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God's Playground: A History of Poland, Vol. 1 Paperback – July 2, 2005

by Norman Davies (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
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This new edition of Norman Davies's classic study of the history of Poland has been revised and fully updated with two new chapters to bring the story to the end of the twentieth century. The writing of Polish history, like Poland itself, has frequently fallen prey to interested parties. Professor Norman Davies adopts a sceptical stance towards all existing interpretations and attempts to bring a strong dose of common sense to his theme. He presents the most comprehensive survey in English of this frequently maligned and usually misunderstood country.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    638 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Columbia University Press
  4. Publication date
    July 2, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    6.14 x 1.06 x 9.21 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0199253390
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0199253395
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

`Review from previous edition Anyone who wants to understand what has happened in Poland must dig into Norman Davies's great opencast mine of Polish History...it is very accessible, strewn with vivid quotations from original sources, good anecdotes, and much verse...' Sunday Times`The magnificence of God's Playground is that Norman Davies has given ust the music as well as the libretto, the passion, poetry, myth, and ancedote as well as the facts...Davies writes with spirit, and his enjoyment is infectious.' Observer`A yawning gap in Anglophone historical literature has now been filled...Dr Davies writes interestingly and well. His moods vary between cool detachment, passionate involvement, and ironic comment. His range of sources is wide and imaginative...a very substantial achievement.' Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

Norman Davies is Professor of History, School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies, University of London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Columbia University Press; 2nd edition (July 2, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 638 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199253390
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199253395
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.62 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.14 x 1.06 x 9.21 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

About the author

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Norman Davies

Norman Davies

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Norman Davies C. M. G., F. B. A. is Professor Emeritus of the University of London, a Supernumerary Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, and the author of several books on Polish and European history, including God's Playground, White Eagle, Red Star, The Isles, Europe, and Microcosm.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
33 global ratings

Top review from the United States

Derek Link
5.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly, Dense, Well Written, Worth It
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2008
I am a 4th-generation American of Polish ancestry. I mostly read non-fiction, my "to-read" pile was low, so I decided earlier this summer to learn something of Polish history. I never had much interest in Polish history, but since my ancestors came from Poland, I thought it might be interesting. I knew nothing about the history of Poland, except the very thin veneer of WW2 history and Solidarity in the recent times, etc. I searched online and discovered that Davies 2 volume Polish history is considered the best in the English language. (Four generations removed from Poland, the only word I can say in Polish is "butter." I needed a good English book.) I just finished Vol 1, and I am about to buy Vol 2. Vol 1 starts from Polish pre-history to 1800, when the Polish political state was partitioned and abolished. Volume 1 is great! The writing is very good. Davies is a scholarly Oxford don type of writer. Beautiful language. It can be dense. I had to look up a few words. There were sections of the book I read very lightly -- some political details that are not of interest to a non-scholar casual reader. But there are some very interesting sections too that read very well. I loved some of Davies' extensive quotes from original sources. Some were quite funny and lewd. I will never forget the quote from Rousseau about the final partition of Poland. For an educated American of Polish descent, this book was a fun, if sometimes, dense read, full of information that I am now glad I know. Volume 1 is about 500 pages long, minus footnotes, and it took me 1 month to read it. My only complaint: I wish the book had better maps in it.
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Giorgio Battisti
4.0 out of 5 stars in ritardo ma arrivato
Reviewed in Italy on December 10, 2020
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Arrivato con un poco di ritardo ma il prodotto è ok
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Koos
5.0 out of 5 stars Part One: history like a thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2014
Verified Purchase
I have to admit: in advance I hesitated to buy this book. I already own Adam Zamoyski's book about the history of Poland. Also, I already own some of Norman Davies' later books. I knew about this "God's Playground volume I". Knowing Davies his style of writing and knowing this was his 'first' book, I had some doubts. My thoughts: It can't be that good. Then, I realised it is always good to rely on more then one history book about a certain subject, in this case 'the history of Poland'.

I tought I already knew enough about the history op Poland and Europe. Apparently not! This volume I tells about the origin, the birth, the rise and the fall of the Republic of Poland-Lithunia. It's not a dry tale, starting in the year 1 and ending in the year of 1795. No, different points of view are used in this very well written history book. The people, the aristocracy, the trade, the humanism, the religion, the monarchie, the Liberum Veto, the expending kingdom, etc.: many different points of view are used, while Davies keeps the chronological time as a main thread in the story that links them all.

What I also liked, it's not only an history about Poland. Davies also looks at Poland and their long important role in Europa. Then suddenly you realise how less this country was in war on the 'European Scene'. Western European are full of pride of their own history. That's good. I'm one of them. But it would do many people good to read some more about a country like Poland. Because how many people will realise the endurance/long period of Polish Power at the European scene compared to the very short, most bloody reign by someone like Napoleon? Most people will have the tendancy to look down at the Polish period, only because of their vague idea about the famous 'Liberum Veto'. They should know better, this book provides the insight.

The book is so well that in the end it reads almost like a thriller. As a reader you know the Three Partitions of Poland are heading, but you want to scream"Look out! Don't you see what's comming?"
11 people found this helpful
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Daniel Garcia
4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction even if outdated
Reviewed in Germany on September 8, 2017
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I very much liked this book even if it is now outdated. In particular, the author has a very modern conception of History in its relation to geography and economics and it is particularly delightful in its critique to socialist historiography. More generally, it provides a very good introduction in the history and society of the pre-partition Kingdom of Poland.
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Rysiek
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent work of history - true piece of art
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2015
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Excellent book, keeping up with the general standard of Norman Davies. His publications on the history of Poland are of excellent historicity, supported with great sources and analysed thoroughly with passion, and humour in places.

To summarise very briefly, the book focuses on the history of Poland before the Partitions of the late 18th century brought Polish political existence to a conclusion for a period of 123 years. The first few chapters present a chronological development of Polish history, and later chapters focus more on particular strands of the development of the Polish state: trade, diplomacy, nobility, culture and religion (to name a few).

Most importantly, Davies demythologises a lot of Polish history, especially of the origin of the Polish state, and attempts to, with great success, distance himself from any particular interpretation of various elements of Polish history.
2 people found this helpful
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Renata Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars Polish history as it was!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2015
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Excellent, finally learned the true and objective history of my own country after being subjected to a distorted version of it in school - grew up in pre-1989 communist Poland, you see... They were teaching us only what would please the masters in Moscow... Eye opening, fascinating account of facts.
4 people found this helpful
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