5 comments about The Romanovs: Autocrats of All the Russias.

1. W. Bruce Lincoln's history of the 300 years of Romanov rule in Russia (1613-1917) is easily his most readable account of Russian history. While Professor Lincoln's research is meticulous as ever, in this volume he has to cover far more ground than in his other more focused histories and thus he avoids some of the digressions that he normally might allow himself. The result is a superb one-volume history of the Tsars and Tsarinas who determined Russia's development from a minor principality into the largest empire on earth.

   The Romanovs consists of four parts: Muscovite beginnings (1613-1689), the Rise of an Empire (1689-1796), Empire Triumphant (1796-1894) and the Last Emperor (1894-1917). The first three parts each consist of several chapters, with the first covering biographical details of the Tsars and Tsarinas in that period, followed by chapters on political and cultural changes in that period. There are only two significant problems with what is otherwise a superb presentation: a non-chronological methodology and a lack of a single supporting map of Romanov domains (there are two maps of St Petersburg's layout). In the first case, Lincoln tends to keep coming back to Tsars in subsequent chapters on culture, politics, etc which is very confusing. Indeed, he seems in a rush to plow through the biographies of the Tsars, then revisit their cultural accomplishments, then come back again and discuss their political accomplishments, and then maybe discuss a few scandals or wars. As for the lack of maps, it makes it extremely difficult for the reader to evaluate the territorial expansions of the various Romanov rulers or Russia's growth over three centuries.

   Despite these two flaws, the Romanovs is a delightful read for anyone with a scholarly interest in Russian imperial history. Perhaps the three most significant rulers that Lincoln assesses are Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Nicholas II. Most histories tend to elevate Peter to hero status, but Lincoln's evaluation is more mixed. While Peter gets great credit for pushing Russia to modernize, the costs he incurred may have been too great. In particular, Lincoln questions Peter's obsession with building his capital on totally unsuitable terrain; the fact that the Russians were able to eventually succeed in constructing Peter's dream capital often disguises the fact that the human and financial losses were exorbitantly wasteful. The reader will be left to ponder the question that if Peter had built his capital elsewhere, Russia's development might have been much less painful. As for Catherine, Lincoln prefers to minimize the scandal and corruption associated with her court and view this as the golden age of Russian cultural development. Finally, Nicholas II appears as even more of a fatalistic dolt bent on self-destruction than he did in Lincoln's previous books. In sum, The Romanovs provides a solid and very readable account of Russia's development under the Tsars and Tsarinas.




2. if you want to no about the early to last romanov's and russia history this book is for you.this writer leave nothing out.



3. Book was very easy reading and well organized. One of the best history books I have read.



4. This is an excellent history book. Even though I was had to read the book in many sittings, I never lost the train of thought of the author.
   
   My only criticism is that I really wanted to learn more about Peter the Great and how he built St. Petersburg. I felt the book was lacking in this very important aspect of the history of Russia



5. I bought this book based upon all the readers' reviews. I love Russian culture and thought this book would be great to read. I forgot to read the Editor's review which says "...much of the book is plain boring..." And I totally agree. I found a little bit interesting but in the 850 pages there really isn't enough worth buying or reading this book. I would find another book about this subject if I were you.

5 comments about Ancestral Trails. The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History, Second Edition.

1. I checked this book out from my local library because I felt that I was floundering with my British research. This book answered all the questions that I had, and much, much more. I'm not going to write a long review of this because there are a couple of other excellent reviews here already. I just wanted to add that there is a second edition of this book, from January 2004, available in England, but unfortunately not in the US yet. Because the internet is so valuable to those of us trying to do research from abroad, I decided to spend the extra money and order the newer edition from www.amazon.co.uk . It is more expensive, but it seemed worth it to me to have the most recent edition. If that's important to you, check the publication date on the edition advertised.



