A comprehensive history but one that assumes that the reader is already familiar with the broad contours of the Balkans and its history. Major events like Srebrenica barely get mentioned while the undercurrents that led up to those events are discussed in great detail. This is great if you are already familiar with the (bewilderingly complex) nationalistic/religious/linguistic composition of the region but for someone like me who didn't even know the basics of who was fighting whom, the book was way too advanced. I can't say I am much wiser about the Balkans than I was before I read the book and that is a bit of a letdown after 950 pages of dense history. ( )

3 and a half stars. Badly needs pictures. ( )

A broad, detailed overview of 200 years of Balkan history, this is an excellent examination of the [very rational] interests, identities, and competing ideas that have animated conflict and cooperation alike in the region. The book is a bit dry to begin with, given the rural nature of much of the early nineteenth century narrative, but Glenny sprinkles enough anecdotes throughout to keep things lively.

The period from roughly 1895 to the Second World War is treated with a nice amount of detail, lending insight into the great power machinations (and weaknesses) that determined much of the peninsula's history.

I found the postwar history - primarily that of Yugoslavia - fascinating, but felt that Glenny moved quickly through it, giving decades of 20th century history the same page count as a few years of the 19th. I suspect this is due to the availability of archival material, given the book's release before a definitive conclusion to the Balkan Wars at the dawn of the 21st century. I've learned that Glenny has a second edition of this book out, covering events up to 2010 - I'm reasonably sure that this might well deserve a full five stars! ( )

This was a very interesting read. It was a good combination of in-depth on certain regional subjects and general overview. I will say, it did suffer from the "floating name" issue I occasionally see in history writing; that is, a new leader introduced as a last name only in the middle of a sentence with no context or previous background. This issue got worse towards the end of the book. I do have some background in Balkan history and was able to follow (or Google) names that I didn't know, but it was somewhat annoying. A good editor would have rooted those out. I suspect that this book was at one time much longer and then cut down to meet the standard 500-700 page limit for most mainstream histories. I wouldn't let it deter you from picking this up. Totally recommend this read. ( )

This unique and lively history of Balkan geopolitics since the early nineteenth century gives readers the essential historical background to recent events in this war-torn area. No other book covers the entire region, or offers such profound insights into the roots of Balkan violence, or explains so vividly the origins of modern Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Albania. Misha Glenny presents a lucid and fair-minded account of each national group in the Balkans and its struggle for statehood. The narrative is studded with sharply observed portraits of kings, guerrillas, bandits, generals, and politicians. Glenny also explores the often-catastrophic relationship between the Balkans and the Great Powers, raising some disturbing questions about Western intervention.