The Times Atlas of European History
This atlas is above all a political portrayal of European history from 900 B.C. to 1994, tracing its development from the rise of the first states (Near East and Aegean worlds) to the breakup of the USSR. Forty-six key dates printed in large numerals on red borders introduce each section, which contains a map of the continent and a subsidiary map showing more local developments. Brief textual interpretations accompany the effective and visually appealing maps, which were prepared by the prestigious firm of Batholomew of Edinburgh. The contributors to this atlas are British academicians, among them Jeremy Black, editor of A Dictionary of Eighteenth Century World History (LJ 5/1/94); their comments are concise and elucidating. Key dates and explications include 550 B.C.: The Rise of Greece; 1030: Feudal Europe; 1940: The Nazi Conquest; and 1990-1994: The Collapse of Communism, which covers the struggles of the breakaway Russian region of Chechnya. Although most libraries will need a more comprehensive historical atlas, e.g., The Times Atlas of World History (Hammond, 1993. 4th ed.), the present work can be recommended as a complementary tool for public, academic, and secondary school libraries.?Harry E. Whitmore, formerly with Univ. of Maine at AugustaCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.