Länder som försvunnit 1840-1970

by Bjørn Berge, Jan Wibom (Translator)

Riken uppstår och går under. Nya stater etableras och upplöses efter några år. Den fascinerande historien om några av dessa försvunna länder väcks här till liv.

Bjørn Berge tar oss med på en spännande upptäcktsfärd till jordens alla hörn, från djupa djungler och ödsliga öknar till myllrande städer och folkrika jordbruksbygder.

Författaren berättar om bortglömda länder från 1840 till 1970. Vissa existerade bara i några månader, andra i ett år och något i ett decennium innan de försvann. Här återfinns gåtfulla namn som Heligoland och Tripolitanien, och läsaren får ta del av den spännande bakgrunden till länder som Manchukuo och Allenstein.

Länder som förvunnit är illustrerad med ett femtiotal kartor och frimärken, och innehåller dessutom intressanta ögonvittnesskildringar från till exempel Antoine de Saint-Exupérys sejour som postflygare i Cap Juby eller Knut Hamsuns besök i Batum.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Geography, Travel, Maps, Cartography, Politics

462 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2016

About the author

Bjørn Berge is an architect and researcher. He has written and published numerous articles and books on architecture, including The Ecology of Building Materials, which is used as a teaching resource at universities all over the world.

Reviews

[Arnoldas Rutkauskas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Labai įdomiai parašyta norvegų architekto ir tyrėjo knyga apie kraštus, kurie anksciau egzistavo kaip suverenios valstybės, tam tikros autonomijos bei nepriklausomi vienetai, tačiau kurie dabar jau yra inkorporuoti į dabartinių valstybių sudėtį arba išvis išnykę. Autorius yra aistringas pašto ženklų kolekcininkas, tad prie kiekvieno konkretaus pasakojimo apie tam tikrą šalį pridėtas ir pašto ženklas, atspindintis to laiko nuotaikas bei realijas. Pasakojimas apie kiekvieną šalį nėra ilgas, 4-6 puslapių, tačiau kas labiausiai patiko, kad į kiekvieną atskirą segmentą įpinamas ne tik sausų faktų ir istorinių datų kratinys, tačiau ir tam tikri rašytojai, menininkai bei atradėjai, keliavę konkrečioje šalyje ar ten gyvenę, taip pat prie kiekvienos istorijos pridedamas sąrašas knygų, filmų ar net receptų. Susiskaitė greitai ir nenuobodžiai.

[Magnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meget interessant lesning. Litt i overkant stort fokus på smaken på frimerkelim, men sånt klarer man å leve med.

[Zygintas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirmas sakinys: Visada maniau, kad mano gyvenimo tikslas – rasti savo vietą gyvenime.

Bjorn Berge yra tyrinėtojas ir pašto ženklų kolekcionierius. Pašto ženklų kolekcionierius jis keistokas – jo tikslas "yra surinkti po pašto ženklą iš kiekvienos šalies ar politinio režimo". Iš šių pomėgių ir kilo knyga – aprašyti šalis pagal turimus pašto ženklus. Kadangi pirmasis pašto ženklas – "Juodasis pensas" – atsirado 1840 m. Anglijoje, šalys išnykusios iki to laiko, objektyviai negalėjo patekti į knygą. Autorius mini, kad nuo 1840 m. "daugiau kaip tūkstantis po visą pasaulį išsibarsčiusių režimų laikė save pakankamai svarbiais, kad išleistų savus pašto ženklus" (8 p.). Net nutarus rašyti tik apie šiuo metu nebeegzistuojančias šalis, šis skaičius išlieka įspūdingas. Bjorn Berge pasirinko papasakoti 50 šalių istorijas.

Kiekviena šalis pristatoma trimis lygiais: pašto ženklais, liudininkų pasakojimai ir oficialia istorija (anot Bjorn Berge, "vėlesnėmis istorinėmis interpretacijomis" – galima tai vadinti politkorektiškumu, galima – moderniu požiūriu į dabartį ir istoriją). Autorius sutinka, kad labiausiai meluoja pašto ženklai, todėl dėmesį skiria jų fizinėms savybėms – spalvai, tekstūrai, kvapui ir net skoniui, nes šie meluoja rečiau. Šalies (pašto ženklo?) aprašymo pabaigoje nurodomos susijusios knygos, filmai, prie poros šalių – paveikslai ar patiekalai.

Istorijos apie šalis yra labai įvairios: neabejotinai kiekvienas ras mėgstamą. Istorijos trumpos (žemėlapis ir 5 puslapiai teksto), tačiau taupiame stiliuje yra daug įdomybių. Pavyzdžiui, Mergelių salų laisvadienių grafikas nuo Danijos Vest Indijos laikų yra daniškas (54 p.). O avokadas seniau vadinamas aligatorinėmis kriaušėmis (65 p.).

Nesu tikras, ar knyga tinka pirmai pažinčiai su istorija, nes bendrą kontekstą reikėtų žinoti. Pavyzdžiui, visai kitaip skaičiau apie Van Dimeno Žemę, kai esu skaitęs Matthew Kneale "Anglai keleiviai". Iš kitos pusės, knyga yra puikus kabliukas pasidomėti plačiau.

Knyga svajotojams ir nuotykių mėgėjams: vertingiausiai skaityti po vieną ar kelias istorijas per dieną. Galima ne po vieną kartą, net jeigu ir nerenkate pašto ženklų.

