Norman Davies C. M. G., F. B. A. is Professor Emeritus of the University of London, a Supernumerary Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, and the author of several books on Polish and European history, including God's Playground, White Eagle, Red Star, The Isles, Microcosm and Europe- East and West.
Any European or world citizen should read this... History that illuminates the present day -- T. S. Learner * Big Issue * Books of real quality and importance are rare. Norman Davies's history of Europe is one of them. It is a brilliant achievement, written with intelligence, lucidity and a breathtaking width of knowledge... This is a book everyone should read -- A. C. Grayling * Financial Times * A noble monument of scholarship, and all the more noble because it is so full of surprise and feeling... There are superb assessments of vastly daunting subjects -- Jan Morris * Independent * Monumental, authoritative... A book for enquiring minds of all ages, it will answer hundreds of enquires and provoke thousands more -- Noel Malcolm * Sunday Telegraph * No history of Europe in the English language has been so even-handed in its treatment of east and west... Strong characterisation, vivid detail, trenchant opinions, cogent anaylsis all make this tremendous reading * Times Literary Supplement *