Grand unified books thread

[crazy canuck]

I heard the author interviewed on the latest Talking Politics podcast - she was born in Stalinist Albania and at, I think the age of 12, lived through the liberalization of the country.  She has a lot of interesting things to say about the pros and cons of both.  Really looking forward to this.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320/320869/free/9780241481851.html

[Sheilbh]

Yeah the book sounds fascinating.

[The Brain]

Started on Bismarck: A Life, by Steinberg. I haven't read any details about Bismarck before, and this seems to be a decent modern biography. Some weirdness though. In the first chapter the author stans hard for Frederick the Great, but doesn't really explain why, so that is kinda left hanging in the air. A bit later he mentions "Adolph Hitler". What is up with that? From time to time you come across this even by authors who should know what Hitler was called. Is it some kind of code for something? Hmm, have I asked this before? Don't remember.

[Eddie Teach]

Is your gripe the ph?

[The Brain]

Is your gripe the ph?

Er. Yes.

[Eddie Teach]

It's a common transliteration.

[The Brain]

It's a common transliteration.

Ah yes, Phranz Pherdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo.

[Habbaku]

Sarah Jayvo.

[Sheilbh]

Interesting sounding new one volume book on WW2 by Richard Overy - review by Rana Mitter:
https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/october-2021/truly-global-view-of-world-war-ii/

Sounds potentially as interesting in positioning it in the global context as the last gasps of empires as Westad's history of the Cold War as not so cold.

[Admiral Yi]

Based on the review it sounds like a medium-interesting essay padded to book length.

But I'll be interested to hear what you thinik.

[Jacob]

Can anyone recommend good survey works on pre-colonial Africa, pre-Muslim Persia, and pre-colonial Indochina?

[Berkut]

Just got Dan Jones new book, Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages.

[crazy canuck]

Just got Dan Jones new book, Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages.

Starting reading it today too.  Meant to just read a few pages, but got hooked.  Had to force myself back to the things I needed to get done today.

[Sheilbh]

Can anyone recommend good survey works on pre-colonial Africa, pre-Muslim Persia, and pre-colonial Indochina?

Haven't read it yet but I have A Fistful of Shells: West Africa From the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution on the shelf. I suppose it depends on how you see what' pre-colonial but I undertand it's on the early modern period so before the 19th century colonies - I think Oex also said it was good.

Haven't read or bought it but there's also The Golden Rhinoceros about the African middle ages - I saw them reviewed together.

In terms of Persia - again I haven't read or bought it - but I've read good things about Iran: A Modern History. It covers imperialist meddling and modern Iran, but I think it also basically starts in the early modern so I think it's basically 1500 (and the rise of the Safavids) up to the modern day.

Edit: No idea on Indochina - I imagine there's definitely some good options on the Khmer empire.

[Jacob]

Just got Dan Jones new book, Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages.

Starting reading it today too.  Meant to just read a few pages, but got hooked.  Had to force myself back to the things I needed to get done today.

What sets it apart from the regular run of the mill history of the Middle Ages?