2. Now in a completely updated and substantially revised second edition, "Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide To British Genealogy And Family History by Mark Herber continues to be an invaluable and indispensable genealogical reference guide for novice and experienced genealogists alike whose researches require them to access the voluminous British archives of records and other published resources. Originally published in 1997 in association with the Society of Genealogists based in London, this new and expanded edition of "Ancestral Trails" provides an informed and informative guide to what records and published sources are available, how to access them, how to analyze what they archive; how to use the divers 'finding-aids' and indexes. "Ancestral Trails" also shows how to obtain and process information from living relatives, how to construct family trees, how to utilize the preserved records of birth, marriage, death, and other census data. Also covered are such sources as wills, parish records, civil and ecclesiastical court records, poll books, and property records. "Ancestral Trails" is a core addition to any professional genealogy library reference collection and a 'must' for aspiring genealogists having to deal with British source material.



3. This book is irresistable. And it is complete. For the experienced English researcher that is stuck I would say there's got to be something in this book that will help. I have an ancestor that was a Coastguardsman in Devon, circa 1850. This position made the book's index and on page 406 I learn that there are a number of records in the English Public Records Office on members of the Coastguard.



4. Undoubtedly, this has to be one of the best research and information books available for the SERIOUS GENEALOGIST WHO IS RESEARCHING THEIR BRITISH ANCESTORS. The information contained in this book is well presented and concise. There are so many aspects of records from the past outlined here, and many of them are possibly rarely ever considered or even known about by many family historians. THIS IS A MUST HAVE REFERENCE BOOK FOR ANY GENEALOGIST LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ANCESTORS WHO LIVED IN BRITAIN. THIS IS THE BOOK FOR EVERY GENEALOGIST, WHETHER THEY ARE A BEGINNER OR AN EXPERIENCED RESEARCHER.



5. When a new edition appears of a genealogical reference book I have found especially useful, I don't necessarily, automatically, buy the new edition. If the updated information is primarily new addresses and phone numbers, but the meat of the book has stayed essentially the same, . . . well, one can always look up that sort of thing on the Internet. The first edition of Herber's fine work -- which has already acquired the label "Bible of British genealogy" -- appeared in 1997 and ran to 674 pages of extremely thorough discussion of sources for research in Britain. The second edition, published in association with the Society of Genealogists, is fully one-third longer. After paging through it at a conference, I counted up my pennies and bought it. And I haven't regretted the expense. While most of my own family lines are what some would call "Old American," their progenitors having arrived here before the 19th century, the same is not necessarily true of many of the in-laws and friends on whose behalf I have carried out research. And even though our legal system owes much to the English common law, there are decided differences between the bureaucratic history of Britain's unitary form of government and our own federal system. Until comparatively recently, Britain's principal record-keeping body was the civil parish, and while many of the old volumes from the "parish chest" are now held by the Public Record Office and its branches, they are still organized by the old jurisdictions. Britain never had "public lands" open for claim and settlement, so ownership of real property was traditionally proved by a thick stack of successive title deeds and conveyances. This system, too, has been modernized, but the family researcher will need to understand the older system. The novice British researcher is often told that unless his 19th or 18th century ancestor was wealthy, or at least middle class, there's no point in searching for a will. And while it's true that earlier British laws of inheritance spelled out how one's interest in real property would descend to one's heirs (by primogeniture, usually), even a workman had personal possessions and the tools of his trade that he could leave to whomever he wished. One of my own ancestors appears to have arrived in America as part of the British military contingent sent to fight "The War of Jenkins' Ear" (my favorite name for any war, any time . . .), and even though that was in 1739, I was amazed to discover how complete the surviving regimental records were. The author will lead you through that maze, too. In fact, there is no area of recordkeeping, governmental, religious, or private, that Herber does not give consideration to. He's a lawyer by training and he possesses the trait of making careful distinctions between matters that appear similar but are actually different. He's also a very talented wordsmith with the knack of clear and concise explanations of sometimes complex topics. Throughout the book, he uses anecdotes from his own researched family as examples, most of them thoroughly down to earth. This is not the sort of work most people would read straight through (though some of us enjoy doing exactly that), but you should keep it in mind when you discover that link to a British lineage.

4 comments about Finding Italian Roots: The Complete Guide to Americans.

1. If it's family tree research you're seeking for a strong library collection, don't miss John Philip Colletta, Ph.D.'s Finding Italian Roots, 2nd Edition, which first appeared in 1993 and has been thoroughly revised for this latest presentation. From accessing and interpreting the records available for tracking Italian ancestors and recording their stories to locating key sources of records and civil and religious resources, Finding Italian Roots is packed with specific tips unique to Italian roots.



