A richly illustrated album featuring outstanding photographs by Professor Norman Davies. This distinguished historian, a Welshman fascinated by Poland, tells the story of our country once again—but this time in a very particular way.
As Norman Davies writes in the introduction to this book, “The history of a nation can only be properly understood within the broader historical context of the whole of Europe.” And this album brilliantly brings that idea to life.
“Golden Links” is designed to use excerpts from his earlier books—God’s Playground, Europe, and The Isles—to demonstrate the continuity of Polish history within the broader history of Europe (Part I), and to show the role Poland has played in the history of our continent (Part II). Like other European nations, Poland—situated at the crossroads of Europe—has shared in the continent’s cultural movements and conflicts.
Today, having freed itself from former dependencies, the Republic has returned to the heart of Europe, once again linking East and West, North and South. It now holds its rightful place in the European Union and, as in centuries past, is becoming a co-creator of European unity.
We are connected to one another in many ways—as neighbors, as nations, as regions, as states. As members of the greater European family, we find the conditions necessary for full development. From respect for diversity comes the awareness of a shared heritage. This is the beginning of the path toward discovering common values.