Product Description
If humankind can be said to have a single greatest creation, it would be those places that represent the most eloquent expression of our species’s ingenuity, beliefs, and ideals: the city. In this authoritative and engagingly written account, the acclaimed urbanist and bestselling author examines the evolution of urban life over the millennia and, in doing so, attempts to answer the age-old question: What makes a city great?

Despite their infinite variety, all cities essentially serve three purposes: spiritual, political, and economic. Kotkin follows the progression of the city from the early religious centers of Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and China to the imperial centers of the Classical era, through the rise of the Islamic city and the European commercial capitals, ending with today’s post-industrial suburban metropolis.

Despite widespread optimistic claims that cities are “back in style,” Kotkin warns that whatever their form, cities can thrive only if they remain sacred, safe, and busy–and this is true for both the increasingly urbanized developing world and the often self-possessed “global cities” of the West and East Asia.

Looking at cities in the twenty-first century, Kotkin discusses the effects of developments such as shifting demographics and emerging technologies. He also considers the effects of terrorism–how the religious and cultural struggles of the present pose the greatest challenge to the urban future.

Truly global in scope, The City is a timely narrative that will place Kotkin in the company of Lewis Mumford, Jane Jacobs, and other preeminent urban scholars.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Interesting but flawed introduction to global cities
This is a book that argues that all great cities must be sacred, safe and vibrant economically.The term "sacred" has been a major issue in the reviews, and I think rightfully so.Kotkin doesn't really define what he means by sacred.Sometimes it means what the common definition is - i.e. relating to religion or some transcendental value system.Other times it means a kind of moral order. In still other places it seems to refer to a sense of civic pride and community.And yet sacred and moral don't necessarily mean the same thing.What is sacred to one person may be immoral to another.

For Kotkin, the two cities that seem to embody all three aspects are Rome for the classical period and Singapore for the contemporary period.And yet the discussion on Singapore comes back to the same definitional problems of sacred.Not everyone would agree that neo-Confucianism is sacred.Some would argue that it's a moral code and it provides a sense of community.And if a sense of community is the key, then some of Kotkin's harsher evaluations of American cities may not be justified.In addition, while Kotkin ends with a plea for more sacred place in cities and seems to promote it as a sort of panacea, there's no reason to think that sacrality will unite a community.One student mentioned that Jerusalem is definitely a sacred place, and yet it hasn't provided the unity Kotkin seems to expect from it.If he actually means civic pride or a sense of community, then using those terms would make more sense.

I've given the book three stars because, despite this problem, it does provide a useful overview of global cities, including in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, from the origins of cities to the present.This is broader than earlier surveys, and is certainly shorter. In addition, he makes a perceptive argument against the nihilism of the idea of the city as mainly a place of entertainment and hipness and his comment that infrastructure and education can be shortchanged, wrongly, in favor of such projects as stadiums, etc, is insightful.

Overall, this is a useful overview, but Kotkin should have defined his terms better.

Not much info included
I love brevity - gimme what I need, no flash, no flowery language and I'm happy.So, when I saw this book it seemed perfect. Unfortunately, each section is too brief.Example, we get less than half a page on Myceane cities, ditto with Crete. Ancient China?Again, just half a page.

The info presented is good and valid, but not much more than you'd find by the first paragraph of a wikipedia entry.I'm not too sure who this is geared for, but I can see this being great for an early high schooler with the help of a dictionary.

Overall Satisfied 100%
The book is almost new & it's in good condition and fast shipping. I would recommend anyone who wants to buy a book from this user.

Adequate Overview of Cities
The author's scope is ambitious: 5,000 years of city life.

He provides a great summary of the first 3,000 years that readers may not know.

The last 2,000 years offers few details that social science graduates will not already know.

The author's proposition that successful cities deliver the goods for finance, politics and culture may be correct, but the text does not support this thesis directly.

The last quarter of the book attempts to analyze the last 50 years, but does not do a very good job of connecting events to the overarching thesis.

The tone of the book (especially in the last half) is pretty leftward leaning without awareness or justification.

Save the Bibliographic Note, Pitch the Text
That's the long and the short of it. I found Kotkin's little essay on "suggested reading" useful - as were many of the sources he cited - but the text? Hardly at all. Full disclosure/truth in lending would have required Kotkin to entitle his book, "The City: A Thin Schematic Outline That Raises More Questions Than It Answers Before Ending Discussions Abruptly." For this is indeed simply an outline.

Fine: it's a short book, a mere 160 pp of text, plus almost 40 pp of notes (a good thing), and the 7 pp of suggested readings. I suppose the Modern Library's "Chronicles" format - "featuring the world's great historians on the world's great subjects," all at less than 200 pp - should have tipped me off, but there was the offsetting kudos of Witold Rybczynski: "A compelling and original synthesis that belongs on the urbanist's bookshelf with Lewis Mumford, Peter Hall, and Fernand Braudel." Yes, Prof. Rybczynski, I suppose so, but perhaps only as the first book to pull off that shelf for kindling when the cabin grows cold. Kotkin really doesn't deserve this bonbon from Rybczynski; nor does he belong in this seminal company. His book doesn't seem to contain much that's original; it seems mostly derived from the insights of others. (I suppose that's why it's a "synthesis.") For the most part, much of it - and surely its central thesis that cities are built on sacred, security, or commercial foundations - is in Mumford and Hall, much else, particularly on the rise of commercial cities, may be found in Braudel, and in the later chapters more contemporary writers like Daniel Bell, Saskia Sassen, Manuel Castells, Kenneth Jackson, and Joel Garreau, are among the many authorities who show up. Throughout, the discussion is cursory and in places absolutely superficial, as though lists of observations and authorities had been cobbled together into paragraphs that often end with a clunk.