Knygos vertinimai labai skirtingi: vieniems per daug autoriaus asmeninės patirties (t. y. per mažai oficialios istorijos), kitiems – per mažai (nes, pavyzdžiui, autorius per daug politkorektiškai vertina vieną ar kitą istorinį faktą). Mano žinių ir supratimo lygiui knyga buvo tiksliai į dešimtuką –ir konteksto užteko, ir naujų detalių radau.

Knyga susišaukė su paskutiniu metu skaitytomis:
1) Patrik Svensson "Apie ungurius ir žmones: mįslingiausios pasaulio žuvies istorija". Be panašios idėjos (per asmeninę istoriją pasakojama platesnė istorija: ten – ungurių, čia – šalių) yra ir kitų bendrumų: lėtas stilius, atida detalėms, skandinaviškas požiūris į dabartį ir istoriją.
2) Gideon Defoe "Išnykusių šalių žemėlapis". Su šia knyga skirtumų daugiau (nors idėja – istorijos įdomybės – yra ta pati ir net apie kelias šalis rašoma abiejose knygose): britiškas humoras, nuotykiai, šaržas, intensyvumas vs. skandinaviška atjauta, atida detalėms, lėtas stilius.

[Anaarecarti · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Pe urmele țărilor dispărute” de Bjorn Berge se achită într-un mod de-a dreptul magic de promisiunea neobişnuită din titlu, vorbind despre ţinuturi cu o istorie uluitoare, dar pe care nu le mai găseşti azi pe harta lumii şi de care mulţi dintre noi nici măcar nu am auzit vreodată (să ridice mâna, că tot vorbirăm :), cei care ştiu ce e cu Republica Orange, Inini, Manciuko, Heligoland sau Tripolitania!… Ahâm, exact cum aşteptam)

Recenzia completa pe https://anaarecarti.ro/main/pe-urmele...

[Ivona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volumul lui Bjørn Berge, “Pe urmele țărilor dispărute”, e fix ceea ce mi-aș fi dorit în loc de manual la orele de geografie! Pornind de la motivele și simbolurile alese pentru mărcile poștale, arhitectul, cercetătorul și filatelistul Bjørn Berg ne spune povestea a cincizeci de țări care au existat cândva. Dacă mă gândesc mai bine, nu știu dacă țări e cel mai bun termen pentru a spune povestea acestor regiuni, teritorii, mici petice pe harta lumii, care au beneficiat de o mai mare sau mai mică autonomie, și uneori de independență, fie sfidând marile imperii, fie aparând ca zone tampon pentru a servi unor interese imperialiste.

Ați auzit de Boyaca, Heligoland, Tannu Tuva sau Mafeking? Nu sunt locuri din lumi fantastice, sunt numele unor tărâmuri care au existat suficient de mult încât să încerce conturarea unei identițăti vizuale prin emiterea propriilor mărci poștale, dar insuficient de mult pentru a trece testul timpului, existența lor fiind, de cele mai multe ori, curmată subit în complexitatea secolelor XIX și XX. Într-un înconjur al lumii, din nordul măturat de viscole în sudul încins de soare, din junglă în deșert și din răsăritul misterios spre occidentul pragmatic, printre anecdote, file de jurnal ale unor martori oculari, rețete de bucătărie, recomandări de lectură și film, încercăm să înțelegem ce face dintr-un tărâm o țară și dintr-o populație o națiune. Cum revoluția industrială a amplificat cursa pentru resurse, din poveștile multora dintre aceste țări răzbesc frânturi de entuziasm care rivalizează cu epoca marilor descoperiri geografice, aventură și cutezanță. Oricum, veți realiza că multe dintre aceste țări nu vă sunt complet necunoscute; poate ați și fost pe acolo. Din altele nu au mai rămăs însă nici măcar ruine, ci doar câteva rânduri în niște jurnale roase de timp. În lipsa unor mari istorii, numitorul comun al acestor țări îl reprezintă de cele mai multe ori galeria personajelor exotice. Dar cine să mai rețină istoriile unor țări care au durat abia ceva mai mult decât o vară indiană?!

Capul Juby e locul unde între 1927 și 1928, scriitorul și aviatorul francez Antoine de Saint-Exupéry a activat ca șef al stației intermediare pentru avioanele poștale care se îndreptau din America de Sud spre Dakar, scriind astfel unul dintre capitolele importante din istoria aviației. Numită astăzi Zona Tarfaya, din Maroc, Exupéry descrie Capul Juby în “Curierul de Sud” și “Pământ al oamenilor”. La vânătoare în inima Labuanului vă duce Emilio Salgari în “Sandokan: Tigrii din Mompracem”. Iar dacă am amintit de pirați, în volum ne întâlnim și cu o scurtă istorie a coloniei anarhiste Libertatia, întemeiată de pirații francezi pe insula Sfânta Maria din Madagascar. Iar în Bhopal ne întâlnim cu dinastia Begum a principeselor în burka. Cu un “dictator de aur” născut la București ne întâlnim în Țara de Foc. Când ascultăm “Mis flores negras” de Carlos Gardel să ne gândim la dispărutul Estado Soberano Boyacá iar când citim “Cuceritorii. Calea regală” de André Malraux să nu uităm de Sedang. Precursor al simbolismului, poetul Arthur Rimbaud se apuca de comerțul cu arme în Obock. Jean Sibelius ne poartă în Carelia Rasăriteană. Culmile muntelui Musa Dagh din centrul romanului lui Franz Werfel s-au aflat între 1938 și 1939 în Republica Hatay. În 1968 medicii francezi au prezentat pentru prima dată opiniei publice cazurile copiilor africani suferinzi de sindromul Kwashiokor, numiți și copii-Biafra, după numele țării anexate de Nigeria în 1970. Și am enumerat doar 11 din cele 50 de țări prezentate în acest volum pe care îl consider unul dintre cele mai fascinante și intrigante volume de non-ficțiune care au văzut lumina tiparului în ultimii ani. Plus că e o carte pentru întreaga familie!

