Product Description
In the nineteenth century Europe changed more rapidly and more radically than during any prior period.These six specially commissioned chapters by eminent historians offer the student and general reader a unique approach to understanding one of the most complex periods of modern history, addressing all the major issues in Europe's political, social, economic, cultural, international, and Imperial history.Amazon.com Review
Europe underwent colossal political, economic, and social change in the long century between the fall of the Bastille in 1789 and the assassination ofArchduke Ferdinand in 1914, and this volume in the Short Oxford History ofEurope provides an expert and entertaining overview of the principaldevelopments. This is sonic-boom history, with Professor T.C.W.Blanning and his team placing a firm emphasis on the modernizing andglobal transformations at work, although there are important remindersalong the way of the persistence of monarchy and the established church.

Here, for a change, Europe manifestly includes Britain, which makes fora thoughtful perspective on all manner of comparisons and contrasts.Particularly enjoyable are NiallFerguson's survey of economic change, spiced with sideline commentaryfrom Dickens and Wagner, and Tony Hopkins's sweep through the history ofEuropean imperialism. Readers may find some of the chapters too absorbedwith historiography, rather than history, and perhaps everyone pays toomuch attention to Blanning's dictum that the 19th was the "German century."One wonders what a group of Mediterranean or Eastern European scholarswould have made of such a topic. But for a readable history written byspecialists, this book is hard to beat. --Miles Taylor, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Poorly written
This book has quite a bit of information--making a very dense read. This is fine, but the authors write with several assumptions. 1. There is the assumption that everyone will know what they are referring to when discussing particular topics. As a graduate student focusing on early modern Europe, I navigated the text somewhat with ease. However, this text is being used for undergraduate courses, and many students are considerably lost when reading this text. If you are an expert in, let us say, European economics from the 19th century until mid 20th century the book may be suitable. At times, the authors appear quite confusing and the use of specific stats is often overused and overbearing for the reader.
2. As I alluded to earlier, this book is used for an undergraduate course. It should only be used for graduate courses where many of the students are either familiar with the topic or you are guaranteed to have several supplemental readings to assist you with this text.


If you are just a person who loves or likes history and wants to read on this particular period--I would only suggest this book if:


1. You have an decent background in this periods history.
2. You at least have another text(s) covering similar topics to aid you in your reading.


If you know nothing of the period or topics covered....I would not suggest this text.

Compilation of events in 19th century
Survey of the 19th Century events in Europe beginning with the French Revolution/Napoleonic Era and ending with the advent of World War I written form different points of view.Many of the aspects effecting the growth and development of the nations is introduced.Blanning's contribution is a good introduction to the 19th Century that should be complimented with a more comprehensive composition.

A Worthy Collection of Worthy Essays by Worthy Historians
An excellent thematic approach to the social, economic, and political processes of the nineteenth century.Essential for the student of modern European history, especially for those interested in the origins of the First World War--an excellent chapter on "International Politics, Peace, and War" by Paul Schroeder.
Particularly good in emphasizing that the world did not start in 1945; in order to understand the 20th century we must understand the 19th.

A good overview with maps, chronology and reading tips
The book begins in 1789 and ends in 1914, taking the theme that the nineteenth century was about peace and development - not about war.It starts with revolution in 1789 and ends with the disastrous events of August 1914....a revolution since it made the United States a global power and shaped the Twentieth Century. In the middle there is peace...well, relative peace.

The Nineteenth Century is split into six sections - domestic politics, culture, society, economics, international politics and imperialism - and attempts to be an overview that will appeal to everyone.I found the sections on imperialism, politics & economics the most interesting ... although the most readable sections of the book are the intro and finale written by the editor.

The book contains a really great chronology of the main events during the period.The biblio leaves the reader with plenty of follow up leads.And the publishers also provide pretty detailed maps of Europe and the world at various points along the way.

Faults-wise, there are a few.One, it's not really a blow-by-blow account of the main events.It's more of a big picture or thematic overview and the reader may be susceptible to attention fatigue unless gripped by a need to know.Two, you don't really go away with a real sense of what happened to the world, because of what occurred in 19th century Europe.The linkeages are left for you to fill.Fair enough, but one chapter wouldn't have hurt. ... Read more

Product Description
"East Central Europe" between the two world wars is a sophisticated political history of East Central Europe in the interwar years. Written by an eminent scholar in the field, it is an original contribution to the literature on the political cultures of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and the Baltic states. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fundamental survey
This book is a comprehensive treatment of the East Central European region between the First and Second World Wars.The narrative is glib, fluid and thoroughly readable.The author provides copious tables and maps for easy reference, but this is not a "statistical" work.His inclusion of abbreviated studies of the Baltic states simultaneously widens the comparative cases (as these countries are a transitional zone between Central and Eastern Europe) and provides an elucidating contrast (as they did not regain nominal independence during the Cold War).His introduction isolates the key historical foci of the time and place, including class relations, peasantism, the Great Depression and Great Power penetration.The concluding cultural survey is brief but well-researched and offers a happy humanistic conclusion to the unavoidably tragic political and economic cases.

Overall, Rothschild's effort is hugely successful and a pleasure to read, though it is not without idiosyncrasies.Some cases receive far more space (e.g., Poland, Yugoslavia) than others (e.g., Bulgaria, Albania).Some pivotal states within the East Central and Baltic region (Austria, Greece and Finland) aren't given their own cases at all.Perhaps this is because of a conceptual conflation of "East Central Europe" with "Soviet satellites", a common simplification among historians during the Cold War.It is more forgivable than Rothschild's sparse mention of East Germany in his follow-up to this book, Return to Diversity.

