The problem with history is that there is so much of it. Simon Jenkins’ A Short History of Europe addresses this by hitting the high points in a 3,000-year chronicle that begins in ancient Greece and races toward the present. It’s a political history, glancing sideways at culture and economics as it follows invasions, the rise and fall of empires and shifting borders. Theory-obsessed academics will snicker at the parade of “great” (mostly) men; fact-based historians will also find problems. For example, Sparta defeats Athens and then disappears from Jenkins’ account. Where did the mighty city state go? However, A Short History must be judged as largely successful based on its author’s intentions: “This short book is aimed at those without the time or inclination for a longer one.”