Mai multe detalii pe: http://www.dinmansarda.com/pe-urmele-...

[Andreas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly the author talking about his stamp collection with a few facts about these countries sprinkled in, which was moderately interesting. I did like the concept of learing about obscure countries though. However I did find several typos and some factual inaccuracies.

2.5(ish)/5 stars

[Marko · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a history buff like myself Bjorn Berge's book was highly interesting. There are countless countries and other areas that are long gone from the maps so there is an endless list of possible countries to include in this book. Berge's filter was interesting, he picked countries for which he owns a stamp. Berge doesn't delve deep into each country, rather usually he is quite anecdotal, focusing on some interesting fact and just skimming through the rest of the history. Quite understandable as each country gets about four pages. On the other hand this means the chapters are easy to read and avoid excessive number of names and dates. Most of these countries were familiar to me at least by name, but still I learned something new about each of them.

Perfect book on your nightstand. Easy to read a few chapters before turning out the lights.

[Faith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really disappointing. The concept is really interesting and I was really excited! I love maps and history, but the author talked too much about himself and was glib and dismissive in all the wrong ways, especially when it came to discussions of colonialism and racism. I really tried to like it, but it just was not well executed, and not even in a way that I think is from losing nuance in translation.

[Ingrida Lisauskiene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pažįstu aistringų kolekcionierių ir pati esu viena iš jų. Todėl knygos formatas labai patiko - pristatoma kažkada egzistavusių šalių istorija, kurią lydi tos šalies pašto ženklo nuotrauka ir istorija. Vien surinkti tokią pašto ženklų kolekciją jau yra didžiulis iššūkis. O dar surinkti visą informaciją ir ją išdėstyti įdomiai - tikrai talentingas dalykas. Prisipažinsiu, kad kai kurių šalių net pavadinimų nesu girdėjusi.

[Susa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mielenkiintoisia katkelmia historiasta, mutta syvempi tutustuminen kaaokseen mikä maiden ilmestyessä ja kadotessa täytynee hakea muualta. Kirjoittaja on postimerkkikeräilijä, ja esittelee kadonneita maita postimerkkejen kautta, mitä en tajunnut ensivilkaisulta. Enkä ole ihan varma, täytyikö minun saada tietää miltä jotkut postimerkeistä maistuivat.

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings. It's an interesting way to show off the world what rare stamps you have. By the end I felt like I hadn't learned a whole lot except for some reason the author believed we needed to know what these stamps tasted like so he kept on licking them.
I don't know if it was due to the sources used but some entries were written in an uncomfortable colonial perspective.
Ja kui te veel ei tea, siis Ida-Karjala piir Nõukogude liiduga pandi paika Tartu rahuga 😂

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Countries will forever try to present themselves exactly the way they want to be seen: as more dependable, more liberal, more merciful, more awe-inspiring or better at the business of government than they actually are. The stamps must therefore be viewed as propaganda, in which truth will always be of subordinate importance.”

All too often the history of the world involves stories of a tiny elite made up of dreadful human beings who wield far too much power and money and use it to indulge their every whim, whilst screwing over the poor in as many ways they can think of. There are certainly elements of that in here, but Berge also leaves room for some light heartedness as he takes us on an alternative journey into the world of vanished countries.

I am huge fan of books like this and I’m always on the look-out for writers and cartographers who try to take on different approaches to subjects like it and Berge has certainly done that in here. Originally published in Norway in 2016, this is a delightfully strange book, which really does look at the world in a fairly refreshing and lively way.

We see how empires and conquerors literally trade pieces of land with living people on them, like pieces of a chess board. So we see the Ottomans give the Brits' Cyprus as a thank you, and Austria-Hungary received the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. And in between being used for bombing practise, the English swapped Heligoland to the Germans in exchange for Zanzibar. But the Germans eventually got it back in the 1950s.

From better known regions like Vancouver Island and Van Diemen’s Land to the scarcely heard of places like Inini, Obock and Boyaca, we stumble upon one fascinating short story after another as Berge ties in historical detail with fiction, geography, politics and of course philately to create quite a compelling combination.

There’s plenty to learn in here, from the trivial to the more serious knowledge, I learned that New Brunswick is now Canada’s only bilingual province, with both English and French being taught in schools. We also learn the recipes to some random dishes from these places too. We hear about one eccentric leader from the former country of Alwar, (now part of India), who after being insulted in a Rolls Royce showroom in London, went on to buy 6 of their most expensive models and refitted them as rubbish trucks, which allegedly resulted in the company losing contracts throughout the region.

One of the more peculiar delights in this book is the author’s relationship with his stamps, “My specimen is torn and greasy from a great deal of finger contact. I can just about detect a rancid odour when I warm it between my hands and gently scrape the surface.” He says of his Heligoland stamp. Whereas the stamp from The Two Sicilies, “The taste has a hint of wheat.” He says of his specimen from South Russia, “I can confirm that it still tastes of boiled down horse-carcasses.”

The layout in here will delight those who enjoy aesthetically pleasing reference books. We get an image of a stamp from each listed country, sometimes even getting a description of how the stamp tastes after all these years. With each entry we start off with an information box, which has the period the country existed for, as well as the name, population (when available) and its size. We also get a basic, outlining map of the country too.