On the Third World city Kotkin struck me as almost wholly without a clue, although I surmise that, had he written closer to the present time, he would have been able to cull a few interesting and relevant ideas from the WorldBank's World Development Report 2009, in which the Bank turns a major corner on developing-economy cities, finally seeing them as potential developing-world engines of growth. Kotkin didn't himself divine any of this at the time of his writing, for the most part reheating accounts of the many pathologies of developing-world urbanization, misunderstanding, among other things, the pull of primate cities in an otherwise bleak,largely subsistence agrarian landscape - "cities = the promise of a better life for millions" - the structural role of informal economies in developing countries, and quite a bit more.

But the little "suggested reading" essay is extremely worthwhile. For this, and for the Robert Ezra Parks quote on "the city as a state of mind," two stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Henry Adams does it!
This volume and its sister on the Administrations of James Madison are both excellent! The prose style is flawless; the volumes are so readable that the narrative carries you along without any consciousness of effort on your part. The research, even though done long ago, holds up well even today. James was one of the first to do a lot of research in archives around the world and the facts are well-researched. The diplomatic history of these administrations is subtle and detailed.

Contrary to the view of some historians, the work is not an Adams family attack on Jefferson and Madison. In fact, quite the contrary. He gives what I consider a balanced view of their admininstrations. Jefferson is a more exciting character than Madison and therefore the first volume of the two has more sparkle in that regard, but you come away with a clear view of what they were trying to accomplish, how they succeeded or failied, and what it all means.

The early chapters on America in 1800 are the clearest and most concise review of what America was in 1800, before these administations began. That America was transformed by the events that occurred in these sixteen years goes without saying.

The account of the activities of Aaron Burr is a little masterpiece, worth the cost of the book in itself.

I give these books five stars each.

Adams himself is a fascinating subject.

History of The United States During The Administrations of Thonas Jefferson
This is a very thorough examination of the US from 1801-1809. It was written in the 1880's but is fairly easy to read. It's very interesting to see the political discussions going on 200 years ago, particularly when it's being discussed 100 or so years ago.

Classic American History
The first volume of Adams' History of the United States, covering both Jefferson administrations, should be read by anyone with a deep interest in early American history. Adams' style might be deemed archaic, or perhaps even boring by some modern readers, but this history is so tightly packed with information, so compelling in its story line and so derivative of archival information, rather than secondary material, that it probably should be considered the first of all works on Jefferson. There is material in here you simply can not find in the works of other authors; even Dumas Malone.

While it is certainly arguable that Adams was fighting his ancestors' political battles in his work, his unprecedented scholarship in American history puts the burden of so arguing on the claimant. My own opinion is that Adams was merely fair and delved deep, and this approach is not always appreciated when dealing with our forefathers. Some would just rather not know.

Like other great works, right from the beginning, Adams will arouse your interest in not just Jefferson, but also other historical characters of whom you might not have even heard before.

Adams continued his history with the Madison Administration, which continued the unparalleled research and writing, and I equally recommend it with one caveat. Much of that second work, which is even longer, was naturally devoted to the War of 1812 and is quite descriptive when it comes to ships, troops and their movements. For example, he frequently gives detailed measurements of ships, even compares those about to do battle, and lists the troops in each battle, how many killed, wounded, etc. Much of this detail might bore many modern readers, but, some will find the depth of material refreshing and fulfilling. I expect those reading this will know which they are.

For that reason, if you find David McCullough books about as hard as you want to work in delving into history (and I'm not slighting him; just comparing styles) do not waste your time with this book - you won't finish half of it. If, however, you've read someone like Will Durant and enjoyed bathing in the detail, or you want to know as much about Jefferson's presidency as possible without sitting in the Library of Congress for years yourself, you will share my convictions as to the value of this absorbing work.

Celebration of American fragility and survival
Adams' great history is a reminder of the fragility of the American experiment, and the enduring miracle of the survival of the Union during those formative years.

Garry Wills' recent resurrection of the Adams' histories (see my review at Henry Adams and the Making of America) spurred me to go back to the originals of which this is the first half (see my review of History of the United States During the Administrations of James Madison (Library of America)).I was struck by

--the condescension of British and French diplomats to the admittedly brash and bathetic American efforts.

--the barefaced treason of Aaron Burr, and how nearly he succeeded.

--the equally bold treasonous threats by the New England states (twice during Jefferson's terms) to secede, a fact often conveniently forgotten by Northerners quick to blame the South for the Civil War.

--Napoleon's"shock and awe" political leadership that managed the stage of world politics, diplomacy and war for two decades.

My favorite book EVER
Its not going to win reviews as a paper back book. This is the best history book I have ever read. I have looked at some of the reviews here stating its too long. I would have liked it longer, it is a serious history book to make is shorter would remove some very important facts regarding our history. Well put together and edited. If I could I would give it 10 stars. This is a must read for any teacher who calls him or herself a history teacher, However sadly I doubt many of our public school teachers have ever read it. ... Read more

Product Description
Explains the story of the Vikings' exploration of the North Atlantic Ocean and discovery of North America. Written in graphic-novel format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Vikings' Voyage to North America, Graphically
This is an interesting graphic history of the Vikings' discovery of America.I think that this book contains more details about the Vikings' discovery than most childrens books and is very interesting.The graphic history format is great for reading comprehension. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1587, teenaged Hugh Roe O'Donnell, son of the rulers of Donegal, is seized by the English and imprisoned in Dublin Castle for three years before escaping to join in the struggle to rid Ireland of English rule. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Professional and Timely
The book ordered was delivered in a timely manner, in better condition than advertised and was wrapped to keep it safe. I would be more than happy to use this seller again!

