Customer Reviews:
By far my favorite book.......2007-09-23
There is no better book that gives such deep, intimate insight into the Europe of 100 years ago, a Europe unrecognizable for today's man and yet the spring from which all events of this past century flowed. Truly beautiful, written with heartbreaking emotion and melancholy. Buy it!
Book Review.......2007-07-29
Zweig provides a unique account of early 20th Century Europe and the feelings of Europeans during two of the most important events in history - World War I and World War II. His references and descriptions to many of the European writers, musicians, etc... were not the reason I wanted to read the book, but it still was an entertaining read.
Reason in the age of Brutality.......2007-06-09
This is a truly important book. Not only because Stefan Zweig is an intellectual of the highest calibre, but the manner in which he guides you through the years of fundamental change in Europe and the world. From the pre WW1 years of security and intellectual pursuit for a better world, united intellectually and artistically, to its pointless breakdown which gave the twin evils of communism and facism footholds, and kept Europe in fear, ignorance and false intellectualism until the fall of the Berlin Wall, although the shock waves have yet still to fade altogether.
Being apolitical and non partizan makes Zweigs account all the more powerful. How mundane and everyday and unthought about were the assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand ( no one liked him; no one really cared) or the slow rise of Hitler and his National Socialists (They won't last a week) A blind faith in democracy, a belief that reason triumphs all fell due to stupidity of a fading oligharchy and the brutality of communism and facism. (Zweig recalls a conversation with his publisher in Russia who painfully recalled thinking that a load of ignorant Bolsheviks wouldn't last a week!)The manner in which so called 'intellectuals' got caught up in the jingoism abandoned Zweigs company when Hitler started his anti semitic hatreds.How much strength it took for Zweig and fellow pacifist thinkers such as Rolland to resist knowing what they did and how dangerous it was for them.
In this book lays a great message for all people of all times. We are still far away from Zweigs much hoped for age of reason ( the Taleban in Afghanistan, Mugabe in Zimbabwe, our own belief in our 'superior' morals) and are still -and always will be- vulnurable to brutality and ignorance of mob man.
A vital and important book.
So-So Read.......2007-03-15
If you, like me, have recently discovered this amazing writer recently you will be tempted to read his final words laid out in this book. I however was a little disappointed.
The writing does not flow effortlessly. He refers to a lot of names (politicians, artists, and writers, etc.) and places, but I'm afraid the majority of these references will only make sense to a European history buff.
In fact, much of the book will only hold the interest of a history student.
I had hoped the book would document HIS world of yesterday thoroughly--his motivations for writing particular books etc.--instead it goes into details about Europe far too much.
An OK read, but if you want to skip this one you won't be missing much. Maybe his best work was far too good and this mediocre, long-winded good-bye pales against it.
I love this book!.......2007-01-26
I was assigned this book (along with the good solider schveick) as a review on how these authors viewed the Hapsburg monarchy for a college assignment. And I must say, this book is an absolutly beautiful book. I love the way he writes.... I really couldn't put this book down. I am usually bored with books that are assigned to me in school. Why couldnt have my high school assign this book? I mean really, we had to read old boring victorian literature that was really just painful to try to read through. I think every school should assign this book, or books like it. If you want to get the best feel for the atomsphere of Eastern Central Europe of the events leading up to 1914, read this book! I love the author of this book. As well as being a genius of literature, his character is one of the most genuine, depthful, and compassionate characters I have ever read about. He doesn't overly boast about his talents as a writer (which should be boasted about) and he accepts his flaws as his strengths. I would recommend this book to anyone!!
Book Description
In 1925 Flanner began her New Yorker “Letter from Paris,” from which most of the pieces in this collection are drawn. They give an incomparable view of French life before World War II. Edited by Irving Drutman; Index.
Customer Reviews:
Great Wit and Writing.......2007-02-21
Janet Flanner's dry sense of humor, combined with her keen reportage, make this a great read on your flight to Paris, or to just pick up and read now and then. The historical perspective and insight is priceless.
Unreadable.......2006-10-17
I've sat in front of this book for a week, barely making a dent in it. Flanner purports to tell the story of French culture, but succeeds only in revealing that she is a socialite concerned only with the deaths of famous authors.
