Hungary was the last ally of Nazi Germany, and as such suffered dreadful destruction in the course of the fighting during the last year of the war. Although the war discredited the political and social elite and gave opportunity for a new beginning. early optimism in democratic circles quickly dissipated. The communists, who had negligible indigenous support, with the help of the Soviet Army, in a short time managed to destroy any organized opposition to their taking power. Based on archival and other primary sources, this concise book describes the methods of communist conquest of power in one country in Eastern Europe to make the origin of the Cold War more understandable.

This beautiful and fascinating collection contains theearliest known painting of London, a view of the Thames during theFrost Fair in I684, a map depicting the area destroyed by the GreatFire in I666, views of such landmarks as The Tower of London, BigBen, and Buckingham Palace, an early map of the LondonUndergrounddating from the late 18oos, and a playful version oftoday's iconic Tube map. Each map's original printing informationis provided, as well as additional information that places it inhistoric context and further illuminates its qualities. Each map isexquisitely reproduced to show offits color and detail.

The second edition of this accessible study of Mexico includestwo new features, an examination of cultural developments sinceIndependence from Spain in 1821 and a discussion of contemporaryissues up to the time of publication. Several new plates withcaptions expand the thematic coverage in the book. The updatededition examines the administration of Vicente Fox, who came topower with the elections of 2000. The new sections reinforce theimportance of Mexico's long and disparate history, from thePrecolumbian era onwards, in shaping the country as it is today.This Concise History looks at Mexico from political, economic andcultural perspectives, and tackles controversial themes such as theimpact of the Spanish Conquest and the struggle to establish anindependent Mexico. A broad range of readers interested in themodern-day Americas should find here a helpful introduction to thisvibrant and dynamic North-American society.

Although written over four hundred years after Alexander'sdeath, Arrian's account of the man and his achievements is the mostreliable we have. Arrian's own experience as a military commandergave him unique insights into the life of the world's greatestconqueror. He tells of Alexander's violent suppression of theTheban rebellion, his defeat of Persia and campaigns through Egyptand Babylon - establishing new cities and destroying others in hispath. While Alexander emerges as a charismatic leader, Arriansucceeds brilliantly in creating an objective portrait of a man ofboundless ambition, who was exposed to the temptations ofpower.

'History clings tight but it also kicks loose,' writes Simon Schama at the outset of this, the first book in his three-volume journey into Britain's past. 'Disruption as much as persistence is its proper subject. So although the great theme of British history seen from the twentieth century is endurance, its counter-point, seen from the twenty-first, must be alteration.' Change - sometimes gentle and subtle, sometimes shocking and violent - is the dynamic of Schama's unapologetically personal and grippingly written history, especially the changes that wash over custom and habit, transforming our loyalties. At the heart of this history lie questions of compelling importance for Britain's future as well as its past: what makes or breaks a nation? To whom do we give our allegiance and why? And where do the boundaries of our community lie - in our hearth and home, our village or city, tribe or faith? What is Britain - one country or many? Has British history unfolded 'at the edge of the world' or right at the hea

On 8 March 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from China. The ships, some nearly five hundred feet long, were under the command of Emperor Zhu Di’s loyal eunuch admirals. Their orders were ‘to proceed all the way to the end of the earth’. The voyage would last for two years and by the time the fleet returned, China was beginning its long, self-imposed isolation from the world it had so recently embraced. And so the great ships were left to rot, and the records of their journey destroyed. And with them, the knowledge that the Chinese had circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan, reached America seventy years before Columbus, and Australia three hundred and fifty years before Cook. The result of fifteen years research, 1421 is Gavin Menzies’ enthralling account of this remarkable journey, of his discoveries and persuasive evidence to support them: ancient maps, precise navigational knowledge, astronomy, surviving accounts of Chinese explorers and later Europ

The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 was the turning point in the struggle against Communism in Eastern Europe. The culmination of popular uprisings in Hungary, Poland, and East Germany, the Wall's fall led inexorably to revolutions in Czechoslovakia and Romania, the reunification of Germany, and, ultimately, the disintegration of the Soviet Union itself. Now, America's senior conservative pundit explains how and why the Cold War ended as it did-and what lessons we can draw from the experience. Writing with his usual perspicacity and wit, William F. Buckley, Jr. brings to life Communism's last gasp, showing how Reagan's hard-nosed foreign policy and Gorbachev's reforms undermined Warsaw Pact dictators, emboldened dissidents, and finally made the dream of freedom a reality in Eastern Europe. Sure to delight conservatives, annoy liberals, and enlighten everyone who reads it, The Fall of the Berlin Wall is William F. Buckley, Jr. at his inimitable best. William F. Buckley, Jr. (New York, NY, and Stam