A great tale of adventure and resistance to tyranny
Ireland is oppressed by the forces of Elizabeth, the English queen. A few strongholds in the far northwest remain free of English domination, but Elizabeth has her eyes on these as well. In order to subdue Donegal, the English kidnap prince Hugh O'Donnell, heir to his ailing father's castle and lands, and lock him in prison in Dublin.

Red Hugh: Prince of Donegal tells the tale of Hugh's imprisonment, attempts to escape, and his heroic fight against the English. It is engagingly written and is a quick and satisfying read. The characters are very well drawn--from the brave and long-suffering Hugh, to the indomitable Queen Ineen Duive, Hugh's mother; from the brawny and charming MacSweeney to the cruel English captain Leeds.

Originally published in 1957, this new edition of Red Hugh is produced with modern audience in mind. It includes a useful map of northern Ireland which allows the reader to follow the action with ease. The book is well suited for kids aged 10 and up, though I admit to enjoying it myself at over thrice that age. The primary lessons taught are bravery, loyalty to family and country, and perseverance even in seemingly hopeless situations.

Read it but don't buy it
Red Hugh Prince of Donegal is a book about a teenaged boy who was captured by the English and was kept in prison for a long time.The English did not want him to become king because the English wanted Ireland for their own.This book was a fairly good book.Around the first 100 pages were lame but the rest was very good and exciting.There was some love stuff I personally didn't like much.If I were thinking about getting this book I would definitely think twice, check it out from the library and read it first.

Adventure, suspense, a rollicking story!
What a good adventure!The true story of Hugh O'Donnell, who is kidnapped by the English at 15 and must escape home to his castle by the sea, is full of fun and excitement.Hugh makes a great hero; he's funny and brash and eager for a fight and he acts like a teenager.He loves his parents and his home and he carries himself with courage and with honor.As far as I know, the history is sound.It is a fun way to learn a little of Irish history with an action hero who really existed.

An incredible adventure story that actually happened!
This book is extremely well written. It's filled with wit, adventure, and courageous characters. It's about a teen-age prince who goes on an incredible journey from a prison in Dublin where he was being held, to his home in Donegal, to save his province from Engish envaders.Set in a time ofwar and hatred, this book is so action-packed it's hard to believe it's atrue story! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Throughout America’s history, our laws have been a reflection of who we are, of what we value, of who has control. They embody our society’s genetic code. In the masterful hands of the subject’s greatest living historian, the story of the evolution of our laws serves to lay bare the deciding struggles over power and justice that have shaped this country from its birth pangs to the present. Law in America is a supreme example of the historian’s art, its brevity a testament to the great elegance and wit of its composition.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
Although, in the eyes of many, the law "moves slowly and sluggishly" behind society's advances, Lawrence M. Friedman, in Law in America, a historical overview from colonial times to the present, posits that this is an "illusion." As surely as culture creates law, law creates culture. The American legal system--a bubbling mélange of common ("judge-made") and civil (derived from codes) law--is a "complicated beast," born of thousands of political entities. Originally a "crude and stripped down" descendant of English law, American law in the 19th century was often an instrument of "economic promotion." In the 20th century, with the rise of a national economy, an evermore heterogeneous population, waning federalism, and the rise of what Friedman calls the "administrative-welfare state," the law daily reached further, into the jurisdiction of civil rights of all stripes, product liability, malpractice, and environmental and antitrust considerations. Friedman's chapters on the colonial period and family law are strong, while his look at the contemporary legal climate drifts toward a general discussion of political and social mores. --H. O'Billovich ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Intro law book, a great read
Needed this for class and is well written and easy to relate to the real world. A great buy for any one interested in basic principles and hisotry of law in America.

An excellent first read on law in the US.
This book provides a comprehensive summary of the development of law and legal institutions of the US in anamazingly concise manner. Prof. Freidman even manages to offer synthesis and pespective /albeit a bit cynically/ in a compelling conclusion. My only unmet hopes from the book were a deeper comparison of legal systems outside English commom law and treatment of antitrust.

Excellent intro to subject
I am a newcomer to this subject and found Prof. Friedman's book informative and approachable. Prior to this, I found reading about law pretty dry and boring compared to science (my usual preference), but this book managed to hold my interest from beginning to end. Taking a historical approach, Prof. Friedman shows how the law reflected changing social conditions and priorities as America evolved from a primitive, farming-based colony to a thriving industrial state. Overall this is a readable and interesting introduction to this important subject.

A nice introduction
I am a lawyer working in Australia. I am planning to do more law study in the US later this year, and read this book on the recommendation of a professor. While a section of the book after the introduction is a little straight-forward and essentially like revision for someone familiar with the common law, the book then moves into a very accessible and engaging introduction to some major ideas, landmarks and (more or less) large-scale developments in American law. As such, it was a very useful guide to a lawyer with no real knowledge of American legal history. A nice, quick introduction which would enable the reader to delve deeper subsequently in some of the issues the book discusses.

very well done...relevant and interesting
It is remarkable that Friedman can cover so much in such a short book, and he does it with great clarity.Moreover he excels in helping the reader feel connected to the material, making it seem more relevant and interesting.I've wanted to read the thicker Friedman book: A History of American Law, for years now, but have never gotten around to it. This much shorter book is something that can be read and easily digested in just a few days, and it has given me the increased motivation I've needed to commit to diving into Friedman's fatter history of law, as well as his similarly portly history of 20th century American law.This small volume is highly recommended as an introduction to a very engaging writer who has an admirable and extensive talent for clearly explaining the workings of our legal system and its history. ... Read more