The book is organized into one-paragraph snippets summarizing the latest death, of Lindbergh or Monet, for instance. However, instead of reflecting the culture of Paris in the era, Flanner simply summarizes the lives of her subjects. Her description of Monet ends, as do many, with a count of how many people attended his funeral.
Simply put, the book reads like the journal of a socialite who is out of touch with common culture. It is not interesting neither literarily or historically.
A Wordsmith's diary.......2004-05-24
There are rare pleasures in reading, one of which is stumbling onto a 'new' author. Ms Flanner could craft a detailed word picture almost with a single stroke of her pen. She wrote what she saw, actors, authors, lives and deaths of Knowns and Unknowns. She was there at the events, both great and small in a Paris she knew well and obviously loved. She is able to give the period between the wars a flavor and texture that makes it live and breathe. In some ways it is a gossipy diary, in others a police blotter, a literal whos-who of the literary scene of the time. Entries vary from a few pithy lines to several pages, ranging from light and humorous to somber and serious. And all extremely well written.
C'est superbe.......2003-03-31
Flanner (nom de plume: Genêt), a former New Yorker essayist and who lived in Paris for many years, describes the cultural and social life of Paris in the 20s and 30s. She pens wonderful glimpses into what Parisians were thinking, feeling, and doing -Parisian ways of living, wine, and art. C'est magnifique.
What the French Thought Was Going on in France.......2000-05-29
Like many other American tourists, when I visit Paris I am searching for the Paris of Hemmingway and Fitzgerald. Amazingly enough, even though over 50 years have passed, a lot of that Paris has survived and is just waiting to be rediscovered. A lot of what I can't find on my own I find in those columns that Janet Flanner wrote from 1925 to 1939 for the NEW YORKER and which have been collected for PARIS WAS YESTERDAY.
Janet Flanner (pen name "Genet") was the resident Paris Correspondent for THE NEW YORKER. Her assignment was to write columns about "what the French thought was going on in France," Flanner became much more than a mere observer of the Parisian scene. she was an active participant. Be it a death, an opera premiere, a swindle, a political disaster, a bit of gossip about a celebrity, or nostalgia for an even earlier era, Flanner wrote about them, and wrote with wit and an occasional tongue-in-her-cheek.
The following example of her tongue-in-cheek approach, one among many, comes from a 1928 column entitled "The Italian Straw Hat." It seems that the French wanted parity with Hollywood when it came to Motion Pictures and wanted to pass a law requiring the acceptance in the U. S. of a French Film for every Hollywood made film shown in France. The first picture they wanted to export to the U. S. was a film entitled, in translation, THE ITALIAN STRAW HAT. Her comment about this film was, "While THE ITALIAN STRAW HAT is not, as touted, the funniest comedy in Europe today, it is the funniest comedy about a straw hat to be seen on the boulevards,"
In Flanner's columns you can read about Chevalier and Josephine Baker (not together), about the excitement when the Louvre got a new Berthe Morisot and a new Monet Painting donated the same day, about more excitement over the premiere performance of a Ravel Piano piece, about a mysterious murder and a new political pecadillo, and finally about more somber times when World World II and Hitler loomed just over the horizon.
If you'd like to feel that you are in LES DEUS MAGOTS, or CAFE FLEUR, and listening to Sartre or Cocteau wax elegant or if you'd like to hear the gossip about the gendarmerie asking Marlene Dietrich to leave Paris because she had the audacity to wear trousers in public or if you'd like to meet James Joyce in THE SHAKESPEAR AND COMPANY BOOK STORE, or if you'd like to attend one of Gertrude Stein's intellectual discussion and meet her companion, Alice B. Toklas, then this book is for you.
I highly recommend PARIS WAS YESTERDAY to anyone who is interested in a different view (not that of Hemingway or Fitzgerald) of the era of the "Lost Generation." I recommend it to anyone who likes a book for its wit and charm. If you're not interested in Paris, but just like a bit of celebrity gossip, there's still a lot here for you. There's a reason that Janet Flannery's column ran for so many years. She'sgood!