Another noteworthy feature of the book is its hybrid method.When choosing between true country-specific cases and thematic cases (the latter used in Return to Diversity), Rothschild selects features of both.Yugoslavia is a case study of the politics of ethnic diversity, Romania of radical right movements, etc., and these features are given great weight in each respective narrative.This method allows the author to give comprehensive treatment to the major themes of the region within a relatively short amount of space, but at the cost of sacrificing truly equivalent comparisons across countries.To put it another way, the Hungarian Arrow Cross was just as much an example of rightist radicalism as the Romanian Iron Guard, but only the latter receives a full analysis.

In sum, I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the region, though please don't stop here.

Lots of details on each country
This is an interesting text, rich in details, dates and stastical tables of each country, by chapter, in East-Central Europe. Focusing on the interwar period, it covers the events from an historical perspective withinsight into the political and economic and social situations. The onlymain problem is that the writing style makes for rather difficult reading.However, if you need to understand the sequence of events, the underlyinghistorical facts, or for research, this is an excellent text, volume IX inthe series "A History of East Central Europe." TheIntroductory Survey is excellent as a stand-alone text for college or evenadvance high school courses. The countries covered by chapters are Poland,Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and onechapter on the Baltic States (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia). ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The three-quarters of a century between 1715 and 1789 are often seen asthe last years of Europe's old order. But a dramatic rise in Europe'spopulation, the agricultural and industrial revolutions in Britain, andthe unprecedented challenges of the Enlightenment began to shake thefoundations of the old regime well before 1789.Drawing on the best contemporary scholarship, especially the innovations of French social history, Isser Woloch paints an unusually rich and detailed portrait of eighteenth-century European life and society.Among the new topics he covers are the family economy of the poor, popular culture and the circulation of books, changing patterns of crime and punishment, and the social history of military and religious institutions.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very Reliable
I fully recommend purchasing the book from this company because it arrived in less than a week and it was brand new.

Very good!
The book was in the exact shape they said it was in, and is awesome. ... Read more

Product Description
A classic in its field, loved by instructors and students for its narrative flair, humor, authority, and comprehensive coverage. More than 100,000 copies sold!Available in both one-volume and two-volume paperback editions, A History of Modern Europe presents a panoramic survey of modern Europe from the Renaissance to the present day.A single author lends a unified approach and consistent style throughout, with an emphasis on the connections of events and people over time.

The Third Edition, like the two before it, is authoritative and up-to-date. New to the Third Edition is the theme of empire. From the imperial rivalries between France and Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, through the rise and fall of the Ottoman Turkish empire, and on into the imperial history of the twentieth century—decolonization, the spread of the Soviet empire, and the imperial power of the United States—the theme of empire helps students find commonalities among the events of European history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great price
Needed this book for a Fall 2010 class. Purchased it for half of the cover price.It came in perfect condition, in shrinkwrap.Quick delivery.

Easy to read and very comprehensive.

A History of Modern History: From the French Revolution to the Present
This is the second volume of a two volume set on the history of Western Europe.After reading the first book I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.Mr. Merriman has a way of making history come alive and relevent.I found myself making comparisons to America's present challenges to those of Europe in the 19th through 21st century.I highly recommend both volumes to anyone interested in learning where we have been and where we might be headed.

Fantastic Textbook
I needed this textbook for my European History Class. Its not a bad book. It has a lot of useful information, and great detailed explanations of many key historical facts. Some good graphics, and maps. Additionally the book arrived in great condition, virtually brand new. I was pleased with this purchase.

A History of Modern Europe French Revolutiuon to Present, Merriman
I bought Merriman's "A History of Modern Europe" as an adjunct to my studying Nineteenth European history in the Teaching Company's DVDs on the subject.I am partiuculatly interested in the period between Bismark's unification of Germany and the beginnings of WW1. Altho the trigger on WW1 was pulled in the assination of Austrian Archduke Fendinand, the national entanglements over the years preceeding this set the stage for a world wide conflict - this text book surveys this period very well.I think Bismarks alliances are complex, and any text that can untangle these are a welcome source of information. If you are to have only one survey book on Modern European History this is the one.

Despite the perfectly reasonable objections below . . .
. . . I am giving John Merriman's A HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE (Vol. 2, French Revolution to Present) five stars because I think it offers a better survey of the topic than older books on the subject.While this book pretty much operates under a "big-man" theory of history, it does mention social and economic trends, along with a nod, via color plating, to changing trends in art.It would have been nicer to have more of the kind of history that doesn't fall under military/diplomatic lines, but at some point, had Merriman tried to discuss everything, we'd have left a comprehensive history and begun a multi-volume encyclopedia!

I also appreciated Merriman's well-measured and friendly prose style, which is discursive without being digressive.Contemporary political cartoons and made objects are pictured in A HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE, as well as the maps and portraits we would expect.

If you can find a better comprehensive history, buy it.I myself can find none better.

... Read more

Product Description
Since its publication twenty years ago, J. M. Roberts's monumental History of the World has remained the "unrivaled World History of our day" (A. J. P. Taylor), selling more than a quarter of a million copies worldwide.Now in an equally masterful performance, Roberts displays his consummate skills of exposition in telling the tale of the European continent, from its Neolithic origins and early civilizations of the Aegean to the advent of the twenty-first century. A sweeping and entertaining history, The Penguin History of Europe comprehensively traces the development of European identity over the course of thousands of years, ranging across empires and religions, economics, science, and the arts. Roberts's astute and lucid analyses of the disparate spheres of learning that have shaped European civilization and our understanding of it make The Penguin History of Europe a remarkable journey through the last two centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Almost excellent
Much like Robert's excellent History of the World (which I think is a bit better).From the jacket: "For his ability to grasp and communicate the full sweep of the past, Roberts ... must rank as the leading historical mind of his generation.""A monumental work of synthesis ... outstanding factual accuracy and solid judgments.""His gifts of compression and clear exposition are outstanding."

The first third covers ancient civilization to 1500, the next third from 1500 - 1900, then the 20th c.Emphasis is on the latter part in the first two sections, and on modern history generally, though the treatment of late Roman times to 1500 helped me much better understand that period.

