Book Description

First published in 2006. This classic work examines the modern history of Europe from an unusual perspective. European history has usually focussed on the urban life elite and the middle classes, but before World War II more than half of the entire population of the continent was composed of rural peasants occupying a territory stretching from the Black Seas to the Baltic forming a natural barrier between East and West. These people- Poles, Ukrainians, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Southern Slavs and others- are the focus of this book. First published in the 1930s, Tiltman's Peasant Europe strays from the normal look at Europe during this time period. While much of the continent is concerned with problems of international relations, industry and the future of armaments, Tiltman goes a step further than most writers and speaks with the common peasant to uncover their day-to-day concerns. He finds that most simply want consideration and a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their children. Accompanying the text are full page photographs, most of which are taken by the author himself, which offer a candid look at peasant life.