Table of Contents

Maps and Diagrams Illustrations Notes on the Illustrations Abbreviations ChronologyI. Poland Destroyed and Reconstructed, 1795-19451. Narod: The Growth of the Modern Polish Nation (1772-1945) 2. Rossiya: The Russian Partition (1772-1918) 3. Preussen: The Prussian Partition (1772-1918) 4. Galicia: The Austrian Partition (1773-1918) 5. Fabryka: The Process of Industrialization 6. Lud: The Rise of the Common People 7. Kosciol: The Roman Catholic Church in Poland 8. Kultura: Education and the Cultural Heritage 9. Zydzi: The Jewish Community 10. Wojsko: The Military Tradition 11. Emigracja: The Polish Emigration 12. Varsovie: The Duchy of Warsaw (1807-1815) 13. Kongresowka: The Congress Kingdom (1815-1864) 14. Cracovia: The Republic of Cracow (1815-1846) 15. Wiosna: The Springtime of Other Nations (1848) 16. Reveries: The Thaw and the January Rising (1855-1864) 17. Rewolucja: Revolution and Reaction (1904-1914) 18. Feniks: The Rebirth of the Polish State (1914-1918) 19. Niepodleglosc: Twenty Years of Independence (1918-1939) 20. Golgota: Poland in the Second World War (1939-1945) 21. Granice: The Modern Polish Frontiers (1919-1945)II. Contemporary Poland since 194422. Partia: The communist Movement 23. Polska Ludowa: The Polish 'People's Republic' (since 1944) 24. Solidarnosc: The Solidarity Decade 25. Wolnosc: Freedom Regained, 1990-2000Postscript Notes on the Text Suggestions for Further Reading Index

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The most comprehensive survey of Polish history available in English, God's Playground demonstrates Poland's importance in European history from medieval times to the present.

About the Author

Norman Davies is chair of the history department, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, at the University of London.

Reviews

"The standard work on the subject in English.... [Davies] writes with commanding dexterity and a confident, at times almost swaggering, intelligence as he balances narrative and analysis." -- "Atlantic Monthly"