Winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for HistoryEncounters at the Heart of the World concerns the Mandan Indians; iconic Plains people whose teeming; busy towns on the upper Missouri River were for centuries at the center of the North American universe. We know of them mostly because Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1804-1805 with them; but why don't we know more? Who were they really? In this extraordinary book; Elizabeth A. Fenn retrieves their history by piecing together important new discoveries in archaeology; anthropology; geology; climatology; epidemiology; and nutritional science. Her boldly original interpretation of these diverse research findings offers us a new perspective on early American history; a new interpretation of the American past. By 1500; more than twelve thousand Mandans were established on the northern Plains; and their commercial prowess; agricultural skills; and reputation for hospitality became famous. Recent archaeological discoveries show how these Native American people thrived; and then how they collapsed. The damage wrought by imported diseases like smallpox and the havoc caused by the arrival of horses and steamboats were tragic for the Mandans; yet; as Fenn makes clear; their sense of themselves as a people with distinctive traditions endured. A riveting account of Mandan history; landscapes; and people; Fenn's narrative is enriched and enlivened not only by science and research but by her own encounters at the heart of the world.
#24217 in Books Gerwarth Robert 2016-11-15 2016-11-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.31 x 1.52 x 6.36l; .0 #File Name: 0374282455464 pagesThe Vanquished Why the First World War Failed to End
Review
52 of 53 people found the following review helpful. Riveting!By Paul GelmanIf November 11; 1918 is considered by many as the offical date when WW1 ended; Robert Gerwarth begs to differ and claims that the war ended for many only in 1923; and even this date was just the prelude to the other catastrophe; namely:WW2. In the words of Eric Habsbawm; WW1 introduced the age of extremes;meaning ages of violent upheavals.The abrupt break-up of Europe's land empires and the difficult birth of their successor states is to be regarde as one of the reasons for the upsurge of violence. If Europe experienced a short period of stabilization between 1924 to 1929;the core issues raised but not solved between 1917 ans 1923 would return; with new urgency; to the international and domestic political arena afetr the onset of the Great Depression in 1929.The book is divided into three parts called: "Defeat"; "Revolution and Counter-Revolution" and "Imperial Collapse".These parts are about the various revolutions that occurred after WW1; the rise of Fascism;and the Paris Treaty; which; according to Professor Gerwarth; suffered from many ills; and of whose results can be seen even today; particularly in the Middle East.By the mid-1930s; authoritarian regomes or dictatorships became the norm across central and eastern Europe. They despised parliamentary democracy but also Bolshevism. Outbursts of violence were committed by individuals or groups that did the same during 1917-1923.Another characteristic of those times was the almsot total disappearance of the distinction between civilians and soldiers. It was no coincidence that during 1918 to 1923 (and again from the 1930s); the number of civilians murdered in armed conflicts -most of them analyzed in the book- exceeded those of soldiers killed.Anothe rfeature of 1918 to 1923 was the dehumanization of the enemy; and this applied to external and internal foes alike. The thesis which starred in the vanquished states was that their defeat was nothing but the result of treason on the home front. Pogroms; revolutions; counter-revolutions; clashes on the home front and mass expulsions were the name of the game. It is worth quoting the words of the Russian polymath and philosopher Piotr Suve who; in a paper he wrote; said that "an extensive arc of post-war violence stretched from Finland and the Baltic states;through Russia and Ukraine; all the way to the Caucasus"This book is superb; and extremely well researched and documented and uses archival materials from eight different archives in Europe; and also has detailed maps and relevant photos. It reads like a fast moving thriller. More than highly recommended.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. The War That Would Not EndBy Anne MillsThis book surveys what happened in most of Europe after November 1918; when the First World War officially ended. To be accurate; however; it only ended for the winners; and not even for all of them. Some other countries were torn by civil wars; Russia is the best known example; but Germany too experienced something very like a civil war. Others were afflicted by interstate conflicts in the wake of the dissolution of three great land empires. The treaties signed in Paris created new borders (and new states) based on the principle of nationality; but the problem was that nationalities were still all mixed up; leading to territorial claims; insurgencies; and simmering resentments. The "post-war wars" went on until 1923; and the death toll was in the millions. Moreover; many of these wars left massive disagreements unresolved; contributing to the backdrop for the Second World War; and even for some of the wars we are fighting today.The book is a work of massive scholarship; but it still highly readable. For those interested in European history; or even in current events; I highly recommend it.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. World War I's outcomes and the resulting effectsBy Steven PetersonThis is a very useful book. Every so often; I have heard people say that World War II was just a continuation of World War I. This volume can be used to buttress that point.Gerwarth's book explores the outcomes of WWI. He notes the dramatic changes in the case of Europe. Empires disappeared: Austria-Hungary was no more--divided into a number of countries; some of which made little sense; Russia disappeared amidst the slaughter of its troops and the hardships endured by its people; ultimately to be replaced by a Bolshevik government; the German Empire; too; ended; with a republic coming into power. The winners sliced and diced geography; to punish the losers; to create something like (in certain circumstances) nation-states; where national communities were provided their own states. But not always.Lots of hard feelings emerged. This was not helped by the heavy financial penalties imposed on the losing countries. Nor by lands taken from them.Between 1918 and 1923; the key time span explored by the author; peace was imposed. But it was not a peace that would endure. Within two decades; another World War would begin. This is a fine book; and one that provides useful context for the first half of the 20th century.
