Modern European History

Filter
Set Descending Direction

17 Items

per page
View as List Grid
  1. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

    Mary Wollstonecraft
    Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by Philip Barnard and Stephen Shapiro

    "A thoughtful and useful abridgement of an essential historical, political, and philosophical text. [Barnard and Shapiro] have managed to preserve the tone and arguments of the original while shedding much of the redundancy and lengthy quotations of external sources that can be off-putting and cumbersome for today's readers. The explanatory footnotes added to the text are helpful without being overbearing."
         —Katrin Schultheiss, George Washington University

    Learn More
  2. Addresses to the German Nation

    Johann Gottlieb Fichte
    Translated, with Introduction and Notes, by Isaac Nakhimovsky, Béla Kapossy, and Keith Tribe

    This new edition of the Addresses is designed to make Fichte’s arguments more accessible to English-speaking readers. The clear, readable, and reliable translation is accompanied by a chronology of the events surrounding Fichte’s life, suggestions for further reading, and an index. The groundbreaking introductory essay situates Fichte’s theory of the nation state in the history of modern political thought. It provides historians, political theorists, and other students of nationalism with a fresh perspective for considering the interface between cosmopolitanism and republicanism, patriotism and nationalism.

    Learn More
  3. Columbus on Himself

    Felipe Fernández-Armesto

    "Columbus had been the subject of many biographies, but the approach of Columbus on Himself is unique. Fernández-Armesto has created, as far as it is possible, an account of Christopher Columbus's life based on his own words. Columbus left far more potentially autobiographical writings than his contemporary explorers from the age of European expansion, but there are gaps in the record. Fernández-Armesto has arranged Columbus's writings chronologically so readers can see Columbus's development, and intersperses them with his insightful commentary. The translations are Fernández-Armesto's own. Recommended."
        —R. Fritze, Athens State University, in Choice

    Learn More
  4. Discourse on Voluntary Servitude

    Étienne de La Boétie
    Translated by James B. Atkinson & David Sices
    Introduction and Notes by James B. Atkinson

    "An excellent translation: clear, crisp and accurate. The introduction is also a helpful contextualization of the text, Boétie's relation to Montaigne, and a brief discussion of the history of this important text on non-cooperation in the 20th-Century. I highly recommend it for courses in the history of political theory and of non-cooperation as a means of regime change."
         —James Tully, Department of Political Science, University of Victoria

    Learn More
  5. Divine Right and Democracy

    Edited, with Introduction and Notes, by David Wootton

    David Wootton’s masterly compilation of speeches, essays, and fiercely polemical pamphlets—organized into chapters focusing on the main debates of the century—represents the first attempt to present in one volume a broad collection of Stuart political thought. In bringing together abstract theorizing and impassioned calls to arms, anonymous tract writers and King James I, Wootton has produced a much-needed collection; in combination with the editor’s thoughtful running commentary and invaluable Introduction, its texts bring to life a crucial period in the formation of our modern liberal and conservative theories.

    Learn More
  6. Enlightenment Thought

    Edited and Translated, with an Introduction, by Margaret L. King

    "Margaret L. King has put together a highly representative selection of readings from most of the more significant—but by no means the most obvious—texts by the authors who made up the movement we have come to call the 'Enlightenment.' They range across much of Europe and the Americas, and from the early seventeenth century until the end of the eighteenth. In the originality of the choice of texts, in its range and depth, this collection offers both wide coverage and striking insights into the intellectual transformation which has done more than any other to shape the world in which we live today. It is simply the best introduction to the subject now available." —Anthony Pagden, UCLA, and author of The Enlightenment and Why It Still Matters

    Learn More
  7. Ireland and Britain, 1798-1922

    Edited, with an Introduction, by Dennis Dworkin

    "Impressive . . . Dworkin offers a survey of Anglo-Irish history that conveys the complexity of the topic while at the same time remaining clear, highly readable, and accessible to beginning students. He recognizes that ‘Irish’ cannot be equated with ‘Catholic’ and ‘nationalist,’ and rightly emphasizes the importance of region and class as well as religion in shaping the modern history of the Irish nations. The introductions that accompany each primary source excerpt keep to the high standard of the opening essay: the right amount of detail for contextualization and comprehensibility, without overwhelming the reader. The selection of excerpts is solid."
         —Meredith Veldman, Louisiana State University

    Learn More
  8. Jesuit Writings of the Early Modern Period

    Edited and Translated by John Patrick Donnelly, S. J.

    "A first-rate piece of work, very useful both for undergraduate and graduate students.  Also of real interest for non-scholars, non-students, and people interested in Jesuits in general.  The introductions are especially valuable in situating the readings in context.  The Illustrations are well-chosen."
         —John W. Padberg, S. J., Director, The Institute of Jesuit Studies

    Learn More
  9. King Leopold's Congo and the "Scramble for Africa"

    Michael A. Rutz

    Series: Passages: Key Moments in History

     "King Leopold of Belgium's exploits up the Congo River in the 1880s were central to the European partitioning of the African continent. The Congo Free State, Leopold’s private colony, was a unique political construct that opened the door to the savage exploitation of the Congo's natural and human resources by international corporations. The resulting ‘red rubber’ scandal—which laid bare a fundamental contradiction between the European propagation of free labor and ‘civilization’ and colonial governments’ acceptance of violence and coercion for productivity’s sake—haunted all imperial powers in Africa. Featuring a clever introduction and judicious collection of documents, Michael Rutz’s book neatly captures the drama of one king’s quest to build an empire in Central Africa—a quest that began in the name of anti-slavery and free trade and ended in the brutal exploitation of human lives. This volume is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in the history of colonial rule in Africa." —Jelmer Vos, University of Glasgow

