Book Description
Plutarch's Lives, written at the beginning of the second century A.D., is a brilliant social history of the ancient world by one of the greatest biographers and moralists of all time. In what is by far his most famous and influential work, Plutarch reveals the character and personality of his subjects and how they led ultimately to tragedy or victory. Richly anecdotal and full of detail, Volume I contains profiles and comparisons of Romulus and Theseus, Numa and Lycurgus, Fabius and Pericles, and many more powerful figures of ancient Greece and Rome.
The present translation, originally published in 1683 in conjunction with a life of Plutarch by John Dryden, was revised in 1864 by the poet and scholar Arthur Hugh Clough, whose notes and preface are also included in this edition.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Download Description
Written at the beginning of the second century A.D., it forms a brilliant social history of the ancient world. Plutarch was a man of immense erudition who had traveled widely throughout the Roman Empire, and the Lives are richly anecdotal and full of detail.
Customer Reviews:
For the ages' tooth . . ........2006-03-04
Twain's pejorative definition of `classic' need not apply. I define classic as that (text) which speaks to the heart over an extended duration - perhaps for several generations, as in `classic rock', or several millennia, as in Plutarch's "Lives". I probably never would have read Plutarch, were it not for a glorious discovery of Montaigne in mid-life. Having acquired enough distaste for the copious demands required to master classical languages after five years of Latin in secondary school, I made an arbitrary and direly misguided vow to eschew all Classics courses at the university level. And thus again is revealed the fateful difference between post-modern (post-1945), and the modern (c. 1500 - August 5, 1945) pedagogy, of which I unwittingly, if serendipitously, caught the tail end. The modern cannon required thorough immersion in the classics, and, for many years, Plutarch was required reading in the best schools, and should be even now. The author of the Shakespearian plays came to Plutarch by way of Montaigne (and likely read the Amyot translation, and only later the North, if at all), and the English schools came to Plutarch by way of Shakespeare. We might say that the revival of Plutarch was one of the most far reaching achievements of the Northern Renaissance.
At one point in his celebrated chronicle of the self, Montaigne (as a shaper and bona fide member of that cannon, guardian of some of what is best in our cultural inheritance) amusedly reveals that, when his critics believe they are attacking his work, they are actually attacking Plutarch and/or Seneca, so profound is their presence in his writing, and, in his "Defense of Plutarch and Seneca", he declares that . . . "my book [is] built up purely from their spoils".
And what a book it is! But Plutarch's magnum (see the 14 volumes of the Loeb Classical Library for his other works), is the greater. Montaigne is one of the great students of the self. Plutarch is the first (and may yet still be the definitive) historian of virtue. Montaigne, in scrutiny of his own nature, seeks to recognize the limitations and potentials of the self, and thereby sketch our general spiritual contours. Plutarch, in an unparalleled series of real life, historically and culturally pivotal, examples, shows us what they are.
The book records in the most remarkably intimate style (Plutarch has few peers as a master of narrative and an uncanny ability to ferret out of detail the significance of individual actions as a unified whole), the major events in the lives of the most impacting figures of the ancient world. Therefore, like the best novels, the book forms a world in itself, a lost world, the world of our ancestors, through a landscape drawn of actions and consequences. The structure of the book is such that an account of the seminal moments in the life of a noble Greek and then of a noble Roman are brought forth in pairs, followed by a comparison. In some sections of the work these comparisons are absent. They appear at some point in antiquity to have either been lost to or removed from the text, which would seem to explain why, for instance, there is no comparison of Alexander and Caesar. But the comparisons are brilliant, and eminently instructive.