It also gave me a handle on many other fuzzy items - the position of Emperor, relationship between Emperor and Pope, the French Revolution and aftermath, 19th c. French history in general, the confusing German tapestry before unification, how unification came about, and similar for Italy.It also shed light I hadn't had on the Balkans, Eastern Europe generally, Russia (especially post-Ivans), Byzantium, and the long, complicated decline of the Ottoman Empire.

Intense compression necessarily involves omission, and some things would benefit from more coverage.How Switzerland came about isn't explained, unless it was so brief I missed it.Germany's unification is brief but a good synopsis; that of Italy is too brief to be clear.But these are minor quibbles considering the book's scope.His coverage of European imperialism, its entanglements and effects on other societies and the results, is excellent (and often depressing).Another quibble (or more) - the few maps aren't great, and they're often only tangentially related to the narrative (similar for the occasional timeline).Lists of place-names appear which are probably familiar to knowledgeable Europeans, but not to me.More and better maps, closely tied to the text, would be a big improvement.Roberts' books are so good that Penguin owes them this.

His perspectives on American Independence and growth (tantalizingly brief) are useful antidotes to American mythology and narrow vision.Without ill will, he recognizes the American presidency as the (18th c.) British-like constitutional monarchy it essentially is; he's sober about the relatively minor grievances used to justify revolution, and (as typically) that a radical elite inflamed opinion towards violence; that Americans would have lost without French and Spanish help (also crediting American generalship, when British blunders are a better explanation); and that the U.S. wouldn't have expanded westward so quickly without British naval protection.He doesn't dwell on it, but doesn't romanticize the ruthless illegitimacy of this expansion, including gross abuse of American Indians and the naked land grab called the Mexican War (with the evils of slavery and the Spanish-American War in the longer list).But America's a sideshow here.

Roberts makes a good case that WWI was never inevitable, but the final lead-up is so compressed it's a bit misleading.He suggests Russia told Serbia to comply with Austrian demands, Serbia largely did, but Austria's quick invasion was intended regardless.Russia actually sent Serbia mixed signals, and invasion seems unlikely had Serbia completely complied.Had Russia been as clear as Roberts suggests, war might have been averted.But the world wars have been covered so thoroughly elsewhere that this isn't a big problem.

Roberts' focus is political, economic, social and cultural; he provides very little military history.His approach to WWII is similar to WWI, although Hitler's rise is given very little space while the war itself gets more coverage.He provides another interesting perspective on the US, suggesting Truman's 1947 decision to contain the USSR by providing aid to Greece and Turkey (reversing traditional American isolationism) "may well be thought the most important [decision] in American diplomacy since the Louisiana Purchase."

A couple other of many interesting tidbits: both the US and USSR supported the creation of Israel (for Russia this was anti-British rather than pro-Israeli).Of course Russian support was short-lived, and in the 1973 Yom Kippur war it's thought they provided Egypt with nuclear weapons, prompting American forces to go on worldwide alert, essentially ending the war.I always wondered how David beat Goliath again, when this time Goliath had a large quantity of good Soviet weapons.This explanation is more plausible than the Israeli myths.

What Roberts does best is draw out patterns from a mass of detail and make reasoned judgments about these patterns, and he does it very well.All in all, a rip-roaring ride through the fascinating and often hideous past.

not for beginners
A nice book on European history, but I didn't like it as much as I liked his History of the World. For one thing, there is not much more on European history in this book than it was in the former. Secondly, his narrative seems to be aimed at those who already know the history, but need a synthesis, or analysis, not a sequence of facts. This made the reading much harder and, at the end, less informative. And thirdly, maps are very scarce, so unless your geography is perfect, or you have time to check other books while reading, you will not always know where things happened or who was occupying what at some point in time.
Also, I've read complaints about the author's coverage of Poland, and I have to add that the short section on the disintegration of Yugoslavia leaves a lot to be desired. Roberts' judgement here has no substance, and some of his explanations (like why Serbs bombed Dubrovnik) are very shallow. Still, I wouldn't extrapolate this to the other parts of the book, I think saying that he was not particularly interested in the East is enough. In my modest judgment this has something to do with the IMPORTANCE of the countries in question for the history of Europe.
These setbacks aside, I can't think of a better way of writing history. Lucid, concise, critical, synthetic, and, not the least important, incredibly literate.
For those who have never read Roberts, here's a sentence typical of his writing:
Furthermore, many of the Spanish were sincerely horrified at such practices as the Aztec human sacrifices (however hard it may be for us to understand why men easy with the idea of burning Christian heretics should have been so offended).

Big Subject covered by a good author
To begin with, J.M. Roberts wrote the large one volume History of the World, which was also, was published by Penguin as The Penguin History of Europe.

It is good that Roberts has multiple publishers for his major books, as they are works that should remain in print for a very long time. I always hate it when I find good stuff that is out of print.

Now, about "A History of Europe": Good work. It focuses more on history after 1800 though. But then, this is what is important to most modern readers. We read to find out some answer to the question of who we are. So, naturally, a general history is going to focus more on later periods that tell us more about who are currently are.

It does cover all the topics of interest. Prehistoric Europe, thru the Classical period of Greece and Rome, up thru the Middle Ages and into modern times.

It is a great book to own and read and reread all the time.

An excellent survey of European history
At approximately the same time, we were blessed with not one but two single-volume histories of Europe:one by Norman Davies and this one by J. M. Roberts.I have read around in the Davies and have completed this one, and I can point out a couple of differences between the two.One, Davies's history is probably more well rounded and a bit more comprehensive.This partly stems from its greater length.On the other hand, Davies is more willing to grind axes (though I have nothing against axe-grinding myself), while Roberts is almost aggressively neutral on most issues.Roberts simply gives the history as best he can; Davies is apt to brood over the very idea of giving history.If forced to make a recommendation, I would recommend the Davies over this volume by Roberts.There is more personality in Davies's book, and while I admire Roberts's evenhandedness, it doesn't help that much in assisting one through a long book.

