「舊世界無論獲得了什麼，都無法彌補在這場大戰中失去的一切。」讓我們重讀一戰前的歷史，重新思考我們的時代，試著讓人類的未來走向和平與自由暢銷著作《八月砲火》前傳兩座普立茲獎得主芭芭拉．塔克曼平生得意之作描繪一次大戰前歐美世界眾生相追究繁華表象之下，山雨欲來的戰爭線索 本書所描述的是一八九○到一九一四年，亦即第一次世界大戰爆發前的關鍵二十五年。此時的歐洲處於一個相對和平的時代，資本主義、科學技術，以及文化、藝術及生活方式等都在這個階段發展成熟，因此經常被稱為金色的美好年代（Belle Époque）。但芭芭拉．塔克曼指出，十九世紀是人類有史以來變化最快的時期，而此一前所未有的快速變遷，在十九世紀末、二十世紀初的這個時期到達了巔峰，少數特權階級享受著紙醉金迷的奢侈生活，下層階級則蓄積他們的痛苦、力量與仇恨。此一年代不全然僅有「信心、純真、舒適、穩定、安全與和平」，也同時存在「懷疑、恐懼、騷動、抗爭、暴力與仇恨」。不安定的因素正在和平的表象之下蟄伏、醞釀，埋下了戰爭的引信。書名《驕傲之塔》來自美國作家愛倫．坡（Edgar Allan Poe）著作中的這句話：從城市裡的驕傲之塔死神旁若無人地俯視一切作者以「驕傲之塔」作為一戰前夕歐洲與美國的寫照，並如此描寫當時的人們：在歐洲文明的偉大時代興建的這座驕傲之塔，是一座壯觀而熱情、富饒而美麗，同時擁有一座黑暗地窖的宏偉建築物。與後來的人相比，驕傲之塔的居民更自主，更自信，更有希望；更華麗，更鋪張，更優雅；更無憂無慮，更興高采烈，更樂於彼此的陪伴與交談，更不公義與更虛偽，更貧困與更匱乏，更感情用事，其中包括虛假的情感，更不容忍平庸，工作更有尊嚴，更徜徉於自然，更有熱忱。舊世界無論獲得了什麼，都無法彌補在這場大戰中失去的眾多事物。一戰前夕的人們渾然不知接下來的歷史大浪會將他們帶往何方，身為作者的芭芭拉．塔克曼，如同已預知小說結局的讀者，回望故事之中的眾生相。她無法出言警告，只能盡其可能地敘述這一切。當我們在這個時代以後來者的角度，眺望那個時代，更能強烈感受到當時的激越與凶險。本書分為八個獨立篇章，帶領讀者重返十九、二十世紀的交界――從英國到美國、法國、德國與海牙，主題包括：日漸衰微的愛德華時代貴族、歐洲與美國的無政府主義者、德國與理查．史特勞斯、法國的德雷福斯事件、海牙和平會議，以及英國與歐陸社會主義的起源，並且以一次世界大戰爆發前夕
City Bankers, 1890–1914 is a major contribution to a controversial area of economic history and to the debate about the nature of British society in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. Translated here into English for the first time, it provides a detailed analysis of the banking community of London between 1890 and 1914 when the City of London was the undisputed financial centre of the world. Attention is paid to the social origins, education, careers , business interests and fortunes of its members, to the networks of relationships of its most important dynasties, as well as to the political influence of the world of banking. The analysis is based on a sample of 460 bankers at the heart of international finance and the author has used a wide range of banking archives and private papers. Business historians and economists will welcome this comprehensive study of a most important group of capitalists at the junction of the business world and aristocratic society in the Edwardian age
City Bankers, 1890–1914 is a major contribution to a controversial area of economic history and to the debate about the nature of British society in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. Translated here into English for the first time, it provides a detailed analysis of the banking community of London between 1890 and 1914 when the City of London was the undisputed financial centre of the world. Attention is paid to the social origins, education, careers , business interests and fortunes of its members, to the networks of relationships of its most important dynasties, as well as to the political influence of the world of banking. The analysis is based on a sample of 460 bankers at the heart of international finance and the author has used a wide range of banking archives and private papers. Business historians and economists will welcome this comprehensive study of a most important group of capitalists at the junction of the business world and aristocratic society in the Edwardian age
Following the close of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the establishment of the Third Republic, France embarked upon a new wave of colonialism, acquiring addition territories in Southeast Asia
One of the core themes of anti-Semitic propaganda is that Jews commit ritual and serial murder, either in groups as a religious exercise or individually as a being uncontrolled by religion or sanity.
This 2001 book examines the diplomatic role of royal families in the era before the outbreak of the First World War. It argues that previous historians have neglected for political reasons the important political and diplomatic role of monarchs during the period. Particular attention is given to the Prusso-German, Russian and British monarchies. The Prusso-German and Russian monarchies were central in their countries' diplomacy and foreign policy, principally as a result of their control over diplomatic and political appointments. However, the book also argues that the British monarchy played a much more influential role in British diplomacy than has been accepted hitherto by historians. Individual themes examined include relations between Kaiser Wilhelm II and Tsar Nicholas II, the political significance of the ill-feeling between Wilhelm II and his uncle King Edward VII, the role of Edward VII in British diplomacy, and the impact of royal visits on pre-1914 Anglo-German relations.
Previous wage studies of the period before World War I found that real wages remained stable from 1890 to 1914 despite the continued growth of the economy. This study indicates that this conclusion wa
This book in the Seminar Studies in History series is a useful introduction to a key period in American history from the 1890s to the First World War. Books in this Seminar Studies in History series
In half a century Toledo was transformed from a fever-ridden swamp into a prosperous town with all the amenities of a major Midwestern city. The 1890s signaled the beginning of Toledo's greatest archi
Until the close of the nineteenth century, French colonial theory was based on the idea of assimilation, which gave France the responsibility for “civilizing” its colonies by absorbing them administra