Of course, from the details alone, we may draw our own inferences. Alexander, as a mere teen, leading his troops in hand-to-hand combat, won his first battle fighting uphill at night. Caesar, a heavy drinker, was wont to ride horseback at full tilt with his hands clenched behind his back. He had a life-long passion for Cato's sister and it is said that from their relationship, which continued through their respective marriages, Brutus was born. Et tu? Of course, one cannot fail to mention, even in this briefest review of the abundantly rich description in the nearly 1,300 pages which comprise the book, the death of Cato the Younger - one of the most exquisitely drawn figures in the book. Hunted down with the remnants of his troops into the wastelands of Carthage by the army of Octavius Ceasar in an effort to snuff out the last vestiges of republican resistance and opposition to Empire, realizing that the last realistic hope for freedom is lost, Cato attempts ritual suicide (a Stoic custom common to Roman nobility) by disembowelment. As Plutarch describes the scene, ". . . he did not immediately die of the wound; but struggling, fell off the bed, and throwing down a little mathematical table that stood by, made such a noise that the servants, hearing it, cried out. And immediately his son and all his friends came into the chamber, where, seeing him lie weltering in his own blood, great part of his bowels out of his body, but himself still alive and able to look at them, they all stood in horror. The physician went to him, and would have put in his bowels, which were not pierced, and sewed up the wound; but Cato, recovering himself, and understanding the intention, thrust away the physician, plucked out his own bowels, and tearing open the wound, immediately expired." In Seneca's words: "For Cato could not outlive freedom, nor would freedom outlive Cato."
However, the life most appropriate for the contemporary reader, I feel (and wish that every member of the shadowy corporate/military junta that seems to be ruling us these days would read and take to heart) is the life of Crassus. Crassus was the most successful businessman in the history of the Roman Empire. Plutarch relates that at one time he owned virtually one-third of the real estate in Rome. However, such mind-boggling success was not enough for him. His yen, and later, obsession, was to be revered as a great military leader, a world conqueror, expand the domain of the already burgeoning Empire, and the object of his fantasies was the area of the world at that time known as Mesopotamia and Persia, today as Iraq and Iran. We follow as he makes extensive preparations, investing his own fortune and a great deal of the nation's wealth into outfitting an army for the venture. And at first, the invasion of Mesopotamia seems to go well. But the centers of population are spread out over great stretches of desert, and the occupation never really succeeds, because a central authority cannot be solidly established. Crassus, however, remains undaunted, even though the troops are becoming mutinous as supplies begin to run thin. Led on by treacherous advisors, he enters Parthia (somewhere in the vicinity of modern day Syria). Plutarch describes the grueling denouement with his usual detachment, aplomb, and gifted eye for pertinent detail. Having lost the greatest fortune in the world, he proceeds to lose his troops, then his sons, and finally his life. These lessons are never too late for the learning, and my apologies to Twain, but a classic is a text which retains its urgency to be read, and read now.
I read the Dryden/Clough translation. Dryden was never my favorite writer of his period, the late 17th century - hardly a match for Burton or Milton, in my opinion, but he was poet laureate, and this work I love - his English is fine, and resonates with classic dignity. Clough, the mid-nineteenth century British scholar who revised the translation, befriended Emerson when he traveled to England, and became a sort of mentor to the New England Transcendentalists in general. We can be grateful for such a wonderful rendering for one of the very greatest and most edifying masterpieces.
Plutarch's "Lives" Lives!.......2005-09-30
This is an astonishing volume. Who would have expected a "page turner" out of a tome written in the 2nd century A.D.? So much for cultural and temporal hubris--this is magnificent reading.
A Timeless Classic By One Of The Best Biographers In History.......2005-08-10
Plutarch in his "Lives Of The Noble Grecians And Romans" written around 100 C.E., sheds new light on Greek and Roman history from their Bronze Age beginnings, shrouded in myth, down through Alexander and late Republican Rome. Plutarch is the lens that we use today to view the Greco-Roman past; his work has shaped our perceptions of that world for 2,000 years. Plutarch writes of the rise of Roman Empire while Gibbon uses his scholarship to advance the story to write about its decline. He was a proud Greek that was equally effected by Roman culture, a Delphic priest, a leading Platonist, a moralist, educator and philosopher with a deep commitment as a first rate writer. Being a Roman citizen, Plutarch was afforded the opportunity to become an intimate friend to prominent Roman citizens and a member of the literary elite in the court of Emperor Trajan.
