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Homelands
Homelands is a stunning blend of contemporary history, reportage and memoir by our greatest writer about European affairs.
Drawing on half a century of interviews and experience, Homelands tells the story of Europe in the later twentieth and early twenty-first centuries - how, having emerged from its wartime hell in 1945, it slowly recovered and rebuilt, liberated and united to come close to the ideal of a Europe 'whole, free and at peace'. And then faltered.
Humane, expert and deeply felt, Homelands is full of encounters, conversations and anecdote. It is also highly personal: Timothy Garton Ash has spent a lifetime studying and thinking about Europe and this book is full of life itself, from his father's experience on D-Day, to his teenage French exchange, to interviewing Polish dockers, Albanian guerillas and angry teenagers in the poorest quarters of Paris, as well as advising prime ministers, chancellors and presidents in the UK, Europe, and the US.
Homelands is both a singular history of a period of unprecedented progress and a clear-eyed account of how so much then went wrong, all the way from the financial crisis of 2008 to the war in Ukraine. It culminates in an urgent call to the citizens of this great old continent to understand and defend what we have collectively achieved.
Timothy Garton Ash was 17 when Britain joined the European Community and 64 when Britain left it. In the intervening years he has lived and breathed European politics, witnessing some of the most dramatic scenes in its history, interviewing many of its key players and analysing how life has evolved for ordinary Europeans across the breadth of the continent.
He is Professor of European Studies at the University of Oxford and a columnist for the Guardian. He has won many prizes and plaudits for his journalism and books, including The File, his riveting autobiographical account of investigating the contents of his Stasi file after the fall of East Germany.
Drawing on half a century of interviews and experience, Homelands tells the story of Europe in the later twentieth and early twenty-first centuries - how, having emerged from its wartime hell in 1945, it slowly recovered and rebuilt, liberated and united to come close to the ideal of a Europe 'whole, free and at peace'. And then faltered.
Humane, expert and deeply felt, Homelands is full of encounters, conversations and anecdote. It is also highly personal: Timothy Garton Ash has spent a lifetime studying and thinking about Europe and this book is full of life itself, from his father's experience on D-Day, to his teenage French exchange, to interviewing Polish dockers, Albanian guerillas and angry teenagers in the poorest quarters of Paris, as well as advising prime ministers, chancellors and presidents in the UK, Europe, and the US.
Homelands is both a singular history of a period of unprecedented progress and a clear-eyed account of how so much then went wrong, all the way from the financial crisis of 2008 to the war in Ukraine. It culminates in an urgent call to the citizens of this great old continent to understand and defend what we have collectively achieved.
Timothy Garton Ash was 17 when Britain joined the European Community and 64 when Britain left it. In the intervening years he has lived and breathed European politics, witnessing some of the most dramatic scenes in its history, interviewing many of its key players and analysing how life has evolved for ordinary Europeans across the breadth of the continent.
He is Professor of European Studies at the University of Oxford and a columnist for the Guardian. He has won many prizes and plaudits for his journalism and books, including The File, his riveting autobiographical account of investigating the contents of his Stasi file after the fall of East Germany.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2023
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6335 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Garton Ash
52 books280 followersTimothy Garton Ash CMG FRSA is a British historian, author and commentator. He is Professor of European Studies at Oxford University. Much of his work has been concerned with the late modern and contemporary history of Central and Eastern Europe.
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May 25, 2024I think that reading this in English in a francophone bookshop in Tbilisi with pro-Europe concerts and marches erupting all around me is probably what Timothy Garton Ash had in mind for its reception
March 18, 2023
De departe una dintre cele mai bune cărți citite vreodată - despre Europa, despre marile speranțe, despre război și ziduri. Și e o fabuloasă declarație de dragoste din partea unui britanic european.