So if you are a fan of off-beat reference books and enjoy reading about rare stamps or forgotten countries, then this is certainly a book for you. It’s a fun and charming read and Berge’s boyish enthusiasm really comes through and proves to be infectious, even for non-stamp collectors.

[Ronny Kjelsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vil du bli med og se på frimerkesamlinga til Bjørn?

Hvis svaret er ja, er dette boka for deg.

Berges bok er en triumf for design og layout. Innholdet er også interessant, men når kanskje ikke helt opp til innpakningen.

Boken er en samling korte fortellinger over land som ikke lenger er med oss, med en lengde på fra fire sider per land. Men begrepet "land" er trukket litt langt. Det er mange, ikke bare kolonier, men også områder med enda mindre grad av reell uavhengighet her. Det virker som definisjonen i stor grad baserer seg på at de har gitt ut sitt eget - ja nettopp - frimerke.

Fortellingene er bygget over samme lest. Et kart og noen enkle faktaopplysninger. En kort gjennomgang av landets historie. En referanse til en gammel reiseskildring e.l. Og et bilde av et frimerke med historien bak det. Til slutt et sitat fra teksten blåst opp, og en to-tre kilder teksten baserer seg på.

Mye morsomt og interessant her, men også enkelte oppføringer som gjør at jeg føler meg litt lurt (er dette et "land"?).

[Kaja Kruus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huvitavas formaadis kujundatud kogumik riikidest, mis raamatus kirjeldatud kujul, enam ei eksisteeri. Filatelistist autor vaatleb kadunud riikide saatust läbi markide. Tema võime lugeda sellelt pisikeselt artefaktilt märke, on imetlusväärne ja huvitav. Raamatut tuleb tarbida keskmises koguses korraga (ca 50 lehekülge) ja on heaks vahelduseks intensiivse sisuga ilukirjandusele.

Raamatu mahlakad varia teadmised, mis peaks pakkuma erutust ka mälumängu koostajatele, lunastavad sisse lipsanud kirjavead.

[Aušra Strazdaitė-Ziberkienė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Architekto ir tyrėjo B. Berge parašyta knyga apie penkiasdešimt valstybių, egzistavusių 1840 – 1970 m. „Verčiau žvelkite į knygą kaip į rinkinį pasakų, duosiančių peno svajoms ir padėsiančių jums greičiau nugrimzti į sapnų karaliją.“ (p.11) pratarmėje rašo autorius. Kai kurios egzistavo ilgiau, kitos trumpiau ir labai trumpai. Kiekvienos jų egzistavimas dažniausiai susijęs su ištekliais ir baltųjų vyrų galios žaidimais, tad kuo toliau, kuo liūdniau skaityti.
Knygoje yra skyriai „Nuo 1840 iki 1860“, „Nuo 1860 iki 1890“, „Nuo 1890 iki 1915“, „Nuo 1915 iki 1925“, „Nuo 1925 iki 1945“ ir „Nuo 1945 iki 1975“, pratarmė, pastabos (visos visų tekstų išnašos – nekenčiu, kai taip) ir literatūros sąrašas. Skyrių pradžioje pateikiamas pasaulio žemėlapis su pažymėtomis tuo metu įsikūrusiomis šalimis, priešlapiuose – visos aprašomos šalys.
Man labai patiko šalies ir jos pašto ženklo sugretinimas, pašto ženklo vaizduojamų dalykų aptarimas, bandymas įsivaizduoti kur ir kokiomis aplinkybėmis jis buvo antspauduotas, o va klijų (ar svetimų seilių ar pelėsių) skonio aprašymas – ne itin. Taip pat autorius prie kiekvienos šalies pateikia su ta valstybe susijusias knygas, kurių autoriai gyveno ten ar lankėsi, filmus, muzikos kūrinius. Kiekvienos šalies pradžioje pateikiama pagrindinė informacija – gyvavimo laikotarpis, pavadinimas, gyventojų skaičius, plotas, vieta žemėlapyje ir šalies žemėlapis. Šalies aprašymas pradedamas vaizdingu situacijos aprašymu, baigiamas – ten gyvenusio ar viešėjusio asmens citata. Taip pat visur pateikiamas autoriaus turimas tos šalies ženklas su autorystės, piešinio, antspaudo, net perforacijos komentarais. Kiekvienai šaliai suteiktas ją apibūdinantis pavadinimas. Kai kur – netgi vietinio patiekalo receptas.
Man ne visai patiko valstybių išdėstymas pagal jų oficialaus įsikūrimo datą – būtent šiuo atveju chronologinis išdėstymas blaškė, o ne teikė papildomų minčių. Tai yra – kas man iš to, kad kažkas įsikūrė tuo pačiu metu Pietų Amerikos pakraštėlyje ir Azijoje? Kokią informaciją aš gaunu? Galbūt įdomiau būtų sekti valstybingumų raidą pagal kontinentus.
Taip pat man nepatiko citatos vieta – kiekvienos šalies skyrelio pabaiga yra liūdnoka, o išryškinta citata sukelia keistą, neatitikimo jausmą. Pvz. skyreliui „Persisotinę aristokratai ir begalinis skurdas“ (Abiejų Sicilijų karalystė) parinkta Julia Kavanagh citata „Neapolis pamažu traukėsi ir iš tolo rodėsi neapsakomai gražesnis.“. Ir ką? Ypač su paskutiniais skyrelio sakiniais „Nepaisant to, pietų Italijos regionas ir toliau išlieka gerokai skurdesnis nei šiaurinė šalies dalis, ir daug gyventojų veikiai emigruoja į Ameriką. Čia pačių nuožmiausių iš šių išeivių išskėstomis rankomis jau laukia mafija.“ (p. 19) Tad būtų įdomu pavartyti pirmą ir kitų šalių leidimus.
Pasakojimo tonas smagus ir paveikus, išlaikomas vieningas formatas, nesipuikuojama faktologine medžiaga. Pateikta informacija ragina domėtis ir daugiau – pavyzdžiui kodėl kai kurios šalys ir tautos taip nemėgsta vieni kitų iki šiol.
Pasižymėjau keletą citatų:
Apie „Sent Mari“ salą (Civilizuota panika atogrąžų utopijoje“): „Iš susidariusio etninio mišinio ilgainiui gimė unikalus vietinis dialektas, kuris kuo toliau, tuo labiau darėsi nesuprantamas niekam, išskyrus pačius salos gyventojus, o tai irgi prisidėjo prie bendrystės stiprinimo.“ (p.135) „Netoli Ambodifotatros uostamiesčio pakrantės, mažytėje „Ile aux Forbans“ salelėje, taip pat vadinamoje „Piratų sala“, galima aplankyti jūrų plėšikų kapinių liekanas – žalioje pievelėje tarp palmių besiilsinčius apgriuvusius akmeninius antkapius. O šalimais krištolo skaidrumo vandenyje, vos už kelių metrų nuo paviršiaus, galime išvysti gražiai į eilę sugulusius dešimtis nuskendusių piratų škunų.“ (p. 137)
Apie „Mafekingą“ („Apgaulingieji skautų manevrai“): „Jei būdavo nušaunamas arklys, mes nupjaudavome jam uodegą bei karčius ir siųsdavome juos į lauko ligoninę, kur iš jų gamindavo čiužinius bei pagalves. Kanopos keliaudavo į geležies liejyklą ir ten būdavo sulydomos į granatas. Oda nudiriama ir, nuskutus šerius, daug valandų virinama su gabalais sukapota galva bei kojomis, tada, pridėjus šiek tiek salietros, patiekiama ant stalo kaip slėgtinis. Nuo kaulų nugramdyta arklio mėsa būdavo perleidžiama per mėsmalę, sukemšama į arklio žarnas, ir kiekvienam vyrui su maisto daviniu tekdavo ir po dešrelę.“ (p. 157)
Skaičiau šią knygą beveik neatsitraukdama, kai kurias vietas balsu skaitydama vyrui. Labai rekomenduoju!

