but it is well worth it in the end. I found that taking this book chapter by chapter was the best way to read, because sometimes you find yourself reading the chapter's twice. Wolf offers an insighful and opinionated view of European and Imperial history. I would advise anyone who is interested in history and modern political relations, its a great overview of well....everything that happened in European history involving trade, imperialism, and colonial relations.
An interconnected history.......2001-12-18
Wolf breaks the paradigm that the world ever was full of isolated pockets of civilized people void of contact with others. By tracing routes of fur trade, slave trade, early movements of people, materials and ideas, Wolf examines the world before Europe "civilized" the world. He is able to show how contact with European traders change the lifestyles of groups of people who already had fully developed cultural, linguistic and political traditions. How trade, bureaucracy, military force and violence influenced the people with whom the traders contacted illustrates the fact that "globalization" is hardly a recent phenomenon.
This provides the background for understanding the current changes in the transition of ideas in the world. Without Wolf's excellent work, it becomes possible to get lulled into the trap that the "Internet" changed the world. In fact, it did not provide contact for people where none previously existed. Electronic media does provide a new medium by which the transfer of ideas can take place. It changes the nature of that transmission, but it does not create a transmission where none previously existed.
History and Power.......2001-06-27
Europe and the People Without History describes the very process by which capitalism has spread and permeated throughout the world. Wolf's narrative starts from AD 1400 and ends in the 20th century. He traces the historical events associated with the expansion of European commerce, paying extra attention to the people ignored by traditional history, those who either resisted to the death or toiled under the drudgery of capitalism.
Instead of viewing nations or "tribes" (a problematic term in anthropology) as isolated and coherent entities, Wolf is concerned with the international and intercultural processes that is continually creating new nations, new cultures, new identities. In turn Wolf warns against the reification of complex processes or elements into one seemingly unified term. I find this perspective especially valuable. Generalizations and broad categories must be used with caution, since words and concepts merely reflect aspects of reality, but they themselves are not to be equated with reality.
Another merit of Wolf is his world systems approach. He analyzes world history as a system in which disparate and distant social groups can have important influence on each other. This analytic method rejects the notion that countries are independent and self-contained systems, but instead they are interrelatetd in the larger global processes of change.
Finally, readers should pay extra attention to the concluding chapter. It discusses the nature of ideology, about how it is formed and how it is perpetuated. Wolf reminds the readers that common terms and categories are not innocent words - they are the offspring of constant construction, deconstruction, and redefinition of power relations.
In short, Europe and the People without History will impact the minds of those who have not been exposed to the history of capitalist and colonial expansion. It will force people living in developed nations to reconsider the historical source of their affluency and wealth. Despite the dispassionate and objective tone used in Wolf's analysis of global history, I cannot help but read the book as a somber epitaph to the silent victims of colonization and globalization.
- Malcolm Godwin
I think that this is my favorite book.......2001-05-13
The rather odd name of this book refers to the tendency of many social scientists to evaluate non-western peoples without considering that they have a unique history that needs to be taken into account if we are to gain any understanding of them. Not surprisingly the author attempts remedy this shortcoming in a sweeping analysis of the last 600 years of human history. If you are a person who like myself would like to come to understand why human affairs are what they are today I recommend this book as the single best starting point. This is not to say that I think Wolf is right about everything that he writes, no work of this scope will achieve that, but he covers the field and knows the sources. The bibliography is a great resource, though a little dated. Ralph J. Pledger, Ph.D.
Customer Reviews:
A very fine, accurate, brief review of European History.......2007-08-04
The student above who felt this review book was too LONG completely misses the point. One does not read through a book like this as a substitute for the textbook -- which is what I imagine this poor young student though he could do. One relies on it to clarify areas of confusion. As a good reference and review book to read either before a chapter or as review afterward, this is a genuinely excellent book.
First, it's a nice size. It's smaller (height and width) than most of the enormously giant-sized review books available so it's like a real book. And it's printed on real paper, not cheap newsprint like most of the AP review books are. Small enough that you can easily grab it off the shelf or carry it around with you. And, the page layout makes it easy to find things. Everything is treated in brief paragraphs with clear topic headings. Pages are brief so you move through it page-after-page very quickly. It really couldn't be easier to use.
As a history teacher, I look into this book from time to time to double-check an historical issue or event or to check up on correct chronology of events I can't quite recall. It saves a lot of time compared to paging through much longer, denser books.