Product Description
Calligraphy and illumination, together with heraldry, comprise the three traditional skills of mediaeval book arts. In this wide-ranging guide they have been brought up-to-date by scribe and illuminator Patricia Lovett. Each section looks back at the historical roots of the subject before considering modern approaches. Manuscripts from The British Library and other sources support the text, which is designed to enable the reader to use this book both as a working guide and a fundamental source of reference. Sections include the range and selection of tools and materials for calligraphy, illumination and heraldry and how to letter. There are practical projects ranging from the simplest through to the more technically advanced, and a detailed reference section explains about the tools and materials including types and selection of papers; selection and care of brushes; colour theory and mixing; and choosing, preparing and stretching vellum. The study includes chapters by specialists in their fields: Hermann Zapf writes about type design; Dr Michelle P.Brown considers manuscript illumination; Dr Rosemary Sassoon discusses calligraphy and handwriting; and Hubert Chesshyre writes on being a modern herald today. ... Read more

Product Description
In this cogent volume, renowned Christian historian Martin Marty delivers a brief yet sweeping account of Christianity and how it spread from a few believers two thousand years ago to become the world’s largest religion.

Comprising nearly one third of the world’s population–more than two billion followers–Christianity is distinctive among major faiths in that it derives both its character and its authority from the divinity of its central figure, Jesus Christ. Examining this facet of Christianity from historical and sociological viewpoints, Marty lays bare the roots of this faith, in turn chronicling its success throughout the world.

Writing with great style, and providing impeccable interpretations of historical, canonical, and liturgical documents, Marty gives readers of all faiths and levels of familiarity with Christian practices and history a highly useful and supremely accessible primer. He depicts the life of Christ and his teachings and explains how the apostles set out to spread the Gospel. With a special emphasis on global Christianity, he shows how the religion emerged from its ancestral homelands in Africa, the Levant, and Asia Minor, was imported to Europe, and then spread from there to the rest of the world, most often via trade and conquest. While giving a broad overview, Marty also focuses on specific issues, such as how Christianity struggles with the polar tensions inherent to many of the faith’s denominations, and how it attempts to reconcile some of its stances on armed conflict, justice, and dominion with the teachings of Christ.

The Christian World is a chronicle of one of the great belief systems and its many followers. It’s a magnificent story of emperors and kings, war and geography, theology and politics, saints and sinners, and the earthly battle to save souls. Above all, it’s a remarkable testament to the teachings of Christ and how his message spreads around the globe to touch human experience everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Concise is the word
Attempting a one-volume history of anything that has existed for over 2000 years is no small task. Now try to keep it "brief". Once again Modern Library deserves praise just for tackling the task. Martin Marty's emphasis is on the spiritual side of the Christianity, with the institutions taking a back seat. His scope is larger, geographically, than Paul Johnson's admirable yet European-centric The History of Christianity. You won't find a tremendous amount of information about individual churches or creeds but you will meet an interesting array of characters like Origen who decides to go the extra mile in curbing his instincts by castrating himself. (Whether or not this was entirely a DIY endeavor or not isn't clear from the text.)

With material like this the early part of the book glides along. Marty has an eye for a good vignette and a good quote, like the nun who responds to a monk who averts his gaze when he sees a group a nuns. "If you had been a perfect monk, you would not have looked so closely as to perceive that we are women." I do believe that's the early Church equivalent of "in your face, holy boy." Then things bog down a bit and Marty seems to lose a bit of his spark, churning out lines like "It was unholy Christian holy war". Now really. For one thing, what "holy war" isn't unholy? This is just the start of a catalog of atrocities committed by men and women allegedly to act in the name of a religion. This is hardly a newsflash. On the other hand, this occasional heavy-handedness seems to me to be the result of trying to tell all sides of the story in a limited space rather than axe grinding.

All in all this is a solid effort, more history of Christianity as a faith rather than a historical force. It didn't leave me wanting to read more nor did I feel like I have the topic well-covered now but I did learn a few things and what more can one ask of a "concise" history?

I'd give this three and a half stars if Amazon allowed it.

Kindle note: maps but no pictures.

brief but thorough summary
This is a brief but thorough summary of the growth and variety of experience and points of view of Christian communities from the beginning to present. Much more than a cursory explore there is enough detail to give a pretty clear picture of the breadth and scope that has been Christianity.

Christianity is only "an enthralling story" in the author's view
The author on Mao: "The `Cultural Revolution' for which he later called did undertake some needed civil reform, but it also produced innumerable martyrs and it inhibited religious expression." Inhibited?Contrast this with what the author has to say about the last pope.While Pope John Paul drew massive crowds, he couldn't fill the pews of Europe, the author says.That's it; for on the matter of the devout Christian leader who had a huge hand in bringing down the Communist Polish dictatorship and that of Eastern Europe's communist governments, in taking a moral Christian stand against evil, the author has nothing to say.The Poles' Christian faith during the ordeal of martial law is not worth one sentence in this book, either.

In a work little over 200 pages one must, of course, leave much of the story of Christianity out of "The Story of Christianity."And while this readable book is rather interesting at times, one nevertheless still wonders what the point is herein.A roller coaster car goes up sometimes rapidly, sometimes not under its own power, and has its dips, too, but ends how it began.That's sort of the author's disinterested take on Christianity, although exactly where Christianity began geographically is not where it is now strong anymore.

"By the end of the first century most of the Christian churches had been planted in Syria, Palestine, and Asia Minor, which means in Asia.""By 1500, Christianity, born in Asia, had all but died in Asia," he adds later, though he means Syria, Constantinople, etc., not what we'd think of as being Asia today.Christianity has been enormously adaptive and successful nevertheless, both up until the 1500s and especially afterwards and has thus held its own in the world.Is this fortunate? A miracle? Something to thank God for?Or, as the author seems to imply, something to be agnostic and dispassionate about?