Plutarch's influence and enormous popularity during and after the Renaissance is legendary among classicist. Plutarch's "Lives", served as the sourcebook for Shakespeare's Roman Plays "Julius Caesar", "Antony and Cleopatra" and "Coriolanus". By the way Plutarch is even the only contemporary source of all the biographical information on Cleopatra, whom he writes about in his biographies of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Octavian. Thomas Jefferson wrote to his nephew that there were three books every gentleman had to have familiarity with; Plutarch's "Lives", Livy's "History of Rome" and Virgil's Aeneid. In fact all the founding fathers of note had read Plutarch and learned much from his fifty biographies of noble men of Greece and Rome. When Hamilton, Jay and Madison write "The Federalist Papers" they use many examples of good and bad leadership traits that they read in Plutarch's work. His biographies are a great study in human character and what motivates leaders to decide and act the way they do, this masterpiece has proven to be still prescient today.
If you are truly interested in a classical education, put this book on the top of your list! I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.
Out of date translation of a timeless classic.......2004-07-03
It is a shame that such an interesting, and historicaly valuable work such as Plutarch's lives is so difficult for modern readers. Though many others have commented on how difficult this English is for the modern reader, consider the following quote taken at random, from the first two sentences of the life of the Roman Camillus:
Among the many remarkable things that are related of Furius Camillus, it seems singular and strange above all, that he, who continually was in the highest commands, and obtained the greatest successes, was five times chosen dictator, triumphed four times, and was styled a second founder of Rome, yet never was so much as once consul. The reason of which was the state and temper of the commonwealth at that time; for the people, being at dissension with the senate, refused to return consuls, but in their stead elected other magistrates, called military tribunes, who acted, indeed, with full consular power, but were thought to exercise a less obnoxious amount of authority, because it was divided among a larger number; for to have the management of affairs entrusted in the hands of six persons rather than two was some satisfaction to the opponents of oligarchy.
Ugh. And on it goes. The North translation is even worse, to my ear. The best translation that I've found is the Loeb Classical Library. However, they are spread across eleven volumes, making for a very expensive acquisition.
A rough read.......2001-12-13
Plutarch's Lives is one of my all time favorite books. I especially enjoy the "gay windows" in Alcibiades life and the description of Archimedes defense of Syracuse. My three star rating has nothing to do with Plutarch and everything to do with the terribly outdated translation "update" by Sir Clough. Sure, as another reviewer points out, it is vocabulary enhancing, but Plutarch was not a Victorian English gentleman. If you like Victorian prose, read a Victorian novel or something. I would actually prefer to read Dryden and company's undoctored original than wade through Clough's train wreck, as I find 18th century prose an easier read, and Dryden was a better writer.
If someone were to do a modern translation of the Lives, more people would be able to enjoy it. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that you can probably count the number of good classical translators on one hand, and how many of them have the time to translate Plutarch?
Product Description
The collection so well know as Plutarch's Lives. Contents: Theseus, Romulus, The Comparison of Romulus with Theseus, Lycurgus, Numa Pompilius, Pericles, etc. accounts of one grek and one roman, followed by a comparison,
Customer Reviews:
A Truly Great Work Of Literature!.......2007-03-13
"Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans," by Plutarch is a highly recommended and enjoyable read. Like Gibbon's work on the "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" you can basically start anywhere. I have probably read more different translations of this work by Plutarch than any other book I have read. I started with my fathers massive two volume tomes of this work, which was translated by Thomas North in 1579. Moreover, it did not have that pronounced Elizebethan ring to it that I found with Pope's translations of the "Iliad" or the "Odyssey." Although there is still some of it in these writings, and they are dated. I am not sure which translation is the best out there. Sometimes we get comfortable with the translations we grew up with. Therefore, I do not wish to steer anyone in the wrong direction. Just make sure you stay away from the bad translations: And there are plenty.
Thomas North was the first translation I ever read of Plutarch, and I felt comfortable with it. However, the Dryden translation was not at all bad either. There were many other translations in school however that I felt did a really bad job with Plutarch, so as a warning, be sure that you get a good translation of his 'Lives'. Those who are not familiar with Plutarch will notice his moralizing as he compares a Greek with his Roman counterpart. I found the narratives fascinating, however, one must take many of these with a grain of salt, as there are many flaws with some of his historical details. But these are minor compared to this rich work of literature which has been with us for quite a number of years.
