This book is beautifully kept and a real bargain. It gives the flavour of Poland. The author wrote another history of Poland shortly afterwards because of the collapse of the eastern bloc. But I am really enjoying reading it.

Great book that gives on a nice, quick over view of Polish history

Great book.quick delivery

Excellent. Great read.

very pleased with this item

Learnt a lot most of which I didn't know at all.

This is a volume that should be in every family's library for at least two reasons. The first is that it records the history of a country whose story has been deliberately muddled and obscured by rivals and enemies in order to conceal their own wholesale thefts and appropriations. And what a fascinating story it is! Liberal centuries before the rest of Europe discovered Liberalism, yet peppered with feats of great military prowess. A kingdom where the actual king was elected. A fascinating role played by the Catholic Church, and particularly by the Jesuits. It is a real page turner.

The second reason for owning this history is that is written with a clarity and above all a wit and humour that is irresistable. A model of good style, it can be appreciated by all. No mere catalogue of name succeeding name, the author has the gift of making his subjects memorable in telling and often humourous sketches. Highly recommended. It will most likely turn your knowledge of European history on its head.

This book was an impulse purchase from daunt books(who arrange their stock by geographic location, not genre or subject)as a treat. That it was indeed.

Ever facinated am I by the histories and culture of our many Eastern European neighbours, and having made many Polish friends during my time in London I felt the desire to learn a little.

There are two reasons not to read about history. Either the history is dull, or the history is not dull and the writer doesn't do it justice.

Here, one thousand years of staggeringly mercurial history is here laid down with poise and intelligence, seeking largely to tell, and explain only when previous historians have confused the facts. Poland, and the western reader owe, I believe, a great deal to this unbiased and yet committed writer who seeks to hoist a flag to proud and civic moments in this tragic nations history while telling of it's failures and achievements with equal dignity.

The book itself is most appealingly presented with well spaced pages filled with art and photography, linked nicely with the subject matter. The prose itself is ever gripping, never tiresomely detailed, and the structure fluid and natural.

I enjoyed this immensely, indeed I did not put it down. Many lunch hours were extended overlong, and a few bus stops missed.

Zamoyski, as in all his books, gets right to the truth of the matter. His writings are truthful and objective. Zamoyski does not sensationalize history to sell books, he writes history to document the truth for posterity and for a better world future.

First, let me say that Chapter 21: "Ordeal by Fire," is in and of itself alone, worth the price of this wonderful book. Ch. 21 gives one of the best summations of Poland's losses of WWII in an objective, factual and calm manner.

When one thinks of a true gentleman and scholar, one thinks of credible historians like Dr. Zamoyski.

Ironic how the truth is upsetting to some people. Zamoyski' truths wake up the world to a better place in the long run. 100% pure credibility - period.

Dr. Zamoyski, thank you for your courageous and objective writings in balancing the way.

Is there a Polish Way II in the works?!

Finally, are there any of Zamoyskis' works in Spanish or Swedish?

Jane Kooyeh!

Other Zamoyski "must read," books: Warsaw 1920: Lenin's Failed Conquest of Europe

Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna

Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March

Poland

The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in the Second World War

Chopin: A New Biography

Holy Madness

One of the best Historians on Poland - Enjoy!

I read this book before my first trip to Poland recently because I wanted to know a thing or two about Polish history before 1939. It contains about a thousand years of detailed history written in a way that captivates the reader and makes the book hard to put down. I did notice a bit of a tendency to exagerrate Poland's importance in the scheme of European politics and history, but it was not overbearing and did not negate the many excellent qualities of the book. Obviously it's impossible to sqeeze a lot of detail into one volume covering a period of a thousand years, but this book does very good job of balancing its broad overview with the need for sufficient detail about the people, places, and events it covers. I found it to be a fascinating and enlightening introduction to Polish history and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in this subject.

A lover of history and a third generation Polish American I found things in this book that I had not found anywhere else. It is dense, true, but Zamoyski has a great sense of humor, often portraying human nature in all it's horror and folly through the lens of European history with Poland at the matrix.

I loved the way that Zamoyski sheds light on how intertwined Poland's history was and is with European history, the dynamics that contributed to her fall and how that fall affected the rest of Europe. He does a great job or telling the history of Europe and Poland in one volume.

I recommend this book to everyone I know who has a misaligned or poorly informed understanding of the Polish people, who bought the lie that was spread about these amazing people to justify the carving up of their country and the cultural genocide in the 19th century. Most find it too dense and it is, but I find that all truly good history texts are dense and I urge those I know to stick with it, even if you read a chapter a month it is well worth the time.

Having no background in Polish history, other than what little was covered in high school history, I wanted to acquaint myself with the history and heritage of this nation, before taking a trip to Poland. This book was perfect for that purpose. It begins with the story of Poland in 800 AD, and continues all the way through the Solidarity movement. In covering this time period, it does so in a very thorough, but easy to understand way, addressing what happened in history, as well as why it happened. In other words, it addresses the actual facts of what events took place, but also looks to underlying reasons. Personalities of people involved, religious and cultural motivation, as well as the social and political pressures of the world around Poland.

The only reason this received 4 stars instead of 5 stars, is that there are times when the opinion of the author comes through too clearly. There are a few occasions throughout the book where he refers to certain acts as "bigotry." Bigotry they might be, but in a history book, I would prefer the author to simply tell me what happened and why, and leave me to determine if the motivations amounted to bigotry.

However, that aside, the book is an outstanding source, and the author's opinion leaks through only in a few specific circumstances. If you can handle an opinion being given to you on occasion, then I think this will serve as an excellent primer for anyone wanting to start from scratch, and learn the history of Poland.

I came late to the exploration of my Polish roots and Zamoyski's book holds a special place on my bookshelf. Much more than a straight chronology of 'this war and then that war', it contains many fascinating and humorous accounts that go well beyond the dry facts and give the reader a sense of the time and place. Understanding the religious, social and economic conditions that shape people's thinking is a critical element in making sense of the actions they take. Whether you are of Polish descent or just fascinated by history, this book is a must have for your collection.