Nici nu aș ști de unde să încep să vă explic cât de bine e scrisă și cât de bine surprinde istoria post-1945 a Europei. Așa că o să vă las cu paragraful de final de carte:
"Today’s Europe, for all its faults, limits and hypocrisies, for all the setbacks of recent years, is still far better than the one I set out to explore in the early 1970s, let alone the hell my father encountered as a young man. It’s also better than those of earlier centuries, including the pre-1914 Europe idealised by Stefan Zweig. In fact, adapting Churchill’s famous remark about democracy, we might say that this is the worst possible Europe, apart from all the other Europes that have been tried from time to time. To defend, improve and extend a free Europe makes sense. It’s a cause worthy of hope."
Nici nu aș ști de unde să încep să vă explic cât de bine e scrisă și cât de bine surprinde istoria post-1945 a Europei. Așa că o să vă las cu paragraful de final de carte:
"Today’s Europe, for all its faults, limits and hypocrisies, for all the setbacks of recent years, is still far better than the one I set out to explore in the early 1970s, let alone the hell my father encountered as a young man. It’s also better than those of earlier centuries, including the pre-1914 Europe idealised by Stefan Zweig. In fact, adapting Churchill’s famous remark about democracy, we might say that this is the worst possible Europe, apart from all the other Europes that have been tried from time to time. To defend, improve and extend a free Europe makes sense. It’s a cause worthy of hope."
September 30, 2025
10000/10
цю книгу я би радила якщо не всім, то багатьом (тільки не робіть як я - якщо не звикли читати постійно таку літературу, то робіть перерви, бо потім втомлюєшся)
глава про "Війну в Україні" була для мене емоційно важкою по багатьом моментам - те, що було тоді, і те, що є зараз
Взагалі, я не розумію, чому в нас так мало говорять про автора, він, виявляється, неймовірний та був усюди (на Помаранчевій революції також). Написано доволі легко, піднято багато важливих питань, і, хоч він і дуже любить Європу, він вдало додає ще моменти слабкості та не єдності, які були і є в ЄС
короче, раджу.
цю книгу я би радила якщо не всім, то багатьом (тільки не робіть як я - якщо не звикли читати постійно таку літературу, то робіть перерви, бо потім втомлюєшся)
глава про "Війну в Україні" була для мене емоційно важкою по багатьом моментам - те, що було тоді, і те, що є зараз
Взагалі, я не розумію, чому в нас так мало говорять про автора, він, виявляється, неймовірний та був усюди (на Помаранчевій революції також). Написано доволі легко, піднято багато важливих питань, і, хоч він і дуже любить Європу, він вдало додає ще моменти слабкості та не єдності, які були і є в ЄС
короче, раджу.
April 20, 2023
Easy to read book that deals with the history of Europe in the 20th-21st century with its rights and wrongs.
In some parts of the book (especially in the chapters about the years after the WWII where I am not always super profound with the context) I had a feeling that the fault of the text is that it states the facts and doesn’t really explain them. But I think it was the only downside for me.
On the other hand I found it amazing that Timothy Garton Ash didn’t only focus on Western Europe and devoted lots of attention to the Eastern European countries and their complicated way towards and again away from freedom. Overall is a short overview of European history in the second half of the 20th century, but one with a pretty wide-spectrum.
Another amazing thing about “Homelands” is that it’s written recently and in the last chapter it analyses the events that we lived through the news during the past years and are still continuing to experience - like the war in Ukraine. Maybe I would even suggest to begin reading it from the last chapter - this way you’ll get this weird feeling of living inside a history book.
In some parts of the book (especially in the chapters about the years after the WWII where I am not always super profound with the context) I had a feeling that the fault of the text is that it states the facts and doesn’t really explain them. But I think it was the only downside for me.
On the other hand I found it amazing that Timothy Garton Ash didn’t only focus on Western Europe and devoted lots of attention to the Eastern European countries and their complicated way towards and again away from freedom. Overall is a short overview of European history in the second half of the 20th century, but one with a pretty wide-spectrum.
