Europe: A History (Norman Davies)

In just twelve chapters and ~1300 pages, Norman Davies presents a historic overview of Europe from prehistory to the present (mid-90s) in Europe: A History.  The chapters are based on time periods:

- Environment and Prehistory
- Ancient Greece
- Ancient Rome (753 BC - AD 337)
- The Birth of Europe (c.330 - 800)
- The Middle Age (c.750 - 1270)
- Christendom in Crisis (c.1250 - 1493)
- Renaissances and Reformations (c.1450 - 1670)
- Enlightenment and Absolutism (c.1650 - 1789)
- A Continent in Turmoil (c.1770 - 1815)
- Powerhouse of the World (1815 - 1914)
- Europe in Eclipse (1914 - 1945)
- Europe Divided and Undivided (1945 -1991)

The book structure is interesting.  The main narrative includes bracketed names in bold [example].  These names indicate side readings found elsewhere in the text.  The side readings give more detail about a general period (or topic) by illustrating specific examples.  The format took some getting used to, but it worked.  As chapters went on I took to reading the side readings first, then going back and reading the main narrative.  It proved easier for me to digest the main points with the specifics already covered.  There are also many references to the appendices for more information on select topics (generally in graphic or tabular form).

Overall, Davies does an impressive job.  He's clearly an academic, but his prose is easy to follow, well-written, and (at times) profound.  His dry wit comes through in the occasional remark to keep you amused (and on your toes).  His expertise lies in Eastern Europe (Poland in particular), and so this offering does a better job of including Eastern European history and perspective than many other western-focused narratives.

Of course, adequately conveying thousands of years of history across dozens of nations in one volume is impossible.  The summaries are necessarily overly simplistic.  Whenever Davies covered a topic with which I was familiar, his omissions were obvious.  But how can I blame him?  The tactic was necessary to keep this to one volume.  For this reason, perhaps this overview is best for those with some degree of existing knowledge about specific time periods, and this book can be used as an over-arching narrative that connects periods of history.

Rating: A