A Concise History of Greece (Cambridge Concise Histories) [Hardcover]

Richard Clogg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 1992 | ISBN-10: 0521372283 | ISBN-13: 978-0521372282

This book provides a concise, illustrated introduction to the history of modern Greece, from the first stirrings of the national movement in the late eighteenth century to the present day. It is designed to provide a basic introduction for general and academic readers with little or no prior knowledge of the subject, and supersedes Professor Clogg's Short History of Modern Greece which has become a classic since its initial publication in 1979. This latest account is a wholly new book, conceived afresh for a broad readership, in which the many illustrations with their extensive captions form an important part of the text.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'... an authoritative account ... sensitive analysis ...'. John Torode, The Independent

'Professor Clogg's slim and lively volume intersperses an authoritative account of the last 200 years of Greek history with a sensitive analysis of the Greek national character. It will be of use to anyone attempting to understand, for example, the historic basis of the row between Athens and its EC partners over recognition of the former Yugoslav state of Macedonia; or the constant friction with Turkey that is deemed by all Turks to be incurable. It also helps to explain the appeal that Andreas Papandreou and his often posturing and always chauvinistic 'socialist' party, Pasok, had for many of his fellow countrymen in the Eighties.' John Torode, The Independent

'As a Byzantine scholar, Professor Clogg is an excellent guide through the labyrinth of modern Greek history. Unlike other writers, he does not interpret events mainly in terms of the ideological struggle, nor does he overdo the importance of individual personalities. He moves the narrative forwards and onwards, yet also supplies detailed biographies and reference tables, neatly set out at the end, for those who require that sort of analysis. And accompanying the text, there is a range of contemporary photographs, all well captioned. Richard Clogg is a thorough historian.' Book of the Week, Arabic Service Programme

Book Description

A brief, accessible guide to modern Greece. Written by the leading expert on Greek history and yet highly illustrated for the student or traveller.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 271 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (July 31, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521372283
• ISBN-13: 978-0521372282
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,758,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great photographs, entertaining style, somewhat eclectic., December 18, 1998

By 

Mogens Skot-Hansen ([e-mail]) (Thessaloniki, Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Concise History of Greece (Cambridge Concise Histories) (Paperback)

I am a graduate student of modern history, currently working on 19th century Greece. Professor Clogg's book is a good introduction to the subject. I don't think there are better ones around. His relaxed style of writing and the layout together make for a very attractive and easily-read history of modern Greece. The photographs are fantastic. Almost half the book is made up by pictures and little stories relating to them. This is nice to read, but also a little confusing. There is a lot of information without a context, a lot of loose ends, too few conclusions, and too little coherence. To put it short, Clogg is a good historian, but I don't think he had many late nights editing this so-called "Concise History". (What a ridiculous title, by the way.) Having said that, the academic level is high, the political angle is very moderate and the glorification of the Greek national state is less pronounced than in earlier volumes. There is an underlying if not out-spoken atmosphere of sound critical thinking. I prefer historians who don't pretend to know exactly what happened. If you are really interested in Modern Greece, you should maybe read P. Kitromilides "Enlightenment, Nationalism, Orthodoxy". To me Kitromilides really is the king of modern Greek history. Very up-to-date, very thought-provoking, very new, very eloquent.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deftly written and carefully researched, October 9, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Concise History of Greece (Cambridge Concise Histories) (Paperback)

Now in an expanded second edition, A Concise History Of Greece by Richard Clogg (Fellow of St. Anthony's College, Oxford University, England) is a straightforward, scholarly chronicle of the modern history of Greece, ranging from the Ottoman rule of the late 1700's, to the pressures of Balkan strife and political modernization of the present day. Deftly written and carefully researched, supplemented with tables, short biographies, as well as a listing of the royal houses of Greece, A Concise History Of Greece is an excellent and scholarly survey of the modern growth of the nation which is a strongly recommended addition to academic World History collections in general, and Hellenic History supplemental reading lists in particular.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful work on Greek history, January 16, 2001

By 

Alekos (Cancun, Quintana Roo Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Concise History of Greece (Cambridge Concise Histories) (Paperback)

Richard Clogg is a renowned international scholar who has been writing about Greek history for decades. This work is a popularization (from footnotes deliver me) that should prove very helpful to the layman with more than a casual interest in Greece. It invites comparison with C.M. Woodhouse's also famous history, but I must declare myself incompetent to decide if one is better than the other.

Clogg's section on the Ottoman period is blessedly brief and his discussion of the Nazi occupation and Communist insurection are to-the-point yet incisive.

Perhaps the most exciting feature of the work is the great bunch of pictures gracing nearly every page and showing the days of glory in Modern Greece as well as some of the saddest. The maps are also helpful.

There are no footnotes but the selective bibliography will be useful to most readers. There is also an appendix giving thumbnail biographies of some luminaries in modern Greek history.