Every school and public library should update its resources on the history of Israel with this engagingly written and succinct narrative history from biblical times through 1997. This readable history, based on the most recent scholarship, provides a chronological narrative that examines the political, religious, and social components of Israel's turbulent history. A thorough examination of the events from the Six Day War of 1967 through the struggle for peace in 1997 is of special interest. The work provides a timeline of events in the history of Israel, biographical sketches of key...

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...

Every library should replace its outdated histories of Germany with this comprehensive and highly readable narrative history that traces Germany from antiquity through 1998. Unlike earlier studies written before unification, it offers up-to-date information on the Federal Republic of Germany in a refreshing and contemporary perspective without the Cold War rhetoric common to earlier histories. Designed for high school and college students and general readers, it will help readers to understand the complexity of German history. Each of the chapters in the work introduces a distinct period...

Brazil is a vast, complex country with great potential but an uneven history. This engaging study will introduce readers to the history of Brazil from its origins to today. It emphasizes current issues and problems, including the country's return to democracy after more than two decades of harsh military rule and the economic consequences of adopting free-market policies as part of the creation of the global marketplace. Levine, a noted Brazilianist, explains the legacy of slavery on race relations, the stubborn persistence of barriers to upward mobility, and the characteristics of...

Holland was once a superpower upon whose empire the sun never set. Today it is on the leading edge of social change. This history of Holland, from its earliest beginnings to the present day, provides the most up-to-date survey of modern Dutch history, including the current Dutch approach to a number of social issues, such as the welfare state, the environment, socialized medicine, and the role of the military in the post-Cold War world. Containing a wealth of current information and statistics, this work will help the reader to understand the Dutch both within the historical context in...

This succinct, authoritative, and engagingly written history of Nigeria from its earliest beginnings through 1998 provides an excellent introduction to the country's history. Constructed around the two interrelated themes of politics and the economy, it relates the development of the Nigerian people from antiquity through the end of 1998. Following a timeline of events in the history of Nigeria, Professor Falola, a leading historian on Nigeria and a distinguished Africanist, provides a readable, coherent narrative that carefully integrates the past into the present to help the student and...

This informative, concise, and engagingly written work provides the most up-to-date history of Portugal, current through 1999, and gives a full picture of the political, social, cultural, and economic influences that shaped the history of Portugal. Covering the period from Portugal's early conception as a nation through its long history, with emphasis on the dramatic period of the last several decades, this volume culminates with the demise of the Salazar dictatorship and the independence of its colonies. Complete with a timeline for easy reference to events, brief biographies of important...

For many Americans, Sweden used to conjure images of Viking raiders and settlers. By contrast, contemporary Sweden is one of the world's most advanced nations in terms of politics, social welfare, gender equality, standard of living, technology, the arts, and participation in regional and global developments. Nordstrom traces the history of Sweden, detailing its prehistory and Viking past.

This book shows how a country governed for years by a European monarchial system slowly--and at times grudgingly--changed into the egalitarian, democratic system of today. Starting with an...

For a nation with a relatively small territory and population, Ireland has had a remarkable influence in the English-speaking world. In the United States alone, it is estimated that there are now forty-four million descendants of Irish lineage. For them and for students and interested readers, this up-to-date, concise, and fascinating volume is an ideal introduction to the history of Ireland. Hollis, an expert on Irish history, traces Ireland from its beginnings in the Neolithic era to events and issues in the year 2000. Carefully weaving the thread of complex relations between Britain and...

With the outbreak of war in the former Yugoslavia in 1991, interest in Balkan history has increased and become emotionally charged. This balanced and engagingly written history of Serbia will help readers to understand the complex web of Serbian history, politics, society, and culture and how the Serbs have dealt with the many political, military, and socioeconomic challenges in their history. It attempts to remove the veil of stereotypes and myths obscuring the significant details and developmental processes in the history of Serbia and in its relations with its neighbors. In addition to...