Mark Mazower

Examines the causes of ethnic conflict in the Balkans, discussing how the meeting of European and Asian cultural influences and the blending of Christian and Muslim populations have created a complex and divisive situation. Winner of the Wolfson History Prize. Reprint. 25,000 first printing.

A Short History

The Balkans

Jeni Enjaian

I think I should stop reading books that have the subtitle "a short history." These books never fail to disappointment with their brevity. This book is no exception. Short histories force their authors to lump together topics that if treated right could generate entire books.
The narrator for this audiobook is decent but just average, nothing more.
The whole book is totally disjointed and wholly unorganized. Additionally, I disagree with the author's characterization of the Ottoman Empire's treatment of religion as more tolerant than Catholics. Even a brief survey of impartial history will reveal that both were equally intolerant through those time periods.
The history of this area should be studied but there have to be better books on the subject than this one.

Winner of the Wolfson History Prize, this book sheds light on what has been called the tinderbox of Europe, whose troubles have ignited wider wars for hundreds of years.

The Balkans A Short History

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