Bøger om Østeuropa

When Sharon found typewritten pages tucked in the back of her deceased father's accordion folder, she had no idea she was holding an invitation to the greatest writing adventure of her life. The pages were her mother's final attempt to record her Jewish family's history - a history that she had kept secret for decades. Sharon's mother was clear in her writing, "All I ask is that you not forget me."With her mother's written permission to explore the past, Sharon embarked on a journey that would take her from the Russian Revolution to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, onto rural Nova Scotia, Canada. The journey was often painful, as Sharon learned more about her Jewish identity and uncovered the trauma her family had experienced before and during the Holocaust.Grieving for the murdered aunts, uncles and cousins whom she never got to meet, Sharon found herself struggling with depression and sleepless nights. Sharon's journey was one of grief, but it was also one of love and perseverance.Adolf Hitler failed in his attempt to eradicate the Jewish race. The Nafthal and Isserlin families live on in the three generations born in Canada since Sharon's mother and grandparents fled Europe weeks before World War II. Thanks to Beach Moose & Amber: Finding My Jewish History the family descendants know the great courage, strength and determination that run through their blood.

This collection sheds light on different aspects of the history of the Kurds in Syria during the Ottoman period.

Mythology comes to life in rural TransylvaniaIoana Nagy, a young midwife in rural Transylvania, has been accused of being a witch. Periodic precognizant revelations and her ability to discern spirits inciting humans to do evil make Ioana wonder if the accusations are true. Ioana struggles to support herself and her widowed mother in the economic turmoil following the end of communism and laments the disappointments of her life. But she senses big changes coming.Gideon Hunt, a young, idealistic, and naive American missionary, arrives determined to prove himself by dispelling superstitions widely held by rural Transylvanians. He finds himself both drawn to and repelled by the strong-willed and capable Ioana, reputed to be a witch. Gideon's preconceived ideas about the supernatural are soon challenged by unworldly experiences.As hateful presences deceive humans into committing despicable acts, Ioana and Gideon strive to define their relationship, understand spirits in the context of the Bible, and protect potential victims. The arrival of a powerful demonic lord who rallies the forces of evil pushes them to the limits of their courage.

Published in 1838, "Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor" is a firsthand account of travels in the Ottoman Empire. Written by R. (Robert) Walsh, a British diplomat, and illustrated with beautiful engravings by Thomas Allom, the book provides a vivid picture of the architecture, landscapes, and people of the region. This volume is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and culture of Turkey and the Middle East.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Iva Masek was born in Czechoslovakia in the short but tumultuous period of history between Nazi occupation and Soviet domination. Nurtured by her extended family and a system set on raising strong children, she grew up to become a national representative in gymnastics. While her sheltered upbringing prevented awareness of the corruption and brutality of the Communist regime, when she fell in love with a young man whose family have suffered deeply as a result of opposition to the regime, the truth became apparent. Following the 1968 Soviet invasion of her homeland, the couple were arrested for participating in an anti Communist demonstration, and their life plans were shattered. They made the decision to seek freedom and safety in another country. While determined to emigrate, they could not have realised what they stood to lose by leaving or foreseen the troubles which lay ahead. By sheer chance she lands in Australia, with no English, no money, and pregnant. The letters Iva wrote to her childhood friend in Czechoslovakia reveal a vibrant young woman, homesick and struggling to find her place in a strange new land. Having three children in as many years, the first premature and profoundly deaf, she endures trauma, grief and isolation. It is over a decade before she finally gains the opportunity to carve out an identity for herself and is able to share her skills, wisdom and passion, enriching the lives of thousands of young people. Just as she approached the time in which she might reap the rewards of her decades of dedication, she is confronted with yet another daunting challenge which would overturn her hopes for the future. She would need to summon the strength to adapt to her new circumstances and work to retain the spirit of joy and optimism that has underpinned her life.

Offers the full story of a fateful alliance between past and future mortal enemies--long preceding the well-known Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact--whose dimensions were kept secret from the outside world and yet which set the stage for World War Two and its outcome.

RUMPALLA, RUMMAGING THROUGH ALBANIA is a newspaperman's book. In it Lucas not only writes about his experiences traveling throughout the then-closed, tightly -controlled Communist country in the late 1980s, but he tells the story through the eyes of a reporter. In 1986 he became the first Americana reporter to be allowed into the country in thirty years. Returning again and again, Lucas chronicled the changes the country went through as it broke away from the hard line Communism of Joseph Stalin to join the rest of the nations of Europe as a fledging democracy. In between, the writer found time to search for the site of a World War II American plane crash, find his father's abandoned village, trace the High Albania footsteps of early English traveler Edith Durham, and help Kosovar refugees during the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia. In between, searching for the heart of Albania, he got to know and interview Albanian peasants and presidents.