Overall a very good book and a very scholarly work. The book's Introduction provides us a brief insight into O'Donnell's motive for embarking on this work:

This book ... is my answer to a question I've heard countless times in the past: Where can I find a book about the history of the Irish in America that is both accurate and accessible? My goal has been to write just such a book --- a fun yet factual look at the people and events that have marked Irish American history. I've brought to this task an inclusive approach that recognizes that Irish Americans always been characterized by an extraordinary diversity --- from religion to politics to class and identity. My inclusive approach has likewise led me to chronicle not simply the triumphs of Irish Americans, but also their failures.

I feel that in 1001 THINGS ..., O'Donnell met his goal!

I'm a regular reader of O'Donnell's weekly Hibernian Chronicle column in the Irish Echo. So his "easy to read and understand" writing style comes as no surprise to me. But the other user friendly features are: A sensible organization of 10 chapters; about 175 illustration or photographs; numbered entries, and a good index. Indeed the book is "accurate and accessible," and provides a handy reference to answer questions. Not only questions raised by others, but also questions that arise in one's mind while reading news accounts, books, watching films, etc.

I always rely on reading to reduce the ardors of travel. I001 THINGS ... is a perfect travel book. The individually numbered entries, in a flexible paperback book, are very compatible with "stop and go" reading in an airport terminal or in flight --- particularly in the 'hurry up and wait" environment of these post 9-11 days.

And the price? I purchased several copies because the price is reasonable, and it makes a great gift item. I generally trust my judgement. If I enjoy a book, the recipient of my gift probably will too.

I've read many reviews of 1001 THINGS ... All have been favorable. Overall I share that assessment.

But I'm a little disappointed about the omission of some notables.

The McCourts --- Frank, Malachy, and one or two other brothers we have yet to hear from --- are not mentioned. I first thought that perhaps O"Donnell only included personages no longer with us. But this doesn't appear to be the case. Live personages such as Michael Flatley, Jean Butler, The Berrigan brothers, and Ted Kennedy make the pages of 1000 THINGS ...

Then there is the omission of General O'Reilly, the second Spanish Governor of Louisiana. Yes, I was surprised too. Spain also ruled Louisiana. And a man with the decidedly Hispanic-Hibernian name of Alejandro O'Reilly was the second Spanish Governor of Louisiana. Indeed an interesting career in politics in the new world, for a descendant of a "Wild Geese" family.

The most unfortunate omission is the Healy family. In the early 1800s, Michael Healy, an Irish-born Georgia planter, purchased Mary Eliza, a mixed-race slave. Laws during the slavery era prohibited interracial marriages, but Michael and Mary Eliza carried out their family life as husband and wife. Their union produced 10 children. Three brothers entered the priesthood ---

James Healy was the first black American to be ordained a Roman Catholic priest. He later became Bishop of Portland Maine (certainly another first), where he provided distinguished leadership in pastoral work, education, social advocacy, and public welfare.

Sherwood Healy reportedly received a doctorate in Canon Law from the North American College in Rome in 1860.

Patrick Healy was ordained as a Jesuit priest, going on to serve as Georgetown University's prefect of studies from 1868 to 1878, and its president from 1873 to 1881 ---- the first African-American president of a predominantly white university. Healy Hall, one of Georgetown's major buildings is named in his honor.

Unlike his brothers, Michael Healy did not embark on an ecclesiastical career. He ultimately joined the US Revenue Service, the forerunner of today's US Coast Guard. He mostly served in the waters of Alaska, attaining the rank of Captain and the Commanding Officer of the BEAR. The Coast Guard icebreaker, HEALY, is named in his honor.

We know little of the remaining Healy children except that three of the girls became nuns, with one of them attaining the rank of Mother Superior of her order.

Indeed the Healys were a distinguished Irish - American family.

Aside from the omissions, 1001 THINGS ... is still a good book. I hope that O'Donnell will address the omissions with a future sequel to 1001 THINGS. Perhaps a suitable title might be ANOTHER 1001 THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IRISH AMERICAN HISTORY. In the meantime, I'll keep distributing the current version as suitable gifts to friends.

