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Every school and public library should update its resources on Spain with this lively and succinct narrative of Spain's long and rich historical experience. Emphasizing people rather than abstract developments, this narrative makes Spanish history readable and engaging. Based on the most recent scholarship, it examines the politics, society, economy, and culture of Spain chronologically, focusing on the last two centuries. Pierson, a noted authority on Spanish history, traces Spain's foundations in the Roman empire and Muslim conquest to its golden age in the late Middle Ages, its subsequent decline, and its struggle to build a democratic government and modern economy following the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. The work provides a timeline of events in Spanish history, brief biographies of key figures, and a bibliographic essay of interest to students and general readers.

An introductory chapter offers an overview of Spain today, its geography, government and politics, economy, religion, and culture.The next few chapters discuss its earliest cultures, its place in the Roman empire, its Christianization and years as a Germanic kingdom, and its incorporation in 711 C.E. by military conquest into the world of Islam. The energies developed in the Christian reconquest of Spain led to its embarkation on the conquest of an overseas empire in the Americas and the Philippines that lasted for more than 300 years and had a profound effect on global history. The interests of the Habsburg (1516-1700) and Bourbon (1700-1808, 1814-1868, and 1875-1931) dynasties on the Spanish throne made Spain a major player in European power politics into the years of the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. By 1825, its resources drained, Spain painfully adjusted to straightened circumstances, endured civil wars and dictatorships, and struggled to build a democratic government and modern economy, which it has accomplished today.

Customer Reviews (2)

Great deal
We have found it so much more economical to order
books on line for college classes. They are easy to
find and this book was in excellent condition. A great
value.

Interesting and easy to read history
If you are an American, your touchstone of European history is always England. For much of the world, Spain is the "old country".This book mademe see Spain in the way I see England. I now have a better feelfor the land and its people. A good popular history. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book Great condition
Book was needed for summer class, came in just in time and great shipping price.Condition was good as well, thank you.

Fantastic collection of essays
This book is a very helpful tool for those who know little or nothing about Spanish history, and provides excellent background knowledge to understand the many issues that makeup what Spain is today. It is a great companion to any undergrad or grad history course, so any student wishing to expand her or his library with a solid book should think about getting this one. ... Read more

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This book--the first study of its kind in English in more than fifty years--surveys the history of the medieval Crown of Aragon from its early origins in counties of the eastern Pyrenees.Reviewing the most recent research into the well-preserved archives of the region, Bisson recreates a sense of the energy, drama, and color of these creative and expansionist people between the 12th and 15th centuries. Throughout, the book duly stresses individual achievement and personality while at the same time providing a balanced overview of political and dynastic evolution, institutional foundations, economic and cultural affairs, and the socio-economic weaknesses that eventually led to a crisis in the federated realms in the late Middle Ages. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Disappointed!
I was really excited when I checked this book out from the library. I unfortunately found it a huge disappointment. There were too many dry, unimportant facts bundled up with some tolerable information. I really wanted to learn so much more from this book. I definitely know more now than before I ventured into reading it, but I just expected a greater deluge of knowledge. I'm relieved that I checked it out before I bought it.

Strong on the last 200 years
This book is a relatively short overview of the history of Spain over roughly 2,500 years.Necessarily, it does not cover all topics in great depth.However, it becomes clear through the course of the book that the author's interest is primarily in the last 200 years.Depth and detail increase exponentially as the book moves forward in time, to the point that the Spanish Civil War, the Franco years and thereafter receive the same number of pages that a number of centuries received earlier in the book.

This is turn means that the book is strong on how the current Spanish situation came about, and what forces shaped Spain's present political and social atmosphere.However, for readers looking for example for information on the 600+ years of Moorish influence in the south of Spain, the text is much more sparse.Even the days of the Spanish empire in the New World receive scant attention, and the Inquisition rates barely a mention.

The book is well-written, and appears intended for a general audience rather than for academia.As such it is quite accessable, although there are times when it degenerates into little more than a recitation of names of monarchs, their wives and children.

