Author: Edward Behr
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 336
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Book Description
Behr's probing analysis of the historical roots of the Ceausescu dictatorship in Romania goes a long way toward explaining the pathological behavior characterizing the rule of t̀̀he communist Dracula'' and why his regime endured. À̀ man like me, '' Nicolae Ceausescu boasted, c̀̀omes along only once every five hundred years.'' Behr ( Hirohito ) makes clear what manner of man Ceausescu was, how he ruled his country and the important role his wife, Elena, played in the regime. The picture that comes into focus is that of an evil-minded, paranoid and petty couple, at once canny and stupid, who relied on a huge state security apparatus, the Securitate , to spread fear among their extraordinarily submissive subjects. The book includes a full account of the popular uprising in December 1989 and the arrest, trial and execution of the Ceausescus. Behr notes that the bulk of the officers and officials of the Securitate remain in place; thus the dead ''Dracula'' continues to cast his shadow over the land. This is a rare close look at one of the most grotesque of the Communist personality cults.--
Author: Michael Malice
Publisher: Michael Malice
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 369
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Book Description
The Russian Revolution was as red as blood. The Bolsheviks promised that they were building a new society, a workers’ paradise that would change the nature of mankind itself. What they ended up constructing was the largest prison that the world had ever seen, a Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that spanned half the globe. It was a country where people's lives meant nothing, less than nothing—and they knew it. But no matter what atrocity that the Soviets committed—the secret police, the torture chambers, the show trials, the labor camps and the mass starvation—there was always someone in the West rushing to justify their bloodshed. For decades it seemed perfectly obvious that the USSR wasn’t going anywhere—until it vanished from the face of the earth, gradually and then suddenly. This is the story of the rise and fall of that evil empire, and why it is so important for the good to never give up hope. This is the white pill.
Author: Alexander Margulis
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476609578
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 497
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Book Description
This dictionary contains 2,375 Russian sayings and proverbs and their English counterparts. Variants of each saying are included, and careful attention is given to the differences in British and American versions. For example, the Russian saying that is interpreted as "Children behave in a childish way, and they cannot be expected to act like grown-up people," is first given in Russian (in the Cyrillic alphabet) and then in English, and is then followed by the nearest English-language equivalent sayings in Britain and the United States: "Young colts will canter" (British) and "Boys will be boys" (American). The proverbs and sayings are arranged alphabetically by the first Russian word (in the Cyrillic alphabet) and are cross-referenced so the reader can find analogous Russian versions of English sayings. There is a keyword index for each language (one in English, one in Russian in the Cyrillic alphabet), which allows the reader to find a proverb or a saying without knowing the first word. Proverbs and sayings are current and include those popular in both spoken Russian and literature. The prefatory matter is in both English and Russian, for readers who have a command of either language.
Author: Jon R. Stone
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135870543
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 545
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Book Description
The Routledge Book of World Proverbs draws together proverbs that transcend culture, time and space to provide an enduring collection that is both useful and enjoyable.
Author: Lucian Boia
Publisher: Reaktion Books
ISBN: 9781861891037
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 336
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Book Description
Romania occupies a unique position on the map of Eastern Europe. It is a country that presents many paradoxes. In this book the preeminent Romanian historian Lucian Boia examines his native land's development from the Middle Ages to modern times, delineating its culture, history, language, politics and ethnic identity. Boia introduces us to the heroes and myths of Romanian history, and provides an enlightening account of the history of Romanian Communism. He shows how modernization and the influence of the West have divided the nation - town versus country, nationalists versus pro-European factions, the elite versus the masses - and argues that Romania today is in chronic difficulty as it tries to fix its identity and envision a future for itself. The book concludes with a tour of Bucharest, whose houses, streets and public monuments embody Romania's traditional values and contemporary contradictions.
Author: NA NA
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1137112158
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 321
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Book Description
Author: Tom Gallagher
Publisher: NYU Press
ISBN: 0814732011
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 452
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Book Description
Since the 1989 fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, Romania, arguably the most regimented of states in the Soviet bloc, has struggled with the transition from totalitarian state to democratic nation. In this insightful examination of modern Romania, Tom Gallagher provides an overview of Romania’s unique political and social history, focusing on both its national identity as well as the legacy of Soviet rule. Gallagher provides an in-depth look at Romania since 1989, focusing on the government’s attempts at economic reform, engagement with democracy, problems with corruption among the ruling elite, as well as the weakness of civil society and the resilience of implacable expressions of nationalism. Ultimately, Gallagher argues that thus far democracy has essentially failed in Romania. In fact, he warns that Romania is on its way to becoming one of the most unequal states in Europe and quite possibly a future trouble-spot unless efforts to resume much-needed reforms are undertaken.
Author: Insight Guides
Publisher: Apa Publications (UK) Limited
ISBN: 1839051205
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 771
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Book Description
Let us guide you on every step of your travels. From deciding when to go, to choosing what to see when you arrive, Insight Guide Romania, is all you need to plan your trip and experience the best of Romania, with in-depth insider information on must-see, top attractions like Transylvania, Bucharest, Cluj, Sibiu and Brasov, and hidden cultural gems like the Bucegi Mountains. This book is ideal for travellers seeking immersive cultural experiences, from exploring the streets of Bucharest and Cluj, to discovering Romania's great outdoors, including the Danube Delta and Bucegi Mountains. - In-depth on history and culture: explore the region's vibrant history and culture, and understand its modern-day life, people and politics - Excellent Editor's Choice: uncover the best of Romania, which highlights the most special places to visit around the region - Invaluable and practical maps: get around with ease thanks to detailed maps that pinpoint the key attractions featured in every chapter - Informative tips: plan your travels easily with an A to Z of useful advice on everything from climate to tipping - Inspirational colour photography: discover the best destinations, sights, and excursions, and be inspired by stunning imagery - Inventive design makes for an engaging, easy-reading experience - Covers: Bucharest, Sibiu, Cluj, Brasov and many more About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps, as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
Author: Michael Meyer
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1849831998
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 343
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Book Description
'Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!' This declamation by president Ronald Reagan when visiting Berlin in 1987 is widely cited as the clarion call that brought the Cold War to an end. The West had won, so this version of events goes, because the West had stood firm. American and Western European resoluteness had brought an evil empire to its knees. Michael Meyer, in this extraordinarily compelling account of the revolutions that roiled Eastern Europe in 1989, begs to differ. Drawing together breathtakingly vivid, on-the-ground accounts of the rise of Solidarity in Poland, the stealth opening of the Hungarian border, the Velvet Revolution in Prague, and the collapse of the infamous wall in Berlin, Meyer shows that western intransigence was only one of the many factors that provoked such world-shaking change. More important, Meyer contends, were the stands taken by individuals in the thick of the struggle, leaders such as poet and playwright Vaclav Havel in Prague; Lech Walesa; the quiet and determined reform prime minister in Budapest, Miklos Nemeth; and the man who realized his empire was already lost and decided, with courage and intelligence, to let it go in peace, Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev. Michael Meyer captures these heady days in all their rich drama and unpredictability. In doing so he provides not just a thrilling chronicle of perhaps the most important year of the 20th century but also a crucial refutation of American mythology and a misunderstanding of history that was deliberately employed to lead the United States into some of the intractable conflicts it faces today.
Author: M.J. Trow
Publisher: Robinson
ISBN: 147210773X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257
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Book Description
A historical journey in pursuit of the history, legend and lore of vampires. Where do they come from? Why do they have so much appeal today? As Twilight hits the book charts and billboards, and True Blood is on TV there are vampires in downtown clubs and never has it been more fashionable to be pale. M J Trow looks at the story of vampires and charts its origins a long way from the shopping mall in the story of the warrior prince, Vlad of Wallachia.