Another amazing thing about “Homelands” is that it’s written recently and in the last chapter it analyses the events that we lived through the news during the past years and are still continuing to experience - like the war in Ukraine. Maybe I would even suggest to begin reading it from the last chapter - this way you’ll get this weird feeling of living inside a history book.
February 7, 2024
..katram ir sava tēvzeme un par savējām pastāstījis arī Eiropas studiju profesors un žurnālists. interesants bija arī tas, kas norisinājies pirms autora piedzimšanas, tomēr jaunāko laiku vēsture vietām bija ļoti politiska, kas pirmajās apakšnodaļās un nodaļās tā nelikās. bet šī ir baudāma grāmata, pilna ar zināšanām un personisko redzējumu uz lietām, kas nu jau vairs nav tikai vēsture – piemēram, karš –, bet ikdiena.
January 23, 2025
Bismarck said, “Whoever speaks of Europe Lies”
What is Europe? It depends who you ask:
For Ukrainians, Europe is not Russia.
For Putin, Europe is NATO.
For Russians, Europe is Hollywood California.
For French, Europe is success independent of the US.
For Irish, Europe is belonging and acceptance independent of England.
For Britains, Europe is Africa ruled by Belgium bureaucrats.
For Angela Merkel, Europe is the Euro € (her own words apparently).
For Germans, paying for and organizing Europe is their atonement for nazism.
For the author of this book Europe is… Hamlet but he’s still a Euro optimist.
In his own words he is a product of the 1986 People Power Revolution. A revolution that applied the protests of Martin Luther and the French Revolution to the customary morals and hierarchies found in Europe.
He is a true believer in multiculturalism. But while all beliefs are equal, secularism is the belief that is more equal than any other. Despite this his book is enjoyable and thought provoking.
So who is right on what is Europe?
Charlemagne’s Europe lasted 1,000 years from the 5th century to the 15th century.
For Charlemagne, Europe was the Catholic Faith.
What is Europe? It depends who you ask:
For Ukrainians, Europe is not Russia.
For Putin, Europe is NATO.
For Russians, Europe is Hollywood California.
For French, Europe is success independent of the US.
For Irish, Europe is belonging and acceptance independent of England.
For Britains, Europe is Africa ruled by Belgium bureaucrats.
For Angela Merkel, Europe is the Euro € (her own words apparently).
For Germans, paying for and organizing Europe is their atonement for nazism.
For the author of this book Europe is… Hamlet but he’s still a Euro optimist.
In his own words he is a product of the 1986 People Power Revolution. A revolution that applied the protests of Martin Luther and the French Revolution to the customary morals and hierarchies found in Europe.
He is a true believer in multiculturalism. But while all beliefs are equal, secularism is the belief that is more equal than any other. Despite this his book is enjoyable and thought provoking.
So who is right on what is Europe?
Charlemagne’s Europe lasted 1,000 years from the 5th century to the 15th century.
For Charlemagne, Europe was the Catholic Faith.
January 15, 2024
This book got me thinking about Europe (and, of course, European Union) in a different way than before. I never realised that "Europe" means something different for people across this continent.
The book shed light on many wins and losses of Europe, as well as named and cited several heroes and villains, and predicted challenges we will face in keeping liberal democracy. Unfortunately, current prime minister of Slovakia Fico was mentioned (not in a positive way).
Author also opened some questions of the future (for example why Morocco cannot be in European union and Turkey and Kazakhstan can?) and I think it's a must read for people caring about the history (and also the future) of the continent.
Fun fact I learnt from the book: Nobel price in literature in 1953 was awarded to Winston Churchill.
The book shed light on many wins and losses of Europe, as well as named and cited several heroes and villains, and predicted challenges we will face in keeping liberal democracy. Unfortunately, current prime minister of Slovakia Fico was mentioned (not in a positive way).
Author also opened some questions of the future (for example why Morocco cannot be in European union and Turkey and Kazakhstan can?) and I think it's a must read for people caring about the history (and also the future) of the continent.