Book Description
"In the year 2001, you will not see a single horse on Broadway, New York; only autos will be seen. The people of the Earth will be in close communication with Mars by being shot off in great cannons." -Arthur Palm, age 14 years, Milwaukee, 1901
One hundred years ago, Americans celebrated the beginning of a new century. Yesterday's Future gathers nearly one hundred excerpts-some wildly funny, others somber and thoughtful-that show Wisconsin citizens reflecting on America's accomplishments in the previous century and speculating about changes the future would bring. They are drawn from the mainstream press, school newspapers, church bulletins, and periodicals aimed at such audiences as German-language speakers, African-Americans, farmers, and the hearing impaired.
Some speculations come strikingly close to future realities: medical imaging like x-rays and MRI, central air conditioning, snowmobiles, air travel, motion pictures and radio, woman suffrage, and the growth of the suburbs. Other predictions were simply wrong ("the electric stove will never prove much of a factor in the kitchen"), a reflection of their era's interests (admission of Nicaragua and Mexico to the Union), or overly optimistic (communication with beings from other planets). Voices of the Wisconsin Past Series Edited by Michael E. Stevens
Distributed for the State Historical Society of Wisconsin
* A related exhibit at the State Historical Museum in Madison, Wisconsin, opens in November 1999 and continues through 2000.
Book Description
For most of us, life has become such a pressure cooker of unrealistic expectations, information overload, relentless marketing, and workaholism that we spend our days stressed out over being stressed out. Guided by the timeless wisdom of her grandmother Francesca, renowned stress coach and humorist Loretta LaRoche makes us see the wisdom of a more civilized time, when no one carried a cell phone during a peaceful walk on the beach.
In Life Is Not a Stress Rehearsal, Loretta takes an honest and hilarious look at the gizmos, self-help regimens, talking heads, comfort products, nutrition plans, and sexual freedoms that we have all come to believe will make our lives better. She shows us that in many ways, they’re filling our lives with more stress and insanity and keeping us isolated from the thing that matters most in any healthy life: real human connection. With Loretta’s contemporary wit and a hearty dose of Francesca's old-world wisdom, Life Is Not a Stress Rehearsal is a breath of fresh air for everyone who's suffocating in our techno-crazed, germ-phobic, "go-go-go" world.
Customer Reviews:
Funny and full of good advice.......2002-08-17
I found this to be a charming book, which is rare in self-help books. Loretta LaRoche is witty, and her in-your-face style of writing lends a great deal of wisdom and advice in this book. I love her analogies of listening to the "inner Grandmother" instead of the "inner child." It just makes sense.
Bravo, Ms. LaRoche, Bravo.
- Sharon Galligar Chance
Times Record News, Wichita Falls, Texas
Funny and full of good advice.......2002-08-17
I found this to be a charming book, which is rare in self-help books. Loretta LaRoche is witty, and her in-your-face style of writing lends a great deal of wisdom and advice in this book. I love her analogies of listening to the "inner Grandmother" instead of the "inner child." It just makes sense.
Bravo, Ms. LaRoche, Bravo.
- Sharon Galligar Chance
Times Record News, Wichita Falls, Texas
Too much whining!!.......2001-06-13
This could have been a good book, but Ms. LaRoche never lets up on comparing todays lifestyle to that of her grandmother - a useless endeavour. She obviously avails herself of all the modern conveniences - like voice mail, TV, fast food, etc but complains incessantly about the present way of life. The book assumes if we enjoy updated technology or spend a few hours watching sitcoms, that we have lost touch with our families, values etc. Ms.LaRoche is sometimes amusing however she offers little realistic advice.
Common sense in an uncommon book.......2001-04-26
In a book filled with real wisdom, Laroche points out the insanities of life in the 21st century. You would think that we would have learned what is really important, but Laroche points out with punchiness and humour what is lacking today: the need for moderation. Instead of listening to the inner child, we need to listen to our inner grandmother. It means not being obsessed with materialism and workaholism and e-mail and reality TV, and spending time instead taking care of ourselves (take a walk and eat a tomato) and spending time laughing with family and friends (better than St. John's wort as a cure for the blues). Common sense is not that common, and Laroche spells out in clear language what we should have known all along, but have not always done in our lives.
The book is chockful of meaningful advice, but never too preachy. For those (like me) who didn't realize how far they were going down the wrong road, this is a map on how to get on the path to balance in life. Highly recommended, and a very easy read.
Book Description
Parables for children inspired by nature. This collection includes all 29 stories from the first, second, third, and fourth series, originally published in separate volumes.
