Written by an international team of leading scholars, The Oxford History of Modern Europe traces Europe's turbulent history, from the beginnings of the Revolution in France to the dawn of two world wars to the breakup of the Soviet Union to today's kaleidoscope of nation-states. The achievements (and failures) of key figures from many arenas--politics, technology, warfare, religion, and the arts among them--are drawn vividly, and social, cultural, and economic insights are included alongside the record of geopolitical strife. We read of the personality cult as exemplified by the Soviet...