[Anton Andreassen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boka føles som forfatter Bjørn Berge's unnskyldning for å skryte av frimerkesamlingen hans. Han starter beskrivelsen av hvert land med å fortelle litt om hvordan det kom til og diverse om hvordan det var å bo i dette landet. Deretter bruker han dobbelt så mye tid på å beskrive alt mulig om frimerket fra denne plassen, tilogmed smaken. Man kan få med seg det viktigste innholdet i boken ved å bare lese første side om hvert land, og deretter hoppe fram til neste. Det er greit å prøve å skrive om mer personlige opplevelser for å engasjere leserne, men når kun 1/3 av en historiebok handler om historie så mener jeg man har gått for langt.

[Michael Rodgers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goed geschreven. Verassende gebieden komen aan bod. Een groot deel dat aan bod komt was echter nooit een land, eerder een gebied met een bepaalde mate van autonomie. Desondanks erg interessant en vermakelijk geschreven.
Helaas is het boek erg slordig in elkaar gezet. Het pijltje op de kaart die bij ieder land staat en die moet aanwijzen waar het land precies lag wijst NOOIT naar de goede plek. Hij zit er altijd ergens naast. Daarnaast zijn er een aantal kaarten en andere afbeelding op de verkeerde pagina's terecht gekomen. Ook de vertaling naar het Nederlands bevat enkele onduidelijkheden. Erg jammer dat het boek zo slordig in elkaar gezet is. Anders zeker vier sterren.

[Two Readers in Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging pocket tour of erstwhile countries, told in a series of vignettes illustrated by their contemporary stamps.

I must admit, I never truly understood the appeal of philately - but I certainly do now. (Side note: I am constantly re-learning that if there is a topic I think is inherently uninteresting, it is a sign of my own ignorance and I need to grab a book on it!) The author does an excellent job of transporting you to pivotal moments in history through stamps and literary sources (which he helpfully references for further reading at the end of each essay.)

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very clever work. Readers get glimpses into select nations and peoples that, in many instances, have been overlooked in the scope of recent history. It is not all-inclusive; some of the author's choices are obscure—and I think this makes the book more interesting. The author chooses a few specific events and details for each forgotten nation and then makes nicely condensed connections to... Stamps. Yes, postage stamps. Some nice investigation into choices for postage stamps are included, but this is not a work for pure philately. It is a nice overview of people, places, and events that we probably ought to know about but rarely see or hear.

Berge's use of English is very good, but it is not perfect. For someone like me, the occasional odd phrase and changes in register are obvious, but for its intended purpose the language is fine. That is why I give four instead of five stars.