And speaking of long books, why would one want to read such a volume as this?It is far too short to be adequate as a history of Europe.Too many things must be mentioned quickly, if at all.For instance, as a former student of the history of philosophy, I was struck by the fact that everything that Roberts says about Descartes, Montaigne, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Rousseau, Mill, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and Sartre could have easily fit onto two pages, with room for an extra paragraph or two.There is simply no room for depth or detail.In other words, at best we will get a bird's eye view of the landscape of European history.All subtlety, all nuances will be indiscernible.The question reasserts itself:is there a point to this?

I think there is.I have over the years read pretty extensively in European and American history, but not systematically.The great thing about a single-volume history is that it allows you to engage in a self-test.I was, of course, already quite aware that there were many things in European history about which I was ignorant, but this book helped me to learn more precisely what it was that I didn't know.For instance, I'm dreadfully ill informed on Baltic, Slavic, Polish, and Russian history.My knowledge of the Habsburgs is spotty.And my knowledge of European pre-history is practically nonexistent.

This is not all.Not only do you learn what you do not know (thus setting the stage for additional self-education in the future), but also it is great to go over what you do know in a larger context.I knew a surprising amount about the French religious wars of the 16th century, but reading about them in a larger context brings home an increased sense of how they fit in the scheme of things.In addition, the book served as a good review for a host of topics, such as the history of Ancient Greece or the Hundred Years War or the years between WW I and WW II.

Is this an ideal way of learning European history?No.In fact, I would not recommend this book for beginners in the subject at all.Instead of immediately striving for an overview, I would recommend instead focusing on a particular period that one finds interesting.Read several books on that first, and then allow oneself to expand.More than that, you must eventually force yourself to expand.What happens eventually is that you will have criss-crossed European history to such a degree that your studies will start to connect up with fascinating ways.The book you have read on WW I will connect with the book by (or about) T. E. Lawrence, which will connect up with a book on the break up of the Ottoman Empire, which will connect up with the book on Byzantine Art.This way you can gain both breadth and depth on the subject.Reading Roberts will only gain breadth, and if one is unfamiliar with at least most of the highpoints, it is unlikely to make much of an impact.

So, I think this book can be helpful to those with prior familiarity of the subject who want to review what they already know, gain some sense of what they don't know, or get a sense of how the whole thing fits together, but I am not sure that this would be at all a good place for a beginner to go to learn about European history.

i'll pass
Studying Eastern European histry, this book came as a shock to me for its lack of depth and truth concerning this region of Europe. The first constitutional monarchy in Europe, Poland, is given no credit for its Constitution of May 3rd, 1791. In fact, it's not even there at all. Other misleading factoids have the Lithuanian state 'defeating the Teutonic knights at Tannenberg', while in reality they only constituted about a third of the Polish force. So, in general, this book goes nowhere new; it overgeneralizes and misrepresents Eastern Europe while glorifying the big two; France and England. ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
A History of Modern Europe presents a panoramic survey of modern Europe from the Renaissance to the present day. A seasoned teacher and talented historian, Professor John Merriman offers a carefully crafted narrative that guides students through a vast amount of complex material, integrating the many aspects of the European experience into a larger, interconnected whole. A full ten percent shorter than its predecessor, the Second Edition has tightened organization throughout to make room for recent research and descriptions of the current issues and events that define Europe's role in the world today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

excellent price
This book is typically too expensive for me to buy.I couldn't believe the great price. It arrived quickly in perfect shape.

History as it should be
My initial contact with Merriman was with the 2nd volume of his 1st edition of "History of Modern Europe" for a class in college.As a self-professed "history nerd", I find some works to be more engrossing than the lay historian might.Upon reading Merriman's work, however, I was completely drawn into the journey through the history of Europe.Merriman brilliantly weaves vast quanitites of information from all genres into a relatively concise history.He has balanced his narrative with interesting anecdotes and snippets of the human quirks that give flavor to any history.Even more, however, is his crackling prose.Make no mistake, I am not placing him alongside Dickens or Henry James when it comes to masterful prose.Merriman does offer a fluid text that engages the reader, unlike the all-too-often crippling effect of Kalahari-dry writing.

Merriman provokes thought about issues that molded and wound Europe into what it is today.The reader can jump into this work with both feet and be immersed in a vivid world of kingdoms, religion-dominated realms, and, eventually, the nation-state.

I recommend this text for anyone who is looking for an in-depth, yet not suffocating history of Europe.

Excellent overview of European history starting at the Renaissance.
I picked up this volume many years ago and have read it in fits and starts, one chunk at a time.At about 1500 pages, it's a bit much to consume all at once.Nevertheless, as a lover of history and a person who is committed to self-educating away some of the gaps in my prior education, I find this to be a highly valuable addition to my library.

Merriman's approach is not straight chronology, but rather it is theme-based.For example, one segment may focus on the Renaissance in the Italian city-states, another on the Reformation, and another may discuss the wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants, with each segment loosely encompassing the relevant historical periods for those themes.There tends to be some overlap between various segments, along with allusions to topics that are covered in detail in other chapters.Although this seems occasionally disjointed, the overall presentation style allows for a more coherent understanding of each major historical theme.

In general I found this volume to be easy to read, with a reasonably smooth narrative flow.Although this is, in essence, a college textbook, it lacks the dry, didactic flavor usually associated with textbooks.The first edition covers roughly 500 years of European history, ending with the collapse of Communism, so it's out of date for the past 15 years or so, but most of us are quite capable of filling in those gaps.Besides, that's what the second edition of this book is for.I would definitely recommend this one.

All Is Not Well in U.S.E. or EMU.
Modern Europe has advanced from the fifteen Western countries which formed the European Union in 1996 to meet the needs of high unemployment and to come up with a common currency, they called it 'euro.'This is a welfare state with high taxes which hurt the average person but is haven to college students who can get their education free and health care is free, also.