2. Dr. Colletta was very practical in his advice to genealogists - exhaust the resources here in the United States before beginning research in Italy. Once you get to Italy, there are numerous resources of which the book only gives a taste.
   
   He was also truthful when he said that Italians could care less about genealogy (they have the honor and privilege of living amongst thousands of years of history everyday) but they are very accomodating once you get to Italy (can't wait to experience that feeling!).
   
   I found the map of Italy - pre and post unification - helpful as well as the history of Italian Jews and the fact that they're the oldest type of Jew in the world. There still exists a somewhat healthy amount of Jews in Rome, which I found fascinating.
   
   With every book that I read about genealogy, I realize that no matter how many years of research I've done, there's still a lot to be learned and resources to be used that I still don't know about yet.
   
   I just wish the book would be updated.



3. This book is full of good information, indeed some of the idiocyncrqacies of the field of our precious heritage. It is realistic, honest and encourgaing to any level of researcher. There are stories we all can relate to . Another good reference for Italo-Americans.



4. Since Finding Italian Roots first appeared in 1993, an ever increasing number of Americans have become interested in tracing their Italian heritage. This thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded Second Edition provides up-to-date information about accessing and interpreting the vast universe of materials available for tracking Italian ancestors and recording their stories for future generations. It contains more state and local sources, more point-by-point explanations, more step-by-step instructions, more "insider" hints and helps, more illustrations, more specific examples, plus an expanded glossary and annotated bibliography, and numerous Internet websites in both English and Italian--all brought vividly to life through the colorful stories of real Italian and Italian-American ancestors. Whether you are just beginning your investigations or have been doing genealogy for years, this guide will help maximize your investment of time, effort, and money
   
   John Philip Colletta is one of America's most popular genealogical lecturers. Based in Washington, D.C., he teaches at the National Archives, Smithsonian Institution, and area universities. He is also a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (Birmingham, Ala.) and Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (Salt Lake City), and has been a course coordinator and instructor for other genealogical institutes as well. John was just a boy when he started asking his paternal grandparents about their roots in Italy. By 1971 he was tapping into Italian records through correspondence, and since then has made four research trips to his ancestral homeland. John's publications include numerous articles; the manual They Came in Ships:; A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Arrival Record, now in its third edition; and the historical narrative Only a Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and Its Aftermath.

5 comments about Florence: A Portrait.

1. It is as though we are moving through the streets of Florence with Mr. Levey at our side telling us fascinating stories about the people and places of the city by the Arno. Anyone with an interest in Florence will find this volume a wonderful companion to the larger histories and art books. We are the beneficiaries of the author's lifetime of experience and understanding in the matters of the Renaissance and its center, Florence. Highly recommended.



2. Having read Michael Levey's From Giotto to Cezanne and A History of Western Art, I approached Florence - A Portrait thinking I knew what to expect. I did find the attention to detail, the keen critical evaluation and aesthetics that I expected. I did not envisage the book would turn out also to be quite the gargantuan work of scholarship and erudition that it is. Florence - A Portrait is much more than a history of art in the city state. It is almost a biography of the place, replete with historical, economic and political detail. What is missing, of course, is a picture of Florentine life from the point of view of the ordinary citizen, but we cannot criticize Michael Levey for not including what probably does not exist.
   
   I visited Florence thirty years ago and have never returned. At the time, memories of Kenneth Clark's Civilisation were very clear in my mind and I focused on renaissance Florence, almost to the derision of the rest. Even after such time I found my memories of the architecture, paintings and sculptures were still fresh, however, when I read Michael Levey's descriptions. But his descriptions do more than merely list a presence or critique a style. He offers context, critical evaluation, origins and influences when he considers these - and any - works of art. He identifies flattery or criticism, idolatry or satire where an untutored eye would see only colours and shapes.
   
   The book is presented chronologically. It walks us through the early years of the renaissance and deals with the extent of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in minute detail. Then, as a more anonymous baroque era dawns, the account speeds up somewhat.
   