This is definitely a coffee-table worthy book. It is hardbound, uses heavy paper, it well-designed graphically, and is nicely sized to not take up too much space but also will be noticeable. I can easily imagine it lying on a table, attracting attention, and prompting some interesting discussions from all types of individuals. I do not care much for coffee table books but this one would be a top candidate. I borrowed it from my library but might buy my own copy—high praise indeed.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nowherelands: An Atlas of Vanished Countries - 1840-1975
Author: Bjorn Berge
Publisher: Thames and Hudson
Date: 2017
Pgs: 240
Dewey: 909.8 BER
Disposition: Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
_________________________________________________

REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Summary:
Short histories of countries that were born and disappeared in the interim between 1840 and 1975. Takes the issuance of stamps as a sign of the legitimacy of the countries. The idea being that they endured long enough to issue stamps. Imperialism, racism, ideology, oil, mineral wealth, war, blood, fire.
_________________________________________________
Genre:
Crafts
Hobbies
Antiques
Collectibles
Stamps
Social Sciences
Geography
Reference
Atlases

Why this book:
History. Maps. The world.
_________________________________________________

The Feel:
The author’s sly style comes through in the text.

As we advance toward the present, the NWLs become more clearly pictured, more information and detail, though that makes sense.

Pacing:
The aforementioned author’s style gives you a forward impetus through the book. In short vignettes the author gives you a quick, simple grounding in the history of these Nowherelands.

Quote:
The President of the Senate of Danzig despaired as he saw his Polish home, not become German as he desired but Nazi. “Here one man is leading a whole age absurdum...The beast from the abyss has been let loose.”

An author living in Trieste commenting on his home saying “it gave me the feeling of being nowhere.” Considering the blood, fire, spit, and spite that most NWLs have havinging over them, maybe Trieste was lucky.

Word Choice / Usage:
The Lord Baden-Powell quote from the story of Mafeking, certainly, does his prestige no additional glory. His own words paint him in a rotten light. He had to found the Boy Scouts to attempt to balance his karma if nothing else.

Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Bjarte Breiteig’s story doesn’t have an answer. The side story as a illustration of life on Ile Sainte Marie doesn’t deliver. What happened to his wife, Tonje? The baby? How did he survive to share his accounting of what happened? Pretty big hole in his story there.

Hmm Moments:
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies sounds like a horrible place. The fall of the Two Sicilies and its role in the growth of Mafia power in America is interesting. The serf-aristocrat model immigrates.

Heligoland that could have been a North Sea Florence, instead became a smuggling clearinghouse built on sandstone between Britain, her colonies, and the German interior.

It is fascinating looking at where these countries are now in comparison to when they were their own independent apparatuses.

In our era of separatism and nationalism, I wonder if any of these nowherelands may resurface.

My knowledge of Fiume and Carnarro was non-existent a few months ago. I read a steampunk sci fi by Bruce Sterling “Pirate Utopia’ that was based in and on Fiume and Carnarro. I didn’t realize at the time that it was a real place beyond the place names. Or its infamy as a birthplace for Mussolini’s fascists. D’Annunzio could be/is a direct philo-political forebear of, and title namesake of, Il Duce. D’Annunzio used the same title while ruling Fiume and Carnarro.

The description of the Tangiers International Zone made me think of Casablanca, the movie. And left me wondering if Casablanca was inside the Zone. A map consultation and comparison, yhes, the description was apt.

WTF Moments:
The Tasmanian, nee Van Dieman’s Land, treatment of aboriginals was horrific.

Meh / PFFT Moments:
After Heligoland faced down the Napoleonic Wars and the end of smuggling, she hung her shingle on being a healthy cold water spa resort, not her best toss. Leading further into decline. And Heligoland being , by and large, sandstone lead it further into erosion. Their nowhereland was disappearing and disappearing. Heligoland was a naval base for Germany after being traded by the British to the German Confederation. Nazi Germany expanded the base. And World War 2 lead Heligoland to being a cratered bombed out wasteland. Once a larger island group, today, all that remains is a bare 420 acres of land beyond the mouth of the Elbe.

Some of the examples are more concerned with the stamps than with the history and existence of these Nowherelands. Though in some cases the stamps are all that remains of these vanished countries.

Imagine how differently things might have gone if the Danish West Indies, today’s US Virgin Islands, had been sold to Germany instead. How might the Zimmermann affair turned differently in Mexico. How might the World Wars have played out with Germany squatting on the trade routes into the Panama Canal. U-boats and planes based in the Caribbean. That would change much.

The Saltpetre War between Peru, Bolivia, and Chile was a drug war. Fueled by the profits from gunpowder, but Chile loading their soldiers up on a mix of gunpowder and spirits called chupilca del diablo turning them into berserkers. Wonder that Peru and Bolivia didn’t load theirs up on coca leaves and have drug fueled berserker vs drug fueled berserker.

Wisdom:
The licking of the backs of the historical NWL stamps seems unhealthy and, oh so, gross. All those flavors aren’t strawberry. The one that he describes as slaughterhouse rendering. Urp. The description of the favors of NWL stamps’ glues and unguents by taste is disgusting. Double urp.
_________________________________________________

Last Page Sound:
Penal colonies in malarial swamps until they turn a profit, indigenous populations until they discover gold or oil, largely free until colonial interest rears its head from the home country, it is a NWL pattern.

NWL ends in 1975. I wonder how many NWLs there are between ‘75 and the present beyond the obvious ones: Soviet Union, East Germany, all those Balkan unions that came out of WW1 and lived under communism only to fall apart post fall.

Author Assessment:
Would read more by this author.

Editorial Assessment:
With one rare exception, this was well edited.

