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The Age of Revolution: Europe, 1789-1848

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: E.J. Hobsbawm

January 01, 1988
Hobsbawn wrote this book for those who wish to understand how and why the world has come to be what it is and where it is going. This is not a narrative history, and requires thought. The book is complex, but considering the topic and the length of the book, he has to be. But if your are an educated reader...you will like this book; and learn a lot from it about "isms" and how we use to live. Though I only gave it 3 stars, it is a must read.

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Europe Since 1870: An International History

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: James Joll

March 29, 1990
This is an excellent book - I use it whenevr I need to make sure I know at least something about a topic I'll be discussing, writing about or whatever... Whether you're a history student or not, this book is certainly woth even just browsing throuh every now adn then...enjoy

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An Ordinary Soldier: Afghanistan: A Ferocious Enemy. A Bloody Conflict. One Man's Impossible Mission

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Doug Beattie

October 06, 2008
A record of an epic battle, only four words are needed -

1. Amazing.
2. Unputdownable.
3. Read it.

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The Enemy at the Gate: Habsburgs, Ottomans and the Battle for Europe

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Andrew Wheatcroft

August 21, 2008
A record of an epic battle, only four words are needed -

1. Amazing.
2. Unputdownable.
3. Read it.

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Hitler's Empire: Nazi Rule in Occupied Europe (Allen Lane History)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Mark Mazower

June 05, 2008
This is an excellent book, with a qualifying 'but'. If you want to understand the dynamic of 'Hitlers Empire', how it developed and collapsed, and the details of its particular favour of genocidal gangsterism, then this will satisfy all the curiosity you have, and then some. My only complain about the main content is that it is a bit short on personalities (though this may be an unavoidable problem - the focus of the book is, after all, on process and governance). You get little real feel for the _people_ who did all this. Mazower does not mention anyone having nightmares, or developing a drink problem (lots of people are mentioned as having drinking problems, but only for the usual, soap-opera sort of reasons, not because of a day job in the ... Read More:

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The Bookseller of Kabul

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Asne Seierstad

March 04, 2004
This account of an Afghan middle class family in the period immediately after the fall of the Taliban gives some acute and depressing insights into the routine and unthinking oppression that is the lot of many Afghan women. The bookseller - head of a large family - dragoons his sons into working long hours in his various bookshops and cruelly disregards the feelings of the female members of his family. He takes a young, uneducated second wife after he tires of his older, educated first wife. She is left to languish in Pakistan for years, cut off from her sons and daughters, until Sultan relents and allows her to return to Kabul. Sultan's younger sister is reduced to the role of a domestic servant, and her desire to teach is thwarted. The treatment ... Read More:

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Remember, Remember (The Fifth of November): The History of Britain in Bite-Sized Chunks

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Judy Parkinson

October 09, 2008
This account of an Afghan middle class family in the period immediately after the fall of the Taliban gives some acute and depressing insights into the routine and unthinking oppression that is the lot of many Afghan women. The bookseller - head of a large family - dragoons his sons into working long hours in his various bookshops and cruelly disregards the feelings of the female members of his family. He takes a young, uneducated second wife after he tires of his older, educated first wife. She is left to languish in Pakistan for years, cut off from her sons and daughters, until Sultan relents and allows her to return to Kabul. Sultan's younger sister is reduced to the role of a domestic servant, and her desire to teach is thwarted. The treatment ... Read More:

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Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Marita Sturken, Lisa Cartwright

December 21, 2000
This book is a splendid introduction to theories about visual culture. It opens up the sociological / psychodynamic / anthropological theories that exist about the visual media to laymen. Another good thing is that they do not focus on high culture visual media, but also on film, television, advertising, etc. This is what makes the book valuable to people who are specialized in neighbouring fields and who wish to know more about visual media (for instance, marketeers, perception psychologists, therapists, people studying politics, etc.). On every topic the background literature is made accessible by good references and a short introduction to these references. This is really helpful! For instance, i always wanted to know more about Barthes theorizing ... Read More:

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Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Hugh Williams

September 01, 2008
I bought this book to fill gaps in my historical knowledge and the introduction mentions that the contents are for everyone who is interested in history but frightened of the fog! It lifts the fog completely, is beautifully written, concise and easy to follow putting history in a chronological perspective.
I am still enjoying dipping in and out of its excellent selection of events and thoroughly recommend it.

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I Never Knew That About London

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > History
by: Christopher Winn

October 04, 2007
This is an excellent 'by the bed' book for dipping in and out of. Each section has a generous selection of interesting gems and more bizarre nuggets about the capital that will make any reader an instant London Bore or a valued member of any pub-quiz team (admittedly only for the London questions!). Certainly a book worth having even if you don't have a huge thirst for knowledge about London - this will gently change that without you even noticing.