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This book will unlock the secrets of Spain's vibrant and colorful past, its people and culture for the interested traveler. It takes the reader on a journey from the earliest settlements on the Iberian Peninsula, through the influences of the Romans, the Goths, and the Muslims, the traumas of expansion and the end of the Empire, right up to the present. Maps and line drawings.
'Jeremy Black skilfully sketches social, cultural and political trends' - Christina Hardyment, Times audiobook of the week 'A remarkable mixture of cold history, wide culture and personal experience' Ciro Paoletti, Secretary General of the Italian Commission of Military History Despite the Roman Empire's famous 500-year reign over Europe, parts of Africa and the Middle East, Italy does not have the same long national history as states such as France or England. Divided for much of its history, Italy's regions have been, at various times, parts of bigger, often antagonistic empires, notably those of Spain and Austria. In addition, its challenging and varied terrain made consolidation of political control all the more difficult. This concise history covers, in very readable fashion, the formative events in Italy's past from the rise of Rome, through a unified country in thrall to fascism in the first half of the twentieth century right up to today. The birthplace of the Renaissance and the place where the Baroque was born, Italy has always been a hotbed of culture. Within modern Italy country there is fierce regional pride in the cultures and identities that mark out Tuscany, Rome, Sicily and Venice to name just a few of Italy's many famous regions. Jeremy Black draws on the diaries, memoirs and letters of historic travellers to Italy to gain insight into the passions of its people, first chronologically then regionally. In telling Italy's story, Black examines what it is that has given Italians such cultural clout - from food and drink, music and fashion, to art and architecture - and explores the causes and effects of political events, and the divisions that still exist today.
An historical guide to Portugal which both describes and accounts for what the visitor might see and experience in this often-spellbinding country. Portugal, the 'ancient ally', is a country easily accessible, with an enviable climate, welcoming inhabitants and famous beaches. English and Spanish apart, Portuguese is more widely spoken than any other European tongue. This historical guide draws on personal experiences ranging from a residence of three years to regular visits since 1936. It combines introductory chapters on eight centuries of nationhood, and sections on the Roman and Islamic past, architecture, painting, music and birds, with visits to the great cities of Lisbon and Oporto, and to the country's varied regions. The author's aim is not merely to describe; rather to account for the emergence of what the visitor may expect to see. He avoids jargon, preferring clarity and moderation - although permitting himself an occasional expression of saudade (the nostalgia for Portugal which haunts all who have loved this land). Harold Livermorestudied in Portugal in 1937 and taught there, in Cambridge and in Canada. He was educational director of the Luso-Brazilian Council in London and is a member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences and of the Portuguese Academy of History. His first 'History of Portugal' was awarded the CamSes Prize and was followed by a 'New History' and a 'Shorter History'. He has also published a history of Spain and an account of the medieval origins of both countries. A selection of his articles, 'Essays on History and Literature', appeared in 2000.
A handsome re-issue of a travel classic. With his trademark wit and inquisitive eye, H. V. Morton travels through a Spain unspoilt by tourism, revealing a country where the past is very much alive. Interspersed with episodes from Spain's rich history, A Stranger in Spain is a journey of discovery that should appeal to those with a sense of adventure. Morton’s classic travel book on Spain is a delightful travel guide and a striking introduction to Spanish history and culture. "The stranger who wishes to approach Spain with sympathy and appreciation," H. V. Morton wrote, "must do so through its history." Thus, as he takes us on a leisurely tour through a country where the past is very much alive, he reveals a rich tapestry of events, related with his inimitable humor, charm, and sincerity. The Spain of the Christian kings and the caliphs of Córdoba, of Philip II, and the tragic Hapsburgs, the Spain of Columbus, of St Teresa, of Cortés and Pizarro, Velázquez, and Goya, is the thread on which his narrative is strung. Vivid, varied, and enchanting, A Stranger in Spain reflects the pleasures and surprises of travel at its best, and will be enjoyed by all who know the country or intend to visit it, or simply prefer to travel at home.