Customer Reviews:
A challenging gem..........2007-05-15
First let me clarify that I am commenting on the story, not the edition. For what it's worth, I have the edition by Yesterday's Classics and it is nicely done.
These stories are challenging, rich and complex, as they seek to uncover God's craftsmanship in the natural world, how the seen teaches us about the unseen ("the creation declares the glory of God....") The writing and vocabulary are quite sophisticated. We homeschool and I would recommend the book as a read aloud, no earlier than the third grade all the way through adulthood. I am enjoying reading it with my daughter as a jumping off point to discuss the nature of God. I find the book challenging and enjoyable as an adult. It's a great book to glean ideas from and stretch their intellect, imagination and understanding.
Ambleside curriculum has it slated too early in my opinion....my child is bright, but in first or second grade this would have gone right over her head.
Kessinger Publishing's Version is horrible print-wise!!.......2006-11-03
THIS REVIEW IS ABOUT THIS PUBLISHERS EDITION NOT ABOUT THE BOOKS CONTENT ITSELF.
If you want to know about the content--- be aware that this book is copyright free and in the public domain and you can actually read the entire text free, online, if you are curious about the content of the book and what it is about. I am a person who prefers a real, bound book in the hand to reading on the computer screen or printing off a book onto computer paper.
I learned about this book as it is popular with homeschoolers using the Charlotte Mason method.
This book weaves science content into a story format (narrative format).
About this edition of the book--buyer beware!
I am very annoyed. I saw that Amazon sells three different publishers' versions of reprints of this very old book, before I purchased the book from Amazon.
Of course I am mad at myself for making a mistake, but I am also not happy with the way Amazon markets this Kessinger Publishing's version of this book.
I have had issues in the past with facsimile reprints of antique books sometimes being very hard to read. I took time to research this. I wanted whichever publisher's version has a readable font that is clearly printed.
The way Amazon presently has this item (book reprinted by Kessinger Publishing) set up on their webpage, I thought I was looking inside this book. Imagine my surprise when the book arrived and the printing itself is horrible! I can't stand to read this! Upon double checking this now, I see I made a simple mistake--if you don't want to make the same mistake that I made please read on...
It appears that this Kessinger Publishing version is a facsimile reproduction of the original. The old font type is hard to read. But the more problematic thing is that the ink is blobby and uneven. Specifically, I mean that some parts of the letters are missing (there is white space) while others are blobbed so that the letters don't look as they should, they are black blobs in some parts. I would prefer a book whose text is clearly visible. A modern font is also usually easier on the eyes.
I am very annoyed as this is not even the cheapest price edition of this book which is currently in print! Come to find out there are cheaper versions with nicer and easier to read font!
I am upset with Amazon additionally as the way they have this set up to "look inside this book" brings you to the edition published by the publisher "Yesterday's Classics" which has what looks to be a great font, a nice, clear, modern font and a good printing job. (Also today I received a different book purchased from Amazon by the publisher "Yesterday's Classics" and it is a wonderful printing job and a a nice binding to boot.
I will be returning this book to Amazon.
NOTE THERE IS AT LEAST ONE PUBLISHER WHO HAS REFORMATTED THE ORIGINAL BOOKS CONTENT INTO A READABLE FONT THAT IS HIGH QUALITY. I don't know if Amazon will allow me to refer you to that publisher, they are Yesterday's Classics. I ended up buying that publisher's book and it was fantastic.
Parables From Nature.......2006-08-09
I cannot say enough about this book! What a treasure! its wonderful prose style and encourageing morals are a joy to share with my children. It is a refreshing read and something I'm sure to continue using with my children for a long time to come! It has added a new demension to our devotion and literare time.
Very well done!.......2006-03-16
My children really enjoy the stories in this book. We use this book as part of our homeschooling. My children have no problem understanding what is read. I like the way in which the stories are told that makes them easy to understand.
Amazon.com
Mouth- and eye-watering, hot, hot, hot Latin and Caribbean recipes.
Book Description
Traditional classico dishes to exciting nuevo Latin foods,
¡Cuba Cocina! is filled with recipes that incorporate the bold flavors of the Caribbean. You'll recognize favorites like ropa vieja, arroz con pollo, and seviche, and be enticed by the new tastes of dishes like Baby Back Ribs with Guava Sauce, Lobster and Stone Crab Creole, and Fresh Mango Coconut Cake. Don't forget to round out the meal with a tall, icy mojito!