Fun fact I learnt from the book: Nobel price in literature in 1953 was awarded to Winston Churchill.
November 8, 2023
Cik daudzsološs sākums, tik neveiksmīgs nobeigums
January 8, 2026
Honestly one of the best book I’ve ever read !!
It’s so well-written; funny, engaging but still educational. I just really enjoyed the storytelling that mix personal anecdotes, historical events, stories from the people who’ve lived through these events, interviews with political leaders etc. I learned a lot!
Anyone interested in European history or that wants to understand the whole idea behind the EU (and why it is so complex) should read this :-))
10000 times better than Delanty !! iykyk
It’s so well-written; funny, engaging but still educational. I just really enjoyed the storytelling that mix personal anecdotes, historical events, stories from the people who’ve lived through these events, interviews with political leaders etc. I learned a lot!
Anyone interested in European history or that wants to understand the whole idea behind the EU (and why it is so complex) should read this :-))
10000 times better than Delanty !! iykyk
October 12, 2025
Joie de vivre and esprit dripping from this book.
As the title suggests, Timothy Garton Ash takes us on a personal journey through Europe. The journey is twofold.
On one hand: autobiography. He grants insight into his life, which is very much dedicated to understanding Europe. We follow a boy maturing into an activist going on to become a distinguished Oxford professor. Among other quirks, he proclaims himself to be a culture vulture - and I didn't doubt it for a second. His writing is full of humble hints at the extent of his love and passion for European culture.
On the other hand: history. As Garton Ash tells the story of his life, he recounts the unfolding of historical events. However, in style, tone and scope, this book is not an extensive scholarly analysis. On the upside, it's a page turner. Garton Ash's passion for the select themes he focuses on, also got me excited. No dry passages here. This piece is a manifesto and an ode to Europe. As fun as the praise is, the book scarcely deals with some of the darker shades of Europe. Post-colonialism or any sort of critique of the liberal order is not to be found here. Yet again, the piece never held the claim to be a scholarly work...
On the third hand: if these walls could talk. If you ever wondered what the walls of powerful politicians hear throughout the day, just ask Timothy Garton Ash. His personal story is very much intervowen with Europe's history. He apparently has a sixth sense for being at the right place at the right time. Whereever the locus of change and future power was, Garton Ash seems to have been there early on. The man live and breathes European history. He seems to have shared paths with Vaclac Havel, Lech Walesa and others. Remarkable. As such, this book is a gem. A multifaceted story well worth reading.
As the title suggests, Timothy Garton Ash takes us on a personal journey through Europe. The journey is twofold.
On one hand: autobiography. He grants insight into his life, which is very much dedicated to understanding Europe. We follow a boy maturing into an activist going on to become a distinguished Oxford professor. Among other quirks, he proclaims himself to be a culture vulture - and I didn't doubt it for a second. His writing is full of humble hints at the extent of his love and passion for European culture.
On the other hand: history. As Garton Ash tells the story of his life, he recounts the unfolding of historical events. However, in style, tone and scope, this book is not an extensive scholarly analysis. On the upside, it's a page turner. Garton Ash's passion for the select themes he focuses on, also got me excited. No dry passages here. This piece is a manifesto and an ode to Europe. As fun as the praise is, the book scarcely deals with some of the darker shades of Europe. Post-colonialism or any sort of critique of the liberal order is not to be found here. Yet again, the piece never held the claim to be a scholarly work...
On the third hand: if these walls could talk. If you ever wondered what the walls of powerful politicians hear throughout the day, just ask Timothy Garton Ash. His personal story is very much intervowen with Europe's history. He apparently has a sixth sense for being at the right place at the right time. Whereever the locus of change and future power was, Garton Ash seems to have been there early on. The man live and breathes European history. He seems to have shared paths with Vaclac Havel, Lech Walesa and others. Remarkable. As such, this book is a gem. A multifaceted story well worth reading.
