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Borderlines

The fascinating history of Europe in 29 borders from leading political analyst and Tim Marshall's 'borders expert'

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Borderlines

By: Lewis Baston
Narrated by: Richard Attlee
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A history of Europe unlike any other: perfect for fans of A History of the World in 47 Borders and Prisoners of Geography.

'One of the most engaging and fascinating histories of Europe I've read for years.' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, co-host of The Rest Is History podcast

Europe's internal borders have rarely been 'natural'; they have more often been created by accident or force.

In Borderlines, political historian Lewis Baston journeys along twenty-nine key borders from west to east Europe, examining how the map of our continent has been redrawn over the last century, with varying degrees of success. The fingerprints of Napoleon, Alexander I, Castlereagh, Napoleon III and Bismarck are all there, but today's map of Europe is mostly the work of the Allies in 1919 and Stalin in 1945.

To journey to the centre of the story of Europe, Baston takes us to its edges, bringing to life the fascinating and often bizarre histories of these border zones. We visit Baarle, the town broken into thirty fragments by the Netherland-Belgium border, and stop in Ostritz, the eastern German town where Nazis held a rock festival. We meander the back lanes of rural Ireland, and soak up the atmosphere in the coffee houses of the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi. Through these borderlands, Baston explores how places and people heal from the scars left by a Europe of ethnic cleansing and barbed wire fences, and he searches for a better European future - finding it in unexpected places.

'Highly original and insightful' PD SMITH, GUARDIAN

'Thrillingly unique, knowledgeable, perceptive and profound' IAN DUNT

'An eye-opening read that combines Baston's travels along Europe's fault lines with incredible insights on how they got there in the first place.' KATJA HOYER

'Beautiful. A true gem... [his] unique take on human nature through the history and heritage of the borderlands ends up being deeply moving.' - IRISH INDEPENDENT

'Extraordinarily perceptive and original' ANTHONY SELDON

'Refreshing and important' RAFAEL BEHR©2024 Lewis Baston Europe Politics & Government Stalin
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Critic reviews

A wonderful book, and one of the most engaging and fascinating histories of Europe I've read for years. Roaming from the fields of Ireland to the towns of western Ukraine, Lewis Baston is the perfect guide, full of curiosity and insight. It turns a familiar story into something strange, surprising and often intensely moving. (DOMINIC SANDBROOK, author of WHO DARES WINS and co-host of THE REST IS HISTORY)
Highly original and insightful...Rich in history and memorable anecdotes, this is an ambitious and affectionate attempt to describe the glorious complexity and diversity of Europe. (PD SMITH)
All stars
Most relevant
Clearly sets out a very complicated and sometimes bloody history of Europe.
Take away quote?
“There is no situation that cannot be made worse by an Englishman arriving with a map and pencil”

Fascinating and complex

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A book I bought on the basis of following its author on bluesky (a first for me since moving to that platform), though of course its subject matter is fascinating offering a different perspective on European histories from Ireland to Finland to the much more pressing issue of Ukraine. For the most part engaging and almost sleepily meditative as it winds through histories and peoples and places, sprinkled with deep historical facts and titbits that can only be gleaned from travelling to said place; though occasionally it's a little dry. It does a good job in pricking nationalist certainties and I find myself mostly agreeing with its conclusions. A decent read to end the year.

A fascinating journey around Europe less-travelled

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An educational voyage inside and outside of current and historical bordering nations. Well read and produced, this brilliantly written and accessible account is a must for all geopolitical addicts.

Wonderful and insightful

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Really insightful and interesting. An excellent look at the human aspect of European borders. Particularly relevant in current times.

Very well researched

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A very interesting and revealing history. More than ever an important story of where we came from and what our European future may be.

Deeply interesting and revealing

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