As a review book, I imagine this would be very good to refresh a student's memory of lots of important (and, frankly, many less important!) events, people, and ideas. However, students who are looking for a book to replace their textbook will be disappointed as this book assumes you have some idea what is going on historically. You could read it alone and understand the history pretty well, but I doubt you'd be very confident without the analysis of the textbook which this does not have.
The one thing most lacking from books like this is overall themes and ideas. Most review books lack this so this is not so much a criticism as something to be aware of. History has patterns, themes, and MAJOR themes to be aware of (The rise of democracy, the clash of civilizations, the struggle for equality, impact of the Enlightenment, the impact of economic changes . . . and so on). If all you know are facts, events, and dates, you will be lost--but you already knew that!
This book assumes you are aware of these themes (See your textbook or your teacher if you aren't -- believe me, they are very important) and is designed simply to remind you of all that pesky information you might not have understood so well the first time. In that respect, this is a very fine book and clearly worth the money as one of the better European History review books.
Another caveat: It is NOT designed specifically to prepare you to "ace" the AP exam. It doesn't have the usual tips and tricks stuff that most review books have. It is designed for students who want to understand and remember the history, not for students that want quick shortcuts to faking out the exam. Of course, it goes without saying that students who understand the history tend to "ace" the exam -- without shortcuts and so-called "insider" information that isn't really very useful.
4 stars only because of lack of larger themes, but I'm a very tough grader!
Must Have for the AP Euro Exam.......2007-05-14
I had one of the most boring textbooks invented for the AP Euro class. I couldn't stand reading it and as a result, I was not one of the top scorers on the tests in my class. However, I used this book to study for my in-class final and the AP exam and I did well on both. Thanks to this book, I got a 5 on the AP. The book has good information and it helped me learn things that my AP teacher did not teach in our class. I recommend that you buy this book in order to do well on the AP. My only negative comment is that it has no practice exams but since the book is not associated with AP, it is a flaw that is easy to forgive.
Modern European History.......2007-03-12
Very helpful book. It has maps in it and its written in a very good language and nothing fancy.
it's great.......2007-03-01
i just took the ap euro exam last year (got a 5) and this was my favorite prep book out of all prep books (also had barrons and REA). concise, easy to carry around, excellent index, even smells nice (if you're a weirdo like me who likes to sniff bookpaper)- mod euro history condensed my piles of lecture notes to little easy-to-read paragraphs. altho i wouldn't recommend solely studying from this book (read your textbook and notes too. make flashcards till your hand falls off.), I definitely recommend getting it.
Perfect for Reviewing for Tests.......2007-01-24
So, I just finished my AP Euro class (the class exam was last week). I managed to get an A in what is considered a highly difficult course at my school, and I can proudly say that I only read my textbook the first week of the class. While other students spent hours poring over tedious 5 pt. font pages in our convoluted textbook, I simply read this. Before every M/C test or essay, I would quickly read the chapter[s] that corresponded with whatever subject we were studying. Many times, Modern European History had answers to questions on the test that the textbook didn't even mention. It covers every topic in the textbook in appropriate depth, and makes everything truly easy to understand. I highly recommend this; it saved my life!
Book Description
Marked by C. Warren Hollister's clear historical vision and engaging teaching style, this classic text has been judiciously revised by Judith Bennett; the tenth edition includes greater coverage of Byzantium and Islam, a revised map program, a new essay program on medieval myths, and more. In his preface to the eighth edition, Professor Hollister wrote of his realization, while in college, that our world today "is a product of the medieval past." Medieval Europe introduces today's students to the medieval roots of our own society.
Customer Reviews:
Decent Textbook.......2007-01-22
I am a graduate student who has recently begun teaching first-year undergrads. The Hollister and Bennett book is the main text book for a Medieval Period General course, and the students use it to supplement their core readings. The textbook, a general synthesis of the history of Western Europe, is decent and fairly comprehensive, written and updated by experts in the field. However, it has been a long time since I've read a general textbook, and found the lack of footnote references a bit unnerving. The book does, however, provide lists for further reading at the end of each chapter, but these are very selective.
Fantastic Introduction.......2006-05-16
Professor Hollister managed, again, to convey the thematic importance of major questions in European history in a concise and entertaining fashion. This is one of, if not, the best introductions to medieval European history out there. The only drawback is the price, which is ridiculous. This book ought to be $15 or so. Oh well.
Excellent Survey.......2006-05-14
A succinct and well-balanced survey of the European Middle Ages, this book is an excellent choice for undergraduates and other scholars needing a good overview of the period. Each edition seems to stay true to the current research of the period. I highly recommend world historians keep this on their shelves for reference.
Book Description
This volume of The New Cambridge Medieval History covers most of the period of Frankish and Carolingian dominance in western Europe. It was one of remarkable political and cultural coherence, combined with crucial, very diverse and formative developments in every sphere of life. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the authors examine the interaction between rulers and ruled, how power and authority actually worked, and the society and culture of Europe as a whole. The volume is divided into four parts. Part I encompasses the events and political developments in the whole of the British Isles, the west and east Frankish kingdoms, Scandinavia, the Slavic and Balkan regions, Spain, Italy, and those aspects of Byzantine and Muslim history which impinged on the west between c. 700 and c. 900. Parts II, III and IV cover themes and topics concerning church and society, and cultural and intellectual developments.
Book Description
This epic history compares the empires built by Spain and Britain in the Americas, from Columbus’s arrival in the New World to the end of Spanish colonial rule in the early nineteenth century. J. H. Elliott, one of the most distinguished and versatile historians working today, offers us history on a grand scale, contrasting the worlds built by Britain and by Spain on the ruins of the civilizations they encountered and destroyed in North and South America.
Elliott identifies and explains both the similarities and differences in the two empires’ processes of colonization, the character of their colonial societies, their distinctive styles of imperial government, and the independence movements mounted against them. Based on wide reading in the history of the two great Atlantic civilizations, the book sets the Spanish and British colonial empires in the context of their own times and offers us insights into aspects of this dual history that still influence the Americas.
Customer Reviews:
England and Spain in the Western Hemisphere.......2007-09-25
This was an eye-opener for me as I knew very little on Spain's American territories, besides brief descriptions of some of the conquistadors such as Cortes and Pizzarro. What Elliott has done in this book is to show the comparisons and contrasts between England's New World Colonies and Spain's. There are many fascinating facets underlaying the reasons for acquiring these territories, how both sides viewed their mission and goals, and how they governed them. This is without a doubt a remarkable book that revealed a lot for me.
The first colonization was begun by the Spanish in the early 16th Century. The English made their first successful attempt in the early 17th Century. Both South and North America posed different challenges for both governments, i.e. the size of the indigenous populations, the geography and climate, natural resources and so forth. For me, the real fascination was learning more about the Spanish colonies and the establishment of the viceroyalties of New Spain (based in Mexico City) and Peru (based in Lima) with additional ones developing over time. The interaction with the natives, the attempts at Christianization, trade, and many other aspects of Spain's colonization were quite enlightening.
Being more familiar with United States history, I felt more familiar with the material covered on England's planting of settlers in Jamestown and later in New England. However, the real education was in Elliott's efforts to show how each of these two powers (Spain and England) confronted the realities and challenges of establishing their presence in these very different regions. The differences were often quite stark. Some of the points of contrast that most differentiated the two powers included each nation's attitude towards the Indians (including the attempts or lack of evangelization) and the extent of imperial bureaucracy brought over from the mother countries.
Elliott also describes how world events had helped to shape and or guide the developments that occurred in both country's territories. The Reformation, the British Commonwealth under Cromwell, the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, the French and Indian War, the French Revolution and so forth, all served as factors in shaping the events that transpired in North and South America. The role of various monarchs, religious, military and political leaders, as well as indigenous leaders, are also discussed.
Elliott does try to take an even-handed approach in acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of both government's endeavors. Of course it goes without saying that the notion of empire, with the connotations of exploitation of natives and their cultures, is unpopular in most peoples minds nowadays. Yes, it was and remains a blot on the records of all nations that engaged in replacing the livelihoods and cultures (sometimes more like extermination) of indigenous peoples, or those who engaged in the slave trade, but we must keep in mind that we have to try to keep modern standards in check for historical purposes.
This is such a broad subject that I find it hard to even begin to touch on more specific details found in this book; I'm just trying to outline the broader contours of Elliott's book. Having some introduction to this time period will help you, but you need not be an expert on this particular topic. An illuminating read.
Engaging Comparative History .......2007-01-03
This is comparative history at its very best. Elliott superbly describes and chronicles the history of the British and Spanish exploration and colonization of the Americas, as well as the process whereby both the British American and Spanish American colonial societies brought about their independence from the imperial governments. It is a comprehensive, detailed, and yet highly readable overview of the political, economic, social, military, and religious forces at play in the Americas during the time period. Elliott goes beyond the telling of historical events and facts, to provide analysis and interpretation of why history unfolded as it did. The writing is excellent and clearly reflects a highly learned historian who has the ability to tell history in a an engaging manner. His juxtaposition and comparison of British and Spanish America in a single volume results in a very interesting and stimulating way to learn about the two empires. The book contains very attractive end papers, a number of excellent maps and numerous color plates. Very highly recommended.
A essential addition to a great history.......2006-12-17
Elliott delivers the masterpiece that those who study the Atlantic World have been waiting for. The idea of studying history from the perspective of the Atlantic has been growing in popularity and worth taking a further look at. Britain and Spain established mammoth empires and Elliot looks at their rise and fall. He also considers other powers including the French and Dutch but focuses mainly on the first two mentioned. The age of exploration is put in context and in true Atlantic fashion the slave trade and development in Latin America are very important. The revolutions of the Atlantic world are very clearly explained in this book and Elliott leaves you wondering where else this field can go. Elliott writes very well and this book is a must read for those who want to consider how the Atlantic world impacted Europe and the United States.
Challenging Theory.......2006-08-27
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the history of the Americas, colonial history or comparative studies of the American countries. Although it is based largely on secondary sources it reflects the enormous amount of work that the author has carried out in his previous books on Spain. The most interestin feature of the book is how Elliott points out the similarities between the British and Spanish Empires in the Americas; a fact that most historians have previously tended to ignore.
An important contribution.......2006-05-10
Colonialism and Empire are the two most important subjects in history, no other subject exists without them and the discovery of the New World and its repopulation/depopulation is one fo the great episodes of human history. The colonies in America can be easily put into two categories, the Anglo ones and the Catholic ones. Despite small French and Portugues and Dutch intrusions, the overall lesson is one of difference between these two great naval powers and the makeup of their colonial systems.
We are given here, perhaps for the first time in a cogent work, a true understanding of the nature of the two regimes. ON the one hand we see the brutality and discrimination of the Spanish empire. How they lopped of hands for gold, how they were anti-Jewish. How they were Catholic. But we see in them a very different mentality, that of mixing with native peoples to in fact create a whole new ethnic group. In the English colonies we see the opposite, early contacts with Indians dont suceed and the colonies immediatly set to bring over women(because of religious diveristy and rebellion against England) and in this we see the creation of the modern system of North and South America.
A wonderful and very insightful book that should be of interest for any historian of the period or anyone interested.
Seth J. Frantzman
Average customer rating:
|
Piero Della Francesca
Jacqueline Guillaud
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Piero della Francesca
| ( P-R )
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Authors
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Renaissance
| Movements & Periods
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Renaissance
| Italy
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0517571110
Release Date: 1988-11-22 |
Book Description
The second part of the volume is about the course of events--ecclesiastical and secular--with regard to the papacy, the western empire (mainly Germany), Italy, France, Spain, the British Isles, Scandinavia, Hungary, Poland, the Byzantine empire and the settlements in Palestine and Syria established by the crusades and their Muslim neighbors.
Books:
- Preclinical Drug Development (Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Sciences)
- Quilts in a Material World: Selections from the Winterthur Collection
- Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome (Novels of Ancient Rome)
- Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers
- Scott of the Antarctic: A Life of Courage and Tragedy
- Seasons of Delight
- Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
- Seed of Knowledge, Stone of Plenty: Understanding the Lost Technology of the Ancient Megalith-Builders
- Sharpe's Company (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #13)
- Simply Seminole : Techniques & Designs in Quilt Making
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Mirror Mirror: A Novel
- Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
- Southeastern Asian Biodiversity in Crisis
- The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
- The Zen of Creative Painting: An Elegant Design for Revealing Your Muse
- Building A Medical Vocabulary: With Spanish Translations
- 21st Century Complete Guide to Mars Exploration: Mars Exploration Rovers 2003-2004 ¿ NASA Spi
- Tattoos from Paradise: Traditional Polynesian Patterns
- Streets: Critical Perspectives on Public Space
- Four Brothers in Blue: Or Sunshine and Shadows of the War of the Rebellion, a Story of the Great Civ
Lies My Teacher Told Me
Voices of a People's History of the United States
The Twentieth Century: A People's History
Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance (American Empire Project)
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
