Tthe Magic Lantern - Essay Example

In addition, it is important to present the perspective of the author to be able to understand the priorities and the attention he had given in the different events that he had written about. This is also important in determining the message of every chapter in the book The Author, Timothy Ash Timothy Garton Ash is an author of political and historical subjects. He is known for writing 9 books in the subject referred to as having the perspective of ‘history of the present.’ His favorite topics include the transformation of Europe in the past 3 decades.

He is a recognized expert in the subject because he is an Isaiah Berlin Professorial Fellow at the St Anthony College and a Professor of the European Studies in the University of Oxford both located in Oxford. In addition, he is a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution in Stanford University. He is also a regular contributor for the New York Review of Books and the Guardian (Timothy Garton Ash Website – Biography). Timothy Ash published his first book in 1981 entitled “Und willst Du nicht mein Bruder sein…” which is about West and East Germany.

Ever since his first book, he had contributed significantly in the modern history through his different books which includes The Magic Lantern. Most of his writings discuss politics and history in the European region. He presented events in a modern and unique perspective that can influence the public view and interest (Timothy Garton Ash Website – Biography). Analysis of the Book The Magic Lantern is an account of the 1989 revolution that affected the European region. The accounts of the author relayed in the book is include events such as the first free parliamentary election in Poland and the liberation of Czechoslovakia as through the collaboration of the bohemian intellectuals and the Catholic clerics (Ash 11).

The book in general presented an account of the challenges of Europe specifically in the period of struggle. The book was focused on 1989 revolutions that resulted to the overthrow of communism. It was considered greatly interesting since the presentation of the author is very personal. He gave accounts of being spectator in an even of the revolutions that took place in the Eastern Europe. Through his manner of writing it can be considered that he has the capability to present a view from the outside of the event and from the inside which had been important in the presentation of the events in the book.

The first chapter which is entitled Witness and History serves as the introduction of the book. This is largely about the events in Poland. The chapter can be considered as an initial view of the author’s capability to describe the event which he is observing. Ash was able to present tangible representations of his presence which increases the credibility of his accounts (Ash 11). There are lines that are full of meaning for the author such as “springtime of only two nations, Poland and Hungary…but the other four states of what was misleadingly called Eastern Europe were still frozen in various kinds of dictatorship” (Ash 13).

In the said statement, the Ash can be considered as a historian that uses artistic words and figurative language to mask strong and critical messages in his writing. This can be viewed as either an intelligent method to challenge the intellectual readers or confusing