Irish immigrants have played central roles in defining the American character and identity, sharing their history and resources for generations. 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish American Historys provides lively, concise surveys of Irish-American experiences, including both ancient Irish history and religion to modern surveys of Irish lives. A historical timeline format by topic allows readers quick and easy access to Irish facts, biographies of notable figures, and events.

I was able to borrow a copy from a friend. Now I think I may buy this book. The contributions of the Irish to our culture are so much wider and more meaningful that the trite and distorted leprachauns leaping around on St. Patrick's Day! And usually drunk at that. This book, written in a crisp and clear style, provides a refutation of that stereotype. It should be of interest to a much wider audience. Worth the money and time.

Sun. July 11, SF Examiner-Chronicle, Linda Watanabe McFerrin,(travel editor)wrote: "This is the inaugural book in an ambitious new series covering the world's contemporary art and architecture. Innovative, intriguing and refreshingly intellectual, it provides well-researched, well-informed guidance to the museums, art and film centers, galleries, bookstores, public art and notable buildings in France. Details about recent exhibitions and artists further familiarize readers with the often mystifying world of the avant-garde. Serious students of contemporary art will find it a satisfyingly comprehensive guidebook."

Review published in Library Journal, April 15, 1999. "This new series, focusing on France is a 'unique travel guide and handbook on contemporary art and architecture.' Stich, an art historian and curator, has brought together under one cover a complete, user-friendly guide to the French art world. She provides detailed descriptions of galleries, museums, film and video centers, public artworks, art bookstores, sculpture parks, and even a parking garage, sites that are not mentioned in other guidebooks. The main focus of the book is Paris, but there are chapters on day trips and excursions to other French provinces. Each chapter is organized by neighorhood and region and contains a map with numbers and site icons that are easy to distinguish. Stich's knowledge of and joy in the art world is evident throughout the book; a great addition to any travel collection."

Review published by NY art critic Walter Robinson in ArtNet "News", April 9, 1999: "Art lovers en route to France this summer will want to pick up a copy of Art-SITES FRANCE by curator and avid art traveler Sidra Stich. The $19.95 paperback blurbs all the important museums, art centers, galleries and public art works, famous and little known."

Artful Italy is a wonderful book. I checked out Florence and Venice first because those are the cities that I really know. I was daring Artful Italy to come up with something I didn't know. And it did.. The Stibbert Museum which sounds like a delight I missed entirely. But the thing I really regret is not knowing about the Bomarzo Gardens, a bit of a trip from Florence; as a teen I was always after the odd, hidden statuary that you turned a corner and came suddenly upon.. Both sound like winners and make me eager to return to a place I thought I knew well.
Artful Italy's prose hits just the right tone, conversational without being condescending, funny without that guidebook jokiness that can be so off-putting. And it sometimes can take your breath away. When the 17th century architect , Borromini is compared to an origami master, suddenly we see again how Mannerist architects have turned stone into paper - to give just one example. And you have a nice discursive air that proves always to have a real point to it. The book is unique and a pleasure. It will make those who know Italy start looking for cheap air fares, and even those making a first trip to Italy will find the book valuable.

Even if one never travels to Italy, there'd be no harm in reading this book. It is well-written, entertaining, and loaded with fun and interesting facts. I disagree with the notion that this is a tour or travel guide; what it is in fact is a semi-scholarly appreciation of Italy off the beaten path. (It is meticulously researched and documented, to boot.)

Ann Brandon must be a kick at a cocktail party. Historical examples trip off her tongue and add just the right humor, import, and context for each bit of art appreciation. Reading this book is not a necessity for travel planning; the volume is a standalone orchestration of Ms. Brandon's love affair with Italy.