This is one of the first four in a new series of fabulously illustrated natural history travel guides, intended for the general reader with an interest in natural history, and for the growing numbers of 'ecotourists' who want to know where to see wildlife in the countries they visit. The books are designed to complement each other and to build into a nature library, together giving an introduction to the natural history of Europe. The Iberian peninsula harbours snow-capped mountains,ancient deciduous forests that are home to bear and capercaillie, the unique wood-pasture of dehesa and montado, arid 'pseudosteppes' populated by stately great bustards and whirring sandgrouse, mighty rivers terminating in coastal estuaries and deltas teeming with waterbirds, not forgetting the Balearic archipelago, adrift in the azure Mediterranean, harbouring a unique flora and prolific seabird colonies. The wealth of its flora and fauna is unrivalled in western Europe today. Essentiallypractical, the book first introduces the ecology, geology, and wildlife of Spain and the Balearic Islands, then goes on to describe where to see its natural history at its best. There are descriptions of a selection of some 300 sites to visit, each carefully chosen to show a range of habitats and fascinating wildlife. The entries are the personal choice of the authors and are based on intensive travel and research in the region. Described sites range in size from a few to thousands of hectares, be they National Parks, nature reserves, or simply common land. All are open to the public and accessible to the ordinary visitor. Full colour throughout, this book has stunning landscape photographs, line drawings and photographs of individual animals of plants and animals, colour region and site maps, and a splendid composite painting encapsulating typical habitats and their inhabitants.
A Traveller’s History of Mexico offers a complete and expert history of the country from the earliest times right through to the present. It will be welcomed by all those who visit Mexico to see its stunning Aztec and other pre-conquest remains as well as by students studying the Spanish conquest and its effects.Kenneth Pearce begins with life before the major civilizations of the area took hold then shows the growth of the first elite groups of the Olmecs and Mayans; their culture was finally subsumed into the mighty Aztec Empire which, in its turn, was tragically ended by the arrival of Cortes and might of Spain. The crushing burden of colonial rule driven by greed and oppression leads to further unrest for many centuries. The nineteenth-century War of Independence finally leads to the founding of the Mexican Republic. The author ends his survey with a portrait of the country facing the new millennium with a rising population and problems with drugs and corruption. This is a rich and colorful story of a nation full of life and vigor with a many-layered cultural heritage. Illustrated with maps and line drawings, this handy paperback is fully indexed with a chronology of major events and a gazetteer cross-referenced to the main text.
Linter presents a compact portrait of Italy from prehistory to the present. Illustrations. Maps.
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This concise and readable guide to the history and culture of Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Algeria, relates the history of the region from its earliest beginnings to its politics and life at the turn of the new century. North Africa is surrounded by the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and to the south, the sands of the Sahara. It has seen wave upon wave of invasion, from the Carthaginians in the 5th century BC to the French in the 20th century.
A definitive concise history of Portugal, from its earliest beginnings right up to the politics and life of the present day. It was not until the twelfth century that Portugal became a country in its own right, having been a Roman colony and then having suffered both Barbarian and Islamic invasions. The golden age of discoveries, the reign and foresight of Henry the Navigator, and great seamen such as Vasco da Gama led to the founding of Portugal’s empire and wealth. Troubled times followed: in 1755 Lisbon was virtually leveled by the “Great Earthquake,” and the country had hardly recovered its former prosperity when it was overrun by Napoleon’s troops at the start of the Peninsular War, to be followed not long after by the Miguelite civil war. The middle decades of the nineteenth century saw the Port Wine trade flourishing, and further expansion into Africa. During the last quarter of the twentieth century, ever since the bloodless revolution of 1974 overthrew the rightwing dictatorship of Salazar, the country has regained its stability, and now takes its rightful place in the European Community. Illustrated with maps and line drawings, the book has a full Historical Gazetteer cross-referenced to the main text that concentrates on the historic sites in a country that has retained its individuality and thus its appeal to the individual traveler.