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Borderlines

A History of Europe in 29 Borders

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Borderlines

By: Lewis Baston
Narrated by: Richard Attlee
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About this listen

 The history of Europe told through twenty-nine key borders that define the past, present and future of our continent

A Rest is History Book of the Month - 'One of the most engaging and fascinating histories of Europe I've read for years.' DOMINIC SANDBROOK

In Borderlines, political historian Lewis Baston journeys along twenty-nine key borders from west to east Europe. He examines how the map has been dramatically redrawn over the last century, from Ireland to Ukraine, and uncovers the fascinating and often bizarre histories of these border zones.

By taking us right to the edges of the continent, Borderlines reveals a hidden story of Europe. In these unexpected places we also glimpse hints of what might happen next. Does a better future lie ahead for Europe?

Praise for Borderlines:
'Thrillingly unique, knowledgeable, perceptive and profound' IAN DUNT
'An eye-opening read that combines Baston's travels along Europe's fault lines with incredible insights on how they got there in the first place.' KATJA HOYER
'Beautiful. A true gem... [his] unique take on human nature through the history and heritage of the borderlands ends up being deeply moving.' IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Extraordinarily perceptive and original' ANTHONY SELDON
'Refreshing and important' RAFAEL BEHR©2024 Lewis Baston Europe Politics & Government Stalin

Critic Reviews

A wonderful book, and one of the most engaging and fascinating histories of Europe I've read for years. Roaming from the fields of Ireland to the towns of western Ukraine, Lewis Baston is the perfect guide, full of curiosity and insight. It turns a familiar story into something strange, surprising and often intensely moving. (DOMINIC SANDBROOK, author of WHO DARES WINS and co-host of THE REST IS HISTORY)
Highly original and insightful...Rich in history and memorable anecdotes, this is an ambitious and affectionate attempt to describe the glorious complexity and diversity of Europe. (PD SMITH)
All stars
Most relevant
I'm a massive geography and history nerd so wasted so time getting this book when I came across it. There's loads of great stories and history in here but it does get a bit dry for me. Some of the writers anecdotes go on too long and the title really needs a pdf of maps for reference. There's a number of borders I had hoped would have been in here like Portugal/Spain, Spain/Morocco, and Austria/Italy but anyone with a historical interest in Eastern Europe will love this book. I've heard some brilliant narration lately, but this performance struggled to keep my attention in parts.

More a history book than a border book

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A fascinating and in depth uncovering of the world between lands, that dives into the layers of nationalism, culture, politics, language, community and above all, the human spirit. This journey has led me into a greater understanding of history and current events of Europe plus prompted me to discover more. Beautifully and sensitively written with personal experiences.
A must read.

Uncovers a fascinating world

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