Europe: A History

I feel a sense of relief having finished this book. That's not something one would normally feel on finishing what is a good book, but this is such an enormous relentless tome, that it is pretty exhausting. Even though I have read several books in parallel, this one has tired me!Davies covers European history in the full, from the earliest times to the point of completion of the book back in 1991. It is by its nature broad brush history, but Davies includes plenty of small details and historical anecdotes which bring a sense of realism to the history he is describing. This is a work of phenomenal education and breadth of knowledge. I like the way Davies neither sticks to the history of big events or the history of social trends, but brings both together. I like the coverage of a real European history - from Russia to Ireland, not just western Europe as is so common.There are a few faults. At times it reads more like an encyclopedia as you jump from one part of history to another in the long chapters. The little inserts on items of interest do not always work, and even when they are interesting can disrupt the flow of reading. Some smaller, but very interesting, countries in Europe could complain this focuses too much on the big nations - such as Italy, the UK, France, Germany, Poland and Russia. Additionally, this is a massive book for a paperback - 1,400 pages long with larger than normal pages, which at times just makes it hard to handle. A 2 volume version would have been preferable. This may seem like a minor gripe, but this is not a book to be carried around,. If, like me, you do a lot of reading whilst travelling this book, at least in physical form, is probably a non-starter.The book reads pretty poignantly given recent events. The ease with which extreme right wing and nationalist parties have risen time and time again in Europe should be a part of history better understood. The ease with which historical "facts" have been manipulated, represented and recreated to suit a particular politic message is something everyone could do with knowing.

I had high hopes of this and in some respects this is an excellent book and mercifully not history viewed through the blinkers of woke historians - at times it rattles along but then gets mired in lists (danish inn names for example) and errors (USA has never known war!?)All that research rather frittered away

This was a fine review of European history. I found the second half of the book to be quite a bit stronger than the first, in which many issues were treated incredibly skimpily and Davies often resorted to frantically listing monarchs and their reigns in a manner that really taught me next to nothing. There is also a lack of emphasis on many important aspects of history, particularly the economy, family and everyday life. All that said, there is lots on info packed into this book and you will learn quite a bit if you can get through it.

This is a dense read and a massive history book. It will take me a long time to read and digest.It arrived promptly and in good condition. If Norman Davies' other writings are anything to go by, this will be an informative and re-readable book from which I will learn a great deal

Not an easy read at times but extensively detailed & informative. Massively complex subject and timeline though. Mary Beard's SPQR is a good primer for the Roman bit but I think this will be a tome I will cherish return to.