Customer Reviews:
The best Cuban recipes I have tested in a long time!!.......2007-09-12
I have eaten Cuban food for a very long time, growing up in Miami with my best friends that were Cuban and continuing to create my own recipes through trial and error, AND I can definitely say that Ms. LaFray knows her Cuban food!! The recipes in this book are extremely authentic. I definitely do not agree with the reviewer before mine. Trust me, Ms. LaFray could not be more authentic with her recipes in this book. And from following many of her titles and reading about her years of experience with food from several different cultures., I know that you can't get much more authentic than obtaining your knowledge straight from the one and only CUBA!!! I would recommend this book to anyone that loves authentic Cuban food....
Disappointing.......2007-04-21
Ms Lafray is lacking in authenticity, in addition for a reviewer not to have so many mistakes, even in issues a simple as the correct spelling of the restaurant that started the Elena Ruth, she has it misspelled. Proof reading anyone, and the recipes are not authentic.
An excellent cookbook from one of Floridas top food critics.......2005-08-07
As a native Key Wester, most of my knowledge of Cuban cooking has been passed on to me via my family and local friends. When I moved to Tampa, (and on many trips to Miami) I noticed many differences and interpretations of classic Cuban dishes of my youth. Such differences are natural due to the verbal, generation-to-generation passing of Cuban cooking. It is very nice to see a cookbook that records this tradition and its variety.
Joyce LaFray's book is the best example that I have seen of capturing true Cuban cooking. I have made a few of the recipes and can honestly say that they are excellent! Her recipe for "Erasmo's Black Beans" is out of this world - having sampled a hefty portion recently at a food tasting event.
If you are experienced in cooking Cuban food; or a beginner who wants to look like a brilliant Cuban food chef - this book is for you. Go ahead and order it - you will be glad you did!
This is it--best Cuban recipes!!!!!!!!!.......2002-10-12
Cuba Cucina has not only the best traditional recipes, but also incredible neuvo Cuban cuisine--the hottest food in South Beach, Miami. The black beans are the best! The recipe came from none other that from Castro's private chef. My guests were transported by "Hemingway's Daquiri" . It's out of this world delicious! Of all the Cuban cookbooks I've tried this unquestionably has the best recipes and is the most fun reading. My compliments to the chef/author!
All of Cuba in a cookbook........2001-05-22
Don't let the French sounding name fool you. I've met this author a couple of years ago in Philadelphia and she brings together a fusion of flavors that make the old classic Cuban recipes come to life as well as some new `nuevo' items that will make your taste buds dance a mambo.
Cuban Cocina - the tantalizing world of Cuban cooking - yesterday, today and tomorrow is written by Joyce LaFray and is a deceitful cookbook only because it contains about 250 pages filled with close to 500 recipes. The book begins with a section on the ingredients and techniques that will be used some of which are non-traditional. There is also an English to Spanish shopping list dictionary, although hard to read with the green color, it is fun and educational, let alone helpful.
Some of the many recipes include: Cilantro Mayonnaise; Pickled Chicken, Havana Style; Marinated Fish with Cilantro; Fresh Conch and Lobster Seviche; Crispy Yuca Ham Croquettes; Lime Avocado Dip; Hearty Galician Soup; Yucassoise; Fried White Bean Cake; Cuban Rice; Marinated Garbanzos; Saffron Rice Salad; Baked Red Snapper with Garlic and Cumin; Grilled Swordfish with Mango and Blueberries; Plantain-Coated Fresh Fish; Sofrito Chicken; Oxtail with Peppers and Capers; Ginger Sherried Roasted Pork; Baked Calabaza Squash with Apples and Cheeses; Sweet Potato Pudding; Pineapple-Citrus Chutney; Pepper Corn Muffins; Banana Flan with Coconut Rum Sauce; Coconut Bars with Guava Jelly and a variety of beverages.
The cookbook is well designed, not breaking the cardinal sin - No pages need to be turned to finish a recipe. Some of the ingredients are not readily available at all grocery stores, but should be from any Latin grocery store. For anyone that wish to add some terrific ethnic foods to their repertoire, Cuba Cocina is a great addition to the bookshelf.
