Rick Steves’ Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler

5 Responses to “Rick Steves’ Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler”

1. Anonymous says:

   September 8, 2010 at 12:44 pm

   Just a thought regarding the “New Enlightenment” addendum in the back of most, if not all, Europe 101 books, by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw.

   My point is concerning the third to the last paragraph in which Rick “marvels at how politically active American Christians can judge that we’re all children of God-while fighting aid for the hungry and homeless.” I nearly fell off my chair when I read this! Reflect of all the privately funded relief operations in which Americans RISK THEIR LIVES daily to feed, clothe, medically care for and educate multitudes. Reflect of the tens of thousands of hospitals built and hunger relief efforts developed to help “the least of these”. How many of persons hospitals were built in the name of atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Allah or socialism? The record shows that the majority of these efforts were and are painstakingly envisioned and brought to fruition, I’m sorry to say, Rick, by Christian organizations, be they Methodist, Baptist, Presb. Catholic, Lutheran. If you disagree with that then you are simply and sadly mis- or un-informed.

   I certainly don’t wish to exhalt American Christians above any additional nationality’s people of faith, and I am thankful for ANY medical and hunger relief done in the name of Mickey Mouse or Scooby Doo, IF IT WORKS, but it tires me to hear that particular liberal diatribe that says that “You Christians should stay out of politics!!!” Then, when a Christian seems misinformed about a topic, we are awarded the mark of “bumpkin” and “why don’t you get informed on the politics of the day???!!” Just had to let my view be known.

   By the way, I really do like Rick Steves’ material, and have read most of his books. Last year I continuously phoned and emailed my local PBS station to have ETBD place back on the Saturday line-up. I tried to reason with them, asking them, “aren’t TWELVE cooking shows enough for one afternoon!?” They finally agreed and started running the programs….for two months… then… no more ETBD. But, I still have access to the videos and books and the ETBD WEBSITE!!!!!
   Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
2. Anonymous says:

   September 8, 2010 at 2:32 pm

   I establish the discussions and descriptions of art very useful. Gives a nice overview of schools, major works, and how they tie together.

   The past discussion is regularly terrible. Additional readers have noted many of the errors, omissions, and most notably, biases in the book. The most egregious, but, is the section on “Europe Since 1945.” If the goal of the book is to clarify history and how it shaped present-day Europe, then the whitewashed presentation of the Soviet Union in this section of the book does a tremendous disservice. I would reflect that a reader who relied on this book would be utterly baffled by the still-ongoing struggle to unify West and East Germany, the perilous state of the Communist Party in France, Italy, and elsewhere. In addition, much of the economic, military, and even environmental policies of the second half of the 20th Century were driven by the dread of Communism. By presenting only the “noble, but failed” conduct experiment interpretation of Communism, the book makes it impossible to know the entire second-half of the 20th century in Europe.

   Example: The authors stress the differences between East and West Berlin, but appear to judge that West Berlin prospered only because of tax breaks and subsidized air fares. That’s probably why all persons people died trying to get over the Berlin Wall–to get persons subsidized air tickets. Notably, there is no mention of the Berlin airlift, the fact that West Berlin was an island in a sea of East German Communism, or any additional explanation for why people thought West Berlin was a questionable place to live.

   Example: On page 247, they state, “While America was left deeply in debt, the Soviet Union collapsed (as it would have anyway, agreed time).” Well, how long is “agreed time”? Should we have waited 10 years, 20 years, 50 years? How many more thousands or millions of people should have been sent to the Gulag so that we could have avoided the horrors of deficit spending? Sure, Hitler would have collapsed too–agreed time. Does that mean we shouldn’t have been willing to fight Hitler? Notably, there is no mention of the Soviet Gulags anywhere in the book, just sneering references to political leaders lobbing “evil empire” charges back and into the world.

   The final pages of the book include a testimonial by Steves as to his conversion to socialism after traveling the world. It is not clear whether this is the source of his desire to whitewash the history of Communism, but if so, then he should get an unbiased editor to help him write a more truthful and accurate history.

