Central Europe
The Death of a Civilization and the Life of an Idea
$47.75
- Hardcover
344 pages
- Release Date
30 November 2025
Summary
An absorbing journey through a region caught between history, geography and ideology.
What is ‘Central Europe’? Where do its borders lie? Does it even exist? Attempts to define it usually yield more questions than answers. But perhaps the wrong questions are being asked.
Luka Ivan Jukic disentangles the enigma of Central Europe through its birth, death and rebirth. Today, Poland, Croatia and even Ukraine proudly align themselves with it, and so with Western ci…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781911723981 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1911723987 |
| Author: | Luka Ivan Jukic |
| Publisher: | C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd |
| Imprint: | C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 344 |
| Release Date: | 30 November 2025 |
| Weight: | 872g |
| Dimensions: | 45mm x 242mm x 169mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
‘Jukic writes fluently and peppers his book with colourful anecdotes. His decision to weave the different peoples’ respective stories into a single chronological narrative makes sense, especially for times such as 1848, when a wave of revolutions promised to transform Central Europe (as would happen in 1989).’
– Peter Conradi, The Sunday Times‘Compelling.’
* Financial Times *‘Luka Ivan Jukic combines the skills of historian and journalist to provide a concise overview of the political development of the empires and countries associated with the region. If you want to understand how and why Germany, Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Croatia acquired their current forms and locations, this is a good place to start.’
– TLS‘Mr. Jukic is right that the goulash of the old Central Europe is gone forever.’
* Wall Street Journal *‘A provocative and enjoyable new book [written] with panache and sophistication.’
* History Today *‘A powerful antidote to the continent’s sense of crisis about its identity.’
* Engelsberg Ideas *‘An elegant, erudite and thoughtful book. Luka Ivan Jukić brings to life a part of Europe that is too often pushed into the margins – but can be best understood as its heart. This is a region that can defy easy categorisation, but Jukić captures that complexity with rare sensitivity and insight.’ – Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History, University of Oxford
‘Absolutely excellent — not just a fascinating canter through Central European history but a really thoughtful reflection on national identity. I can’t recommend it too highly.’
– Dominic Sandbrook, The Rest Is History‘A fantastic journey into a territory that is both absent and present, that is ephemeral but for which whole peoples are ready to die for.’ —
* Peter Pomerantsev, author of How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler *‘A masterful and bold account of the German and Habsburg Empires and of the Central European states which succeeded them, told with scholarly rigour and narrative élan.’ * Martyn Rady, author of The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe *
‘Language matters, as in naming a space we identify, claim or reject it. From its cracking opening with a literary duel in a Lisbon hotel onwards, Luka Ivan Jukic’s book captivates the reader with its epic story of the life, death and possible rebirth of the idea of Central Europe.’
* Brendan Simms, Professor of the History of European International Relations, University of Cambridge *‘With a keen eye for both big and small key events, Luka Ivan Jukic meticulously unravels the history of Central Europe, as a territory, an idea and an ideal. To understand contemporary antisemitism and the war in Ukraine, this is essential reading.’ * Pauline Terreehorst, author of Secrets of a Suitcase *
About The Author
Luka Ivan Jukic
Luka Ivan Jukic is a journalist and historian based in London. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, the Financial Times, New Lines Magazine, Engelsberg Ideas, Foreign Policy, History Today, and other publications.
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