This book is typical of this popular series in giving authoritative accounts of aspects of the country’s geography and history, with a generous sprinkling of biographies, in an easy‐to‐use alphabetical sequence, robustly produced. Broad subjects such as agriculture, architecture, tourism, and Trade Unions mingle with historical events such as the Locarno Treaty, Counterreformation, and Warsaw Pact; places ‐ Prague, Moravia, and Lidice; people ‐ Saint Wenceslaus, Alexander Dubcek, Vaclav Havel; and numerous other topics that feature in the history of this born‐again nation: Civic Forum, National Theatre, and the Prague Spring of 1968 to take three examples. Not surprisingly there is an emphasis on political events, many of which suffer from “soft” nomenclature: Transfer of Germans From Czechoslovakia, 1945‐1947, perhaps, or Four Articles of Prague. Although cross‐references are copious and clearly identified in bold type, one feels there is a case for a thematic index or subject grouping. The accounts are concise and lucid.
More so than in most of the other volumes in the series, this book has a generous helping of non‐directory sections. After a note on spelling and a list of acronyms and abbreviations, there is a chronology of Czech History (to 10 June 1997), two maps, and a 15‐page introduction covering geography, economy, political system, etc., plus a fairly detailed history. End material includes a list of libraries, a 22‐page classified bibliography, a list of Czech princes, kings and presidents, and the texts of Charter 77 and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
The book will be useful for students of European history and politics, people interested in current affairs, intending travellers and probably just about everybody sometime! In the new nationalism of Eastern Europe, this book will fill a useful gap.
