A Short History of Europe

Book excerpt: Discover the history of Europe - from the Dark Ages to present day - by the author of the bestselling A Short History of England Europe is an astonishingly successful place. But it would take volumes to tell its story, right? Wrong. From warring peoples to peace, wealth and freedom, Andrew Jenkins distils its evolution into this short, single-volume history. From Greece and Rome, through the French Revolution to the Second World War and modern times. Taking in leaders such as Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Wellington and Angela Merkel. Sharing stories of cultural figures like Aristotle, Shakespeare and Picasso. Jenkins brings together the transformative forces and dominant eras into one chronological tale - all with his insight, colour and authority.