June 4, 2025
A must read for everyone interested in the EU, maybe even more for those who are not. Actually for everyone.
May 30, 2024
"Eeuwigdurende vrede duurt tot de volgende oorlog."
April 18, 2025
I'd never heard of Timothy Garton Ash before reading this book, but he's had an incredible career as a journalist, academic and political advisor. Reading this book, you get the sense that he was on the ground at every major turning point in European history over the past 50 years: in Berlin the day after the Wall fell, in Prague with Václav Havel during the Velvet Revolution, discussing foreign policy with President Bush just weeks before 9/11.
Throughout the book, he blends historical narrative with personal commentary and countless anecdotes—recounting conversations with figures like Thatcher, Gorbachev, and Honecker (the last leader of the GDR), as well as many “ordinary” people: East German refugees, dissident members of Solidarity, an Italian man who emigrated to Germany in the 1950s, teenage Moroccan refugees in Ceuta ... If you go to his website, there’s a video where he shows what looks like hundreds of notebooks documenting his travels across Europe—dating back to 1972, stacked in a spiral up his staircase. This book is the product of that lifetime of observation, part memoir, part cultural and historical analysis.
The book covers European history from the end of the war to the present day. It's divided into five sections: Destroyed (1945), Divided (1961-1979), Rising (1980-1989), Triumphing (1990-2007) and Faltering (2008-2022). I found the Rising and Triumphing sections most enjoyable. They trace Europe’s journey of reconstruction and prosperity, but they don’t shy away from the paradoxes of that narrative. Ash devotes significant discussion to the war in Yugoslavia and the challenges faced by Eastern European countries transitioning away from communism.
My main takeaway was the reflection that history often looks inevitable in hindsight, but rarely feels that way in real time. His notebooks don’t just record events; they capture his reflections and the thoughts of those around him as those events unfolded. He really emphasises the uncertainty people felt in the last years of the Cold War. Even the day after the Berlin Wall fell, many East Germans were hesitant to celebrate, fearing that the Soviet Union might still respond with force, as it had in the past.
That same tendency—to assume that history was destined—becomes a warning as Ash turns to the present. In the Faltering section, he discusses the Eurozone crisis, the rise of terrorism, the tightening of borders in response to migration, Brexit, and Russian aggression. He argues that the success of European integration in the 1980s was far from inevitable—it relied on a combination of historical contingencies and fragile chance.
He ends the book by proposing that European history since 1945 has been defined as "post-war" and subsequently "post-wall". But with the war in Ukraine, he suggests, that “post-wall” era has now come to an end, inviting the reader to reflect on what got us here and on what the next phase of European history might look like as the global landscape shifts.
Throughout the book, he blends historical narrative with personal commentary and countless anecdotes—recounting conversations with figures like Thatcher, Gorbachev, and Honecker (the last leader of the GDR), as well as many “ordinary” people: East German refugees, dissident members of Solidarity, an Italian man who emigrated to Germany in the 1950s, teenage Moroccan refugees in Ceuta ... If you go to his website, there’s a video where he shows what looks like hundreds of notebooks documenting his travels across Europe—dating back to 1972, stacked in a spiral up his staircase. This book is the product of that lifetime of observation, part memoir, part cultural and historical analysis.
The book covers European history from the end of the war to the present day. It's divided into five sections: Destroyed (1945), Divided (1961-1979), Rising (1980-1989), Triumphing (1990-2007) and Faltering (2008-2022). I found the Rising and Triumphing sections most enjoyable. They trace Europe’s journey of reconstruction and prosperity, but they don’t shy away from the paradoxes of that narrative. Ash devotes significant discussion to the war in Yugoslavia and the challenges faced by Eastern European countries transitioning away from communism.