Product Description
Strongly recommended for parents and educators by
- School Library Journal, - Children's Book Watch - About.com Children's Books (A top 10 web resource as rated by the Nielsen NetRatings)
Yesterday We Had a Hurricane tells the experience of a hurricane as seen through the eyes of a young child. Young readers will learn all about these "big storms that come from the ocean." They'll find out about the effects of wind and rain, as well as some of the more lighthearted and practical alternatives to doing without electricity.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Teaching Tool!.......2007-09-19
As seen on the Discovery Channel and C-Span! There's no doubt about it: hurricanes are big. They're bad. And they really pack a wallop. But now there's a way for parents and educators to reduce them to child-size. It's Yesterday We Had A Hurricane, a delightful pictorial exploration that looks at these storms from a child's perspective, answering questions about hurricanes and explaining them in terms that young children can readily understand. Educators will also love the companion learning and activity booklet entitled The Smart Kid's Guide To Hurricanes which includes interesting facts about these monstrous storms, tips on how kids can prepare and fun games and coloring pages.
Hurricane Book In A "Category" Of It's Own!.......2006-07-25
There's no doubt about it: hurricanes are big. They're bad. And they really pack a wallop. But now there's a way for parents and educators to reduce them to child-size. It's Yesterday We Had A Hurricane, a delightful pictorial exploration that looks at these storms from a child's perspective, answering questions about hurricanes and explaining them in terms that young children can readily understand. Educators will also love the companion learning and activity booklet entitled The Smart Kid's Guide To Hurricanes which includes interesting facts about these monstrous storms, tips on how kids can prepare and fun games and coloring pages.
hurricane education.......2006-07-12
As the weather becomes stronger, its devastation more horrific and tv is able to carry it live with all its terrifying results, it has become a strong and scary influence on our children's lives. Deirdre McLaughlin Mercier has written a book to educate young children about hurricanes to take some of the fear away.
From the water everywhere and candles casting shadows on the walls to the sounds of the storm " tap tap" of the rain on the windows she explores the sights and sounds of a hurricane. Her emphasis is on "safe"- the grandmother coming to their house to stay safe, petting a dog so he feels safe and the family staying safe together playing a board game and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Written in both English and Spanish it will open discussion about all storms to be able to educate children and answer their questions and fears.
The strength of the book comes from its colorful, detailed collage illustrations, also done by Mercier, that bring the storm to life while making it child friendly. It comes with an activity book (in English) that provides further information and activities for the older children. A page of lesson plan suggestions is also included. It will be a welcome addition to all classroom's, school's and children's reading libraries.
Book Description
This text, which is the fourth volume in the best-selling History of England series, tells how a small and insignificant outpost of the Roman empire evolved into a nation that has produced and disseminated so many significant ideas and institutions.
The Eighth Edition incorporates more women's history, while continuing to provide balanced political and economic coverage with social and cultural history woven throughout. This is the only comprehensive text available for the History of England survey course that has been revised and updated to include coverage of the entire 20th century.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent view of Britain.......2000-05-10
I am a student majoring in History with a concentration in English History. I have used this book for one class, but since have come back to it counless times. The chapters are well focused and broken down into logical subcategories. The book is an excellent reader for those who want to know about the events and significance (something that many books leave out) of English history and contemporary England, as well as a refrence book for students and Anglophiles! The book is well written and easy to read for any reader, historical backgroud or not. Prof. Arnstein is known for his keen sense of humor and it definatly shows through in this book. This book also inclues photos which excellently illustrate the world of late Victorian England and the 20th century of the UK.
Book Description
The wonders of plant and animal life told with rare literary charm by Uncle Paul in conversations with three children. Besides such stories as the ants' subterranean city, the spider's suspension bridge, and the caterpillars' processing, he unlocks the mystery behind thunder and lightning, clouds and rain, the year and its seasons, and volcanoes and earthquakes. Suitable for ages 9 to 12.