I have a few qualms with the book, but they are merely intellectual disagreements with some of its premises. First, I would not focus so much on art, but on the whole invisible lifestyle of the Italians, the life that "turisti" probably never see. I would also go beyond visual arts, and talk about music, as well as the culinary and design arts. Even in the visual arts there is so much architecture that one could find off the main trails. But Brandon promises more books in this vein, and will no doubt address these topics.

Second, I do not feel that the Parco dei Mostri qualifies as a hidden treasure. I consider it an excellent yet run-of-the-mill tourist attraction. A lot of people go there.

Finally, I disagree with the glowing assessment that Vasari's "Lives of the Artists." I have always considered this book at best uneven. It apparently draws its inspiration from Diogenes Laertius' "Lives of the Philosophers," which suffers from a similar spottiness in insight and accuracy. If I had to recommend a book that does what Brandon purports Vasari's does, it would be Burkhardt's "Civilization of the Renaissance."

All these quibbles aside, anyone who wants to learn about Italy should buy and read this book. It does not disappoint. I learned so much from this book, and it was if Ann Brandon was telling me what I learned in a personal conversation. So warm is her style of writing that it just makes for a quick and delightful read!

This book is for all visitors to Italy-even the jaded few who feel they have seen it all. Ann Brandon has covered
so much art that most of us have neither seen nor heard of. I was totally captivated by just reading the book, Ms. Brandon has great writing style and wonderful detail covering all of the pieces. What I found most exciting was visiting sites that I hadnt been to before-expanding upon the content. This book isnt just about museums!!-

This was the best textbook I ever had and the course on Balkan history taught by Charles Jelavich at Indiana University, with this book, was the best I ever took. Unfortunately I lost my copy years ago. Now that the Mideast is once again a mess, I turned to look for a copy. I am happy to see it back in print, just sorry the price is so ridiculously high. The book is priceless, but to be contrary this price is too high. The paperback is worth it.

This is an indispensable resource for any one interested in Balkan History. It's a comprehensive and wide resource that takes you through the political, economic, and social history of the Balkans, organized by modern state with chapters from each time period on political developments and the Ottoman Empire as a whole. A special focus on ethnic and national issues makes it more than relevant today, despite its age.

The book by prof.Stavrianos was the last one I had on my list of books on the Balkans that I had planned to read as background material for my own work on the economies of the EU Candidate Countries, and especially of course the Southeastern ones (the other books were by Glenny, Hodos, Obolensky, Kaplan). It was also the thickest one at 850 pages but I must say it was a pleasure to read. The set-up by theme and by individual country is always clear, and there is a richness of detail and at the same time a broad sweep that gives a very good overview. This is indeed what makes this book an exellent and impressive reference work, as the other reviewers also indicated and with which i can only concur. This richness also sometimes made me skip a few pages as I was not interested in every detail but this is not a criticism per se; there will be something in this book for all interested in the Balkans without necessarily wanting to take note of all the information that is there.

For me as an economist, what the author makes clear and what struck me in particular was how the combination of economic (agricultural, industrial, financial, infrastructural) underdevelopment and social and political problems (health, education, ethnic and reliious) that are still present today in many of these countries, have been part of their history for centuries. This does not mean they are immutable (and becoming an EU Member is the best way to break this deadlock, I am convinced) but it shows how deep a legacy needs to be overcome. So for this insight already for me the book was well worth reading. In combination with M. Glenny who provides a modern history of the period 1800-1990s there is of course some overlap but I can recommend to have them both (Glenny is perhaps more lively written). Stavrianos will stand as the reference work by which others are measured.

What a great book! I actually am a lover of Paris and photography, and of course who can resist a dog, let alone two? I really hope the authors make this into a series, maybe London, Florence, Venice? The book reads like a childrens book, but the target audience does seem to be aimed at adults. Whomever reads this book, it's enjoyable and one of my favorites!

This book was a gift from a friend who knows our love for dogs and Paris. My wife had just returned from the city of lights to our four "children" when the book arrived. What a delightful remembrance of the city seen trhough the keen photographic eye of Michael Maylszko. The text is complementary to a fault. A truely seamless product.

