Europe in 7 1/2 Chapters

As the old world order crumbles, it has never been more important to understand the rich and fascinating story of Europe - the smallest and largest, oldest and newest continent. But what is Europe? Drawing on a lifetime of study, travel and writing about Europe, Timothy Garton Ash tells its epic story in 160 pages fizzing with anecdote and expertise. Europe is vast - its coastline is longer than the circumference of the Earth - and intricate: you can have breakfast in Germany, coffee in the Netherlands and lunch in Belgium. It invented democracy but has fought nearly 3,000 recorded wars in the last millennium. And its past is present everywhere: the borders of vanished empires still show up in election results. Brilliantly accessible yet profound, Europe in 7 - Chapters is an exhilarating journey through geography, history and culture - from wars and revolutions to food and football - which shows how Europe came to be as it is today: more united and more divided than ever. Can it still flourish in this dangerous new world and even shape it for the better? Whether you're looking for an introduction to the continent's breathtaking past or the perfect holiday read, you should have Europe in 7- Chapters in your pocket - it is witty, surprising and always entertaining.

Timothy Garton Ash is Professor of European Studies Emeritus at the University of Oxford and a columnist for the Guardian. He has lived and breathed European politics and culture for over fifty years, witnessing some of the most dramatic scenes in its history, meeting many of its key players and analysing how life has evolved for ordinary Europeans across the breadth of the continent. He has won many prizes for his eleven previous books, including The File, his riveting autobiographical account of investigating the contents of his Stasi file after the fall of East Germany. His last book, Homelands: A Personal History of Europe, has appeared in twenty-three European languages.