Dead Countries of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries - (Drew University Studies in Liturgy;6) by Les Harding (Hardcover)

About the Book

Organized as a series of entries for each dead country, and arranged alphabetically under fifteen broad geographical headings, provides wonderfully detailed summaries of the history of the dead countries that fill in gaps and expose the hidden histories of many geographic loca...

Book Synopsis

Organized as a series of entries for each dead country, and arranged alphabetically under fifteen broad geographical headings, provides wonderfully detailed summaries of the history of the dead countries that fill in gaps and expose the hidden histories of many geographic locations throughout the world.

Review Quotes

...entries are accompanied by an illustration of a relevant postage stamp...

...informative and could serve the historian or author well...

...offers a unique slant on world politics and geography through a look at stamp collecting...one that many will find compelling...

...this is the best book of its kind and auseful addition to any philatelic library.

Harding's citations in the entry epigraphs are at once whimsical and informative. His bibliography displays a similar mix of serious and fanciful...a useful reminder of the impermanence of political entities and an intriguing and well-organized compendium of historical lore.

Hardings' background as a reference librarian is evident in the usefulness of Dead Countries...an informative reference tool for stamp enthusiasts.

The entries are enhanced with apt quotations from explorers, travelers, or other writers who mention the place.

The whole 'dead' area is ripe for debate and this book is a good starting point.

What an enviable project and how commendable that he should have found a publisher prepared to carry it forward...fairly bulges with fascinating facts emerging from Harding's comprehensive research....In his preface, Harding writes of attempting to combine the usefulness of a reference book with the stimulus of a book that is fun and interesting to read. He has succeeded in spades.

About the Author

Les Harding (M.L.S., University of Western Ontario) is a freelance writer who currently resides in Canada.