As we know from the local to the federal, governments always put their own interests ahead of any common interests, always with private deliberations and decisions.There was a call for a need for equilibrium.After the falll of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, things moved slowly and it was a "Catch-22" situation.

In a previous review I did of THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE, I felt that what I was writing was the truth, but I see now that some of it was exaggeration.EMU, as it was called, would become cohesive and financially strong enough to dwarf the United States of America and our dollar.That book tried to make evreyone think that they had already overpowered American in economics.Granted, they do have some of our big factories there now, which is tragic for U.S. A. workers, but they have a far piece to go to be bigger and better.

We have fifty states all under one government and one president.Those countries they now call 'states' keep their individual ruling parties and will alternate every two years with a president from one of the group -- which will no doubt fail.Even Monte Carlo will have a turn, along with Germany, Spain, France, and the other large 'states.'It just won't work!

Read THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE SOVIET EMPIRE by Fred Coleman and see what will possibly happed to the United State of Europe.It's is vainglorious to think it would ever work with so many different nationalities and too many grudges against each other for past events.France has a history for revolution, so look toward that 'state' to see how things are progressing.Spain is caught in the middle.There is a woman here who is from Romania and, when I mentioned the United States of Europe, she had no interest and never a desire to return to Europe.She was happy to receive a letter from her nephew there.

I don't know whose idea it was to make a modren 'empire' as in the old days, Roman, British, French, but whoever -- it just won't work as it was planned, to overtake the U.S.A.There will be a struggle for power among the differing factions, no way around it.That's human nature.

An excellent source.
I used this book recently for a High School AP European History course. It was extremely easy to read and flowed easily from one topic to another. It was very helpful in determining the broad socioeconomic and political elements accross the whole of Europe at specific points in history. (It breaks each country's history into little bricks of information that are clear, concise sections.)
Although the book was determined to be too expensive and detailed for the course (because it is High School AP for a college level European History survey course), I continue to depend on it when studying world history in college. It is definately worth the money if only to keep around for those rainy days when you need some general background knowledge of Germany or Sweden during the 1450s. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a fascinating and best selling account, in which John Roberts explores the contrasts and contradictions between a socially creative and politically destructive Europe. Europe 1880-1845 integrates social, economic and cultural history within a framework of political narrative. The work examines how, in this 65 year time period, Europe's political and economic domination of the globe came to a climax and then crumbled. It explores how Europe's internal divisions and failure to solve her own problems brought her twice to the brink of self-destruction and how European quarrels detonated the two World Wars and the struggle to dominate Europe dictated the course of both.Readers interested in European history. Hardcover 0-582-35746-279.95y ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Start somewhere else.
If you are interested in a general survey of European history during this period, which is ironically what this book purports to be, I'd suggest starting somewhere else.This book is complementary to an already workingknowledge of these years in Europe but as the initial exposure to it willfrustrate anyone.Roberts describes some events in insightful detail butthen makes passing reference to others I consider major ones withoutexplanation, as if assuming the reader already knows about them.He doesthis with annoying regularity.If you are looking to fill in the cracks ofyour knowledge on this subject, this may be the book for you.Otherwisefind a genuine survey on the subject and build some depth first. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by an international team of leading scholars, The Oxford History of Modern Europe traces Europe's turbulent history, from the beginnings of the Revolution in France to the dawn of two World Wars, to the breakup of the Soviet Union, to today's kaleidoscope of nation-states. The achievements and failures of key figures from many arenas--politics, technology, warfare, religion, and the arts among them--are drawn vividly, and social, cultural, and economic insights are included alongside the record of geopolitical strife. We read of the personality cult as exemplified by the Soviet portraits glorifying Lenin; the importance of the nylon stocking in the post-World War II economic boom; the influence of religion as five new nations (Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, and Albania) emerged between 1871 and 1914--an influence that continues to be both vigorous and deadly; and the confrontation between traditional and modern cultures captured as the railway age began in Russia.
Beautifully illustrated with over 200 pictures in color and black and white, this insightful book offers an unparalleled, informed perspective on the history of an ever-changing continent.Amazon.com Review
In the introduction to the Oxford Illustrated History ofModern Europe, T.C.W. Blanning argues that, in many ways, theessence of modern man is that he is self-consciously dynamic. We areattracted to change--it captures the eye much more thanstability. This excellent book reveals much about the things that havechanged in Europe since 1789--and, just as importantly, the thingsthat have remained constant. The eleven essays in this collection(written by some of the biggest names in the field of Europeanhistory, such as Princeton's Harold James, U.C. Berkeley's Martin Jay,and Richard Overy of King's College, London) focus on various aspectsof European society, from politics and economics to high culture andsocial structures, and analyze both the changes and the engines ofthose changes. In his standout essay on the changing nature ofwarfare, 1789-1918, Hew Strachan argues that this militarymodernization cannot simply be explained by new technology and thatmore emphasis must be placed on changing ideas. Strachan and the otherauthors for the most part eschew jargon and present an authoritativeset of essays complemented by over 240 arresting color andblack-and-white illustrations. Many of the chapters would be suitablereadings for upper-division history courses, and the thorough index,detailed chronology, and suggestions for further reading would be agreat help to students. This book is accessible to the general readerwhile remaining valuable to the scholar--and is immensely readable toboot.--C.B. Delaney ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The path to us...
Blanning's text on the history of modern Europe starts in the last eighteenth century, with the beginning of the French Revolution, often acknowledged by scholars today as a watershed event in the formation of modern Europe.The ramifications of this event led not only to political and military change throughout the continent of Europe (and, by extension of influence, the rest of the world), but also had profound impact on art, literature, music, philosophy, church and all else that comprises European society.

