Eastern Europe: An Introduction to the People, Lands, and Culture [3 volumes]

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Description

Modern-day Eastern Europe, the product of a complex and troubled past, was a complete mystery to the rest of the world for decades. A region often mistakenly perceived as homogenous "bloc", Eastern Europe is in reality a collection of rich and vibrant countries, vastly differing in their landscapes, peoples, governments and cultures. Going beyond the history and politics already well documented in other works, this three-volume series explores the social and cultural aspects of a region often ignored in books and curricula on western civilization. The volumes are organized by geographic proximity and commonality in historical development, allowing the countries to be both studied individually and juxtaposed against others in their region. The first volume covers the northern tier of states, the second looks at lands that were once part of the Hapsburg empire and the third examines the Balkan states. Each chapter profiles a single country - its geography, history, political development, economy and culture - and gives readers a glimpse of the challenges that lie ahead. Vignettes such as the discussion of the Estonian rock band Ruja illuminate the unique character of each country. Features include: discussion of the geography, history, political development and economy of nations such as Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Albania and others; historical profiles of significant people such as Konstantin Pats and Lydia Koidula; cultural events such as the Song Festival and key events such as the sinking of the ferry "Estonia"; maps of the entire region and each of the 16 countries, including Latvia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Greece; and charts comparing Estonian words and pronunciation with Finnish, German, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Polish and others.

Reviews

"Written by a number of expert contributors ... this set gives an invaluable overview of the entire region and is recommended for libraries catering to students at any level." - Library Journal "Overall, this is an excellent and informative reference work that subverts many of the myths of a backward and underdeveloped region and replaces them with rich, varied portrayals of human achievement and sociopolitical complexity. Recommended for academic and large public libraries." - Booklist "Accessible to high-school level students and above, and general readers." - Reference & Research Book News "These volumes provide a useful supplement to material covered in European history survey courses, detailed explanations for students seeking an understanding of the many factors affecting the often-difficult transitions for these countries, and solid information for those wanting to learn more about their cultural heritage." - School Library Journal

Author Bio

Richard Frucht, PhD, is professor of history at Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO.