The history books thread.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Zkribbler
Geez, and I thought that your studies economics as an undergrad.

Did you study spelling and grammar in elementary school?

[molly bloom]

Just purchased Felipe Fernandez-Armesto's 'Civilizations', 'Business In Great Waters' by John Terraine and 'Horror In The East' by Laurence Rees.

The first two were but 75 whole pence each, the latter (in hardback) a mere 50 pence.

I suspect that like his 'Millennium', Armesto's book will be read by me again and again.

[Ecthy]

Civilizations - just another description about different cultures? Or does it carry some intrigue? What about millennium?

Collapse - how does this compare to GGS?

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Ecthy
Civilizations - just another description about different cultures? Or does it carry some intrigue? What about millennium?

Intrigue ? Yes, the ending is buried and has to be looked for.

No, it's a wide-ranging survey of how different cultures are shaped by different climates worldwide.

I've just flicked through a piece on the Garamantes, which suggests a link between them and modern day Touaregs (possibly).


'Millennium' is quite fascinating- examining in quite some detail how unlikely it was that Western European nations/states should have succeeded, when in 1000 a.d. none of them were world-shakers, really.

But it also examines varying ideas of the state, and the nation, and community.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by molly bloom
Just purchased Felipe Fernandez-Armesto's 'Civilizations', .

I read that, and didnt much care for it.

[battosai]

My two cents:

"Rise and Fall of the Great Powers" by Paul Kennedy

from which I jumped directly to

"Modern World System" Vol. 1-3 by Immanuel Wallerstein, for which I had to spend € 80. :°
Right now I am in the mid of Vol. two to finally be enlightened why Brandenburg-Prussia and Sweden had risen up to a "semiperiphere" status. (and why a territorial intact Spanish and Portugese empire was so useful as conveyor belt for the center states) in the 17th+18th centurey. Interesting terminology used here. Very close to Fernand Braudel (although I didn't know him before), who was mentioned two pages above, so the capitalism itself + an expanding world economy be the key of the markable developments from 1500 to now. Sometimes it is too sociological for me, whereas I "eat" all the economic history parts.

[Ecthy]

Sounds a good read though €80 parece mucho

Economic history

German sociology

Battosai

Civ-forum meets of battosai+Ecthy

being drunk

[battosai]

awesome summary

(Even if Wallerstein was an American. )

Looking forward to get drunk and then watch 300.

A propos, will you come back to Germany this summer ?

[Ecthy]

Not before September

[lord of the mark]

i recently finished Vol 1 of Braudels Civilization and Capitalism

[VetLegion]

I also read only Vol 1, didn't finish other volumes. Great depth of knowledge and interesting pieces of information scattered around make it worth reading, but it isn't very concentrated and lacks in providing answers to the whys of the period.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Ecthy
German sociology

Max Weber

[Wycoff]

I'm reading Hajo Holborn's "History of Modern Germany."

[Wycoff]

Originally posted by Ecthy
"The transformation of European Politics 1763-1848" by Paul W Schroeder.

How is it? I've been considering add this book to my "to read" list.

[Ecthy]

It's a social science approach to what Kennedy tried to do with economics only. And in more limited timespan. Very good in content, never read it completely. Not too long though, just about 500 pages. Note: this is not the Kissinger / Diamond kind of history, this is real academic stuff.