    Learn More
  10. Montaigne: Selected Essays

    Michel de Montaigne
    Translated by James B. Atkinson and David Sices
    Introduction and Notes by James B. Atkinson

    "A superb achievement, one that successfully brings together in accessible form the work of two major writers of Renaissance France. This is now the default version of Montaigne in English." —Timothy Hampton, University of California, Berkeley

    "Inspired. In every page—beginning with Atkinson's brilliant Introduction—this magical Montaigne betrays a lifetime of meditation on its subject." —Stephen G. Nichols, Johns Hopkins University

    Learn More
  11. Rousseau: The Basic Political Writings (Second Edition)

    Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    Translated and Edited by Donald A. Cress
    Introduction and Annotation by David Wootton

    This substantially revised new edition of Rousseau: The Basic Political Writings features a brilliant new Introduction by David Wootton, a revision by Donald A. Cress of his own 1987 translation of Rousseau’s most important political writings, and the addition of Cress’ new translation of Rousseau's State of  War. New footnotes, headnotes, and a chronology by David Wootton provide expert guidance to first-time readers of the texts.

    Learn More
  12. Russia in War and Revolution, 1914-1922

    Edited and Translated, with Introduction, by Jonathan Daly and Leonid Trofimov

    "An excellent anthology. . . . [This] book has a wide range of selections, which offers the students a deep understanding of the many different voices and groups in Russia during this time. The introductions to the selections are clear and place the documents within their historical context. The selections are very interesting and informative. I would strongly recommend this book for undergraduate classes in modern Russian history. The book makes this very complex period come to life by giving such a broad selection of documents."
         —Mary Louise Loe, James Madison University

    Learn More
  13. Sieyès: Political Writings

    Emmanuel Sieyès
    Edited, with Introduction and Notes, by Michael Sonenscher

    "This new English edition of some of Sieyes' key texts is to be warmly welcomed. . . . Michael Sonenscher's scholarly Introduction is devoted to a discussion of different aspects of Sieyes' political ideas, rather than to a detailed examination of the texts themselves. He concentrates mainly, and quite properly, on Sieyes' concept of representation, which he analyses with sensitivity, linking it to Sieyes' concept of the nation, and distinguishing it carefully from the conventional view of representation held by the man in the street. . . . Sonenscher has researched widely and his allusions are original and stimulating. . . . [He] has done a good service in making these compelling and subversive writings more widely available."
         —Murray Forsyth, History of Political Thought

    Learn More
  14. The Essential Thirty Years War

    Edited and Translated, with an Introduction, by Tryntje Helfferich

    This abridgment of Tryntje Helfferich's acclaimed 2009 anthology The Thirty Years War features an expanded General Introduction and annotation designed to support student readings in swift-moving surveys of European and World history.

    Learn More
  15. The Government of Poland

    Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    Translated by Willmoore Kendall

    "The Government of Poland is the only finished work in which Rousseau himself dons the mantle of legislator, applying the principles of the Social Contract to the real world around him. Poland teaches us much about the mysterious art of the Social Contract's 'legislator,' how he transforms each individual into part of a larger whole. Only in . . . Poland do we find what this crucial transformation entails and what it presupposes. But probably the greatest lesson to be learned from . . . Poland concerns Rousseau's understanding of the proper relationship between theory and practice. . . . Time and again we see Rousseau advising the Poles to do things which are in gross violation of the strict principles of political right he had elaborated in the Social Contract."
         —Richard Myers in Canadian Journal of Political Science

    Learn More
  16. The Spanish Inquisition, 1478-1614

    Edited and Translated by Lu Ann Homza

    "With very few exceptions the rich inquisitorial sources collected here have, until now, been available only to specialists with a knowledge of early modern Spanish.  The Spanish Inquisition, 1478–1614: An Anthology of Sources fills a gaping hole in the English-language literature, making these previously inaccessible documents available to a much wider reading public. . . . With a strong Introduction and supporting material for each document, this source reader provides a wealth of material for classes on late medieval or modern Europe; Spain and Latin America; Western civilization; or the history of Western religions.  This reader will also be valuable to seminars on subjects such as witchcraft, early modern legal history, and women's history."
    —Benjamin Ehlers, University of Georgia

    Learn More
  17. The Thirty Years War

    Edited and Translated by Tryntje Helfferich

    "There is, to my knowledge, no other book of this sort in English that competes in giving a detailed account of the Thirty Years War. Helfferich has done a remarkable job in assembling texts that convey the sweep of the war, the religious and constitutional questions involved, the international involvement of especially Denmark, Sweden, and France, and the turbulent misery that the war produced, especially in the Holy Roman Empire. I do not know of a better representation of what the Peace of Westphalia (the two treaties, at Osnabrück and Münster) actually settled. Helfferich has done a fine job of accurately translating from German and other languages . . . and she has chosen rather large documents for inclusion instead of snipping out small paragraphs from many more documents. One thus has a chance to settle into an author's main points and to appreciate his or her style and point of view."               
         —Erik Midelfort, University of Virginia

    Learn More
Filter
Set Descending Direction

17 Items

per page
View as List Grid