Czech and Slovak Heritage Tours

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Celebrating our 18th Year

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*Mark’s reading list….. *
As I have already stated, I LOVE history, and that shows in my tours.
My tour guests learn all sorts of gems of history from my lifetime of interest.
I personally think this is very important in choosing a tour, your going to
such fascinating places, chock full of history. This history makes us who we
are, and where we would like to go. On the tour we don’t go on and on about it,
but more then likely if you ask a question, we know the answer.
I love books and have too many, as I dig thought boxes, and shelves
this list will grow. Below is my reading list, it revolves a lot around
Central Europe, but not all. History and learning are a passion………

I just read :

*The Pillars of the Earth,* and *World Without End*, both by _Ken Follett_ ( Fiction )
Both are FABULOUS books, all about a small place in England almost 1000 years ago.
They are fiction, but have a wonderful storyline – chock full of interesting history and life.
 

*Prague** in Danger,* by _Peter Demetz_ 2007
All about the years of Nazi occupation, on a personal level - as told by the author.
I learned some very interesting history from this book, at the same time parts of it
seemed to be a bit about name dropping. In any case, what a time to be in Prague !

*Komarov, a Czech farming village*, by _Zdenek Salzmann & Vladimir Scheufler_ 1974
Currently out of print, a wonderful read for any hard core Czech historian. Tons of
wonderful detail about 1800’s everyday life in a small South Bohemian village.

*The Last Apocalypse*, by _James Reston Jr_ 1998
All about the time around the year 1000 in Europe, important events and people.
Gives you the foundations of Europe, it’s major players and why things happened.

*The Amber Room*, by _Catherine Scott-Clark & Adrian Levy _ 2005_ _
All about what happened to a amber room in a palace in Russia, it’s history and background.
It was stolen by the Nazi’s in WW II, and disappeared at the end of the war.

*The End of the Old Order in Rural Europe*, by _Jerome Blum_ 1978
The transformation of rural Europe in the 1800’s and 1900’s to a more modern society.
It’s more of a text book, and not a light read, but has some good information.

*Fallen Bastions*, by _G. E. R. Gedye_ 1939
Out of print, this book was written in London – it’s all about the takeover of CzechoSlovakia
in 1938 by the Nazi’s. What lead up to it, it’s major players and actions.

*The Midnight War*, by _Richard Goldhurst_ 1978
About the American intervention in Russian, 1918-1920. Right after communists seized power in
1918, they had a civil war, red vs whites. The USA and other countries got involved for a short while.
However 80,000 Czech and Slovaks were caught up in this mess as well, a epic historical happening !
*1939*, by _Micheal Jabara Carley_ 1999
The coming of WW II to Europe, the major countries policy’s and actions, and the consequences
to the smaller countries around them. ( not read this yet )

*The Unredeemed Captive*, by _John Demos_ 1994
The unknown story of New England settlers kidnapped by Native Americans and taken to Quebec.
Some were ransomed back, and some stayed in Quebec. This is my family story. My direct male
ancestor ; a 8 year old boy, C. Thomas witnessed his entire family killed. He was taken to Quebec,
when he grew up, he moved to Quebec city – where his story was written in his marriage contract
in 1706. His children changed the family name to Bigaouette. ( this story is not in the book – I have
to write it ! )

*The Early Slavs*, by _P.M. Barford_ 2001
Over 270 million people in Europe speak one of the Slavic languages ( Czech, Polish, Slovak, etc )
This book ( I have not read yet ) explores the early origins and development of these peoples.

*Austerlitz** 1805*, by _Ian Castle_ 2005
All about the famous battle of Austerlitz, which took place in Moravia. ( Eastern part of the current
day Czech Republic ) They also call it the battle of the three Emperors ( Austria, Russia & France ).
 

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