Simon winder has spent far too much time in germany, denying himself a lot of sunshine and. Simon winders germania offers an unusual and very entertaining tour of the oddities of german history, finds john adamson by john adamson 5. I was expecting the history of germany with some personal considerations. Germania ebook by simon winder 9781429945417 rakuten kobo. Read germania een persoonlijke geschiedenis van het oude en het huidige duitsland by simon winder available from rakuten kobo. Germania is a very funny audiobook on serious topics. Germania was an unfortunate invention of the roman historian tacitus that became a. He works in publishing, most recently at penguin where he had the perhaps slightly disturbing fans apotheosis of actually. In this startlingly vibrant account, winder describes germanys past afresh, starting with the shaggy world of the ancient forests, all the way up to the present day and in doing so, he sees and begins to understand a country much like our own. The sunday times top ten bestseller germania is a very personal guide to the germany that simon winder loves.
He is the author of several books, including a trilogy of books on the history of central europe. Equally passionate about the regions history, folklore. The startingpoint of simon winders book is tacitus germania, published in ad100, and its vision of the tribes and lands outwith the then roman empire, a vision used to promote the concept of pure blood throughout german history. A personal history of germans ancient and modern london. I did not find this book entertaining and informative. Sebald to write a book about germany, they might have wound up with something like this sunday times germania is a. This is a group of 20 books which i came to really like in one way or another while writing germania. Germania ebook by simon winder 9789000334940 rakuten kobo. Sebald to write a book about germany, they might have wound up with something like this sunday times germania is a very personal guide to the germany that simon winder loves. After years of bitter squabbles over who would inherit the family land, they finally decided to divide the territory and go their separate ways. The modus operandi of germania, his personal history of germans, ancient and modern, recalled to my mind a book by a longdead novelist, bryan morgan, the end of the line 1957. In 843 ad, the three surviving grandsons of the great emperor charlemagne met at verdun. The second book in the trilogy, danubia, which deals with the habsburg monarchy, was longlisted for the samuel johnson prize. Buy germania by simon winder from waterstones today.
It is a audiobook full of curiosities, odd food, castles, mad princes, fairy tales, and horsemating videos. Germania by simon winder, 9780330451406, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Germania is a very personal guide to the germany that simon winder loves. Their unprecedented rule is the focus of simon winders vivid third book, danubia. A personal journey into the disturbing world of james bond, 2006 slips as giddily into discussing the ravages of the thirty years war as the awfulness of german cuisine, the pogroms that seized german towns in the wake of the napoleonic wars as. In wayward pursuit of the germans and their history. See all books authored by simon winder, including germania. Simon winder traces the history and influence of the hapsburgs and their farreaching empire.
Germania is also a personal guide to the germany that simon winder loves. Winder describes germanys past afresh, taking in the story from the shaggy world of the ancient forests right through to the nazis catastrophic rise in the 1930s, in an accessible and startlingly vivid account of a tortured but also brilliant country. Germania simon winder talks about all things german. A personal history of habsburg europe was sometimes fascinating and sometimes tedious. Germania is also a very personal guide to the germany that simon winder loves. On this count, simon winder is at the top of my nonfictionauthor heap at the moment, having pulled off a book thats so expansive covering much of the german. Mar 24, 2010 simon winders first book, the man who saved britain, turned his selfamused passion for james bond into kindling for a bonanza of cultural and political insights, shrewd asides, and good jokes. Een betoverend weefsel van een reisverslag, anekdotes en komischheroische geschiedenis. Germania in wayward pursuit of the germans and their history book. I enjoyed simon winders book danubia enough to seek out his earlier combination traveloguehistory, germania a personal response, as he calls it, to german history. His books about central europe mix historical writing with autobiographical reflections on his travels in. Danubia was longlisted for the samuel johnson prize for nonfiction 20. Following germania and danubia, the third installment in simon winders personal history of europe in 843 ad, the three surviving grandsons of the great emperor charlemagne met at verdun.
A personal history of germans ancient and modern, and danubia. Review of germania by simon winder rhapsody in books. He is the editor of a number of anthologies, including the highly praised night thoughts. Following germania and danubia, the third installment in simon winders personal history of europe. Germania veteran of rome book 5 by william kelso 4. Feb 17, 2010 author simon winder discusses his book, germania, and his fascination with teutonic culture. Germania by simon winder overdrive rakuten overdrive. Philip oltermann on an entertaining tour of german history. Following germania and danubia, the third installment in simon winder s personal history of europe. He works in publishing and lives in wandsworth town.