Blanning, a professor of history at Cambridge, provided editorial direction for the text, and also contributed one of the chapters of the book.The topics and chapters are overlapping, sometimes focused upon a particular theme (Warfare in Europe since 1918, by Richard Overy, is one such example) or along broad topical lines (Industrialisation of Modern Europe, 1750-1914, by Clive Trebilcock is representative here).

The first chapter is devoted to politics from the French Revolution to the First World War.John Roberts examines in this chapter politics internal to various nations as well as the foreign relations among the European states, culminating first in the Congress of Vienna after the Napoleonic era, to its final breakdown in the First World War.The changing face of politics across the European continent in terms of increasingly democratic structures and a lessening of royal and aristocratic government is a common theme.These themes are carried forward in essays on the reordering of European society (Pamela Pilbeam), the upheavals during the interwar period (Paul Preston), changes in recent European society (Richard Bessel) and the final, up-to-date analysis by David Reynolds.

Industrialisation and commercialisation are common themes across the history of modern Europe, discussed in different chapters by Clive Trebilcock, T.C.W. Blanning, and Harold James.Their topics are not neatly compartmentalised, and complement each others' texts, as well as the other chapters in the book, quite well.Military themes are also constant across the period, and are addressed in chapters on military modernisation (Hew Strachan), and post-World War I warfare hot and cold (Richard Overy).

Martin Jay contributed a chapter entitled `From Modernism to Post-Modernism'.This chapter looks at issues in art, literature, media and philosophy as well as the impact of the general changes in intellectual history have had on general European society and sensibilities.This chapter more than any other examines the role of artistic and aesthetic disciplines on general society.

Blanning provides a good list for further reading, divided by the chapter headings, and further subdivided by major topics within the chapters.There is a 12-page chronology, beginning with the Estates-General convention in Versailles during the French Revolutionary period, proceeding through major events up to the 1995 inclusion of Austria, Sweden and Finland into the European Union.There are six maps of Europe in the appendix, which show the progression of national boundaries over time.It is often remarkable to look at the maps of Europe over time to see stability in some areas and massive change in others, particularly in the middle of the continent.The index is useful and comprehensive, keyed to all the different chapters.
There are dozens of colour plates scattered throughout the text, and hundreds of black and white photographs and line-art drawings - hardly any page is without an illustration.

This is a good reference book, well written and interesting in a narrative format, not too many dates and details for the general reader. ... Read more

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This book comparatively examines how the writing of history by individuals and groups, historians, politicians and journalists has been used to "legitimate" the nation-state against socialist, communist and catholic internationalism in the modern era. Covering the whole of Western Europe, the book includes discussion of: history as legitimation in post-revolutionary France; unity and confederation in the Italian Risorgimento; German historians as critics of Prussian conservatism; right-wing history writing in France between the wars; British historiography from Macauley to Trevelyan; and the search for national identity in the reunified Germany. ... Read more

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Part of McGraw-Hill's Explorations in World History series, this brief and accessible volume explores one of the biggest questions of recent historical debate: how among all of Eurasia’s interconnected centers of power, it was Europe that came to dominate much of the world.Author Jack Goldstone presents the argument as it stands in light of up-to-date research so that readers can come to understand the technological and economic inequalities between Europe and the rest of the world came to be and decide for themselves where the driving forces behind this phenomenon are taking us. ... Read more

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The Historical Atlas of Central Europe covers the area from Poland, Lithuania, and the eastern part of Germany to Greece and western Turkey and extends in time from the early fifth century to the present. This new edition of the Historical Atlas of East Central Europe, first published in 1993 to great acclaim, incorporates the enormous political changes that have taken place since 1989, taking into comments from seventy-five reviewers from seventeen countries. The final third of the volume has been completely reconceptualized and reconfigured with new maps, text, and statistical tables. The bibliography has been updated and expanded. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Surprisingly informative and colorful!
In addition to the usual demarcations between states, this book displays a number of demographic and cultural trends.Canal and railway development before 1914 gives a good view of what areas were developed and which were not.Adjacent maps also compare the population density in 1870 with that in 1910.Ethnolinguistic distribution ca. 1900 shows the degree to which nation states correspond to linguistic groups (e.g. Sudenten Germans).There is a separate map dedicated to the distribution of ethnic Germans ca. 1900--as well as the evolution of German settlement.Jews and Armenian populations ca. 1900 are also mapped.The map of cultural and educational institutions before 1914 also gives an idea of the degree of development in different areas.The battle lines of World War I and World War II are drawn in detail.Perhaps my favorite is population movements 1944-1948, with every group (and especially Germans) rushing frantically to the West.Only Ukrainians were seen to surge en masse to the East!Finally the whole thing is finished off with industrial development 1945-1989.

Polczech
Excellent book for those doing genealogy and trying to understand border changes in a particular period of history.Highly recommend.

Great Atlas AND History
I was fortunate to pick up this atlas at a discount store, and what a treasure trove of history it is!I have used it extensively in researching family history and for general reading.The maps are detailed, clear and well-presented.Tight capsules of historical review are usually presented on the facing pages and gives a wonderful narrative into the never-known or almost forgotten history of East Central Europe.The irony is, of course, that this area was a hotbed of clashing cultures, war, shifting alliances, etc, and very little is common knowledge!One question:this is marked Vol. 1...is there a Vol. 2?I've been looking...

A Writer's Review
As a writer of historical fiction which takes place in Eastern Europe, I have found Robert Magocsi's atlas to be outstanding and filled with detailed information that I would have to search through many books to obtain. The book not only presents the maps of Eastern Europe from its earliest times (400 AD), to the present, but also, accompanying each map is a detailed write-up of the history, geography and governments present at the time the map indicates.Thus, you not only learn what the countries/lands were at that time, but also why divisions occurred, why certain movements sprang up, and how it all lead to how the countries are now divided. The scholarship is impressive.
This is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in the development of Eastern Europe.It is clearly stated, well defined, and should be in everyone's library.