Consider his conclusion regarding the "Christian World": "tracing the story through twenty centuries and on six continents is an act that produces enthralling stories, but, one asks, what understandings and actions among Christians and non-Christians alike might follow these?" (In his Acknowledgments of the ten or so whom he thanks for having read the manuscript it doesn't appear any were men of the cloth.Wouldn't you want at least one especially fervent adherent of the faith to read such a work; simply to provide some passionate feedback, whether you ultimately accepted it or not?)

Priority one, as far as the author seems to believe, is for Christians to come to some accommodation with other faiths.Buddhism? Judaism? Shintoism? Why beat around the bush when the author means only Islam?As for those Muslins who attacked the USA on 9-11, the author's characterizes them as "extremists inspired by selective Qur'anic depictions."Then he quotes Billy Graham's son disparaging Islam, without having another word to say about Muslim terrorists; and never even uses the word terrorists.Likewise, there is no mention of Osama Bin Laden's self-described Holy War against Western Christian Civilization as a threat to continue to face in the future.

The `understandings and actions among Christians and non-Christians alike [that] might follow' seem to be all up to Christians apparently.It's no surprise then that the overleaf of this book says that the author "has been engaged in ecumenical and inter-religious work for decades."This rather explains why this otherwise worthwhile book, considering that the author is an ordained Lutheran minister, is vaguely agnostic and without any passion.

The most interesting topic in this book is the idea that Christianity has prospered more when it hasn't been championed by any specific governmental power: "On occasions when the persecutions [of Christians] became empire-wide policies, ready-to-die Christians drew the attention of the public, elicited awe, and, ironically, before the eyes of the authorities, saw their community grow.A faith for which people would give their lives bore looking into."

And when Christianity split into factions, denominations, parties ofdifferent interpretations---however you might characterize it, being conservative has generally stimulated church growth.The author offers up the Council at Trent (Italy) 1545-63, dominated by Italians and Spaniards, as an example herein:The Council "set in hard lines the differences between these branches of Western European Christianity and therefore, later, of the Americas.""The new tensions did not lead to decline in the West.The Council of Trent, in fact, gave new life to Catholicism, now called `Roman' for the first time."And, at the same time, this also stimulated the profusion of competing churches.

Thanks to John Calvin (1509-1564) "The Calvinists provided a systematic theology for Protestantism and enjoyed a more engaged sense of involvements with public affairs than did the Wittenbergers [Luther adherents in Germany].While influencing Geneva, Calviniststyles eventually shaped the Puritan world in England, then in New England, and eventually around the world."

On this matter the author focuses on the "Colonial `big three' of Congregationalism with its northern Baptist offshoots, Presbyterianism, and Episcopalianism.A second cluster included the revivalist Methodists whose `connectional' polity made it possible for them to start thousands of churches in the West; the southern Baptists, who forgot their New England roots and became a kind of native growth...Third were the non-English-speaking traditions...Lutherans, the German and Dutch Reformed, the Anabaptists called Mennonites, Moravians, Brethren, and others."

Then the US Constitution effected a huge impact."In the conspectus of Global Christianity, the most significant feature of this constitution was the fact that for the first time in 1400 years, ever since the days of Constantine and Theodosius, religion and regime were officially rendered distinct and separated in constituting documents."Missionaries and evangelists for the next 2 centuries and more thus "became free to spread their gospel, to compete with each other, and to invent or develop new forms of voluntary churches called denominations.They could produce a republic in which Christianity prospered as it was seldom to do where the faith remained established by law and the subject of even gentle and often not so gentle coercion." (08Aug) Cheers

Global Christianity
Marty is the consummate church historian.In this, latest of his publications, he is the insider looking in from the outside.In a sweeping overview he points out that Christianity was a global faith from its inception.From the ancient land of Israel through Asia Minor and North Africa, Christianity rapidly spread through the Mediterranean basin, and thus to Europe, North American, and finally to the global south.Highly recommended for study groups interested in seeing the broad sweep of Christianity.Al Kirk ... Read more

Product Description
In graphic novel format, tells the story of the Apollo 11 mission, including the first moon landing in 1969. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The First Moon Landing
This is another Capstone Press Graphic History book.The first moon landing is the subject of this book.It is straightforward and communicates easily the idea and motivation of the space race and how the trip to the moon was planned, carried out and the success of the trip.The series is very helpful to ESOL students who are learning American history.I like them very much. ... Read more

Product Description
Brilliantly mixing geology, folklore, music, cultural commentary, and history, Gary Y. Okihiro overturns the customary narrative in which the United States acts upon and dominates Hawai'i. Instead, Island World depicts the islands' press against the continent, endowing America's story with fresh meaning. Okihiro's reconsidered history reveals Hawaiians fighting in the Civil War, sailing on nineteenth-century New England ships, and living in pre-gold rush California. He points to Hawai'i's lingering effect on twentieth-century American culture--from surfboards, hula, sports, and films, to art, imagination, and racial perspectives--even as the islands themselves succumb slowly to the continental United States. In placing Hawai'i at the center of the national story, Island World rejects the premise that continents comprise "natural" states while islands are "tiny spaces," without significance, to be acted upon by continents. An astonishingly compact tour de force, this book not only revises the way we think about islands, oceans, and continents, it also recasts the way we write about space and time. ... Read more

Product Description
Cornelius Tacitus brilliantly chronicles the moral decline and rampant civil unrest in the Roman Empire in a period when the earliest foundations of modern Europe were being laid. The Annals commence in a.d. 14, at the death of Augustus, recounting the reigns of Tiberius, Gaius (Caligula), Claudius, and Nero, and conclude in a.d. 68, the year of Nero’s suicide. The Histories document the tumultuous year a.d. 69, when Emperors Galba, Otho, and Vitellius all perished in quick succession, ushering in Vespasian’s ten-year reign. According to historian Will Durant, “[We must] rank Tacitus among the greatest. . . . The portraits he draws stand out more clearly, stride the stage more livingly than any others in historical literature.” This Modern Library Paperback Classic includes newly commissioned endnotes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Definitive Primary Source On the History OfImperial Roman
I read this book for a graduate course in Roman history.It is an indispensable primary source for students of Roman history.

