- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: I. B. Tauris; Revised Edition edition (Jun 1 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1860645410
- ISBN-13: 978-1860645419
- Product Dimensions: 14 x 21.3 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 381 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,338,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"...expert guidance provided by this valuable and timely account..."-- Raymond Pearson, The South Slav Journal
"A vigorous, well-informed and readable study of modern Albanian history." --Raymond Hutchings, The Slavonic Review
"A vigorous, well-informed and readable study of modern Albanian history." --Raymond Hutchings, The Slavonic Review
Product Description
This is the first full account of a country that, following decades of isolation, has undergone unprecedented changes to its political system: the collapse of communism, the progression to multi-party elections and the upheaval that followed the March 1997 uprising. Miranda Vickers traces the history of the Albanian people from the Ottoman period to the formation of the Albanian Communist Party. Newly revised for this paperback edition, The Albanians has now been updated to cover the crisis in Kosovo that led to the first "Western" war in Europe since 1945.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
A thorough history on an ignored land
May 6 2003
Format:Paperback
Albania's history is rich and Miranda Vickers has done an excellent job of documenting it.
I was pleasantly surprised that she discussed the Arberesh (the Albanese of Italy), even if it was briefly.
The book is an excellent resource tool and a great addition to any library.
Learn why the U. S. needs to be involved in the Balkans
Jun 26 2002
Format:Paperback
Now that the United States has committed large numbers of ground troops to keep the peace in Bosnia and Kosova, it is important that her citizens learn about these areas. The history of the Balkans is typical of that where cultures have met and fought over the territory for centuries. It is the area where the three religions of Islam, Orthodox Christian and Catholicism share a common border with enclaves of each embedded in the other. Nearly all of the borders in that area of the world are artificial, political creations that do not reflect the ethnic and religious composition of the regions. This has led to centuries of hostility, which occasionally explodes into mass killing.
Nearly all of the nations in that area are less than a century old, and in the case of Albania, the idea of the nation is very recent. With substantial differences in customs separating the northern and southern regions, loyalty to the nation over their region among the inhabitants is an idea that postdates the creation of the country. Up until the end of the second world war, Albania was also in danger of being partitioned between the neighboring states.
All of this in combination generates a complex political and social problem that has yet to be resolved. Vickers does an excellent job in describing the events that led to the current battles in Kosova, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. The recounting of the centuries of conflict is well done and helps explain why U. S. military forces are needed there. The history of the region is that of more powerful nations achieving and maintaining control by manipulating the hostilities that exist between the various groups. For centuries, this was how the Ottoman empire ruled the region and world war two in the Balkans was largely a local conflict between the ethnic groups where the Germans and Italians favored one group over another.
In reading this history of the region, one finds it difficult to see a way in which the U.S. and NATO presence can easily be removed. Down through the years, there have been years of uneasy peace between the various groups and the current situation could just be another such time. Nevertheless, it is important for the U. S. to be involved and this book is a good way to learn why the forces should be involved and will no doubt be there for some time.
Nearly all of the nations in that area are less than a century old, and in the case of Albania, the idea of the nation is very recent. With substantial differences in customs separating the northern and southern regions, loyalty to the nation over their region among the inhabitants is an idea that postdates the creation of the country. Up until the end of the second world war, Albania was also in danger of being partitioned between the neighboring states.
All of this in combination generates a complex political and social problem that has yet to be resolved. Vickers does an excellent job in describing the events that led to the current battles in Kosova, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. The recounting of the centuries of conflict is well done and helps explain why U. S. military forces are needed there. The history of the region is that of more powerful nations achieving and maintaining control by manipulating the hostilities that exist between the various groups. For centuries, this was how the Ottoman empire ruled the region and world war two in the Balkans was largely a local conflict between the ethnic groups where the Germans and Italians favored one group over another.
In reading this history of the region, one finds it difficult to see a way in which the U.S. and NATO presence can easily be removed. Down through the years, there have been years of uneasy peace between the various groups and the current situation could just be another such time. Nevertheless, it is important for the U. S. to be involved and this book is a good way to learn why the forces should be involved and will no doubt be there for some time.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
6 reviews
12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
A thorough history on an ignored land
May 6 2003
Format:Paperback
Albania's history is rich and Miranda Vickers has done an excellent job of documenting it.
I was pleasantly surprised that she discussed the Arberesh (the Albanese of Italy), even if it was briefly.
The book is an excellent resource tool and a great addition to any library.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
If the uberpatriots hate it, it must be good
Jan 23 2009
Format:Paperback
I haven't specifically read THIS title by this author, but I've seen other of her works. She strikes me as a serious and competent scholar with a wide and broad grasp of her subject. The fatuous remarks here by wild-eyed ethno-nationalists merely prove that she's on the right track, for when have such people ever allowed reality to intrude on their vanity.
5 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Learn why the U. S. needs to be involved in the Balkans
Jun 26 2002
Format:Paperback
Now that the United States has committed large numbers of ground troops to keep the peace in Bosnia and Kosova, it is important that her citizens learn about these areas. The history of the Balkans is typical of that where cultures have met and fought over the territory for centuries. It is the area where the three religions of Islam, Orthodox Christian and Catholicism share a common border with enclaves of each embedded in the other. Nearly all of the borders in that area of the world are artificial, political creations that do not reflect the ethnic and religious composition of the regions. This has led to centuries of hostility, which occasionally explodes into mass killing.
Nearly all of the nations in that area are less than a century old, and in the case of Albania, the idea of the nation is very recent. With substantial differences in customs separating the northern and southern regions, loyalty to the nation over their region among the inhabitants is an idea that postdates the creation of the country. Up until the end of the second world war, Albania was also in danger of being partitioned between the neighboring states.
All of this in combination generates a complex political and social problem that has yet to be resolved. Vickers does an excellent job in describing the events that led to the current battles in Kosova, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. The recounting of the centuries of conflict is well done and helps explain why U. S. military forces are needed there. The history of the region is that of more powerful nations achieving and maintaining control by manipulating the hostilities that exist between the various groups. For centuries, this was how the Ottoman empire ruled the region and world war two in the Balkans was largely a local conflict between the ethnic groups where the Germans and Italians favored one group over another.
In reading this history of the region, one finds it difficult to see a way in which the U.S. and NATO presence can easily be removed. Down through the years, there have been years of uneasy peace between the various groups and the current situation could just be another such time. Nevertheless, it is important for the U. S. to be involved and this book is a good way to learn why the forces should be involved and will no doubt be there for some time.
Nearly all of the nations in that area are less than a century old, and in the case of Albania, the idea of the nation is very recent. With substantial differences in customs separating the northern and southern regions, loyalty to the nation over their region among the inhabitants is an idea that postdates the creation of the country. Up until the end of the second world war, Albania was also in danger of being partitioned between the neighboring states.
All of this in combination generates a complex political and social problem that has yet to be resolved. Vickers does an excellent job in describing the events that led to the current battles in Kosova, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. The recounting of the centuries of conflict is well done and helps explain why U. S. military forces are needed there. The history of the region is that of more powerful nations achieving and maintaining control by manipulating the hostilities that exist between the various groups. For centuries, this was how the Ottoman empire ruled the region and world war two in the Balkans was largely a local conflict between the ethnic groups where the Germans and Italians favored one group over another.
In reading this history of the region, one finds it difficult to see a way in which the U.S. and NATO presence can easily be removed. Down through the years, there have been years of uneasy peace between the various groups and the current situation could just be another such time. Nevertheless, it is important for the U. S. to be involved and this book is a good way to learn why the forces should be involved and will no doubt be there for some time.
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