   Michael Levey also makes crucial and important points about the nature of Florentine government in this later era, an era that is so often dismissed as decadent when compared to the golden age that preceded it. The account is comprehensive, detailed and illuminating, but is written in a lively style which is never dull. It's a book that would be more interesting after a visit than before and would not work as a guide book on grounds of size and weight! But it is a truly rewarding read.
   
   It is noteworthy in its treatment of the baroque era. Most visitors to Florence are there for the renaissance, and this later work is often dismissed as over-ornate, opulence for opulence sake, over-stated, crass bad taste. Michael Levey corrects this view by evaluating this later period in the context of and as a development of its precursor. While reading his account, I was interested to learn just how much those who commissioned works simply wanted to make a grandiloquent statement about wealth and power. So Damien Hearst's skull is conceptually right within the tradition of Western art. Michael Level, incidentally, also pointed out that late medieval and early renaissance artists were often pressured into using greater quantities of gold leaf to endow as much value as possible to their work. There is, after all, very little that's new under this sun.



3. Having read Michael Levey's From Giotto to Cezanne and A History of Western Art, I approached Florence - A Portrait thinking I knew what to expect. I did find the attention to detail, the keen critical evaluation and aesthetics that I expected. I did not envisage the book would turn out also to be quite the gargantuan work of scholarship and erudition that it is. Florence - A Portrait is much more than a history of art in the city state. It is almost a biography of the place, replete with historical, economic and political detail. What is missing, of course, is a picture of Florentine life from the point of view of the ordinary citizen, but we cannot criticize Michael Levey for not including what probably does not exist.
   
   I visited Florence thirty years ago and have never returned. At the time, memories of Kenneth Clark's Civilisation were very clear in my mind and I focused on renaissance Florence, almost to the derision of the rest. Even after such time I found my memories of the architecture, paintings and sculptures were still fresh, however, when I read Michael Levey's descriptions. But his descriptions do more than merely list a presence or critique a style. He offers context, critical evaluation, origins and influences when he considers these - and any - works of art. He identifies flattery or criticism, idolatry or satire where an untutored eye would see only colours and shapes.
   
   The book is presented chronologically. It walks us through the early years of the renaissance and deals with the extent of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in minute detail. Then, as a more anonymous baroque era dawns, the account speeds up somewhat.
   
   Michael Levey also makes crucial and important points about the nature of Florentine government in this later era, an era that is so often dismissed as decadent when compared to the golden age that preceded it. The account is comprehensive, detailed and illuminating, but is written in a lively style which is never dull. It's a book that would be more interesting after a visit than before and would not work as a guide book on grounds of size and weight! But it is a truly rewarding read.
   
   It is noteworthy in its treatment of the baroque era. Most visitors to Florence are there for the renaissance, and this later work is often dismissed as over-ornate, opulence for opulence sake, over-stated, crass bad taste. Michael Levey corrects this view by evaluating this later period in the context of and as a development of its precursor. While reading his account, I was interested to learn just how much those who commissioned works simply wanted to make a grandiloquent statement about wealth and power. So Damien Hearst's skull is conceptually right within the tradition of Western art. Michael Level, incidentally, also pointed out that late medieval and early renaissance artists were often pressured into using greater quantities of gold leaf to endow as much value as possible to their work. There is, after all, very little that's new under this sun.



4. This was a required book for my study abroad which I took in Italy. This was a great book, although it is quite extensive, so with that it might be better used for a more in depth study then a simple read.
   
   The book provided a great resource for papers (yes plural) on many aspects of Florence and it really does make a great portrait of Florence. It's a great city and a great book!



5. As opposed to the general consensus of the other reviews on this book, I found Levey's Florence to be SUB-PAR compared to other works on the same topic. His understanding of Florentine history is poor and often down right insulting (his remarks that the vibrant political life in the early communal period was like the "mafia" is a fine example). His insistence on the greatness of Sienese art and on Northern Renaissance Art are wholly inappropriate in a book on Florence. It would be like writing a book on the history of the British Empire and constantly making a point to discuss imperial Russia or Rome. Let's focus on the topic at hand and save the other comments for other books. Mr Levey announces his lack of ability as a historian at the beginning of the work and he is certainly accurate. A much better read is Florence by Gene Adam Brucker.

5 comments about A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland, Second Edition.

