The Alps
An Environmental History
$24.70
- Hardcover
184 pages
- Release Date
25 January 2019
Summary
Stretching 1,200 kilometres across six countries, the colossal mountains of the Alps dominate Europe, geographically and historically. Enlightenment thinkers felt the sublime and magisterial peaks were the very embodiment of nature, Romantic poets looked to them for divine inspiration, and Victorian explorers tested their ingenuity and courage against them. Located at the crossroads between powerful states, the Alps have played a crucial role in the formation of European history, a place o…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781509527717 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1509527710 |
| Author: | Rose Hadshar, Jon Mathieu |
| Publisher: | Polity Press |
| Imprint: | Polity Press |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 184 |
| Release Date: | 25 January 2019 |
| Weight: | 476g |
| Dimensions: | 25mm x 152mm x 231mm |
| Series: | Environmental History |
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Critics Review
‘In the realm of Alpine history, Jon Mathieu is the leading voice – he knows the mountains as Braudel knew the sea. This compact but comprehensive overview of one of the world’s most famous mountain regions stands out for its sophistication, clarity and wry humour.’
Donald Worster, author of A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir
‘If I could recommend only one book about the Alps, it would be this one! Jon Mathieu’s book crosses national borders and historic periods with the greatest of ease. It introduces us to cultural and ecological challenges. And – most importantly – it is a great and enjoyable read. A book full of surprises and insights and wonderful illustrations.’
Christof Mauch, Director, Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, LMU Munich
‘An engaging, rigorous overview of Alpine history from earliest times to the present. This book represents in some ways the culmination of a life’s work by Mathieu, and offers the most up-to-date account of Alpine history possible, while being at the same time accessible and enjoyable to read.’
Tait Keller, Rhodes College
‘Mathieu is a leading authority on the history and culture of the Alps, and it shows.’
Stewart A. Weaver, University of Rochester
Prof. Jörg Balsiger, University of Geneva
“Mathieu’s episodic but informative narrative tacks back and forth, from the arrival of hunter-gatherers millennia ago through milestones such as the first recorded ascent of Mont Blanc, in 1786, and wolves’ resurgence in the twentieth century.”
Nature
Rose Hadshar
Jon Mathieu is Professor of History at the University of Lucerne and a renowned scholar of Alpine history. In 2016 The Alps won the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research’s prestigious Science Book of the Year award for the best humanities book for a general audience. In a career spanning thirty years, Mathieu has written seven books that have been translated into multiple languages.
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