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"This history tells the stories of the Shetlands, the Orkneys, the Hebrides, the Channel Islands, the Scilly Isles, and the Isles of Man and Wight. From their earliest settlement, to Roman, Norse and Norman occupation, to the struggle to maintain their unique identities in today's world, the lives of these islands are a fascinating slice of European history"--Provided by publisher.… (mere)
Short but very detailed capsule histories of Shetland, Orkney, the Hebrides, the Isle of Man, Anglesey, Scilly, the Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands, each of which are surprisingly different, with much variation in influence and trajectory. The maps are pretty crap, but the descriptions still made me want to jump on a plane (or a ferry boat) and go see these places. ( )
This book reads like a textbook. The islands are laid out to devote a whole chapter to each geographical section of islands getting a complete and competent view under the microscope. Each chapter is dedicated to the earliest know history of the islands in question, to the modern issues each section of islands face in today's world. This book can be a stand alone to be grasped without knowing every bit of Anglo-Saxon, or Scandinavian history. This book would be great for a class dedicated to just the subject of the book, or it could be easily integrated into a much larger emphasis on island and archipelago culture on a global scale. The tone, language, and pace of the book is best suited for reference work, or a companion book for a more serious study of Irish, Scottish, Manx, Anglo-Saxon, and Scandinavian culture with and emphasis on integration, absorption, and conformity. This book is not for everyone and is not what I would consider a "popular" book written for the masses, but it is well organized and written for a specific niche of history enthusiast. ( )
This is an excellent history of the British Isles surrounding the mainland of Great Britain. The book follows a format for each island are , giving a rich explanation of the history, economics, and politics of the regions. I feel like the book would be enjoyed by those with a basic understanding of British history rather than those who are a blank slate on the subject. While it was occasionally a little dry, it was an enjoyable read that made me interested in visiting a place or two in these far-flung locales. ( )
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While most of my history studies are on American and America's Civil War I found this book compelling as it explains the history of some of Great Britain's smaller isles. Many of these are rich in history and figured greatly in British History. Well worth reading for the casual historian with an interest in British history. ( )
As previous reviewers have mentioned, this book covers the geography and history of eight smaller islands that are usually overlooked in writings about the history of Great Britain. Each island or archipelago has their own unique story, separate from England, Scotland and Wales. Accounts of archeological sites and early history were excellent. Each chapter covers one island, so the book could be used as a reference source. Thank you LT Early Reviewers. ( )
Oplysninger fra den engelske Almen VidenRedigér teksten, så den bliver dansk.
Acknowledgments
No book is an island, entire of itself, with apologies to John Donne, and so it is with this one, hewn from a trans-oceanic compilation of readings, on-site observations, and archive and museum materials.
Preface
British history is not what it used to be. Valid questions about selection and organization of material were raised decades ago, not least of them questions about histories of England masquerading as British history. England and Britain are not synonyms and the horizons of Shakespeare's "blessed plot" have rolled back to accommodate other parts. Yet there is more to it than adding Scotland and Wales to the mix. Britain is an archipelago nation, though history readers might be forgiven for not appreciating it: such is the ease with which the off-island slip through the fingers of historical reporting. Although small pieces of history individually, the outer-island aggregate is not insignifiant. Over half a million people make homes there, and their earliest habitations are among the oldest anywhere in Europe. Accessory to the main event at best and sometimes ignored altogether, the offshore assumes center stage here.
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Shetland: "Ultima Thule"?
In later years a new age will come in which the Ocean shall relax its hold over the world and a vast land shall lie open to view ... and Thule will not be the last country on earth" — Seneca Medea
The 14-hour ferry service from Aberdeen on the northeastern coast of Scotland to Shetland is the longest scheduled in British waters, affording enough time to reflect on cruder vessels once braving these hostile seas. A force nine gale is one thing with modern stabilizers and heated cabins but quite another in a Viking galley where the only protection was sealskins and the instant anesthetic of a North Sea wind. The overnight voyage is fleeting in summer with a late dusk dimming the sky around midnight known locallly as the simmer dim. In the winter months, ships' lights pierce a vast northern darkness.
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Oplysninger fra den engelske Almen VidenRedigér teksten, så den bliver dansk.
The English language has prevailed. German occupation in World War II is blamed for exposing evacuees to English, but the tide began long before that. The number of Norman-French speakers at the outset of the 21st century was small with less than 5 percent reportedly fluent in Dgernesiais and those conversant in Jèrriais only a little higher, down from 20 years ago. It is flickering but the signs are it will survive. Efforts to keep it alive persist. An ability to talk in the vernacular may yet win appeal; it is a way of maintaining cultural distance in the face of newcomers, a durable in a hurried age.
"This history tells the stories of the Shetlands, the Orkneys, the Hebrides, the Channel Islands, the Scilly Isles, and the Isles of Man and Wight. From their earliest settlement, to Roman, Norse and Norman occupation, to the struggle to maintain their unique identities in today's world, the lives of these islands are a fascinating slice of European history"--Provided by publisher.
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This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
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(3.5)
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