Western Europe
After ruling Italy for most of the past 17 years, Silvio Berlusconi seems to have left office for good. But the questions raised by his rule remain.
One might expect the biography of an Oxford historian to recount tempests in teapots. Yet Sisman, a serial biographer of famous Englishmen, has produced a book that captivates the reader.
A reexamination of American and European nationalisms calls for a great book; unfortunately, this is not it. Kramer deserves credit for challenging reductive shibboleths, but he too often glides over the surface of important questions, glossing over history in a questionable manner.
The book is in some ways self-indulgent, ranging too broadly across history, philosophy, and personal experience. Still, the result should be required reading for those engaged with this important issue.
This book is an interesting study of the enduring closeness between Europe and the United States.
