Belgium

Omond, George W. T. (George William Thomson), 1846Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 485K words
Chapters: 49

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Belgium by George W. T. OmondAuthor: Omond, George W. T. (George William Thomson), 1846-1929,Language: English, Class: DH: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Release Date: Jul 11, 2014

Editor's review

George W. T. Omond's historical work on Belgium belongs to an earlier tradition of general history writing, its prose carrying the unhurried rhythm of a late nineteenth-century British popular historian. Its value lies not in offering the latest research findings but in showing how earlier generations gave overall shape to the history of the Low Countries: beginning with geography and early inhabitants, it links the medieval cities, Burgundian rule, the Spanish period and the course of independence. To readers used to modern historical scholarship the narrative may seem digressive and its sources dated, but precisely for that reason it serves as a specimen of the history of historical writing, and suits beginners who want a clear timeline first. Read it as a look back from a nineteenth-century vantage point, not as an authoritative reference for checking details.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginner readers interested in the history of the Low Countries who want an overall outline first
Researchers interested in nineteenth-century British historical writing and narrative style
Learners who need English source material for extensive reading or language practice in history
General readers who like free public-domain ebooks and can accept older narratives

Not a good fit for

Professional historians who need the latest scholarship and rigorous source criticism
Readers who want only contemporary popular history and dislike old-fashioned long sentences
Those who expect abundant maps, chronologies or research bibliographies

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and the opening geographical chapters first to build a spatial and temporal framework before moving on to dynasties and cities.
Keep a timeline notebook, marking key events as you read to offset the looseness of the old-style narrative.
Flag judgments that differ from modern histories, then revisit them after comparing other general histories.
You may read the chapters on the independence movement and urban development first; there is no need to start strictly at page one.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no background in Belgian history at all?

Yes, but it takes some patience. It proceeds chronologically and helps beginners build a rough outline from geography and medieval cities to the independence movement. It has no modern textbook-style chronology or introduction, though, so readers had best keep a map or timeline at hand and look up unfamiliar place names as they go for a smoother experience.

Are the sources and views in this Belgian history outdated?

As a general history written earlier, it stands at a distance from modern research in its choice of sources and interpretive framework, and should not be treated as an authoritative reference for checking details. Its main value lies in presenting the narrative style of late nineteenth-century British popular history and in offering beginners a relatively complete timeline; details and conclusions should be checked against modern works.

How difficult is the original English?

Overall it is popular historical narrative, with long sentences and many subordinate clauses and the unhurried rhythm of older English, though unfamiliar technical terms are not dense. Readers with a reasonable basis in English can move along smoothly; if it feels hard, read the geographical and urban chapters first to get used to the style before turning to dynasties and politics.

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About the author

Omond, George W. T. (George William Thomson), 1846 Author

George W. T. Omond (1846–?) was a British writer of history and travel books active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Public information about his life is limited, and his dates of birth and death and his education are not fully recorded. Five of his works are held in the collection, all centring on Scottish history and the Low Countries: The Early History of the Scottish Union Question, a study of Scotland's union question; Fletcher of Saltoun, on the politician Andrew Fletcher; and Bruges and West Flanders, Belgium, and Peeps at Many Lands: Belgium, the last written for younger readers. These works show him treating both political and local history in a plain, clear style, with careful attention to factual detail and to places and scenery, suited to general readers.