1. t' de flo' wid y



2. Now in a new and expanded second edition, A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland by genealogical expert Brian Mitchell has added maps detailing the location of Roman Catholic parishes in all thirty-two counties of Ireland, and Presbyterian congregations in the nine counties of Northern Ireland. A complete geographical picture of the three major religious dominations in Ireland during the middle years of the 19th century is another newly added feature. An invaluable reference and guide for doing genealogical research for an Irish ancestry, A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland continues to be an indispensable, core addition to personal, professional, and genealogical society reference collections.



3. Now in an updated second edition, genealogy research expert Brian Mitchell's A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland is a very straightforward, accessible reference, presenting maps of each Irish county. Each county has five maps: one depicting the Church of Ireland parishes, one showing the baronies and Church of Ireland dioceses, one of the poor law unions and parishes included within probate districts, one of Roman Catholic parishes and dioceses, and a fifth set of maps for the nine counties of Northern Ireland shows Presbyterian congregations. Since civil registration for everyone in Ireland didn't begin until 1864, A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland is an extremely useful reference for tracing ancestors who lived prior to 1864. An invaluable contribution to genealogical reference and resource materials.



4. This book doesn't give me all the answers I needed, but it has been a trememdous help in getting closer to finding my Irish Ancestors. Worth adding to my bookshelf.



5. This book is just what it is called: an atlas. It does not give advice or information about irish history, genealogy, or anything of the sort (which is what I had mistakenly hoped for). It is a very, very detailed atlas of the counties, parishes, and every other conceivable subdivision of the land of Ireland over the last 200 years. It could be a valuable resource for anyone who has their genealogical research within Ireland already. If you are like me, and have traced the family to the boat ride but no further, this will not help you quite yet.
   
   Thank you still to the author for the extensive research that must have gone into this!

No comments about Lived in London: The Stories Behind the Blue Plaques.

3 comments about Claddagh Ring.

1. The hands are there for friendship,
   The heart is there for love.
   For loyalty throughout the year,
   The crown is raised above
   
   It is extremely rare to find a friend who wants to be friends forever, but when you find them, this is the ring to buy. A Claddagh (klada) ring can be given to friends and is the world's cherished symbol of friendship, love and loyalty.
   
   The happiest day in my life is definitely the day I received a Claddagh Ring. Not only are these rings eternal symbols of friendship, it is a poetic and beautiful representation of love that is steeped in mysterious legends and lore.
   
   The ring is named after a fishing village and Malachy McCourt does a fine job of explaining all the stories surrounding this mysterious ring. This book is filled with stories of Vikings, Algerian Pirates, Legendary Fishermen, Superstitions, Traditions and stories of Mary of the Bridges.
   
   This book is really as much a history of Claddagh as it is about the ring named after the village. It also sheds light on the inventor and how he created the ring while in captivity. Malachy McCourt weaves a fascinating tapestry of stories with humor and a deep interest the history and culture of Ireland.
   
   What amazed me most was the story of 9/11 and how so many Claddagh rings were found on that day. Not only does this ring make its appearance in romantic tales, it has more recently made its appearance in great tragedy. Perhaps it is also now the symbol of the joining of hands to heal hearts.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



2. This story is incredibly beautiful. The story of the ring and of the town is really a tribute to the power of love and friendship which both are keys in any kind of relationship from lover to wedding partner to friends of every kind. This book captures the spirit of Ireland, especially Galway Bay where the town of Claddagh provides the setting for the story.



3. Ordered my copy in early February. Got it in almost mid-March.
   
   Something fell between some crack somewhere, eh?

5 comments about The Sun King.

1. Nancy Mitford came to me by way of this book and, ignorant of the incredible talents that lie with her, her sisters and the aristocratic family into which she was born. Since then, I have devoured Nancy's fiction, her personal history and I have much more to learn. However, it is her talents as a biographer and historian, perhaps best exemplified with this book, that I believe she achieves the realization of her greatest gift; that is to send life into the dead hand of history. In "The Sun King" history comes alive as I have truly never experienced. Here is a book that takes heretofore one dimensional characters and fills their frames with humanity, giving them dimemsionality, life. She uncovers the perspective that sheds light on each characters good and bad side, turning Louis XIV, Monsieur, The King's wives, his children, in fact the whole of the court at Versailles into a vision in one's head that makes it easy to understand why the Ancien Regime in France can still provide relevance to a contemporary world that approximates it so little. Relevance and topic interest, to be sure, is the most amazing feat for a historian to achieve. Nancy Mitford with "The Sun King" stands among rarified company in such an achievement.