Orysia EarhartWashington

Maps could be more detailed...
Good concept, lots of good information -- but the maps do not give a lot of detail, they are more meant to give a rough overview accompanying the text. Given the title "atlas", the maps are somewhat disappointing. But it is a very good book with interesting written information. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the final volume in a four-part series covering the development of the university in Europe (east and west) from its origins to the present day, focusing on a number of major themes viewed from a European perspective. The originality of the series lies in its comparative, interdisciplinary, collaborative and transnational nature. It deals also with the content of what was taught at the universities, but its main purpose is an appreciation of the role and structures of the universities as seen against a backdrop of changing conditions, ideas and values. This volume deals with the reconstruction and epoch-making expansion of higher education after 1945, which led to the triumph of modern science. It traces the development of the relationship between universities and national states, teachers and students, their ambitions and political activities. Special attention is paid to fundamental changes in the content of teaching at the universities. ... Read more

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This is the first history of finance - broadly defined to include money, banking, capital markets, public and private finance, international transfers etc. - that covers Western Europe (with an occasional glance at the western hemisphere) and half a millennium.

Customer Reviews (2)

Critical and seminal financial history
This is a book you will always find helpful as a necessary reference to come back to.It covers centuries and several nations, don't expect an almanac approach to the technical data but rather data built around short, straight to the point narratives. The book is well written, organized, and researched.This is how I prefer to read my financial history with an emphases on the content, accuracy, and consistency, rather than disguised polemic and political agenda setting, as is the current trend in financial history books (Harvard, Princeton press...im looking at you). This is not for the casual reader looking for introductory information. Nuff said.

*Note*This affordable paperback must have been released right before I bought my copy, becuase I might have purchased it, but glad I didn't. Although the price is nice YOU WILL USE THIS BOOK (I handle my hardback at least once a month over the last 4 years and its pages are still tight, its a 2nd ed from 1993) and paperback's life span is not of that as a hardback. Consider that before you buy this edition.

An essential reference guide
Kindleberger's work on financial history is designed as an undergraduate guide, but such is the wealth of detail and information that it serves as a useful reference tome long after the undergraduate work is completed. Kindleberger takes the reader step by step through the financial issues of the European economy as it developed from feudal to capitalist society. The explanations of the gold versus silver standard debate (bi-metalism) is particularly helpful and clear, given the complexity of the issue. The charting of the relative developments of the UK and Continental financial systems, and the advantages that they gave the British in the nineteenth century, are also well written.

A reader looking for a wealth of data is likely to be disappointed. Figures are provided, but there are other books that will give reams of numbers for the economic historian (several of which are cited by Kindleberger - the references of this book alone are worth buying it for).

Overall, this is widely and rightly regarded as a valuable contribution to the field of economic history. ... Read more

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In Europe in Our Time eminent historian Walter Laqueur has updated his own landmark study, Europe Since Hitler, with particular emphasis on pivotal events of the last 20 years. The result is a grand and vastly readable summation of an epoch that boldly looks forward to the next century. "Destined to become a standard text for the '90s."--Library Journal. ... Read more

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Dry history that we have seen before
Dry history book that contains little that has not been said before. Lacking in analysis of events.

Detailed analysis from emminent historian
Walter Laquer's "Europe in Our Time- A History: 1945-1992" is a supremely authoritative text, detailing a period in European history (and world history) quite unlike any other.

Europe was, to be blatantlyhonest, a mess after the Allies defeated the Germans and received theirunconditional surrender. The problem was what to do after the end of theEuropean War.

From here, Laquer speaks of all the important developmentsthat occured in Europe, in most countries, in a very interesting prose-likefashion. Key concepts and terms our all explained sufficiently, and thisbook is similar to a novel in that it will keep you up at night, turningpage after page, swallowing the history of Europe after 1945.

Highlyrecommended for undergraduate history students, and anyone remotelyinterested in how the modern world came about. ... Read more

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A lively account of the transformations that have taken place in politics, economics and social ideas during the past two hundred years. ... Read more

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Offers a synthesis of the evolution of the people of southeastern Europe up to their national independence. ... Read more

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In the three centuries from 1500 to 1800, Europe reached out of the dark ages, across the vast geographical expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, and across the even greater ideological expanse that divided the church-dominated middle ages from the Reformation and the Renaissance. The Europeans were slowly groping towards something we recognize today as "modernism"--they hadn't reached it, but the journey had begun.

Stretching from the Renaissance and the Reformation to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, Early Modern Europe illuminates a period of truly remarkable political and intellectual upheaval. In this vividly written yet authoritative volume, eleven leading historians examine different aspects of politics, religion, culture, and daily life, putting together a convincing and fascinating picture of Europe as it moved from the darkness to the light. The contributors set out to convey the feel of the changes in life, beyond the raw historical data. Their chapters are extensively illustrated with carefully chosen images which complement the text. The book considers the evolving economy and society--the basic facts of life for the majority of Europe's people. It shows how the religious and intellectual unity of western culture fragmented and dissolved under the impact of new ideas.It examines politics, not just as the rise and fall of empires, but for the emergence of modern attitudes and techniques in governing.

Here is one of the most exciting periods in Western history, the time of Martin Luther and Voltaire and Shakespeare, captured by leading historians from the United States and England. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Emminently Readable Survey of Early Modern Europe
Early Modern Europe is a survey of European history from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Its three parts, one for each of the centuries the book covers, are each a collection of three essays by period historians. Scattered throughout are numerous illustrations and a few maps; though, oddly, the origins of many of the illustrations aren't cited except in the List of Illustrations. With so many authors it can be difficult to maintain a consistent tone and theme throughout. I found the style of nearly every author in Early Modern Europe to be,while not identical, at least similar enough that transitions between essays were fluid.