A STUDY OF MONOGRAPHS ON THE WESTERN REGIONS IN THE OFFICIAL HISTORY BOOKS OF THE WESTERN EASTERN HAN, WEI, JIN, SOUTHERN NORTHERN DYNASTIES是同作者《两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传研究》一书的英文版，是作者长期研究西域史和古代中外关系史，对塞种、贵霜、嚈哒以及两汉魏晋南北朝与西域关系史的论着。 作者就各篇西域传所见西域文化、宗教、习俗、制度，以及人种、语言、文字作了分门别类的研究，结集而成《两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传研究》。本书和《两汉南北朝正史西域传要注》为姊妹篇。两书不仅为两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传有关西域的记载提供了一个系统的注解，而且首次解读了两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传的认知和阐述系统。这对于深入理解两汉魏晋南北朝的政治、经济和文化等均有参考价值，其意义已经逸出了西域史研究的范畴。

A timely and incisive portrait of a country on the tipping point After developing his acclaimed style of firsthand reporting with his bestselling graphic novels Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea and Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China, Guy Delisle is back with The Burma Chronicles. In this country notorious for its use of concealment and isolation as social control—where scissors-wielding censors monitor the papers, the de facto leader of the opposition has been under decade-long house arrest, insurgent-controlled regions are effectively cut off from the world, and rumor is the most reliable source of current information—he turns his gaze to the everyday for a sense of the big picture. Delisle’s deft and recognizable renderings take note of almsgiving rituals, daylong power outages, and rampant heroin use in outlying regions, in this place where catastrophic mismanagement and ironhanded rule come up against profound resilience of spirit, expatriate life ambles along, and nongovernmental organizat

A CONCISE COMMENTARY ON MONOGRAPHS ON THE WESTERN REGIONS IN THE OFFICIAL HISTORY BOOKS OF THE WESTERN EASTERN HAN, WEI, JIN, SOUTHERN NORTHERN DYNASTIES是同作者《两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传要注》一书的英文版，是作者为两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传有关西域的记载提供的一个系统的注解。 作者长期研究西域史和古代中外关系史、塞种、贵霜、嚈哒以及两汉魏晋南北朝与西域关系史，在此基础上，作者就各篇西域传所见西域文化、宗教、习俗、制度，以及人种、语言、文字作了分门别类的研究，结集而成《两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传研究》，再依据研究的结论，撰写了《两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传要注》一书，为两汉魏晋南北朝正史西域传有关西域的记载提供的一个系统的注解。

World War II: A Photographic History charts the world's first truly globalconflict, from the pre-war tensions to the final reckoning of those guilty of war crimes. The narrative, capturing the heroism and the sacrifices people made, is told through remarkable photographs from theDaily Mail archive, many seen here for the first time.

This beautiful and fascinating collection contains theearliest known painting of London, a view of the Thames during theFrost Fair in I684, a map depicting the area destroyed by the GreatFire in I666, views of such landmarks as The Tower of London, BigBen, and Buckingham Palace, an early map of the LondonUndergrounddating from the late 18oos, and a playful version oftoday's iconic Tube map. Each map's original printing informationis provided, as well as additional information that places it inhistoric context and further illuminates its qualities. Each map isexquisitely reproduced to show offits color and detail.

Since its creation in 1861, Italy has struggled to develop aneffective political system and a secure sense of national identity.This concise history, which covers the period from the fall of theRoman empire in the west to the present day, looks in particular atthe difficulties Italy has faced during the last two centuries inforging a nation state. The opening chapters consider thegeographical and cultural obstacles to unity, and survey the longcenturies of political fragmentation in the peninsula since thesixth century. It was this legacy of fragmentation which Italy'snew rulers had to strive to overcome when the country becameunited, more by accident than design, in 1859–61. The book aims toweave together political, economic, social and cultural history,and stresses in particular the alternation between materialist andidealist programmes for forging a nation state.

In these nine stories Salman Rushdie looks at what happens when East meets West, at the forces that pull his characters first in one direction, then the other. Fantasy and realism collide as a rickshaw driver writes letters describing his film star career in Bombay; a mispronunciation leads to romance and an unusual courtship in sixties London; two childhood friends turned diplomats live out in a violent world fantasies hatched by Star Trek; and Christopher Columbus dreams of consummating his relationship with Queen Isabella. The stories in East, West show the extraordinary range and power of Salman Rushdie's writing. 作者简介： Salman Rushdie is the author of nine novels-Grimus,Midnight's Chidren,Shame,The Satanic Verses,Harona and the Sea of Stories,The Moor's Last Sigh ,The Ground Beneath Her Feet,Fury and Shalimar the Clown-one collection of short stories,four works of non-fiction,and is the co-editor of The Vintage Book of Indian Writing.