Amazing that these words and observations of Plutarch were written nearly 2000 years ago. And for those who are not aware of Plutarch's influence in literature, his writings were a required read list for the educated up until the early part of the 20th century. All of the founding fathers had read Plutarch. Moreover, it is because of Plutarch that we have any biographical information on Cleopatra. Further, for those who admire Shakespeare, Plutarch's Lives was the primary source for Shakespeare's plays of "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra." Therefore, his influence was felt very strong and wide. I cannot recommend these books highly enough. I remember when I was in high school and these were required readings; and while most of the students were bored to death with LIVES; I was just the complete opposite: I liked Plutarch's writings, and still do. Therefore, I highly recommend Plutarch and his fascinating "Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans." Highly recommended!
A Timeless Classic By One Of The Best Biographers In History.......2005-08-10
Plutarch in his "Lives Of The Noble Grecians And Romans" written around 100 C.E., sheds new light on Greek and Roman history from their Bronze Age beginnings, shrouded in myth, down through Alexander and late Republican Rome. Plutarch is the lens that we use today to view the Greco-Roman past; his work has shaped our perceptions of that world for 2,000 years. Plutarch writes of the rise of Roman Empire while Gibbon uses his scholarship to advance the story to write about its decline. He was a proud Greek that was equally effected by Roman culture, a Delphic priest, a leading Platonist, a moralist, educator and philosopher with a deep commitment as a first rate writer. Being a Roman citizen, Plutarch was afforded the opportunity to become an intimate friend to prominent Roman citizens and a member of the literary elite in the court of Emperor Trajan.
Plutarch's influence and enormous popularity during and after the Renaissance is legendary among classicist. Plutarch's "Lives", served as the sourcebook for Shakespeare's Roman Plays "Julius Caesar", "Antony and Cleopatra" and "Coriolanus". By the way Plutarch is even the only contemporary source of all the biographical information on Cleopatra, whom he writes about in his biographies of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Octavian. Thomas Jefferson wrote to his nephew that there were three books every gentleman had to have familiarity with; Plutarch's "Lives", Livy's "History of Rome" and Virgil's Aeneid. In fact all the founding fathers of note had read Plutarch and learned much from his fifty biographies of noble men of Greece and Rome. When Hamilton, Jay and Madison write "The Federalist Papers" they use many examples of good and bad leadership traits that they read in Plutarch's work. His biographies are a great study in human character and what motivates leaders to decide and act the way they do, this masterpiece has proven to be still prescient today.
If you are truly interested in a classical education, put this book on the top of your list! I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.
Average customer rating:
- The fifth edition has a different title
- Illuminating
- Best of many I looked at.
- The key historical resource for every household
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The Times Atlas of World History (Hammond Concise Atlas of World History)
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ASIN: 0723005346 |
Customer Reviews:
The fifth edition has a different title.......2001-11-11
Note that the latest (1999, 5th) edition is called the "Hammond Atlas of World History," and is available at Amazon.com. There is no mention of "Time" anymore, causing possible confusion. It is superb.
Illuminating.......2001-07-05
In this day and age, where I find so many of us suffering from "historical amnesia", this book is an excellent reference to why our world is the way it is today. If you've ever wondered why that country's border is over here instead of over there, if you've ever wondered what all the fuss was about in what was Yugoslavia, if you've ever why some languages are so alike and why some languages sound like fusions of others, if you are not one of those people who believe the world came into creation after you were born, this book is for you.
The next time you see "Gladiator", "Titanic", or any period film, look at this book and see what the world looked like then. It will give you a tremendous perspective that goes beyond the scope of the films. Who were those barbarians that Maximus was fighting and where did all those other gladiator slaves come from ? It's all here.
Best of many I looked at........1999-08-11
I wouldn't rave forever like the dude from Providence about it. Some of the rivers are left unnamed on some of the maps as if they were not essentially formative during various times in history. With that caveat out of the way, I must have inspected 20 or 30 atlases seeking the most comprehensive historical atlas to help me through Gibbons' Decline and Fall... This is by far the best of the lot.
The key historical resource for every household.......1999-03-31
This book reveals history with an unusual magnetism by its ingenious use of graphic arts. It conveys exponentially greater amounts of information in a single page than even a whole normally written book can. With beautifully crafted, 3-D-appearing maps and inviting use of color, this atlas puts you in an astounding overview of world history not obtainable from normal history publications. I think this book is an absolute must for every household with growing children and a wonderful tool for adults, as well. It's also the penultimate jumping off point for anyone wishing to study history further. And, I must say, it's absolutely perfect for those who hate history! They won't hate it after seeing this book. To give you an indication of my reaction to this book, I bought it now because I'd seen it years ago in our public library at a time when I was out of money. I never forgot it. It has remained one of the priorities I swore I'd attend to as soon as I got back in the money and so, after waiting all those years, I've finally bought my own copy of it. Not many better ways to use that long-awaited money than getting a book like this. I am not a history expert so I cannot possibly have checked this book for historical content. But I don't think that's an issue with this book. I think you'll still know many times more about world history after you're done with this book than without it, even if historians found some text entry or ancient border to argue over. By the way, if my writing style sounds a bit commercial, I really am customer of amazon.com, not a plant by the publisher or something. It's just that I spent a number of years as a typesetter and so have picked up a writing style common to advertisements. That's what we typeset all day long! Sorry.
Book Description
Synthesizing exceptional cartography and impeccable scholarship, the Atlas of World History traces 12,000 years of history with 450 full-color maps and over 200,000 words of text. Its outstanding features include: * More than 200 illustrations and tables * Longer essays on worldwide trends, political developments, and military conflicts, highlighting the most significant socioeconomic, cultural, and religious themes for five pivotal historical periods * Devotion to the rich past of Africa, Asia, and the Americas * Cross-references and an 8,000-entry index with alternative name forms permitting movement through regions and time periods with the utmost of ease The Atlas of World History is sure to appeal to a wide audience of history and geography buffs and scholars, as well as students.
Customer Reviews:
Atlas of World History.......2007-10-03
As a proud owner of the two volume set "Anchor Atlas of World History" I was hesitant to buy something new. But each year that classic becomes more dated so I figured now was the time. I looked at several historical atlases and decided on this one. The text is thorough and the maps are very good. One can learn a lot from this atlas but I still defer to the "Anchor Atlas" as being the best ever written.
A great book at a fair price.......2007-09-10
A great book at a fair price.
It is also my favourite among all history atlases. It is the most comprehensive and all-around user-friendly. The gazeteer is a great addition and is probably worth the extra dollars for this version. It also happens to be very international, and while many claim to be international they seem to me to be eurocentric. Each area of the world has a parallel writeup in each section of the book, though obviously somewhat more is written about areas with more written history.
Some honest opinion coming from someone who dives really deep into history- I find, despite the length, it really only glosses over each part of history. Not much depth. The writing style may not grasp your attention and is vague in feel, contributing to me not feeling a lot of depth. The maps are great. However I must say the inclusion of some seems questionable, though they can be interesting all the same.
In terms of build quality, the pages and binding are great. The coverguard is very prone to tattering/bending etc. and the cover will suck in ANY moisture (I mean it this book will take the slightest water droplet or grease from anything and it will stay in the cover). Which isn't a problem for most as most use the coverguard.
When you set it to its paces with the other books, though, it is more comprehensive, well-balanced, alluring, and is a must-have if you don't already own a 300+ page world history atlas.
I'd like to give it 5 stars, but..........2007-06-15
There's just no real depth here. A good overview of major periods of history, but very low level. Not much detail.
Utterly fascinating.......2007-05-14
For a remarkable overview of the history of the world so far - it is difficult to imagine this book being bettered. It is endlessly fascinating, and covers every part of the world and all major cultures. To have such an insight into the inter-relationship of nations and cultures and their development is rare.
Well written (if a little 'dry'), and with generally good maps (some scales on the maps would have been useful) - enjoy reading carefully just a couple of pages each day (no more) - and it will delight you for months to come.
Atlas?.......2006-03-28
I've bought this atlas after reviewing all the options available on Amazon. This one was apparently the best one in terms of map quality and information available within; I have not seen any other atlas referenced by other reviewers so I will not make comparisons here.
I give it only 3 stars because I think an atlas should have LARGE, DETAILED maps in detriment of text (which is available in other types of publications). This is not the case here, where maps are small, and do not cover important aspects or interesting facts (e.g. battlefields); text however is more than adequate, and steals actually space from maps.
It is excellent for all the people who need an introduction in history, but for those who are looking for in depth maps and cartographic details, forget it - look somewhere else, though I'm not sure (at least from other readers' point of view) you can find something better.
