Folio Archives 306: The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World by Fernand Braudel 2000
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1wcarter
The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World In The Age Of Philip II by Fernand Braudel 2000
This extraordinarily well researched book is spread over three volumes that divide the story into :-
* - Vo. 1 - The Role of the Environment 406 pages
* - Vol. 2 - Collective Destinies and General Trends 607 pages
* - Vol.3 - Events, Politics and people 518 pages
It is a book to dip into from time to time to read the fascinating accounts of life at the time of Philip II of Spain in the second half of the 16th. century, but the book also wanders back to the earliest history of Europe and forward to quite recent events.
It is a human history that is staggering in its scope and relies extensively on fascinating anecdotes to bring history to life. It is lively and lurid, as well as being gritty and granular. It is a serious history as well as a collection of entertaining essays.
There are extensive notes, resource sources, bibliography and a comprehensive index. Scattered through the text are innumerable diagrams, plans, graphs and maps. Bound in pages of contemporary monochrome and colour pictures round out the illustrations.
The book was translated from the French by Sian Reynolds and is introduced by Eugen Weber. Each volume is bound in full green buckram blocked on both covers with a gilt design of type ornaments by Bernard Roberts. The endpapers are the same in each volume with a physical map of the Mediterranean at the front and a political map at the back, printed in shades of green. The page tops are stained green.
The magnificent dark green slipcase is wrapped-around with a colour painting and measures 26.4x18.5x14.5cm.
Wrap-around montage of slipcase
Front endpapers
Back endpaper
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
This extraordinarily well researched book is spread over three volumes that divide the story into :-
* - Vo. 1 - The Role of the Environment 406 pages
* - Vol. 2 - Collective Destinies and General Trends 607 pages
* - Vol.3 - Events, Politics and people 518 pages
It is a book to dip into from time to time to read the fascinating accounts of life at the time of Philip II of Spain in the second half of the 16th. century, but the book also wanders back to the earliest history of Europe and forward to quite recent events.
It is a human history that is staggering in its scope and relies extensively on fascinating anecdotes to bring history to life. It is lively and lurid, as well as being gritty and granular. It is a serious history as well as a collection of entertaining essays.
There are extensive notes, resource sources, bibliography and a comprehensive index. Scattered through the text are innumerable diagrams, plans, graphs and maps. Bound in pages of contemporary monochrome and colour pictures round out the illustrations.
The book was translated from the French by Sian Reynolds and is introduced by Eugen Weber. Each volume is bound in full green buckram blocked on both covers with a gilt design of type ornaments by Bernard Roberts. The endpapers are the same in each volume with a physical map of the Mediterranean at the front and a political map at the back, printed in shades of green. The page tops are stained green.
The magnificent dark green slipcase is wrapped-around with a colour painting and measures 26.4x18.5x14.5cm.
Wrap-around montage of slipcase
Front endpapers
Back endpaper
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2CarltonC
>1 wcarter: thanks for another beautifully illustrated article. This has been sitting on my shelves for about nine years and I haven’t got beyond flicking through it a couple of times, as its size is daunting. But I console myself that it was only £25 as an impulse buy from a local charity shop.
3ian_curtin
I've always regretted missing this one. I see a copy can be had from Ardis; however, I hadn't realised they've stopped shipping to the EU.
Thanks for the very comprehensive overview >1 wcarter: !
Thanks for the very comprehensive overview >1 wcarter: !
4PartTimeBookAddict
>2 CarltonC: Only two years for me! Bought it as part of someone's whole collection. I'm aiming for a read in 2024. They look fantastic and are part of my "1000 Books to Read Before You Die" challenge.
5coynedj
I too have these sitting on the shelves, lonely and unread. I really should get around to them at some point.
6Willoyd
>5 coynedj:
They are a superb read. They may be a chunky read, but Braudel is eminently readable.
They are a superb read. They may be a chunky read, but Braudel is eminently readable.
7coynedj
>6 Willoyd: When I retired, I promised myself that I would do three big reads in my first three winters. I've finished the first (and shortest) two, War and Peace and The Life of Samuel Johnson. The third, and this winter's undertaking, is Braudel's Civilization and Capitalism trilogy. Phillip II will have to wait a bit more.
8IainFyfe
Fwiw, Kookaburra books in Hobart, Tasmania had a fine copy of this for just AU$75 when I was there on Saturday...
9Willoyd
>7 coynedj: Love War and Peace! For me, at a similar stage of life, it's Les Miserables, Ulysses and The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (although Pepys, Macauley and Boswell might have something to say about that!).