Knee Jerk Reaction:
really good book,
_________________________________________________

[Toril · Rating 3 out of 5]

Veldig bra konsept, litt mye frimerkelim

[Juozas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rašytojas tiesiog norėjo pasipuikuoti savo pašto ženklų kolekcija. Kiekvienas aprašymas panašesnis į kratinį, trūksta daugiau informacijos apie pačią šalį ir jos istoriją

[Laurynas Mikalauskas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prašyta profesionaliai ir atidžiai, pateikta įdomių įžvalgų ir faktų. Nepaisant to, vietomis darydavosi nuobodu nuo per didelio kiekio sausos informacijos.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. Data table, stamp, quotations from (and list of) related readings & media, and historical summary are included in each entry. Back matter includes notes and bibliography and index, all.

The only tweaks I would have made would have been:
1. make it a little bigger. It's essentially a coffee table book, after all, with the short 'chapters,' and the stamps should be made large enough to see, and the font large enough to read (I'd buy a 'deluxe' enlarged version).
2. possibly organize by region or continent, rather than by rough timeline: his method shows the universality of power-mad tyrants etc., but by region would be more comprehensible, at least to me.

I'm carefully skimming. I would love to read every word, but the font is just too small and the time I have available insufficient.

I highly recommend it to authors of both Historical fiction and any kind of Speculative fiction. Much of the history is important and should be more thoroughly researched* & widely known, and many of the countries had interesting histories that could inspire terrific built worlds.

For example Fiume & Carnaro, east of Italy before WWII, built its government with "full suffrage for women and music as a cornerstone for both the exercise of power and cultural education."

Reminders of history that has been known but seems to be fading in our awareness abound, for example references to Quisling and to the Armenian genocide. Revelations, too: if you have a strong stomach, look up Manchuko.

The author refers to the festival of Holi as one that remembers impudent butter thieves. I only know it as colors, symbolizing brotherhood, peace, joy, that sort of thing.

Tsingtao beer comes from (invasive) German brewers to China.

Btw, the reviewer who said that it's too much about the author is just plain wrong. They must've skimmed it much less carefully than I did. Nor does he treat colonization and racism casually; while it's true he doesn't give those issues a lot of words every time, the fact is that a lot of the countries were incorporated with those practices and so the mention of them does get a lot of attention, and the author does clearly deplore them. Also, I'm noting nothing awkward about the English.

At one point the author does give an anecdote of his own life, as he worked on the Panama Canal circa 1973. Relevant & interesting.

*Well, I'm sure that Berge researched extremely extensively. but only a small part of his work is actually in this book, of course. An author of HF would have to do their own research (and/or beg for Berge's notes).

[Stian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Å ha store forventningar til ei bok kan slå begge vegar, men nokre gongar kan ein bli ganske lurt når tittelen på ei bok ikkje samsvara med innhaldet.
Dette er ei slik bok.

Her er frimerker i sentrum!

Innhaldet blir veldig varierande, til tider er det interessant og opplysande, andre gonger er det mest frustrerande å lese om land (om nokon av dei i det heile tatt kan kallast "land" er diskuterbart) der narrativet for det meste basera seg på frimerker og skjønnlitteratur frå den aktuelle perioden.
Til dømes har provinsen Corrientes i Argentina aldri vore sjølvstendig, men den hadde sine eigne frimerker, det same kan seiast om Iquique, tidlegare ein del av Peru, no Chile, som utgav sin eigne frimerker i ein kortare periode under Saltpeter-krigen, men som aldri var ein sjølvstendig stat. Og det er fleire slike døme i boka (Mafeking, ).
Kvifor er ikkje Newfoundland eller Neutral Moresnet nemnd i det heile, medan Mafeking er med?

Eg klarar derfor ikkje å la vere å tenke at eg har blitt noko lurt; ein betre bok tittel hadde vore "Ei reise i Bjørn Berge's frimerker frå obskure område", men det hadde kanskje ikkje klinga like bra?

Likevel, det er eit og anna å lære i boka, t.d. om sinnssjuke sultanar i Alwar, om Labuan og Sainte-Marie generelt.
Dette er ei personleg bok, med ein flott layout og gjer seg nok fint på mange kaffibord.
Eg prøvar å ha eit åpent sinn, men syns det blir i beste fall eksentrisk å høyre om limsmaken på gamle frimerker som forfattaren har sleika seg fram til... Det er òg mogleg at det var meininga at lesaren skal sjå humoren i forfattaren sine fantasiar om korleis dei ulike frimerka blei stempla i si tid, men eg syns det blei mest platt.

Altså, sjølv med store forventningar og positiv innstilling, blir det for mykje frimerker og fantasi, og for lite fakta etter min smak. Det blir for overfladisk, kanskje noko for barn eller YA?
"Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.”

[Ondřej Puczok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cestování po různých koutech světa i různorodé historii, krásné spojení dvou věcí, které mám opravdu rád. A spolu s moc hezky zpracovanou grafickou stránkou nemůžu než ocenit stránky knihy, která mi po několik večerů přinášela radost v současné "stojaté" době... Ano, někdy byly medailonky "zmizelých zemí" poněkud zmatené a zpřeházené, někdy země ani nebyly zeměmi, ale spíše koloniemi, polozapomenutými ostrovy, soukromými mikronárody, nebo výnosnými zdroji obchodu se známkami, ale pro člověka s oblibou v mapách je to i tak paráda. Trochu více mě mrzela absence obrazového doprovodu, kdy autor často zmiňoval specifické typy staveb a dalších kulturních znaků různých národů, v knize se přitom soustředí čistě na uvedení příkladu známky vydané v, resp. věnované, jedné ze "zmizelých zemí". Já sám v mládí známky sbíral a dokážu toto směřování ocenit, ale sem tam mi bylo poloprázdné strany bez ilustrací líto. Zvláště, když každý medailon doplňovaly odkazy na knihy, filmy či písně a jídla v textu zmiňované.