   I give this book 2 stars: 4 stars for the art, negative 2 stars for the history, which makes 2 stars overall. One can only hope that a new edition will be in the offing that will clean up the mess of history that is made in this edition.
   Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
3. Anonymous says:

   September 8, 2010 at 4:15 pm

   Mr. Steves presents an account of the development of Western art mixed together with an ill-informed and skewed picture of the past background. He says his book drives “art snobs nuts.” (“Art snobs” rumor has it that being persons who have a genuine feeling for art.) It also drives historians nuts – in each case for excellent reason.

   Real appreciation of art comes when individuals respond to works of art in their own way, not when a name else tells them what to see in paintings, monument, etc.. Read a excellent art history book, use your own eyes and ears and mind and snub Mr. Steves.

   I recommend that any prospective buyer read Mr. Steves past chapter. It is both incredible and depressing, How could anyone be so incredibly naive and gullible? If he makes so many mistakes here and is so clearly prejudiced, how can you trust additional things he has to say?

   Mr. Steves believes that because the U.S. is wealthy it must have stolen what it has from additional countries (and should give it back by sending still more money to third-world kleptocrats). This is simply fake. The economic success of a country depends on its own culture and institutions (and, in the past, climate). Land and natural resources (and, nowadays, climate) play only a very tiny part -as the examples of Japan, Singapore, and some others, attest. Rather than lambaste the U.S. (which is obviously Mr. Steves’ primary motive) he should question what is holding additional countries back. The answer to that question, by the way, is not that they are or were colonies or otherwise exploited.

   The extent to which he whitewashes communism is remarkable -he rumor has it that is one of the few in the world who do not now see it for what it was. For example, to assert, as he does, that West Berlin was vibrant because of subsidies is nonsense. All cities are subsidized, if one wants to use the term. by the regions surrounding them. The subsidy received from the government of West Germany simply made up for the fact that West Berlin was cruelly cut off from the lands surrounding it. That subsidy couldf hardly clarify the liveliness of West Berlin (or the extreme drabness of East Berlin -which was subsidized to an even greater extent by the East German government, something Mr. Steves would never point out.). Mr. Steves uses the subsidy as an excuse.

   Although Mr. Steves happily attacks the Europeans’ past throughout this book, when he turns to the United States’ present he goes enthusiastically into overdrive. Chic as it may be, anti-Americanism is an intellectual trap into which many, including Mr. Steves, have fallen. Not only does Mr. Steves have no understanding of the past, he also has no understanding of the present. He has failed to do what he urges others to do, that is, to see what Europe, the United States and the rest of the world are really like. As a replacement for he has bought a propoganda line.

   A final note: The aver that 90% of Algerians were literate before the French came is preposterous and doesn’t stand up to any scrutiny at all. Since nearly no women would have been literate at that time in Algeria, Mr. Steves must judge that 180% of the men were literate. Doesn’t he reflect before writing things which are obviously incorrect? Perhaps he does and is simply trying to fool his readers. (Anyone want to bet that Mr. Steves will not change this aver in the next edition?)

   Anyone with a knowledge of art will howl at many of the things Mr. Steves wants his readers to judge; likewise for historians and economists. It is a very sad comment that Mr. Steves has become a guru for so many people in this country. It is also highly ironical that a name who rebukes his fellow Americans for being ignorant of additional cultures is himself so ignorant, gullible and prejudiced.
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
4. Symphony Grace says:

   September 8, 2010 at 4:52 pm

   I thought that I would receive this book a small sooner than I did. It did arrive within the shipping time, but it was a Christmas gift for a name and I didn’t receive it until the 29th. In any case, the book is absolutely gorgeous. The pages are glossy, it is well constructed and from what I briefly read and saw, reasonably informative and well organized. It also was a excellent fee for what you get. Thanks!
   Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
5. Anonymous says:

   September 8, 2010 at 5:05 pm

   I felt the book was well written. Mr. Steves is humerous and light in his writing. I fould the book reasonably appealing, and an brilliant down and dirty beginers guide to the arts. Very helpful indeed!
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5