The Baltic

Starred review from June 1, 2006
Palmer ("The Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire") is a prolific writer of European history for general readers. Here he has written a lively and up-to-date account of the Baltic region (the countries and populations surrounding the Baltic Sea, including Scandinavia, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland) from earliest times until now. Based entirely on secondary sources, this book introduces the grand sweep of wars, trade, religion, politics, and revolutions that has formed this region where Western and Eastern Europe meet. From the Vikings to the Soviets to Russia under Putin, from the Hanseatic League to the Nazi-Soviet battles of World War II to recent membership in the EU, this historical portrait explains and narrates the story of a region that in recent times has been politically divided and little understood. This is a useful book for anyone wanting an overview of Baltic history and especially good for those who enjoy epic historical narrative in which all the stories of battles, political intrigue, courageous knights, and enterprising traders are true. A fine choice for all readers who enjoy history." -Barbara Walden, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2006
With the collapse of Communist regimes in northeastern Europe, eminent British historian Palmer deems the time right for a unified history of the Baltic Sea region. He is well traveled in the Baltic and its littoral countries, and his mentions of historical sites, many damaged or places of sinister events in World War II, poignantly enhance the formal history he presents. It sweeps through the development of pagan tribes into embryonic nations and expanding empires and has an accompanying catalog of large-scale wars. In addition to this inland sea's factor in geopolitical, and especially naval, competition, Palmer pays heed to the significant advantages Baltic Sea communications conferred on its medieval merchants, whose cities of the Hanseatic League charm today's tourists. Over time, the surrounding kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, Prussia, Poland, Lithuania, and Russia ascended and declined, with Palmer ably cloaking his expertise in his general-interest narrative of the Great Northern War, the partitions of Poland, and the convulsions of the twentieth century. A fine representative of the area's history, Palmer's work should enjoy longevity in libraries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)