Next time I'll try (and recommend this to you too) to browse the book in store before buying.
Customer Reviews:
simple, interesting, useful........2001-02-19
Although this book is currently out of print I wholeheartedly reccomend that you get it if you can find one. For a brief overview of world history one could not find a more useful document. The narrative is at times quite insightful for such a broad range text, and the graphics are invaluable if you ever need to explain these points to anyone (including yourself).
Book Description
The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of World War II presents a com-pre-hensive overview on the military campaigns, major political develop-ments, frontier changes, inter-national conferences, and alliances of World War II, including chapters on the home fronts in the major participating nations and in occupied Europe and Asia. Chapters covering the military campaigns also focus on recent discoveries, in particular the role of signals intelligence and code-breaking. The result is an all-encompassing atlas examining every major aspect of the war.
Book Description
A historical atlas must depict complex issues in a manner immediately accessible to the reader. The Cold War has long needed such an atlas. With easily understood maps and text, this atlas meets this demand. Not only are the obvious issues addressed, such as Cuba and Berlin, but the author also presents themes such as cultural issues and dtente to the reader, presenting The Cold War in all its complexities in a form which is both useful and understandable.
Customer Reviews:
Too vague on most issues.......2004-07-15
This book is really not a good book to learn about the cold war. The book is poorly put together and it has no page number so that you can look up a topic from the index. Swift's book in my opinion tells about the Cold War vaguely and really don't go into details. Some topics are useful but many topics in this book are very vague. I'm also dissapointed in the maps that Swift has in this book all maps are just in two colors that can hardly be of any help because the colors are almost the same really can't tell the colors apart.
I also bought this book to learn more about Reagan's Star War's program, but Swift only talks about Reagan's early administration , the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the Iran Contra Affair and the infamous run in with Libya's president Qadhafi.
I still use the book and a reference but now i have to buy another book that details all the events of the cold war in more detail. I think this book is a good reference for people who want to start out leaning about the cold war. This book is more as a supplementary tool to the more comprehensive texts as the preface points out. Like I said good book for first timers.
Book Description
World War Two was a war of rapid and far-reaching conquest and movement, and a good sense of world geography is essential to grasping its magnitude and sweep. The Concise Historical Atlas of World War Two: The Geography of Conflict consists of 50 full-color maps that vividly convey not only the key military battles and campaigns but also the cultural and political geography of the war. Each map covers a significant phase of World War Two and is accompanied by an adjacent page of explanatory text that clarifies the shifting frontiers and populations of the region represented. These descriptions explain features of the conflict in question, describe changes in circumstances and the movements of battles, contextualize the events, and suggest longer-term consequences of campaigns. Offering a vivid summary of the war over space and time, this unique, full-color atlas covers all theatres of the war. It is ideal for courses on World War Two, American and European history in the twentieth century, U.S. political and military history, and world history. It is also a fascinating resource for anyone interested in the sprawling landscape of the Second World War.
Customer Reviews:
Lively text and readable maps.......2006-01-10
Story's Concise Historical Atlas is an excellent overview of the war, probably the best brief treatment I've seen. The maps are clear, brightly colored. Most of them are easy to grasp. The main battles and campaigns are well covered. There also are some nice surprises, such as continental Africa, Spain, the Chinese Communist Long March, the building of the bomb, and the Japanese camp system, that war surveys don't usually include. The maps stretch over a huge 50-year period, which is a big help in conveying the roots and consequences of the war. The commentaries that go with each map are also good. The writing is crisp, with lots of good basic information, useful insights. They have a dramatic quality that's quite powerful and makes you want to keep turning the pages. Some people might think there's too much coverage of the Eastern Front and mainland Asia, and there are a few errors and typos that need to be corrected in a future edition. Overall, though, a successful effort. Oxford is to be commended.
Useful introduction to Second World War.......2005-12-17
In depicting the most wide-ranging conflict in human history, one of the greatest challenges for any historian of the Second World War is the one of making the conflict accessible - a challenge that is even greater when that person is seeking to offer a "concise" account. In this respect, Ronald Story's effort is a modest success. In this book he offers fifty maps detailing various aspects of the conflict, from Europe immediately prior to the First World War to Asia after the second one. Each is accompanied on the opposite page with text that provides a short summary and analysis of the subject of the map; when combined they offer a short, accessible overview of the conflict from its early 20th century origins to its mid-century consequences.
