A Pocket History of Europe

Book Information

Full Description:

This book outlines the salient political and socio-economic facts, including developments in art and architecture, from pre-historic times to the present day. It aims to provide the enquiring student of any age with background for current political situations as well as helping the discerning traveller understand more fully what can be seen today as more and more locations are rediscovered on the Continent.
There is a need for a short “vertical” and “horizontal” overview of all of Europe placing people and events in an historical context and in an environment important at the time, evidence of which can still be seen today. Books and television programmes rarely place facts in a timescale framework and history is seldom taught in a structured way although there is clearly a growing interest in the subject. Nothing of this sort appears to have been attempted so far as a short general account.

Experience in abstracting academic papers made it possible for the author to work from a number of authorities in the different fields and the result has been commented on very favourably by qualified friends as being succinct and informative with strong educational potential as well as being a brisk and enjoyable read, as it is popular rather than scholarly.

There are nine chapters, each dealing with an historical period, beginning with a chronology of important dates with occasional references to events in other parts of the world. The text comprises brief but comprehensive surveys of political history and then sections on agriculture, trade, religion, art and architecture. Each chapter has maps and diagrams where relevant.

Table of Contents:

Introduction - Mythology, Physical Features, Soils, Vegetation, Rivers, Minerals and Climate
Prehistory from c.35 500 BC

Ancient Civilisations Part 1 - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Crete and Mycenae

Ancient Civilisations Part 2 - Celtic, Early Greek 300-700 BC, Hellenistic Greek 700-146 BC, Roman 146BC-365 AD

The Dark Ages - Early Christian and Byzantine c.350 - 800 AD

Early Medieval - Charlemagne, Romanesque Architecture c.800 - 1200

The Medieval World c.1200 - 1500

Renaissance and Reformation c.1450 - 1700

The Early Modern World c.1700 - c.1900, The Industrial Revolution

The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Appendix : The Small States

Glossary

Index

Author Information:

Vivian Durham has an extensive academic background, including a BSc., MSc., MA (Cantab.) and a Ph.D (Lond.). Her scientific background informs her clarity in research and description, and her deep love of travel, and the impact of history upon the modern era, inspired the writing of this book.