For readers looking for the roots of present-day Spanish politics and recent history, this book will be very useful.Those wanting to read about the glories of Moorish Spain, the Reconquest, the Spanish Empire and similar topics, however, would be better served by finding another book. ... Read more

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Straddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradiction-they are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques' language, Euskera-the most ancient in Europe-is related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence.

Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout this fascinating book. Like Cod, The Basque History of the World blends human stories with economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale.

Among the Basques' greatest accomplishments:

• Exploration-the first man to circumnavigate the globe, Juan Sebastián de Elcano, was a Basque and the Basques were the second Europeans, after the Vikings, in North America
• Gastronomy and agriculture-they were the first Europeans to eat corn and chili peppers and cultivate tobacco, and were among the first to use chocolate
• Religion-Ignatius Loyola, a Basque, founded the Jesuit religious order
• Business and politics-they introduced capitalismand modern commercial banking to southern Europe
• Recreation-they invented beach resorts, jai alai, and racing regattas, and were the first Europeans to play sports with balls Amazon.com Review
The buzz about the Guggenheim Bilbão aside, the Basquesseldom get good press--from the 12th-century Codex of Calixtus("A Basque or Navarrese would do in a French man for a copper coin")to current news items about ETA, the Basque nationalist group. MarkKurlansky, author of Cod, sets out tochange all that in The Basque History of the World.

"The singular remarkable fact about the Basques is that they stillexist," Kurlansky asserts. Without a defined country (other thanEuskadi, otherwise known as "Basqueland"), with no known relatedethnic groups, the Basques are an anomaly in Europe. What unites theBasques, above all, is their language--Euskera. According to ETA,"Euskera is the quintessence of Euskadi. So long as Euskera is alive,Euskadi will live." To help provide a complete picture of the Basques,Kurlansky looks at their political, economic, social, and evenculinary history, from the valiant Basque underground in World War IIto medieval whalers to modern makers of the gâteauBasque. The most affecting chapter focuses on Guernica, a smallmarket town bombed by German planes for over three hours on April 26,1937, and uses interviews with survivors to illustrate the horror ofthe attack.

Kurlansky is clearly enamored of the Basques, which leads him to seethem in a uniformly positive light. That rosy outlook aside, TheBasque History of the World is an excellent introduction to theseromantic people. Are they the original Europeans? Kurlanskydoesn't weigh in on the issue, preferring instead to honor the Basquerequest Garean gareana legez--let us be what weare. --Sunny Delaney ... Read more

Customer Reviews (82)

Recipe for Basque Burrito: ETA-friendly propaganda rolled in colorful history
Kurlansky writes with passion about a people and a land that he loves. All that is admirable, and I did learn more about the mysterious Basque. I was even prepared to forgive the rambling prose which caused me to put down the book on numerous occasions, only to pick it up later, sometimes many months later. (The fantastic cover is probably to thank/blame for the latter: art by Nikolai Punin.) The scattered recipes I could take or leave. But what I most certainly did not want was the one-sided defense of the terrorist organization ETA. Through many of the middle and late chapters in the book, Kurlansky offers a very skewed history of the separatist group's activities, often defending the brutal killings while heaping extra servings of guilt on the Spanish government.

So if you are prepared for the heavy-handed propaganda (whether you agree with the author or not), this could be a 4-star book. Indeed, and in its defense, the book's title (The Basque History of the World) advertises nothing less than a self-centered and self-important perspective, in the same way that the Chinese word for China is "Middle Kingdom." But if you prefer your history lessons cooked evenly, enjoy this with a critical eye and maybe a dose of Mylanta.

Best straight forward information
This book was very informative and easy to understand.There are many opinions about The Basques and their history and I felt this author was able to explain in a straight forward manner without glorifying the Basque or skirting around unpopular moments in history.

History with Recipes

This small book gives readers an introduction and overview of the Basque culture and examines how the group has survived for centuries in a region that straddles the border between northern Spain and France.

I learned a lot about a culture and region I previously knew nothing about, so that is to Kurlansky's credit. I will say I would feel more comfortable about my knowledge of the Basques if this book had footnotes instead of a general bibliography. Much of what he writes about the Basques, to whom he is clearly sympathetic, is likely true, but I have no way of confirming it. This is not really a serious work of history.

The book is at its strongest in detailing Basque resistance to General Franco's four decade rule in Spain. There is far less about events on the French side of the border, which I think would have strengthened the book, if only to contrast how the rural Basque culture thrived in both countries.

Personally, not being much of a cook, I found the recipes that are scattered throughout the book to be mere distractions, but I could see how a reader with a more culinary orientation would enjoy those parts of the book.

The bottom line is that if you are planning a trip to the region, this book would probably be helpful and informative.

Excellent read
For anyone interested in ethnographies, this book is quite a find. The author has expertly laid out the socio-economic history of this group as it relates to the development of civilization within the entire region.
The Basque story is a facinating one, especially as presented by this author. Far from a dry and antiseptic Anthropology primer, this book is as much a page turner as any popular novel today. Highly recommended.

It's a history, it's a cook book... it's both?
Yes, it's an interesting book about an interesting subject but it does seem to go on some tangents. The inclusion of recipes (like I can find baby eels in Fayetteville) gets to be a little annoying at times. A great work to get familiar with this unique people but it's heavily colored by the author's thesis about Basques in the EU. It might be good to supplement it with a more conventional book on Basque folkways and culture. ... Read more

Product Description

This is the first study in English of the political history of Muslim Spain and Portugal, based on Arab sources. It provides comprehensive coverage of events across the whole of the region from 711 to the fall of Granada in 1492. Up till now the history of this region has been badly neglected in comparison with studies of other states in medieval Europe. When considered at all, it has been largely written from Christian sources and seen in terms of the Christian Reconquest. Hugh Kennedy raises the profile of this important area, bringing the subject alive with vivid translations from Arab sources. This will be fascinating reading for historians of medieval Europe and for historians of the middle east drawing out the similarities and contrasts with other areas of the Muslim world.

Customer Reviews (3)

Very good study of Islamic Spain
Very good book, not too sure what Amazon is on about describing this book as the first to be based upon Arabic sources.What about chejne or Taha or any number of orientalists such as Lane Poole?

Anyway, this a well written book, sraight and to the point.Fairly easy to read and covers all of the most important aspects of the history of Andalusia.For anyone wanting to study that period of Iberian history they may want to start with Lane Pooles book, move on to this one then look for the exellent books of L.P. Harvey.

Good introduction
Kennedy's book is a great introduction to the political history of Muslim Iberia.Densely packed with information, the book could have used more maps and lexcionic information.If you are not already familiar with the general outline of the situation in medieval Iberia (either from an encyclopedia or a survey of the Middle Ages), you may want to become so before tackling Kennedy's work.This book should serve as a foundation for building a larger and more detailed understanding through future reading.

A condensed summary of events from a different perspective
Hugh Kennedy attempts to summarize nearly eight centuries of complex History into a little over 300 pages. The result is a tedious, incomplete yet interesting read.

His intentions are to give the Muslim side of thestory (an aspect which has been seriously considered by so-called"western" scholars only in the last half century, and which issparking increasing interest especially in North, Central and SouthAmerica).

As an academic Historian he achieves his goal at the price ofhaving to oversimplify and often make assumptions based on the most currentopinions. This is not necessarily to say that he is biased. But I dobelieve that he has over-extended the possibilities with this book. Thereis way too much information, which is too complicated to be compressed intosuch a small space.

He is to be admired for his ambition, but I'm afraidthat unless you are already aware of the History of the area and just needa summary of events which is a bit more detailed than any encyclopedia,this book is going to be a heavy load to carry.