On the first page of his Annals of Imperial Rome, Tacitus wrote that Octavian "seduced the army with bonuses, and his cheap food policy was successful bait for civilians."Tacitus' description of Augustus' transformation of Rome from a republic into an empire is most illuminating as well."Upper-class survivors found that slavish obedience was the way to succeed, both politically and financially.They had profited from the revolution, and so now they liked the security of the existing arrangement better than the dangerous uncertainties of the old regime."

Sir Ronald Syme relied heavily on the work of Tacitus for his cogent narrative of Octavian's rise to power as Augustus.Syme's in-depth study of Tacitus' life and work was published in 1958.Tacitus' historical accuracy was doubted for centuries and Syme made a project of re-evaluating the accuracy of his historical writings.Syme believed that Tacitus was in a unique position to write about the birth and early political history of the Imperial period in Rome due to his very active political life.Tacitus had served as a senator, consul, and proconsul of Asia.In addition, he was known to be an excellent orator in his day.In his writings, Syme believed that Tacitus provided excellent accounts of Augustus' rise to power and his career as Rome's first Emperor.

Tacitus delved into the machinery of the new government, including Augustus' use of patronage as well as his many thwarted attempts at planning for his own succession.What Syme found was a man that grew very adept politically and whose political maturity rapidly developed at an early age.At eighteen, he was named as heir to Julius Caesar.He grew into the greatest Roman princeps spanning fifty-six years until his death.Augustus knew that to retain power he had to maintain the general consent of the governed.He astutely maintained order not by following the constitution or past precedent, but by using the tremendous resources at his disposal.Augustus kept the plebeians in check making sure they were fed, kept them amused with games, and constantly reminded them that he was protecting them from the oppression of the nobiles.

Augustus became the "leader of a large and well organized political party as the source and fount of patronage and advancement."

Recommended reading for those interested in Roman history, military history.

Wonderful Tacitus ill-served by this translation
Lest there be some confusion about the 2 stars I've given this book: Tacitus is fantastic and fascinating. So don't reproach me for SEEMING to criticize Tacitus, when my target here is the translation. (On the subject of reproach, Tacitus himself wrote: "To show resentment at a reproach is to acknowledge that one may have had it coming.") In fact, I think very highly of the incomparable Roman historian. Gibbon, among many others, loves him and so do I. However, this superficially handsome volume from The Modern Library (containing both The Histories and The Annals), does not do justice to Tacitus at all. These translations cannot be recommended, in spite of the praise lavished on them by the general editor. The Annals is barely acceptable but no more than that, and The Histories is inferior. No, the interested reader would be better off to consult the scintillating translation by W. H. Fyfe (revised by his editor, D. S. Levene) of The Histories, published by Oxford as a paperback in 1997. Tacitus' renown -- looking at his style rather than his content -- comes from his acerbic wit, pithy remarks and lucid analytical sentences. To get a truer sense of his abilities, look to another translation. ... Read more

Product Description

Libraries, as a component of cultural space, are ubiquitous to almost every society during almost every time period. However, as places of cultural and symbolic and intellectual meaning, they have varied greatly. To capture both aspects, this collection of 14 original papers covers library spaces old and new, real and imagined, large and small, public and private. Contributions range from a consideration of the Garrison library in the British Empire, to the Carnegie library as a social institution, to the imagined library in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The result is a fascinating look at the library as a physical, social, and intellectual place within the hearts and minds of its clientele and the public at large.

Customer Reviews (1)

From Ideas of Place Toward a Place of Ideas
In the economic stress of 2009 the library has a renewed role as intellectual, social and physical space. ... Read more

Product Description
“Football is force and fanatics, basketball is beauty and bounce. Baseball is everything: action, grace, the seasons of our lives. George Vecsey’s book proves it, without wasting a word.”
–Lee Eisenberg, author of The Number

In Baseball, one of the great bards of America’s Grand Old Game gives a rousing account of the sport, from its pre-Republic roots to the present day. George Vecsey casts a fresh eye on the game, illuminates its foibles and triumphs, and performs a marvelous feat: making a classic story seem refreshingly new.
Baseball is a narrative of America’s can-do spirit, in which stalwart immigrants such as Henry Chadwick could transplant cricket and rounders into the fertile American culture and in which die-hard unionist baseballers such as Charles Comiskey and Connie Mack could eventually become the tightfisted avatars of the game’s big-money establishment. It’s a celebration of such underdogs as a rag-armed catcher turned owner named Branch Rickey and a sure-handed fielder named Curt Flood, both of whom flourished as true great men of history. But most of all, Baseball is a testament to the unbreakable bond between our nation’s pastime and the fans, who’ve remained loyal through the fifty-year-long interdict on black athletes, the Black Sox scandal, franchise relocation, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs by some major stars.

Reverent, playful, and filled with Vecsey’s charm, Baseball begs to be read in the span of a rain-delayed doubleheader, and so enjoyable that, like a favorite team’s championship run, one hopes it never ends.

“Vecsey possesses a journalist’s eye for detail and a historian’s feel for the sweep of action. His research is scrupulous and his writing crisp. This book is an instant classic——a highly readable guide to America’s great enduring pastime.”— The Louisville Courier Journal



From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Disapppointing
Every sportswriter has a need to reveal his childhood experiences with the great game - usually baseball but occasionally other sports. This tendency occurs in this volume. How about a different approach, especially in a thin description of the entire history of baseball? I am slightly above novice status as far as baseball knowledge and the history of baseball, yet this slim volume is way too breezy and facile for me. I believe the Modern Library series aims at brief but definitive surveys of its subject, yet this objective is not met in the current volume. I have read magazine articles and essay with more depth of analysis and description in twenty pages or less. Yet this volume assumes a basic knowledge of baseball, so I am not clear on the audience intended for this book.