2. Here's "Lifestyles of the Obscenely Wealthy and Powerful"! I admit I'd never read much about this period of history (I'm fond of joking that my in-depth knowledge of politics and history more or less ends with Elizabeth I's death), but the bit I read at the bookstore made this book irresistible. I passed up an Alison Weir for this, but I don't regret the choice at all. It is both charming and knowledgable, with a witty, personable, almost gossipy tone.

   There's a lot of information here, packaged with lots of pictures and glossy pages. It is a lovely book to look at purely on an aesthetic level. But do take the time to actually read it! Though sparse in areas, it is a rich look at the life of Louis, and at the lifestyle of a courtier of his day. The creation of Versailles is gone into in much detail, as are sexual politics and wartime attitudes. Mostly this focuses on Louis' personal life and that of his court and how Versailles came about, so there isn't much here about actual wars or about international politics. But what there is is just stupendous. I'd call this a must-have for a beginner in French history. I'm very glad I got it.




3. Nancy Mitford is best known as an author of witty, elegant novels like The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. In the 1950s and 1960s she also produced a number of historical works, of which The Sun King is one of the best.
   
   The Sun King is a personal biography of Louis XIV. It does not deal in great detail with the political, military, or economic issues of Louis XIV's reign but primarily focuses on his personal life and that of his family. Louis married his double first cousin Marie Therese of Spain (she being his genetic sister for all intents and purposes, the reader is amazed that his family turned out as strong and healthy as they did). He also had three major mistresses and a string of casual acquaintanceships which produced a number of illegitimate children. His numerous relations also produced a quantity of children and had many extramarital relationships.
   
   A major part of the book deals with the construction of Versailles. Indeed the book seems almost to be a biography of the chateau. The profuse illustrations, including many photographs of the chateau and its grounds, add immeasurably to the pleasure of reading this work.
   
   But the most compelling reason for reading The Sun King is to enjoy Mitford's elegant, witty, prose style, which is as much in evidence here as in her novels.



4. Ok, I will freely admit that this may not be considered by some to be a scholarly historical assessment. I have been interested in the reign of Louis XIV since childhood when my mother purchased for me a coffee table book of photographs of Versailles. I wondered what could possibly have taken place at such a monstrous and wonderful palace. Since then I have read at least a dozen books on the period which tend to focus on the development and impact of absolutism in 17th century Europe. But this little book is a gem because of its author. Nancy Mitford was the daughter of an English Baron and spent her life as both an academic and a socialite. Her telling of the lives that swirled around Versailles palace is authenticated by the impression one gets that she would have been completely at ease in that setting. This book was written in 1966, just 7 years before her death. Her style sounds more like gossip than history, but is generally regarded as very well-researched. I warn you that if you read this book or one of her other historical biographies, you are in danger of becoming hooked on Mitford and will probably seek out some of her other well-loved books. This was a very enjoyable book and I find myself going back to certain chapters from time to time. One of the most memorable portions is the end where she describes a ghoulish sacrilege; the looting and desecration of the tombs during the revolution. As any good book will, it fascinated me and left me wanting to know more.



5. This book is an absolutely amazing piece of work. I was introduced to it while looking for audiobooks on ITunes. The audiobook was so enjoyable that I felt compelled to purchase the actual book to read along with it.
   
   Mitford makes each of the historical figures come alive, and makes an opulent and enclosed society accessible to readers of any age. The work is gossipy enough to be interesting, but not to such a degree as to detract from the historical accuracy. I would recommend "The Sun King" to anyone who wishes to learn more about the age of France's greatest king and the people that surrounded him.
   
   The only drawback is that for one to fully appreciate the book, they should have a very basic knowledge of French and European history (at least as far as names and dates are concerned). Having long been interested in history, I did not find this a problem, but I can see how one who was not familiar may find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Otherwise, this book is about as close to perfection as I've seen.