Topping a Pulitzer Prize-winning effort is tough; finding originality in a World War II narrative is even tougher. Yet Rick Atkinson accomplishes both with The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944. His previous work, An Army at Dawn, won the 2003 Pulitzer in history, but Atkinson has managed to set the bar even higher with his second installment in "The Liberation Trilogy." He descends upon each battlefield with rich historical perspective, tactical analysis, and chilling frontline observations. Cocksure Hollywood bravado is sparse, as Atkinson depicts soldiers fighting for honor, not glory. "We did it because we could not bear the shame of being less than the man beside us," explains one soldier's diary. "We fought because he fought; we died because he died." The result is an incredible portrayal of the courage, sorrow, and determination that came to define our greatest generation. --Dave Callanan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Starred Review. Atkinson surpasses his Pulitze

he day began with the killing of a ten-year-old Native American boy by U.S. cavalry troopers. Before it ended, all of those troopers and their commander, George Armstrong Custer, lay dead on the battlefield of the Little Big Horn the worst defeat ever inflicted by Native Americans on the U.S. military. Now, the full story of that dramatic day, the events leading up to it, and its aftermath are told by the only ones who survived to recount it the Native Americans. Based on the author s twenty-two years of research, and on the oral testimony of seventy-two Native American eyewitnesses, Custer s Fall is both a superbly skillful weaving of many voices into a gripping narrative fabric, and a revelatory reconstruction that stands as the definitive version of the battle that became a legend and only now emerges as it really was.

In 1968, Gary Mitchell enlisted in the army and was sent toVietnam, where he caught the eye of his superiors, who found thathe excelled at long-distance shooting-a discovery that set him onthe path to a new identity as a sniper. During his time in Vietnam, American intelligence agents"borrowed" him from his Army unit and used him to carry out plannedassassinations most likely as part of the covert Phoenix Program.But this is not just the story of a man at war; it's also about thewar within the man, because the memories of his sniper missionsfollowed him home-and nearly destroyed him.

How did average Romans live out each year, conduct theirfamily life, rear and educate their children? What about slaves inthe household? How did people enjoy themselves--did they travel orgo to the theater? And, how were those famed gladiators trained?From a wide variety of sources--writers, in*ions, papyri,mosaics, stones, even graffiti--the answers to these question comeinto sharp relief. "By far the best single volume on thesubject."--The Guardian.

It is the biggest treasure hunt in history with contesting nations involved in a headlong race to locate the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 4500 years ago, a magnificent golden capstone sat at the peak of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was a source of immense power, reputedly capable of bestowing upon its holder absolute global power. But then it was divided into seven pieces and hidden, each piece separately, within the seven greatest structures of the age. Now it's 2006 and the coming of a rare solar event means it's time to locate the seven pieces and rebuild the capstone. Everyone wants it – from the most powerful countries on Earth to gangs of terrorists . . . and one daring coalition of eight small nations. Led by the mysterious Captain Jack West Jr, this determined group enters a global battlefield filled with booby-trapped mines, crocodile-infested swamps, evil forces and an adventure beyond imagining.

With all the adventure, derring-do, and bloodcurdling battlescenes of his earlier book, Nathaniel’s Nutmeg , acclaimedhistorian Giles Milton dazzles readers with the true story ofWilliam Adams—the first Englishman to set foot in Japan (and theinspiration for James Clavell’s bestselling novel Shogun ).Beginning with Adams’s startling letter to the East India Companyin 1611—more than a decade after he’d arrived in Japan— SamuraiWilliam chronicles the first foray by the West into thatmysterious closed-off land. Drawing upon the journals and lettersof Adams as well as the other Englishmen who came looking for him, Samurai William presents a unique glimpse of Japan before itonce again closed itself off from the world for another two hundredyears.

THE EARLIEST TOCHARIANS IN CHINA: A HYPOTHESIS是同作者《古族新考》一书的英文版。《古族新考》曾于2000年由中华书局出版，2012年由商务印书馆再版。该部部分在国外的具体发表信息如下： The Earliest Tocharians in China , Sino-Platonic Papers Number 204, June, 2010, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 2 78 pp。 吐火罗语文书的发现和对吐火罗语以及有关历史地理问题的研究，既是比较历史语言学界的大事，也是中亚学界的大事。盖自十九世纪末到二十世纪初，在我国西北地区出土的古文书残卷中，有若干以当时未知语言写成，其一即吐火罗语。给语言学家和历史学家提出了一系列需要解释的问题。特别是要先解释清楚：不管操吐火罗语的族群起源于何处，既然它很早就来到中国，应在中国史籍中留下足迹。换言之，他们究竟是以什么名称出现在中国史籍中

To help you get the most out of your course, A History of Western Society, Fifth Guide. The Study Guide contains key terms and concepts, sample test questions, understanding history through the arts, map exercises, and problems for further manager about how to obtain this valuable resource.

History is always a popular subject and British history has created some of the most lively and fascinating stories there are! Britain as we know it today has been shaped by centuries of political turmoil between state and church, as well as international conflicts, making its history a fascinating insight into how modern Britain has emerged. For this special, hardback edition of British History For Dummies, we’ve added over 100 black and white and colour photos for an even more explosive experience of British history. British History For Dummies Illustrated Edition: British history is still a major topic of interest, emphasised by the continual TV coverage and documentaries Inside you’ll find rip-roaring stories of power-mad kings, executions, invasions, high treason, global empire-building and forbidden love- not bad for a nation of stiff upper lips! Includes fascinating information in the fun For Dummies style- from the Stone Age right through to modern day Britain and ever