For the beginner who justneeds to know more about Muslim Spain, this is a reliable source, but don'tget discouraged by the density of its contents, take it one chapter at atime, and you can greatly benefit from it. For further details on certainaspects and for a list of sources, Kennedy provides a very goodbibliography at the end, which will undoubtedly enrich your knowledge ofthe subject.

I give it four stars for its factual content (a very highachievement on its own), but won't give it the extra star because of theoverload it causes. ... Read more

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The history of the Jews of Spain is a remarkable story that begins in the remote past and continues today. For more than a thousand years, Sepharad (the Hebrew word for Spain) was home to a large Jewish community noted for its richness and virtuosity. Summarily expelled in 1492 and forced into exile, their tragedy of expulsion marked the end of one critical phase of their history and the beginning of another. Indeed, in defiance of all logic and expectation, the expulsion of the Jews from Spain became an occasion for renewed creativity. Nor have five hundred years of wandering extinguished the identity of the Sephardic Jews, or diminished the proud memory of the dazzling civilization which they created on Spanish soil.This book is intended to serve as an introduction and scholarly guide to that history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Brilliant
I read the 1992 edition.Gerber does an excellent job of piecing together the history of a far flung people.She collects a lot of facts that I have learned about and weaves them all together in a very readable book.There is a lot here.The Jewish experience is recounted against a backdrop history.I just read it for the second time because I wanted to absorb it all.I commend the author for an excellent job.

A great introduction to the history of a great nation
I came to this volume as part of a project to further my education about Islam and its relationship with the rest of the world, which had led me to an interest in the Golden Age of ha Sefarad, and to inform myself further about Judaism, about which I have had too little information to understand its relationship with the world at all. This book serves both purposes beautifully. While serious in tone, it is very readable indeed and provides what I would judge to be a good, neutral perspective. My purpose and conclusions are probably different to those of a student of Sephardic studies, who will probably already be intimately aware of the tenets of Judaism and less interested in the comparative lessons I draw between Islam and Christendom. (As the astute student will immediately grasp, I am one of what I might lightly refer to as the goyish diaspora.)

The book provides insights on Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Spain and the Jewish Diaspora more generally. I recommend it highly to the serious reader and less so for the seeker after simplistic propaganda formulations. It does not pull punches about the treatment of Jews by the two major rival religions, but I find it fair and carefully-researched.

Important and informative
Much has been written about the Jews of Spain and much of it idealizes the experience and pretends that Al-Andalus, or Islamic Spain was a utopia for Jews.Among these fantasy books are God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215 and The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain.However this book, which is scholarly and informative gives a much deeper understanding.It is more than a history of the Sephardim of Spain, it is a history of the Sephardim and their 'experience'.

This amazing experience began in Spain under the Visigoths and early Islamic rulers between the 8th and 11th centuries.But then a great decline set in after the Almohad(Almohades) invasion.Around 1060 and after Jews began being persecuted by fanatical Islamic despots.Pogroms were unleashed and Jewish geniouses such as Maimonidies had to flee.Some Jews even fled to Christian Spain.

After 1492 and the expulsion of the Jews by the Catholic kings Ferdinand and Isabella the Sephardim wandered throughout the Islamic world and Christina Europe.The found homes in Amsterdam, the new world and the Ottoman empire where their Ladino language lives on to this day.The Sephardim that converted to Christianity were brutally persecuted in the inquistion, but their descendants to this day live throughout the Latin world.

A fascinating book.

Seth J. Frantzman

The best book of Sephardic Jewish History
This is a wonderful book. It is well written, objective, and there is a lot of interesting information. I've had this book for several years and I learn something new each time I read it. I've read many books about Sephardic history and it is by far my favorite. It's the book that inspired me to learn more and even study in Israel.

Excellent summary of Sephardic History, well told and well paced.
I knew little of Sephardic Jews, but a trip to Spain prompted me to buy this book.It is a sad, but amazing story and fills me with great respect for these people and their ancestors.Jane Gerber seems pretty objective, but clearly cares deeply for her subject.I found myself wanting to learn more, but fear that other books might be too academic. ... Read more

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This book present san introduction to the evolution of Portuguese politics, society and culture in the twentieth century. Eminent historians, political scientists and experts in literature and art, explore a wide spectrum of topics: international relations, authoritarianism, and transition to democracy, social change, economic development, colonialism and decolonization, patterns of emigration, problems of national identity, and the main trends of twentieth century Portuguese literature and art.

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A comprehensive narrative history which should prove useful to teachers, students, and general readers in European history. It gives primacy to political events without neglecting institutional, social, and cultural matters. Recommended in Laura Berquist Medieval English amp Spanish Hist/Geog/Lit Syllabus, Laura Berquist Medieval European Hist/Geog/Lit Syllabus Author: Joesph F. O Callaghan Grades: 9 and up Number of Pages: 728 Paperback Publisher: Cornell University ISBN 0-8014-9264-5 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The foundations for modern Spain defined
O'Callaghan provides a highly approachable history that looks at the multiple invaders that helps define Spain's emerging national character in the post-Roman world.In the south, the Andalusia cultural capital, Cordoba, rivaled Baghdad and laid claim to some of the foremost Muslim and Jewish scholars, who, amongst other things, safeguarded the works of the ancient Greeks; whereas in the north, the Castilian-Leon kingdom, in broadening political franchise to include that of the emerging merchant class, developed one of the first representative governments in modern European history: the Cortes. In the end, Ferdinand and Isabella oversaw a societal transformation that cast aside a feudal past and set in motion a centralized empire and culture which soon came to dominate much of the world.

A vital text on a re-emerging topic
Previous reviews have decried this book for lack of readability; this is a pity, the purpose of this book was not to be for light summer reading, but to provide information on a previously obscure topic.Current authors writing about Medieval Spain still cite this book as the go-to reference, period.
The book encompasses the entire history of Spain from the fall of the Roman Empire to the reign of Fernando and Isabel.If you needed one book on this subject it would be this one, especially as a reference work.

Classic Standard Text
This is the classic standard text and the best one volume overview of the period.Spanish history available in english tends to be broken down into ghetto sub-subjects making it difficult to arrange the period information relative to each other.This book will give you a general framework to organize the information of this period.Dry reading but useful to the thoughtful reader.This volume is inadeuqate as a sole source of medieval Spanish history but should serve as a base to branch out to the readily available historical alleys.

A good reference but a tough read
The major problem with this book is that it tends to get bogged down in narrative without enough analytical insight.The result is that the reader is faced with hundreds of pages of which kings fought which, married whom and so on.While there is commentary on which events are more important than others and why, it is a little sparse.I read all but the last 100 pages or so as I just ran out of steam.However, as a person who is interested in Spain and Spanish history, I plan to keep it on my shelf for reference purposes.

The book is sensibly divided into major historical time periods (i.e. Visigothic, Caliphate, etc) that give a good organizational framework.Each time period typically has two chapters.The first is more or less a historical narrative and is usually the more difficult to get through.The second is an often interesting discussion of the social and political institutions of both Christian and Islamic Spain.For example, there is a chapter that outlines the major officials of the Umayyad caliphate, their roles, powers, prejudices and so on.

Inadequate
O'Callaghan's history of the Iberian peninsula, though exhausting in its detail, falls prey to typical western biases and employes the fallacious traditional historiography of Iberia, emphasizing the "Re"-Conquest and a supposed "move towards unity."This approach is woefully inadequate for understanding the events of Medieval Iberial, and fosters an unfair appraisal of the Muslim culture that flourished there for centuries.Additionally, O'Callaghan has managed to, through his exceedingly dry prose, completely emasculate this otherwise exciting and vibrant subject.In all my years as a history student, I have never read another text from which I retained so little; my classmates concur on the matter.Therefore, I wholeheartedly denounce this text. ... Read more