Average customer rating:
- A snapshot of the oldest continuous civilization in Europe
- "The time between dogs and wolves"
|
A Time We Knew: Images of Yesterday in the Basque Homeland (Basque Series)
Manufacturer: University of Nevada Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Europe
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Spain
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| France
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Travel
| Writing
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Basque Hotel (Basque Series)
ASIN: 0874171571 |
Customer Reviews:
A snapshot of the oldest continuous civilization in Europe.......2006-07-28
The Basque people are certainly an interesting race; it is believed that theirs is one of the oldest languages in Europe. Where they came from and how they ended up in northern Spain has been a point of contention between anthropologists for some time. They suffered terribly during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's; the famous painting by Picasso represents some of the suffering in the Basque city of Guernica. The people of that city had the dubious distinction of being the first in history to have been the victims of the deliberate terror bombing of civilians. The Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or ETA has been engaged in a decade's long struggle to create an independent homeland for the Basque people out of the Basque areas in Spain and France.
This book is a collection of photos taken in the Basque regions in Spain and France. It is a rugged, yet beautiful land; most of the buildings are very old. While there are some modern devices displayed in the pictures, the majority could have been taken decades ago and some perhaps over a century ago. People are meeting over drinks, coffee and traditional food. Some of the beautiful pictures of the villages in the valleys could have been taken at the turn of the century.
When people appear in the photo, one thing is clear. The Basques are a very proud people, they have lived on and worked their land for centuries and will continue to do so. Rugged mountains and terrain breeds rugged, hardy people and that certainly describes the Basques. No small set of photographs with associated explanations in a book can truly describe any culture, especially one this old. However, it can both literally and figuratively give you a snapshot and that is done very well in this book.
"The time between dogs and wolves".......2001-05-12
"A Time We Knew: Images of Yesterday in the Basque Homeland" is the product of a fascinating collaboration between photographer William Albert Allard and the dean of Basque-American literature, Robert Laxalt.
In the fall of 1967, Allard spent two months in the Basque country of northeastern Spain and southwestern France, capturing with his camera the everyday life of the people who lived there. Although Allard spoke no Basque and was linked to the Basque country only through his Basque wife, his stunning photos evoke the tremendous power of the Basque landscape and people: the haunting flanks of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques at evening; the gloomy mountains of the northern coast of Spain just at the approach of a storm; a rough-hewn woman with a scythe at Behorleguy, on the frontier between youth and age, in whose face is reflected the painful past of the ancient Basque people. From a technical point-of-view, these incredible photographs are so good that they could truly be "images of yesterday": the color is brilliant. Alas, though, "yesterday" in the Basque country is no more. The years since 1967 have seen the heavy industrialization of both the French and Spanish sectors of the Basque homeland and the gradual passing of the ancient ways Allard captures here.
Laxalt's contribution to this book is his prose vignettes, some of the best of his characteristically exquisite prose-poetry. A second-generation Basque-American whose father grew up in the French Basque country, Laxalt knows the region as well as probably anyone in the United States. While one cannot miss the heavy dose of romanticism in his prose ("Girls slender as reeds walking hand in hand down the lane, singing an ode to spring in soprano voices pure and light as air") and even pastoralism (exacerbated by the fact that the Basques are some of the world's greatest shepherds), it is obvious that Laxalt is a remarkable writer.
A poetic look at "yesterday" in the Basque country. Get it on your shelf.
Books:
- Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime SarajevoRevised Edition
- 40 Over 40: 40 Things Every Women over 40 Needs to Know About Getting Dressed
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century
- A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City--A Diary
- Adventures Of Marco Polo
- Alexander Hamilton
- All But My Life: A Memoir
- Amazing Grace: Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation, The
- An Ordinary Man : An Autobiography
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Raids: A Tactical Guide to High Risk Warrant Service
- History: Fiction or Science
- The Wind of the Hundred Days: How Washington Mismanaged Globalization
- 2004 Statement of Concepts
- China's Global Reach: Markets, Multinationals, and Globalization
- Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems
- Competitive Business Strategy for Teaching Hospitals
- Tratado de Empresas Agropecuarias - 10 Tomos
- A Declaration of Interdependence: Why America Should Join the World
- Looking for Longleaf: The Fall and Rise of an American Forest
Beware of Pity (New York Review Books Classics)
The Royal Game & Other Stories
Nervous Splendor - Vienna 1888/1889
Fin-De-Siecle Vienna: Politics and Culture
Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman (Grove Great Lives)