Choppy and hard to follow.
This book could have been much better. The author constantly jumps around so the historical time-line is very hard to follow. I felt the author spent way too much time on insignificant portions of the history of baseball and ignored other crucial areas. I would only read this book if you have exhausted all other baseball history books.

Good Writing, But Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts
Vecsey has written some terrific columns for the New York Times, and this volume includes some very well written vignettes.Of particular interest are the description of Hall-of-Famer Cap Anson's successful lead of the boycott of African American players of the 19th century; the American need to claim baseball as its own unique sport despite evidence of a long international history of bat and ball games; a concise narrative of the Black Sox scandal; the extremely clear explanation of the Curt Flood and Andy Messersmith litigation that led to the free agent era; and an even-handed treatment of the steroid & drug scandals.On this last point, Vecsey is a sensitive observer who is able to admit his own personal fault in looking the other way at a long history of drug and alcohol abuse by players.

But the column method of writing does not translate well to a full volume, and is likely to frustrate most fans who pick up this book.

A more evenly-told chronological narrative would have been more effective.

Great Book
One of the best books I've ever read. Well written & puntuated with humour. Started reading it as soon as the book arrived and couldn't put it down until it was finished. If you like to read about the history of the game I recommend this book.

Readable, Informative, Romantic
Author George Vecsey has written a very readable and informative semi-history of the national pastime.He begins with a look at the game's 19th Century evolution (perhaps even 18th Century), and we learn about the game both before and after the Civil War.Then he comes to the modern era, and informs us of starts like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, pioneers like Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey, and even looks at the commissioners, and the cheaters from the recent power surge.This book has quite a bit, for both casual fans and hardcore fanatics. ... Read more

Product Description

Livy (Titus Livius), the great Roman historian, was born at or near Patavium (Padua) in 64 or 59 BCE; he may have lived mostly in Rome but died at Patavium, in 12 or 17 CE.

Livy's only extant work is part of his history of Rome from the foundation of the city to 9 BCE. Of its 142 books, we have just 35, and short summaries of all the rest except two. The whole work was, long after his death, divided into Decades or series of ten. Books 1–10 we have entire; books 11–20 are lost; books 21–45 are entire, except parts of 41 and 43–45. Of the rest only fragments and the summaries remain. In splendid style Livy, a man of wide sympathies and proud of Rome's past, presented an uncritical but clear and living narrative of the rise of Rome to greatness.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Livy is in fourteen volumes. The last volume includes a comprehensive index.

Customer Reviews (2)

Better than I had hoped
These little Loeb tomes are rather expensive, and are meant in part as a learning tool for the Latin student; that said, they are very satisfying! Livy is a storyteller first and foremost, and his opinions shine through his History. He applauds as the plebs throw off the tyrant Tarquinius, and checks them later for asserting their power while the Volsci prepare war on Rome.
He probes tensions between family and country, between the classes, between the resentment of power in the hands of few and the recurring desire for a dictator against whos judgement there is no appeal.
In Books 1-2 there are arrogant aristocrats, commoners who become senators and kings, 15-minutes-of-fame heroes, shifting tax codes, debtors prison, draft resistors. All woven into a fanstastic narrative.

Excellent For Anyone Interested in Ancient History
Livy's lengthy and detailed History of Rome covers many events that are little known today, but it makes excellent reading for anyone interested in ancient history.This Loeb Classical Library edition has many useful features.It has Livy's Latin text and an English translation side-by-side for easy study, it has the dates of events - both on our calendar and on the Roman calendar - along the margins, it has frequent notes to explain Livy's more obscure references, and at the end of each of Livy's 'books' there is a concise summary.

This first volume is one of the best in the whole series (which runs 14 volumes in this edition).Not only does it have a good introduction to the series, it also covers some of the most interesting events in Rome's history, running from its founding until 468 BC, and including Rome's transition from a kingdom to a republic. ... Read more

Product Description
The Renaissance holds an undying place in our imagination, its great heroes still our own, from Michelangelo and Leonardo to Dante and Chaucer. This period of profound evolution in European thought is credited with transforming the West from medieval to modern and producing the most astonishing outpouring of artistic creation the world has ever known. But what was it? In this masterly work, the incomparable Paul Johnson tells us. He explains the economic, technological, and social developments that provide a backdrop to the age’s achievements and focuses closely on the lives and works of its most important figures. A commanding short narrative of this vital period, The Renaissance is also a universally profound meditation on the wellsprings of innovation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Brief but authoritative overview
This might just be the perfect book to give someone who wants to begin their study of the Italian Renaissance. It is brief but hits the mark in passing along many of the wonders to be discovered in more detailed and/or larger works of this period.

Clear and readable, and a touch opinionated
There is real value in this little book.And while I wouldn't call it "exciting", if you like a splash of opinion in your reading then this rises above the average academic text.

This well-organized "Short History" does a fine job of outlining the major times, people, and places where the great wheel of the Renaissance turned.I like the attempt to divide the arts into writing, sculpture, architecture, and painting.I found that by not mixing artistic genres in discussion, it was easier to absorb who influenced whom, and when.

So why do I only give three stars?Two reasons.First, the opnions mixed in with facts bother me.What the author knows about an artist should be kept clearly separate from what the author thinks of an artist.For example, Masaccio gets a pass on being "sloppy", preoccupied, or difficult mostly because he died at age 27 and is poorly documented.Michalangelo and Leonardo are both singled out for opinionated criticism based on their personages, not their art.