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The rich cultural and political life of Spain has emerged from its complex history, from the diversity of its peoples, and from continual contact with outside influences. This book traces that history from prehistoric times to the present, focusing particularly on culture, society, politics, and personalities. Written in an engaging style, it introduces readers to the key themes that have shaped Spain's history and culture. These include its varied landscapes and climates; the impact of waves of diverse human migrations; the importance of its location as a bridge between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and Europe and Africa; and religion, particularly militant Catholic Christianity and its centuries of conflict with Islam and Protestantism, as well as debates over the place of the Church in modern Spain.Illustrations, maps, and a guide to further reading, major cultural figures, and places to see, make the history of this fascinating country come alive. ... Read more

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Squeezed between more powerful France and Spain, Catalonia has endured a violent history. Its medieval empire that conquered Naples, Sicily and Athens was crushed by Spain. Its geography, with the Pyrenees falling sharply to the rugged Costa Brava, is tormented, too.

Michael Eaude traces this history and it monuments: roman Tarragona, celebrated by the poet Martial; Greek Empúries, lost for centuries beneath the sands; medieval Romanesque architecture in the Vall de Bo:i churches (a World Heritage Series) and Poblet and Santes Creus monasteries. He tells the stories of several of Catalonia's great figures: Abbot Olivia, who brought Moorish learning to Europe, the ruthless mercenary, Roger de Flor, and Verdaguer, handsome poet-priest.

Catalonia is famous today for its twentieth-century art. This book focuses on the revolutionary Art Nouveau buildings (including the Sagrada Família) of Antoni Gaudí. It also explores the region's artistic legacy: the young Picasso painting Barcelona's vibrant slums; Salvador Dalí, inspired by the twisted rocks of Cap de Creus to paint his landscapes of the human mind; and Joan Miró, discovering the colors of the red earth at Montroig. ... Read more

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A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion 1400-1668 provides an accessible survey of how the Portuguese became so influential during this period and how Portuguese settlements were founded in areas as far flung as Asia, Africa and South America.

Malyn Newitt examines how the ideas and institutions of a late medieval society were deployed to aid expansion into Africa and the Atlantic islands, as well as how, through rivalry with Castile, this grew into a worldwide commercial enterprise. Finally, he considers how resilient the Portuguese overseas communities were, surviving wars and natural disasters, and fending off attacks by the more heavily armed English and Dutch invaders until well into the 1600s.

Including a detailed bibliography and glossary, A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion 1400-1668 is an invaluable textbook for all those studying this fascinating period of European expansion

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Portugal is evolving quickly as an integrated part of modern Europe. What was until the mid-1970s an old-world society, where 80 percent of the economy was controlled by an oligarchy of eight elite families, is now increasingly a model of an advanced European state. Portugal now ranks highly among the countries of the world in level of globalization and quality of life; it even boasts one of the best-developed renewable energy infrastructures of any developed country.

Despite such widespread modernization, however, "old country" Portuguese traditions persist in the political realms, as well as the traditional lifestyles that endure in the countryside. Culture and Customs of Portugal devotes careful attention to such topics as Portuguese holidays, media, marriage, gender roles, architecture, and education, providing readers with a full account of Portugal's rich heritage and modern culture. The drastic changes in the nation following the 1974 military coup that overthrew a 48-year dictatorship receive special attention.

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This book tells the story of how successive administrations-Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford-tried to maintain the confidence of its NATO ally, Portugal, while facilitating the process of decolonization in Angola and Mozambique. Ultimately becoming an epic battle of democracy versus dictatorship, African nationalism versus geo-strategic pre-eminence, and East versus West, this book, largely based on primary sources, tells the story of one of the Cold War's most intense confrontations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Accurate and informative
A very interesting book about the US relations with Portugal from Kennedy to Ford administrations. ... Read more

Product Description
Michael Alpert's study of the Spanish Civil War is dedicated to the international aspects of the conflict, and covers the whole era, setting the action in Spain against major events throughout the world of the 1930s. Since the first edition of this book was published, new archival material has become available, and this fully revised edition includes the latest research. This contextual approach to the Spanish Civil War offers new insights into the study of this conflict.
... Read more