A personal journey into the disturbing world of james bond, 2006 slips as giddily into discussing the ravages of the thirty years war as the awfulness of german cuisine, the pogroms that seized german towns in the wake of the. Yet, as simon winders new book makes clear, the english problem with germany goes deeper than whether or not its polite to mention the war. Review of germania by simon winder rhapsody in books weblog. Lotharingia is a history of this inbetween land and joins the equally fascinating germania and danubia in simon winders personal exploration of europe. Simon winder books list of books by author simon winder. No, in fact it wasnt yawning and sighing that i did wake up my wife. Winder delved into many of the fascinating and often amusing aspects of habsburg political, military, artistic and dynastic history while. Equally passionate about the regions history, folklore, cuisine, architecture and landscape, winder describes germanys past afresh and in doing so sees a country much like our own. Jan 19, 2014 simon winder traces the history and influence of the hapsburgs and their farreaching empire. The imperial decline that 007s ultracool myth did so much to poultice, the arrogance and cruelties of empire itself, pop fanhood as a bastard form of patriotism vs. A personal history of habsburg europe by simon winder. Winder reveals the littleknown diversity of its folklore, cuisine, architecture, local history and the many. Germania is an apt title for winder s project, not because the province of the roman empire bears much of a resemblance to the place we know nowadays, but because roman senator tacituss book of.
Danubia was a fantasyland that needed a comic book family to keep it intact. Simon winders first book, the man who saved britain, turned his selfamused passion for james bond into kindling for a bonanza of cultural and political insights, shrewd asides, and good jokes. Germania book hennepin county library bibliocommons. Equally passionate about the regions history, folklore, cuisine, architecture and. Author simon winder discusses his book, germania, and his fascination with teutonic culture. Read germania in wayward pursuit of the germans and their history by simon winder available from rakuten kobo. From the end of the middle ages to the first world war, europe was dominated by one family. Feb 14, 2010 simon winder s germania offers an unusual and very entertaining tour of the oddities of german history, finds john adamson by john adamson 5.
Feb 04, 2011 germania is a very personal guide to the germany that simon winder loves. Germania isbn 9780330451406 pdf epub simon winder ebook. Winders book is propelled by a wish to reclaim the brilliant, chaotic, endlessly varied german civilization that the nazis buried and ruined, and that, since 1945, so many germans have worked to rebuild. Author simon winder explains why he wanted to write his book danubia. Simon winder is the author of the highly praised the man who saved britain and a trilogy of books about the history of europe. Simon winder has spent far too much time in germany, denying himself a lot of sunshine and fresh fruit just to write germania. In this beguiling, hilarious and compelling book we retrace how both from west and from east any number of ambitious characters have tried and failed to grapple with these people. At first glance one assumes that simon winder has in mind with germania something like an. Simon winder is the author of the highly praised the man who saved britain and a. Germania is an apt title for winders project, not because the province of the roman empire bears much of a resemblance to the place we know nowadays, but because roman senator tacituss book. The imperial decline that 007s ultracool myth did so much to poultice, the arrogance and cruelties of empire itself, pop fanhood as a bastard. Germania is a very funny book on serious topicshow we are misled by history, how we twist history, and how sometimes it is best to know no history at all. He also shows the areas of europe once part of the habsburg empire and talks about his favourite places in central europe. Readers who discovered simon winder s genius for telling wonderful stories of middle europe with germania will be delighted by the eccentric and fascinating stories of the habsburgs and their world.
A unique exploration of german culture, from sausage advertisements to wagner sitting on a bench at a communal table in. A personal history of germans ancient and modern winder. Newly published in paperback, simon winders germania, subtitled a personal history of germans ancient and modern, is a fascinating account of the complex and unique culture of a country often viewed only through the prism of its disgraces under nazi rule. Jan 01, 2010 by simon winder farrar, straus and giroux. They are a disparate bunch but are all a pleasure to read and say curious things interestingly. Danubia was a fantasyland that needed a comic book. The work is full of curiosities, odd food, castles, mad princes, and fairy talesthe unseen sides of germany. Germania is a very funny book on serious topicshow we are misled by history, how we twist history, and how sometimes it is best to know. Germania is an apt title for winders project, not because the province of the roman empire bears much of a resemblance to the place we know nowadays, but because roman senator tacituss book of. Picador, 2011 2010 going down some harmlessseeming stairs, i was entirely surrounded by very old and complex crib scenes and a seeming infinity of wax baby jesus dolls. Simon winder was born in london in 1963, somewhat prematurely thanks to his mothers response to all the action and adventure in from russia with love. Simon winder is the author of the highly praised the man who saved britain and a trilogy of books about the history of central europethe sunday times london top ten bestseller germania, danubia, and lotharingia.
His look into the long history of the habsburg realms is deeplyresearched and insightful, but not welltold. Protestant, aggressive and committed to eating some very strange food. Writing german history prior to 1871 presents a daunting task because before that date there was no country known as germany. Germania isbn 9780312680688 pdf epub simon winder ebook. Sep 17, 20 author simon winder explains why he wanted to write his book danubia. The life and time of simon winder with some anecdotes about a. A cheerful, dryly unserious survey and travelogue through the landscape and psyche of germany. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. He is the author of the highly praised the man who saved britain fsg, 2006 and works in publishing in london. Germania explores how people are misled by history, how they twist history, and how sometimes it is best to know no history at all. Sep 01, 20 simon winder has spent far too much time in germany, denying himself a lot of sunshine and fresh fruit just to write this book. The modus operandi of germania, his personal history of germans, ancient and modern, recalled to my mind a book by a longdead novelist.
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