Though the Czech Republic is a young nation, the areas within and just
outside its modern borders boast an ancient and intricate past. A
History of the Czech Lands provides one of the most complete historical
accounts of this region to date. This history begins in the Neolithic
era and follows the development of the state as it transformed into the
Kingdom of Bohemia during the ninth century, into Czechoslovakia after
World War I, and finally into the Czech Republic. Such a tumultuous
political past arises in part from a fascinating native people, and A
History of the Czech Lands profiles the Czechs in great detail, delving
into past and present traditions and explaining how generation after
generation adapted to a perpetually changing government and economy. In
addition, the authors examine the many minorities that now call these
lands home--Jews, Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, and others--and
how each group's migration to the region contributed to life in the
Czech Republic today.
The second edition includes sixty new photographs and a new chapter
detailing the transformation of this post-communist country into a
member of the European Union. The only study in English of this scope
and ambition, A History of the Czech Lands is essential for scholars
of Slavic, Central, and East European studies and a must-read for those
who trace their ancestry to these lands.
