A solid piece of historical research that dislodges many preconceived notions about Europe - perhaps most importantly the idea that somehow democracy is ingrained in the continent. It's an excellent deep dive into the conditions leading to the world wars as well as a serious exploration of how Europe fared in the latter half of the twentieth century. The last part of the book compares the various economic, political, and military gambits of the first and second halves of the twentieth century, illustrating how the fall of communism and the war in the former Yugoslavia are tied to earlier conflicts in Europe. A great read.