A Short History of Europe

Jenkins has produced the sort of work that not only compacts people and places into manageable form but also has wit and insight enough to bring a sense of freshness even to a knowledgeable history buff * Booklist review * Any passably cultured inhabitant of the British Isles should ask for, say, three or four copies of this book -- Max Hastings on 'England's Thousand Best Houses' * Sunday Telegraph * Full of the good judgements one might hope for from such a sensible and readable commentator, and they alone are worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought -- Michael Wood on 'A Short History of England' * New Statesman * Jenkins is, like all good guides, more than simply informative: he can be courteous and rude, nostalgic and funny, elegant, convincing and relaxed -- Adam Nicolson on 'England's Thousand Best Houses' * Evening Standard * Masterly, perhaps a masterpiece -- Independent, Books of the Year on England's Thousand Best Churches Full of stand-out facts ... absolutely fascinating -- Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 2, on 'A Short History of England' Simon Jenkins achieves a high ambition: a concise readable history of two millennia of European civilisation from its discernible origins to our present perplexities. In 305 pages! . . . An immensely rewarding book from a gifted writer -- Harold Evans A short, invigorating gallop over two and a half thousand years -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *