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Europe's Tragedy: A New History of the Thirty Years War

Author: Peter H. Wilson
Publisher: Penguin
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

13 reviews
Sales Rank: 4882

Media: Paperback
Pages: 1024
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5 x 2.1

ISBN: 0141006145
EAN: 9780141006147
ASIN: 0141006145

Publication Date: July 1, 2010
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours

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Also Available In:

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	Hardcover - Europe's Tragedy: A History of the Thirty Years War

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
The horrific series of conflicts known as the Thirty Years War (1618-48) tore the heart out of Europe, killing perhaps a quarter of all Germans and laying waste to whole areas of Central Europe to such a degree that many towns and regions never recovered. Presenting the history of the war, this title explains a series of events.

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 1-5 of 13

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For academics only!!! September 4, 2010
Michael Burns (Derry, Ireland)
This may be a brilliantly incisive and all-encompassing history of the Thirty Years War but it was far too dry for my vulgar tastes!
The book lacks any touches of human interest and is not for the layman with a passing interest in history.
And unfortunately that's exactly what I am!!!

4 out of 5 stars

Read this book September 4, 2010
Maolhuaidh
A clear, readable analysis of one of the key events that shaped the modern world. Easily stands comparison with both Parker and Wedgewood. Recommended.

4 out of 5 stars

A mighty read September 3, 2010
J. Duducu (Ruislip)
I bought this book because I knew virtually nothing about the 30 years war. What Peter Wilson has done is in many ways create the definitive English language history of the events.

I have read other dense reads (Karen Armstrong for one) and what Peter Wilson does is create a very dense narrative packed full of facts but ensures the writing style is easy. Still the sheer quantity of info over 850 odd pages is overwhelming and you'd be hard pressed to remember all the facts in one chapter let alone the whole book but its all there for the reader to digest at their leisure.

Apart from density the 2 issues I have is there needs to be far more maps, the story covers huge areas of Europe so there needs to be far more visual aids to help the reader. Secondly while background and context is needed, is more than 250 pages (in very small font) really necessary building up to 1618? It's all well written and all fascinating, but the fact that Persia captured Armenia and Baghdad from the Ottomans may explain why the Turks wanted peace in the West but it surely could have been cut. In fact this would have got the full 5 stars if there had been a little less detail overall. Just because you've done the research doesn't mean you have to include it all in the story you are telling.

That said, Peter Wilson does a very good job of knocking down preconceived ideas, pointing out earlier history's anachronisms and is always a fascinating guide through a tumultuous period in European history. You'll need to take a deep breath before you dive in but this is an excellent book.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent August 31, 2010
Malkoc Sualp (ISTANBUL Turkey)
I too was afraid to pick this book up at 851 pages on a topic that I'd read much about previously. However Peter Wilson's book comprehensively places the multitude of events that led to the war, and there were so much more than simply the struggle between various confessions into an excellently researched and well laid out text that even someone who has previous knowledge of the period finds continuously exciting.

Wonderful read to understand the geopolitical structure of the world in the 16th and 17th centuries and the forces that shaped Europe for the struggles and conflicts right up to the 20th Century.

5 out of 5 stars

Maps and things July 3, 2010
Mr. William A. A. Kinloch (Wrexham, Wales)
This is a detailed and fascinating book and it seems churlish to quibble but:

1. I agree about the maps - there should have been more and detailed maps but this isn't a fault confined to this historical work

2. I would have welcomed an appendix with a list and short account of the people involved. It's easy to get lost with the mass of Electors, Archdukes et al (many of them sharing similar names) and a reference appendix would certainly have helped me. We were given a family tree of the Hapsburgs (the main players)and no more.

I realise that implementing these suggestions would add to cost but, at least in my view, they would have added even greater value to what looks as if it's going to become a standard work for both the general reader (like me)and the serious student of the period.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 13

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