Perhaps to make this survey seem more like a narrative and less pedantic cited works for each essay are relegated to the back of the book. Also, I can't recall a single end- or foot-note. I would have preferred the bibliography to be placed with each essay and that the text to have been supplemented with footnotes. But lest that criticism seem too harsh I will say that the authors achieved the monumental task of reducing the historical fact, and conjectures, of three centuries into eleven relatively short essays (including the Prologue and Epilogue) without losing too much.

Anthony Pagden's, "Prologue: Europe and the World Around" was particularly interesting to me. This essay covers how the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, and the coming of Christianity, influenced the Europeans conception of themselves and their relationships to others. It explains, if only superficially, the European sense of "unity" and the belief in the superiority of Western Civilization; I use superficial not in its negative sense but to mean "on or nor the surface" i.e. the scanty 28 pages devoted to the subject can only be a survey rather than a critical analysis.

The other essays in the book cover the life of the masses, war, religion, politics, and economics. Such a range of topics gives you a general sense of the times. And that is really the power of this book - a framework in which to locate other more intense readings on the particulars.

Very useful and compelling
Have used the book as back-up to a high school Modern History course this semester. It is extremely well-written in many of the chapters and summarizes and encapulsates key points and moments during this period. It also updates the current state of scholarship in the field in places and overall is an interesting read. Worth the money if this is a time period of interest to you.

"Saillinginsereneawarenesstowardsitsdoom"
A very interesting analysis of a world that wanted to go forth but did was afraid to break ultimately with its past.Behind the cabinet of Monarchist-Europe a world of new ideas,classes and ways of worshipping God were emerging stealthy and in the end will make any return to the past impossible.My favorite chapters were those of Alison Rowlands and Robin Briggs.I stayed a bit puzzled with Euan Cameron's aphoristic remark in page 87-we must not forget the class struggles in Augsburg,the revolt of the Netherlands or the role played by Brittish middle class in the establishment of a moderate religious tolerance for the first time-and T.C.Blanning's "natural end of Early Modern Europe".Germany was a problem for Europe in the seventeenth century also;is not better to stay attached to the feature of "authority" in this period?This attitude was gone for good after the Napoleonic expansion,despite his latter defeat.Why not be 1796(Italian expedition)a good suggestion? ... Read more

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Medieval Europe introduces today's students to the medieval roots of our own society. In an accessible and engaging narrative, it tells how the peoples of medieval Europe built, understood, and changed their world. Never losing sight of the neighboring civilizations of Byzantium and Islam, it has its feet firmly planted in the medieval West, from whence it gives ample consideration to such subjects as women's lives, Jewish communities, ordinary people, and the experiences of Europeans in the often-neglected centuries of the Later Middle Ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Get the 8th Edition
The original author of this series (C. Warren Hollister) wrote in an engaging and humorous manner. Unfortunately, he died in 1997. As a result, a new editor (Judith Bennett) was hired to revise the new editions. The result is a more detached writing style.

For example: The eighth edition, when addressing the superstitions of the Medieval era, notes that our own century is still filled with superstition. The author notes that "an aunt of mine engages in intense conversations with my grandmother Cora, who has been dead since the late 1930s". Obviously, Judith Bennett cannot say the same thing about her aunt; that line is now gone from the book.

If you want to read pure Hollister, buy the 8th Edition.

Would purchase from this company again!
The item got to me way before I needed it and it was in good when I got it.

One of the best
Hollister here presents one of the best introductions to medieval history.I have read this book several times, and each time, I learn something new or gain a new insight.As other reviewers have said, the book is well organized, coherent, and comprehensive.It is replete with relevant maps, charts, timelines, and photographs, but without degenerating into childishness.Its multiple bibliographies suggest where to find useful sources, both primary and modern.

The best thing about the writing style of the book is the way it presents history in the form of ongoing dynamic tension: east v. west, church v. state, aristocracy v. peasants, invaders v. defenders, one nation v. another, reformers v. establishment, monarch v. nobility, etc.The tides of history are moved by such forces.

Bear in mind that this book is only a survey of medieval Europe, so everyone can say it doesn't cover some topic or another in enough detail. However, its lasting effect is that it introduces topics in such a way that it makes you want to move on to other sources to study some of them in more detail. As a first course, it does its job in whetting your appetite.

p.s. I'm not sure what's with the kooky price here.Find it used or in a library.Earlier editions are quite good.

an amazing little textbook
"Medieval Europe - A Short History" by Charles Warren Hollister, © 1990, 1982, 1978, 1974, 1968, 1964.

This book is an amazing little textbook.I was pleased to read the explanation of the growth and development of modern European nations.The most surprising part is the growth of civilization throughout the time we were taught were the Dark Ages.Something that is slurred across in most history classes is the age of Charlemagne, about 400 common era (c.e.) to about 900 or 950 c.e.I guess that it is not talked about because not much happened but invasions by Vandals or Attila or Saxons, but there were farms and communities developing (this is the era that beget villains from villagers).There was starvation, missionary work, development of monasteries and convents, etc.This book explained all this and more, making it a lot more interesting just by what it included.
There are not a lot of footnotes because this is a survey book, not a scholarly one.What is written about is well known and accepted as undisputed, so the footnotes would be unnecessary.He does have extensive bibliographies between sections for additional reading for concentrating on those issues or subjects.He does use footnotes to direct the reader to where he discusses the person or place otherwise, and to chide himself for errors he corrects.It is also very good that he explains where some of the names come from: Charlemagne or Plantagenet or Louis for example.
All in all, a really enjoyable book to read.

An especially well-balanced view of the middle ages in Europe
The first edition came out in 1964, and has become a franchise in the American texts on the subject, now carried forward by a younger historian, J. Bennett.Hollister wrote the first few editions alone, writing clearly and making narrative sense out of the confusion of centuries, peoples, without an overload of academic quarrels, so it is a good book for interested readers who are NOT taking a college course in which the book may be assigned reading.Not a trove of original insight, but a balanced view that incorporates the major ideas of more important historians. Readable, although ultimately academic. ... Read more