Product Description

This concise, illustrated history of Portugal offers an introduction to the people and culture of the country, its empire, and to its search for economic modernisation, political stability and international partnership. The book studies the effects of the vast wealth mined from Portuguese Brazil, the growth of the wine trade, and the evolution of international ties. The Portuguese Revolution of 1820 to 1851 created a liberal monarchy, but in 1910 the king was overthrown and, by 1926, had been replaced by a dictatorship. In 1975 Portugal withdrew from its African colonies and turned north to become a democratic member of the European Community in 1986. Researched during the years which followed the fall of Portugal’s dictators in 1974, this book has become the standard single-volume work. The second edition brings the story up to date and discusses the state of historical writing on Portugal at the turn of the millennium.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99209 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Review
‘… standard reading for all those seeking an insight into the historical evolution of this remarkable country.’ The Times Higher Education Supplement

‘… a highly accessible and weighty study… unlikely to be superseded for some time.’ History Today

About the Author
David Birmingham is Emeritus Professor of Modern History in the University of Kent at Canterbury.

Customer Reviews

A distorted picture
In my view, this history of Portugal gives a distorted image of the country. It stresses the country's problems and plays down its achievements. The book pictures Portugal as a country struggling to establish a place on the world scene; modernise its economy and society; and secure political stability (!). In contrast, one can not find much on Portugal's gold age of the voyages of discovery and a worldwide maritime empire in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In fact there is not much on the first centuries of Portugal as a country. The whole book is rather biased, giving a one-sided and not particularly flattering picture of Portugal. I much prefer the more objective and well-balanced approach of 'Portugal: A Companion History, by Jose Hermano Saraiva et al.

Concise (alas)
This is mainly a reaction to the reviewer who claims that this book gives a distorted picture. I do not agree at all: the book gives what its title promises. It is a well-written and objective account; only in the final chapters the author allows himself some understatement. The only problem I have with the book is its conciseness - there are many episodes in Portuguese history I would love to read more about.
I also read -with equal pleasure- the even more concise 'Portugal: A Companion History' by Jose Hermano Saraiva. Saraiva's style is a bit (only a bit) more formal and drier than Birmingham's. I do not have a preference for either one of the books. Both are recommended for anyone interested in Portuguese history.

A Valuable Purchase
As a student of Portuguese at KCL with very little prior knowledge of the country and it's history, this concise yet informative guide is proving to be a most rewarding purchase. Although it may not go into immense detail, the information provided gives a good grounding in the fascinating history of this wonderful country.