This should be enjoyed by anyone who understands the mind of a dog or who has been to Paris. It will be especially pleasing to those who appreicate both

The dogs on their own are adorable, the words on their own are wonderful, the sights of Paris are beautiful - but put them all together in this lovely book and you get the dreamy package that is "Betty & Rita Go to Paris". Excellent work! I look forward to Betty & Rita's next adventure.

If only there were so good guides for every other region of the world!!!! It is simply the best guide I've ever had. It ^has very good paintings and perfect descriptions. Impossible to miss one identification with that. And it's also not so heavy to transport, so you can easily bring it to the field. BUY IT!!!!

ý havent read it but my friend said to me it was perfect than ý will buy it as soon as possible..

This field guide has been awaited with excitement (already having existed in Swedish and Danish for a year or so) - now I know why. I have seen a huge variety of field guides, but this is simply the best yet. It covers Europe (east of Ural), Northern Africa (north of ca. 30 degrees north), and the Middle East (e.g. Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Armenia and so on). Also included is the islands of the Canaries and Madeira. All species naturally occurring (and several species not considered to be native) in this area are included. The only exception being a number of species only recorded a few times (usually meaning ones or twice) in the area. These rarities are included in a list. The species are dealt with taxonomically, and each group (e.g. Swans) starts with a short (or long in the "hard-to-id" groups) introduction. Each species has a text which I can only refer to as perfect. All relevant information is included (id, habitat, voice etc.). Also included is a map. However, the truly incredible thing is the drawings. Not only are they precise, they also include all kinds of plumage's and positions (often shown in a natural habitat as you would see it in the nature) that you could only wish for in most guides. Arrows (with a short and simple text) point at features of the birds especially important for identification. A thing most (if not all?) will find great is that the drawings are placed next to the text (and map) - no more endless going through pages. Incredibly it is still a handy guide. This is the field guide for the beginner as well as the pro. Sorry, I'm not able to find any bad things to say about this guide.

I have read all the books I could find about this subject,and
I think that this one is by far the most comprehensive. Clearly
the author has put an enormous amount of work and "IT SHOWS".

The Circassians are one of the world's forgotten peoples. This volume provides in itself a most useful source for a wide variety of information about them and, thanks to the rich bibliography (see another on the author's website), gives readers the opportunity to find out even more from works of narrower but deeper focus.

The Circassians historically spread across the N. W. Caucasus, speaking a language that was closely related to, but mutually unintelligible with, Ubykh and Abkhaz(-Abaza). The Ubykhs lived compactly around today's Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, whilst to their south(-east) lay the ancestral homeland of the Abkhazians. Though contacts existed with the Graeco-Roman world and then with Genoese traders a millennium later, it was not really until an expansive Tsarist Russia started to vie with Turkey for control of the region from the late 18th century that Circassia again impinged on the European conscience. A number of moving accounts have been left by such British visitors as James Bell, John Longworth and Edmund Spencer, which contributed to heightened awareness of the noble Circassian-Ubykh-Abkhazian resistance to the Russian aggressor and sympathy for their cause amongst many in Britain and Europe during the 1830s -- just as the parallel battle for freedom led by Shamil in the N. E. Caucasus excited great admiration. But the inevitable happened in 1864 when the N. W. Caucasian alliance was finally defeated and Russia took control. Most of the surviving Circassians and Abkhazians together with ALL the Ubykhs chose to leave their territories and take refuge in Ottoman lands (mainly Turkey). Ubykh died out in 1992, and the future for Circassian and Abkhaz amongst the diaspora is bleak -- in many ways the future of these two languages even in the Caucasian homeland is far from secure.

Amjad Jaimoukha comes from a Kabardian (East Circassian) family in Jordan and has done his people great service in producing this volume. The main deficiency is the absence of any description of the Circassian language, which, to confess a long-held personal belief, I find to be the most beautiful sounding language I have ever heard, and whose loss would be a tragedy not only for the Circassians as an ethno-linguistic group but also for the world of language-study. One or two other points could be made, as indeed I have in a fuller review for the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, but for the purposes of comment here I hope that the book is successful and enjoyed by all its readers.