While a good starting point for readers seeking an introduction to the conflict, the atlas also has something for more knowledgeable students of the war as well. The maps themselves are clear, colorful, and easy to read, providing a nice supplement for anyone frustrated with the paucity or illegibility of maps in other books on the war. For the most part, the maps focus on the strategic and political aspects of the war. Only six battles (El Alamein, Kursk, the Battle of the Bulge, Berlin, Midway, and Leyte Gulf) receive dedicated maps, and even these are short on details that can be found elsewhere. Europe receives the majority of the attention; though the Eastern Front is fairly well covered, the bulk of the maps dealing with the war in Asia focus largely on the Allies' "island-hopping" campaigns. Nevertheless, for those readers seeking a handy overview of the "geography of the conflict" (as the subtitle advertises), this a good book to get.
Book Description
From the breathtaking Hammond World Atlas, display on your coffee table or the full line of student atlases to cram into your back pack, no other publisher offers such a wide range of accurate, aggressively updated world reference titles.
Customer Reviews:
Best of the paperback, modestly sized atlases........1999-08-11
Well, that says it. If you don't want to go the massive, hardcover route of a slightly dated (1993), but superior Times Atlas of World History, then this is the one to get. Barraclough edits both.
Average customer rating:
- Incredible Gift
- they ruined it
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Concise Historical Atlas of Canada
Manufacturer: University of Toronto Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0802042031 |
Book Description
The Concise Historical Atlas of Canada is a beautiful record of Canada's peoples and development. The book combines text and graphic material to create an extraordinarily rich picture of Canada's past, and presents a splendid visual record of the roots of our society and the evolution of the intensely regional, culturally diverse nation we know today. Based on the best-selling three-volume Historical Atlas of Canada, the Concise distills the best and most important plates into a single, comprehensive, thematically organized volume. It represents more than 20 years of collaborative effort between highly accomplished cartographers and a wide range of scholars.
The goal of the Concise Historical Atlas of Canada is simple: to summarize Canadian history from prehistory through to the latter part of the twentieth century. To accomplish this goal, the editors selected 67 plates from the nearly 200 plates found in the full set. Each plate is a double-page spread of maps, graphics, legends, and text on a single subject or theme, and is accompanied by a bibliographical note at the end of the volume. Collectively, the plates represent both the crucial events and the continuity of life that made Canada. The editors intend their selection to mirror the social and economic experiences of ordinary people more than the political and military activities associated with individual heroes.
While the plates selected from the full three-volume set are used without modification, the Concise Historical Atlas of Canada follows its own organizational structure. Plates have been grouped under three headings: 'National Perspectives,' 'Defining Episodes,' and 'Regional Patterns,' each with a new introductory essay. 'National Perspectives' gives overarching views of the land mass and the process of nation building. Among the topics covered are prehistoric and Native Canada, exploration, the establishment of boundaries, settlement and population patterns, and the development of transportation, urbanization, the economy, and society. 'Defining Episodes' refers to important historical events such as dramatic migrations, wars, and depressions - turning points of national importance. 'Regional Patterns' focuses on smaller parts of the Canadian experience, presents specific case studies of historical trends, and considers events and developments in greater detail over limited periods.
The Concise Historical Atlas of Canada is a unique tribute to our history and a significant contribution to Canadians' understanding of one another. It provides a comprehensive overview of the life of ordinary people, one that can as usefully be read for pleasure as for research. Fully cross-referenced, it also serves as a guide to the three-volume set enabling readers to pursue topics of special interest in greater depth.
Customer Reviews:
Incredible Gift.......2005-11-13
The Concise Atlas of Canada was presented to me as an award and I must say that it is an absoloute beauty. It's thorough and it's maps are a work of art.
they ruined it.......1999-01-26
Geoffrey Matthews' and Byron Moldofsky's beautiful cartography is destroyed by the greatest error an atlas publisher can make--spreading the maps across two pages. The results are not just ugly; some information is lost in the crack.
Product Description
Combining original maps with lucid texts. The atlas of world history offers a comprehensive view of the story of humanity.
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