TIRANA, March 25, 2024 – A launch event for the Albanian language edition of “A Concise History of Greece” has generated wide interest in the book, which brings a detailed overview of modern Greece’s political, economic and social developments to local readers.
The latest edition of the book by renowned British academic Richard Clogg is part of a well-known series published in English by Cambridge Press and has been published for the Albanian readers by the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), which held the launch event in cooperation with the Greek Embassy in Tirana and with the author himself in attendance.
The book provides a concise and illustrated introduction to the modern history of Greece, from the end of the 18th century to the present day.
“Given that I had already written ’A Short History of Modern Greece,’ also published by Cambridge University Press in 1979, I sought to make the Concise History a different book. One way I did this was by accompanying the text with some seventy illustrations, together with lengthy explanatory captions,” the author said at the Tirana launch event. “Another difference was that I called the book ’A Concise History of Greece’ and not of Modern Greece, and began with a survey of the history of the Greek lands in the fifty years before the onset of the War of Independence, rather than going back further into the historical past.”
The fourth edition, which is the AIIS Albanian translated version, was published in English 2021 and was timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821.
“The first edition of my Concise History was published in 1992 and was 257 pages long, but now, in its fourth edition, it is a not so concise 352 pages long,” Professor Clogg said.
For the Ambassador of Greece to Albania, Konstantina Kamitsi, the presentation of Clogg’s work is very important and valuable.
“The book at hand is the translation of the updated 4th edition of 2021, covering even the most recent period of economic crisis in the first twenty years of the 21st century, as well as the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution of 1821. It thus offers a concise and comprehensible overview of modern Greek history, political developments and social changes in Greece,” Ambassador Kamitsi said.
“With this work, the British professor faithfully serves the serious and sober historical approach, which is why the “Concise History of Greece” has been translated into many languages, including all the Balkan languages, and was awarded in 1993 the Runciman prize.”
Ambassador Kamitsi added that this latest translation “offers the Albanian public the opportunity to know and better understand Greece, through the historical review of the main events of its modern and contemporary history.”
She also noted that that the publication could not have been carried out without our cooperation AIIS, “a think tank of renowned authority not only in Albania, but also in the entire Balkan area, which has been doing important work, making efforts for years to offer well-informed publications on history, politics and international relations to the Albanian public.”
Albert Rakipi, chairman of the Albanian Institute for International Studies (AIIS), said bringing and promoting Clogg’s work to Albanian audiences was important.
“For all possible reasons: historical, political, economic, cultural, Greece has been and is one of the most important countries in Albania’s international relations. During the last thirty years, since the fall of communism, Greece has helped the difficult transition of Albania, and likewise the Albanians have helped in the revitalization of the Greek economy, development and progress,” Dr. Rakipi said.
“A Concise History of Greece” is the newest title added to the special series of AIIS Library of History and International Relations that the institute has been publishing since its establishment more than two decades ago. More than 100 titles, most of them from top Western universities, have been translated and published as part of the program.
“A good part of these books have served and serve in the construction of curricula in all Albanian universities when it comes to international relations, history, political sciences and similar disciplines,” Dr. Rakipi said, adding this latest book would be “is really useful for academics, historians, journalists and politicians” as “a valuable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Greek history, culture and its relation to contemporary affairs.”
Present at the promotion were ambassadors, diplomats, former ministers, deputies, academics, publishers, journalists and various enthusiasts.
Clogg is an emeritus professor at the University of Oxford and has taught in Oxford, London and Edinburgh for decades. A deep connoisseur of the history of Greece, he has been a prolific writer, highlighting with his work various aspects of the modern and contemporary history of Greece.
The Cambridge University Press series consists so far of some forty concise histories and more are yet to be published. Already published are volumes in the series offering surveys of the history of other Balkan countries. These are Bulgaria, Bosnia, Romania, Serbia and Albania.