5 comments about The Irish Pub.

1. This stunning book on The Irish pub is sumptuous and gorgeous - if you have an interest in pubs, Ireland, history, interior decor or indeed anthropology then you should get this book for your self as well as for as many others as you see fit - engaging text - seriously beautiful photographs - this is a very important book that will become a collectors must. I can't recommend this more.



2. If you have an interest in visiting Ireland for the first time, you are a frequent visitor or a resident of Ireland, this book is a must read. The author managed to capture the flavor of the Irish Pub with his historical discriptions, and the photographer captured the vision. In the course of reading the book, I could see my relatives sitting in a number of the featured pubs debating current issues, tossing a few pints back and wondering what tomorrow will bring.



3. The Irish Pub is a terrific book with wonderful pictures, descriptions, and stories of several historic pubs in Ireland.



4. "The Irish Pub" captures the warmth and charm of this vanishing mainstay of Irish culture. The book invites you into its pages with beautiful photographs and histories of urban and rural pubs.



5. We were in a pub in Wexford called the Sky and Ground Pub. Great place. Johnny, the owner bought this place after it had burned to the ground with intentions to rebuild. When he first walked through the door, all he could see was the sky and the ground. So he named it that. He recommended this book, which we ended up buying the next day and using as our tour guide. It was a very good recommendation. We ended up hitting about 11 pubs out of the 38 or so that are in the book. We had the pub owners sign their respective pages. They were very excited by the idea. Most said none had asked them to do that before. This book is fantastic. If you have any interest in Ireland or pubs at all this book is a must, there is a ton of info in here, with a map to plan your route. Plus the photography is fantastic.

2 comments about The Fabrication of Louis XIV.

1. The theory that ritual, pomp and circumstance can serve to enhance political power is not a new one. This book, however, makes the case that Louis XIV, in everything he did, worked to style himself as an absolute leader, a god-like ruler. From his artistic and architectural programs, to sumptuary laws, and official celebrations, Louis XIV's goal was always to assert and enhance his power. This is an enthralling book that gives insight to the era of Louis XIV as well as perspective on the use of symbol and ritual to create and maintain power.



2. I read this book in grad school, and it was one of the most enjoyable and accessible books I read. It is not a biography of Louis XIV but an extensive study on the image-making of the king. The use of the negative-sounding word "Fabrication" in the title makes the cover look very intriguing as it may imply to some that Burke has uncovered much deceit surrounding Louis' image. Actually, Burke uses this term to mean the process and constant renewal of the representation of Louis XIV (10-11). Burke includes chapters on the following subjects: the types of persuasion used (medals, festivals, allegories, etc.), a brief background on Louis' "sunrise", the organization of Louis' image-making system (academies, etc.), the royal image from the time of "personal rule," image-making through victories, reconstruction through peacetime, Louis' "sunset," differences between the ideal and the real, antagonistic images (loyal subjects making gentle fun or giving hopeful advise and actual enemies of the king), the ways in which Louis' image was perceived including the "targets" of Louis' image-makers, and a comparison with rulers before, during, and after his reign. Strangely enough, the Third Reich is not mentioned in the latter chapter which would be a glaring omission to me had it not left the door open for me to write a term paper making such a comparison.

   Burke presents a very thorough study examining such things as the changes in medal inscriptions through the years of Louis' rule to a look at what was meant by "public" during this time (pp. 131 and 152). The many photographs makes for a very interesting and enjoyable book. There is also appendixes on the numbers of medals and portraits created during the different decades of Louis' reign. It is a case study of image-making which, if taken as that, is an excellent, complete study. Do not expect a complicated thesis from this work. Burke, for example, does not pursue very strongly the idea of "charisma" (introduced on page 11)and how much "charisma" is tied to personality and "fabrication." One petty complaint is Burke's tendency to throw in French words and phrases. Most often it does not detract from an understanding of the study but, in certain cases, it can be very frustrating. Two of the worst examples are when Burke is describing how the king was surrounded by the gentlemen of his chamber "even when he was..." [the rest being in French] (91) and when Burke mentions a man who found himself in court for remarking "in brutal simplicity, that..." [the rest being in French] (167). But I won't knock off a star because I do not know Francaise.