The Balkans (Universal History)

AttheendofthetwentiethcenturypeoplespokeasiftheBalkanshadplaguedEuropeforever.Buttwohundredyearsearlier,theBalkansdidnotexist.ItwasnottheBalkansbutthe'Rumeli'thattheOttomansruled,theformerlyRomanlandstheyhadconqueredfromByzantium,togetherwiththeirChristianinhabitants.InthisoriginalaccountoftheregionMarkMazowerdispelscurrentWesternclichesandreplacesstereotypeswithavividaccountofhowmountains,empiresandreligionshaveshapeditsinhabitants'lives.AsabridgebetweenEuropeandAsiaithasbeenexposedtoaconstantincursionofnomadicpeoplesacrossthecenturies.Mazower'snarrativerangesbroadlybothintimeandinspace,treatingtheformerTurkishdomainsinEuropeaspartofacommonifcomplexhistoricalinheritance.