The Basque History of the World
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Amazon.co.uk Review
After basking in the shallows of success that surrounded Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, Mark Kurlansky turns his attentions to the people who first hunted it and in doing so may have discovered America before John Cabot could say Isparsortalderatu. In a sense The Basque History of the World is the natural successor to Cod, for it grows organically from that book's early chapters. It unfolds the dramatic tale of the Basques as they fight off the challenges of the Vikings, the Romans, the Muslims and, for centuries now, the Spanish; proudly defensive of the remote and rugged hills on the edge of the Pyrenees, where Shakespeare set Love's Labour's Lost and that echoes with their peculiar agglutinating tongue. They are possibly Europe's aborigines and their language, unlike any other, was reputed to originate from, variously, the Tower of Babel, Atlantis and even the Garden of Eden. What's for certain is that it has defined their being when all else has been taken from them and that today, emerging from the shadow of the Franco regime's persecution, Europe's oldest nation wants to be its newest state. Kurlansky's recipe is reassuringly and familiarly unorthodox: intermingled with a stirring narrative are maps, photographs, pieces of reportage, quirky facts and, of course, recipes--the Basques are justly proud of their fish--and bean-based cuisine, something Kurlansky is not slow to savour. Where Cod was not simply about a big fish in The Big Pond but embraced the thorny problem of global over-fishing, The Basque History of the World does not confine its scope to the two and a half million people living in the seven Basque provinces. It speaks of violently modern and pervasive issues such as the notion of nationhood, borders and identity, and does so in a slyly humorous yet always passionate way. Be warned: This is not insipid, literary chloroform. What the imperious Kurlansky has written is a magnificently personal and driven tribute to a people and culture that have spellbound him for years and will warm the cockles of your heart (before adding them to a Ttoro stew). --David Vincent
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
'They are a mythical people, almost an imagined people,' writes Mark Kurlansky. Settled in seven provinces in a corner of France and Spain in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, separated by the daunting Pyrenees Mountains, the Basques are a nation without a country with an ancient and dramatic story that illuminates Europe's own saga. Signs of their civilisation exist well before the arrival of the Romans in 218 BC; many believe they are the original Europeans. Their ancient and forbidden tongue - Euskera - is equally mysterious: it is related to no other language on earth. Yet the Basques' contributions to the world have been clear and remarkable. They have always been a paradoxical blend of inbred tradition and cutting-edge internationalism. Prior to and during the age of exploration, they connected Europe to North and South America, Africa and Asia, and one of their own, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, was the first man to circumnavigate the globe in 1522. Their influence has been felt in religion and in business: they were among the first capitalists, and later led the Industrial Revolution in southern Europe. Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout. The book blends political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
So much I have always wanted to know.
Amazing information on Basque history, politics and best of all cooking.... Baccaloa recipes.
The section on the linguistics of the Basque language is so easy to follow and I very much enjoyed the guide on how to pronounce the inpenetrable "tx."
The coverage of the American influence on Basque feelings and the effect of Franco on the immediate lives of the Basque people was electrifying.
The bibliograhy is stunning.
An extremely well-written and wonderfully researched book.
I would reccommend it anyone who is interested in exploring the totality of "Spanish Culture and History."
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Mark Kurlansky, author of 'The Basque History of the World' (Jonathan Cape; 1999) presents one of the most accomplished books on Basque history ever written in English. Kurlansky blends human stories with cultural, political and culinary history. He, like many other authors is attracted by the challenge of the survival of this small country throughout thousands of years. Kurlansky reveals a different point of view on the Basque people, far from the stereotypes imposed by many modern journalists. The author, as a journalist himself, highlights the Basque's outstanding impact on Europe's historical evolution. "No word less describes Basques than the term separatist...Considering how small a group the Basques are, they have made remarkable contributions to world history", Kurlansky adds. The modern Basque Country represents a human group constituted by hardly three million people lost in the swarms of the great human crowds. A significant fact of the Basque Country is the tenacity for the historical survival, its touch of distinction for the cultural creation, and its collective memory for the development of a social identity. While the world has entered into the Third Millennium, over 650,000 people are speaking a language, Euskera, whose roots can be found in the Stone Age (6,000BC). The Basque sociologist Ruiz de Olabuenaga argues that "something that had defined and is still defining men and women of the Basque society is the conviction that we ourselves must create our own future and that the excellence of the history of this country can be lost. We are a small country but solid, intense,passionate between the unconditional fidelity to our tradition and the maximum compromise to the ambiguity of the future". Kurlansky summarizes the aspiration of the Basque people for such historical survival in the final sentence of his book: 'Garean gareana legez' - 'Let us be what we are' - (from Esteban de Garibay, Basque Historian, XVIthC).
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There are a total of seven provinces in Basque land. Three are in France and four are in Spain. Consequently, the birth of local Basque wall graffiti, "four plus three equals one." "The Basque History of the World," is a comprehensive historical portrait of a proud people. Moreover, author Mark Kurlansky details the very unique and "tenacious" characteristics of the Basque population. Interestingly enough, Kurlansky argues that the Basque tongue, "Euskera" is likely the oldest living European language.
Kurlansky's narrative starts in the Bronze age, examines the bloody difficulties of the Spanish Civil War, it documents the stunning bravery of the Basque people during World War II, and reports the terrible human rights violations inflicted on the Basque people by the Franco Dictatorship. Kurlansky also does not fail to report the impressive economic development of the region from fishing to shipbuilding to steel manufacturing. On a diplomatic note, the author makes a point of reporting the shameful American State Department betrayal of the Basque people due to Cold War politics. Finally, this book is an important source of information for all Latin Americans...you may very well discover your own links to the Basque culture. Recommended.
Bert Ruiz
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Our history from a different point of view
As a basque, I bought this book full of curiosity. It is great to look at our history from an outsider's point of view. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Beñat
a must read
i got this book for my husband for christmas,he didnt understand why i am so proud of being basque. now he does.it also made me even more proud
Published 4 months ago by biktor
An excellent book
Even if you are not a lover of history books, this is a excellent book and a definite must read for travellers to Spain and the South West of France.
Published 7 months ago by lesley eaton
Authoritative, compelling, colourful Basque history
This all encompassing history of a small region of Europe I have never been to and have no reason to empathise with, managed to provide compelling reading. Read more
Published 19 months ago by M. Hillmann
Basque History
This is a beautifully written and captivating description of Basque culture and history. I would thoroughly recommend reading this book.
Published 21 months ago by Baff
Enjoyable but not to historical standards
The author brings his personal travel experience to compile a book amenable to read, providing some detailed background to some of the habits of the Basques, particularly around... Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2010 by L. Alarcon
From a Basque: this book is rubbish
I read this book when it came out and I just have taken it in my hands again to see if I have the same feeling about it now as I had it then. Indeed I do. Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2008 by justin case
Interesting book
Kurlansky's book is an interesting first approach to Basque History. It gives an interesting historical background on many places as well as a detailed insight of the historical... Read more
Published on 19 April 2007 by LAS@Portugal
the basques are no longer an enigma
the basques, like the irish before the peace process, tended to get only negative press before this book was written. it's a gem. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2004
An interesting concept, but....
As I was planning a trip to Bilbao, I thought this book would be an ideal choice of background reading material. Up to a point, it was just that. Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2003 by Monsieur Pamplemousse
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