The second reason this book loses a star might have more to do with the publisher than the author.Pictures.I fail to see why pictures of the wonderful artwork and buildings being described could not be inserted freely into the book.If Palladio never built two structures the same, then why not show side by side pictures of two of his surviving structures in Venice to show his flair for originality?

So, as a summary of the Renaissance this isn't bad.But it isn't great either.Soak in the history, ignore the opinions.

Solid Introduction to the Italian Renaissance
This is a good book for anyone looking for a solid yet succinct introduction to the Renaissance. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a light read by the number of pages or concise format. It is very fast paced and densely packed with information. The book is a very comprehensive treatment of the art and literature of the period although it does not delve in very deep.

The book is organized very logically with very good chapters on Literature & Scholarship, Sculpture, Architecture, and Painting. The coverage of the local politics, which was a significant influence on the art of the time, was a little lacking. There was very little information on the Medici's or the invasions of Charles VIII, Francois I, or Charles V.

This book is a great introduction to the Renaissance. For readers who would like more in-depth coverage, I would recommend "History of Italian Renaissance" by Frederick Hartt. For more information on the artist's themselves, contemporary Giorgio Vasari's classic "Lives of the Artists" is the ultimate resource. Two highly readable and wonderful books on specific events of the period are Ross King's "Brunelleschi's Dome" and "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling".

Lack of pictures in a major drawback
I am quite surprised at how many great reviews this book has received.My only explanation for this is that the this author must attract readers who already have considerable historical background.As one who really wanted an introduction to this time period, I feel the book sped way too quickly through its specialized topics, while omitting important areas.(If you are going to make the book all about the artistic achievements of the Renaissance, why not at least mention the musical accomplishments of composers such as Josquin and Palestrina?)

I completely agree with the reviewer who felt that this was full of name-dropping without much depth.I felt that the book focused too much on artistic individuals without developing a sense of what Renaissance life was like for the everyday person.

Most importantly, it was very hard to appreciate all the works of the artists mentioned without any pictures.It was like reading a pamplet about all the works in a museum, without ever going into the musuem.

Good, and concise
I am a layman with regard to the arts, but has a keen interest in it, and I thoroughly enjoyed this little work by Paul Johnson.As always he is opinionated, sometimes infuriatingly so (I notice from the formal reviews that this does not endear him to academic historians), but that prevents his writing from being dull and academic.So what if he thinks that England had produced only four authors possessing of true genius- it's his opinion and he is entitled to state it.In this book Johnson gives a concise overview of the Renaissance: why it happened, and the major figures who contributed to this re-birth of painting, sculpture, etc.And he keeps it short, mercifully- it was nice to be able to finish a Johnson in a few days instead of a few months.

Above all, after reading this I want to re-visit Florence, the centre of the Renaissance, with this book in hand, looking for the wonderful art works produced by the masters.And I am sure that is what Johnson hoped for when writing this book, that it would make readers excited about the art of the Renaissance. ... Read more

Product Description
This year's 365 Days of Black History highlights more than fifty individuals and groups who have contributed to the enrichment and progress of society--such as Leopold Senghor, who rose from poverty to the presidency of Senegal, and Dr. Eric Williams, who led Trinidad from colonial rule into the West Indies Federation and independence. Each of the calendar's fifty-three images, from the collections of the Library of Congress, is accompanied by a concise essay or biography; important birthdates and milestones in black history are noted throughout. Includes a brief introduction; fifty-three weekly grids; double-page spreads of 2011 and 2012 yearly grids; a list of international holidays; a world time zone map; pages for notes; and a page for personal information. Published with images from the Library of Congress. Size: 6.125 x 8.25 in. 120 pages with softcover and metal comb binding in an attractive lightweight slipcase. Printed on FSC certified paper with soy-based ink. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an adventurous story with a difference-it is soon after World War II, but Cecil (short for Cecilia) and her cousin, Rickie, are thrown into a series of adventures that have little to do with t ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Historical Fantasy of English Catholicism
A while back--say, a dozen or so generations ago--England was Europe's most fervently Catholic country; and it took many decades of bribing and bullying and grotesque torture before most of the English people finally slipped their moorings.There were a few holdouts, of course, old families that held onto the Faith and maintained a sense of history that most of their compatriots had forgotten. And that is the background premise to this tale. Through the convenient magic of time-travel, some children visit the England or Britainof ages ago, episodically, beginning with Bath Spa in the days of the Romans, and culminating with the great age of anti-Catholicism in the 1680s.For the orphan boy in the center of the tale, it is a journey of self-discovery. He finds out who he is by finding where his country came from.

I am pleasantly surprised to find that this book is back in print. I was lent an old copy of the original English edition when I was little and spent years afterwards trying to locate a vintage copy. When I finally did, Ifound that I'd completely forgotten that Edward Ardizzone (a name I knew well) had done the illustrations.

Time Travel Fun in Merry Olde England
This is a delightful read - particularly for the pre-teen set - about two children who travel back through different parts of history all set in and around the town of Bristol, England. The story is quite engaging (my 11 year old daughter LOVED it!) and is conceptually interesting as well. Each visit to the past brings the characters farther back in time and presents a piece of the puzzle they're putting together in their heads - a bit of the sense of perspective that history gives us, the struggles that are dealt with in every age, and the importance of faith and perserverance.

I also enjoyed the little details present in the story - like how the children are called by their own names by "relatives" in each era, but their names and the names around them are believably related to the time-period. Costumes and manner of speech are attended to quite nicely as well. The story is set in the 1950s and the time travel sequences eventually take the characters all the way back to Roman Britain. ... Read more