The History of Europe

While this whopper of a text admittedly took two years for me to read(off and on), I found it to be splendid, informative, cogent, and lively. Unafraid to take the time to spend a page and a half here and there on relevant non-European issues, it is a global account of the region that most shaped world history, for better or worse. The book is never didactic, taking positions on a variety of controversial issues without fervor, examining all sides of each particular debate. It is quite amazing how Roberts can condense and simplify, without any reductionist gimmicks. This is certainly not Europe for Dummies. For me, it was most compelling during the two World Wars, for through these climactic events, the true "story" of Europe emerges, though pretty it is not. This enjoyable work should please both the history buff and the casual reader as a delightfully complete sampler of all the major European events , since, well, the beginning of time, up to the present.

First off, J.M. Roberts wrote the large one volume History of the World. This book also has been published by Penguin as The Penguin History of Europe. History history of the world also had a Penguin edition to it.It is good that Roberts has multipule publishers for both of these works, as they are works that should remain in print for a very long time. I always hate it when I find good stuff that is out of print. Now, about "A History of Europe". Good work. It focuses more on history after 1800 though. But then, this is what is important to most modern readers. We read to find out some answer to the question of who we are. So, naturally, a general history is going to focus more on later periods that tell us more about who are currently are. It does cover all the topics of interest. Prehistoric Europe, thru the Classical period of Greece and Rome, up thru the middle ages and into modern times. Great book to own and read and reread all the time.

Once again, J.M. Roberts tackles a large historical subject; first, he wrote an excellent history of the world, and now, he has written a history of Europe that is as good, if not better.Roberts exhibits a remarkable gift for conciseness and generously shares what seems to be vast insight on the history of Europe. Other histories would be very detailed but Roberts is able to capture the same subtleties with fewer (brilliantly chosen) words and ideas. He quotes some rather obscure but fascinating sources; you feel as if you are in the company of an eminent old historian who has been studying this subject all his life, has read just about everything there is to read on the subject, possesses no illusions or pretentions (he's too old for B.S.), and picks out those few gems of his knowledge that almost no one else knows just to share with you. Roberts really tries to tell it like it is (or was) without mincing words.The author also goes to a great deal of effort to convey the feel of different periods so that the reader may better understand how historical events were perceived at the time and how they led to subsequent events. True history is not a mere chronicle of events but also the interpretation of those events, then and now. Roberts is keenly aware of this.I have read both Roberts' book and Norman Davies' "Europe: A History"; both are superb but in different ways. Davies' book is larger and more detailed, and seems to prefer to let the large volume of facts and quoted sources speak for themselves. Roberts seems to prefer a greater emphasis on interpretation and broad insight, something that only a historian of his stature could respectably do. Both are perfectly acceptable methods of writing history. If you want a good reference, pick Davies' book, but for additional explanation of why Europe is the way it is, Roberts' book is highly recommended.

Roberts is clearly a brilliant historian. He works in much the same manner as a master painter. His History of Europe opens with a near empty canvas; he gives us a strong sense of Europe before the first human foot fell upon it. This opening conveys more than simple geographical and geological facts; it conveys a sense of how the terrain and climate would ultimately sustain life. Through this device, the reader can derive a feeling of premonition, a sense of history yet to come. What follows is extraordinary. Roberts' coverage of the subject becomes ever more focused, from the very amorphous dawn of European civilization to highlights of individual societies. These are first examined separately and then in parallel, giving the reader a constant and realistically uneven emergence of a modern Europe. In today's world, where truly exceptional literature and research are rare, Roberts' work is a welcome arrival. It can only be compared to historical works of antiquity or, in more modern eras, the works of Will and Ariel Durant. This is evident in the way that Roberts interweaves the daily life of the average European with major, historical events. In this way, he conveys a vivid picture of Europe and its peoples. I cannot recommend this book more. Roberts has earned himself a place amongst the likes of Suetonius, Alexis De Tocqueville, and the Durants. His style is both wide in scope and captivating.