A co když se vám tato kniha líbila stejně jako mně? Pak musím doporučit pokračování v podobě Atlasu zemí, které neexistují a Atlasu odlehlých ostrovů.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are many was to define what makes a country, one of which is that it managed to issue stamps. That is precisely the measure Bjørn Berge uses to frame this collection of fiftyish erstwhile nations. In case you weren’t paying attention in school, much of the world has been colonized at one point or another, and much of the world’s history has been in response to that colonization. The issue of these stamps and their accompanying stories are at once illuminating, frustrating, depressing, and sobering. “Nowherelands” touches on each country’s moment of sovereignty, however brief, and the net effect is that the western world, in particular the European powers, has done little good and much harm over the past two centuries.

What you’ll find here are hard stories, glimmers of hope, dreams dashed, and stamps. Some were poorly designed, some were well designed, and some were as phony as the governments they were meant to represent. If you’ve ever believed that the world was stable, “Nowherelands” will quickly put that misconception to rest, while simultaneously rejoicing that even under duress, people and nations found it possible to believe in the future — in freedom, in liberty — however unlikely, improbable, or short-lived that future actually was.

This is ostensibly a coffee table book in diminutive form. I would have preferred a format at least twice the size, with larger type, larger maps, larger stamp reproductions, and longer stories. “Nowherelands” was, in the end, a scratch-the-surface find-out-more-for-yourself book. Sadly, as is the case with many of history’s losers, Berge’s love letter to these lost nations may be as much as any of them will ever receive.

[Salla Katriina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Surkein kirja jonka olen lukenut, ainakin jos ennakko-odotuksiin vertaa.

Kartalta kadonneet on aiheena erittäin kiinnostava. Valitettavasti oikeasti valaisevaa ja kunnollista faktatietoa löytyy kirjasta hyvin vähän. Suuri osa tekstistä on paikalla vierailleiden kirjailijoiden ja taiteilijoiden tyhjänpäiväistä kuvailua ihmeellisistä maisemista. Varmaan viidennes tekstistä esittelee kirjoittajan omaa intohimon kohdetta: postimerkkejä. Täytyy todeta, ettei jonkin postimerkkiliiman nahkamainen tuoksu hirveästi säväytä, jos haluaa mieluummin oppia unohdetuista ja kadonneista valtiontyngistä.

Historiallista, asiallista, kontekstiin sidottua mielenkiintoista asiaa kirjassa on vain ripaus. Aihe oli minulle kirjaa aloittaessa uusi, mutta en koe oppineeni tästä yhtään mitään. Toisaalta luin puolet kirjasta pinnallisehkosti silmäilemällä, koska koko kirjan syvällinen lukeminen olisi ollut silkkaa kärsimystä.

Lisäksi Itä-Karjalaa käsittelevä teksti sisältää suuriakin virheitä, esimerkiksi sen, että nimenomaan itäkarjalaiset olisivat olleet Suur-Suomi aatteen taustalla ja sen innokkaita kannattajia. Todellisuudessahan alueen asukkaista suurta osaa koko juttu ei kiinnostanut pätkääkään, halusivat vain olla rauhassa kuten ennenkin.

[Ivana Krekáňová · Rating 3 out of 5]

Táto kniha sa trochu podobá na „Atlas zemí, které neexistují“ (Nick Middleton), ktorý sa mi, priznám sa, páčil o čosi viac. Bjorn Berge si do tejto knihy vybral oblasti, ktoré neboli všetky plnohodnotné krajiny, ako by sa z názvu mohlo zdať (niektoré boli len kolónie, napríklad), ale všetky mali v určitom období vlastnú poštovú známku, či už z potreby funkčného poštového úradu, alebo len na účely propagandy. Preto aj začína rokom 1840, kedy v Anglicku vznikla prvá poštová známka.

That said, určite s knihou nestúpite vedľa, pretože je tam množstvo zaujímavostí z histórie. Od tých smutných až tragických (deti z Biafry, tragédia v Bhopále, francúzske trestanecké kolónie, otrokárstvo, japonské pokusy na civilistoch) po často úplne bizarné: napríklad príbeh jedného Francúza, ktorý sa vyhlásil za samozvaného kráľa náhornej plošiny v Indočíne, alebo epizóda zo života Arthura Rimbauda, ktorý začal v jednej z afrických francúzskych kolónií obchodovať so zbraňami.

Dočítate sa, ako vyzerala nemecká okupácia Normanských ostrovov, akú úlohu zohrával Tanger pre americkú literatúru, či kde bola súčasťou vzdelávacieho systému samovražda... A to všetko s odporúčanou literatúrou, príslušnými známkami, niekedy aj receptami. Môže byť.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming book. The author is a stamp collector. He specializes in stamps from places that once issued stamps but no longer have the capacity to do so. To call them countries is a stretch. Some were colonies, some were contested places, some puppet states. But all issued stamps, even if they were overprints of someone else's.

Each of the 50 entries begins with a quotation from a traveler who visited the place in question around the time that it was issuing stamps. Berge then takes over and describes briefly the history, culture, and climate of the place, how it came to issue stamps and to stop doing so.

Then Berge goes into a discussion of the stamps themselves. Were they knock-offs or well made, perforated or not, with generic illustrations or pertinent ones? For some stamps he even tells us how the glue tastes.

The book is quirky, informative, and highly entertaining. I recommend it, especially for anyone with an interest in history, geography, and exotic places.