Abkhazian, Circassian, now I am looking forward to have Ubykh one from same handbook series, I do want to thanks to Amjad Jaimoukha for his extraordinary work.

Excellent Source of information!

For anybody who wants to know more about the history of places they want to see in England, this is the guide book for them. I learned alot of interesting things and had alot of fun reading this book. I like the authors' style very much. They make the history easy to read and understand.

I've never known a lot about medieval and Tudor history, but a friend gave this book to me to help me plan a trip to England. Now I can't wait to see the places described in the book. These authors have a fan in me.

Anyone who has ever been to London knows all the basics--The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace--but this book takes you off the beaten path to some of the lesser known but still exciting places to vivist in London. The quirky stories behind the places are great, and I really appreciated all of the useful information, like hours of operation and admission costs. I can't wait for my next trip to London so I can use this fantastic guide some more!

If you liked the book Dog Friday, or Dolphin Luck, you'll like Hilary McKay's The Amber Cat,Robin the main person in the story, has got the case of the chicken pocs, meanwhile...his mom happens to get a letter from her brother Charley. Then she begins to tell the story of when she was little and she and Charley met a girl named Harriet...

Robin Brogan,Mrs. Borgan Robin's mother and Robin's best friend Dan are the main characters of the story. The Amber Cat is a sequel to Dog Friday and if you like it you will for sure like the Amber Cat. I read Dog Friday first and liked it but if you read Amber Cat first you might not understand it very well. The Amber Cat goes back to when Robin's mother was a kid. Robin's mother has a friend that was alive when her parents were kids. Mrs. Borgan was telling this story when Robin , Dan, and Sun Dance had the Chicken pox. Robin's uncle Charlie was there one summer when they were kids. He hasn't seen Robin since his dad died. Charlie, Robin's uncle, was coming to visit Robin and his mother. The Amber Cat goes back to when Robins mother was a kid.Why I like these books is because they are strange books and thats the tipe of books that I like. Robin finds a dog and since he found him on Friday Robin calls him Friday.

This book is about a mother who stays home with three boys while they have the Chicken Pox. She tells them an amazing story about when she was 11 and played at the beach with her cousins and a mysterious girl named Hillary. The author made me feel like I was right there watching them. I felt like I was in a secret world. There were many characters with interesting personalities. The ending left me thinking everything through again in my mind. I would highly recommend this book!

Now in an expanded second edition, A Concise History Of Greece by Richard Clogg (Fellow of St. Anthony's College, Oxford University, England) is a straightforward, scholarly chronicle of the modern history of Greece, ranging from the Ottoman rule of the late 1700's, to the pressures of Balkan strife and political modernization of the present day. Deftly written and carefully researched, supplemented with tables, short biographies, as well as a listing of the royal houses of Greece, A Concise History Of Greece is an excellent and scholarly survey of the modern growth of the nation which is a strongly recommended addition to academic World History collections in general, and Hellenic History supplemental reading lists in particular.

This is a great book for both an introduction as well as an on-going reference source on modern Greece.
Highly recommend it to students or anyone interested in learning the history of the modern state, without getting bogged down with boring details.

Richard Clogg is a renowned international scholar who has been writing about Greek history for decades. This work is a popularization (from footnotes deliver me) that should prove very helpful to the layman with more than a casual interest in Greece. It invites comparison with C.M. Woodhouse's also famous history, but I must declare myself incompetent to decide if one is better than the other.

Clogg's section on the Ottoman period is blessedly brief and his discussion of the Nazi occupation and Communist insurection are to-the-point yet incisive.

Perhaps the most exciting feature of the work is the great bunch of pictures gracing nearly every page and showing the days of glory in Modern Greece as well as some of the saddest. The maps are also helpful.

There are no footnotes but the selective bibliography will be useful to most readers. There is also an appendix giving thumbnail biographies of some luminaries in modern Greek history.