My main takeaway was the reflection that history often looks inevitable in hindsight, but rarely feels that way in real time. His notebooks don’t just record events; they capture his reflections and the thoughts of those around him as those events unfolded. He really emphasises the uncertainty people felt in the last years of the Cold War. Even the day after the Berlin Wall fell, many East Germans were hesitant to celebrate, fearing that the Soviet Union might still respond with force, as it had in the past.
That same tendency—to assume that history was destined—becomes a warning as Ash turns to the present. In the Faltering section, he discusses the Eurozone crisis, the rise of terrorism, the tightening of borders in response to migration, Brexit, and Russian aggression. He argues that the success of European integration in the 1980s was far from inevitable—it relied on a combination of historical contingencies and fragile chance.
He ends the book by proposing that European history since 1945 has been defined as "post-war" and subsequently "post-wall". But with the war in Ukraine, he suggests, that “post-wall” era has now come to an end, inviting the reader to reflect on what got us here and on what the next phase of European history might look like as the global landscape shifts.
November 22, 2025
Having read some articles by TGA I wanted to read this book. It’s a nice mix of personal anecdotes and the recent history of Europe, from WWII to 2023. TGA is widely travelled and a clear proponent of European solidarity and liberal democracy. Although a British citizen, he has immersed himself in recent European history as a whole and describes European developments internally as well as in relation to Russia/USSR and the US. What I appreciated is that TGA also admits to having been wrong in the past on several occasions. The insights he shares about his exchanges with Václav Havel and the difference between the role of an intellectual and a politician are very thought provoking.
Some nice takeaways: not only societal developments but also specific individuals are of enormous influence on the course of events.
Without a strategic vision for Europe, a monetary union does not make sense. The EU has since the outset been too focused on the economic advantages of closer cooperation and not on the wellbeing of its citizens. A strategic vision would help to engage Europeans.
The opportunities for Europeans are still enormously varied and the historical awareness of WWII and Communism is fading, leading to complacency and as TGA calls it, hubris: the tragic flaw of excessive self-confidence.
However threatening they may be, the current attacks on Europe from both within and outside the EU will hopefully lead to more awareness of the value of social liberalism.
Some nice takeaways: not only societal developments but also specific individuals are of enormous influence on the course of events.
Without a strategic vision for Europe, a monetary union does not make sense. The EU has since the outset been too focused on the economic advantages of closer cooperation and not on the wellbeing of its citizens. A strategic vision would help to engage Europeans.
The opportunities for Europeans are still enormously varied and the historical awareness of WWII and Communism is fading, leading to complacency and as TGA calls it, hubris: the tragic flaw of excessive self-confidence.
However threatening they may be, the current attacks on Europe from both within and outside the EU will hopefully lead to more awareness of the value of social liberalism.
August 19, 2024
Po prvotní zmatenosti z množství témat střídajících se co půl strany, jsem si pomalu, ale jistě knihu zamilovala. Uznávaný akademik na evropskou integraci napsal svoji ódu na Evropu a naprosto si mě získal. Je to složeno z událostí, které se staly v Evropě od roku 1945, ale jeho pohledem a jak je on (a zároveň miliony dalších Evropanů) vnímal. Je to subjektivní, ale určitým způsobem i objektivní zároveň. Moc dobré. (Ale ten cesky překlad..uff)
December 23, 2023
Ļoti labs vēstures, notikumu un interpretācijas pārstāsts par Eiropu un kārtību tajā pēc Otrā pasaules kara. Autors notikumus un uzsvarus ir licis caur savu pieredzes prizmu, kam klāt stāvējis, par ko vairāk attiecīgajā laikā interesējies. Tiešām labs un interesants darbs.
October 26, 2025
Я розчарований прочитаним, особливо після першої частини, яка була присвячена періоду після другої світової. Хотілось розважливості і відстороненого погляду на події, але натомість автор пустився берега і влаштував емоційний коктейль зі своїх переживань, що для історика неприпустимо.
Наскрізною темою книги є питання мігрантів. Автор не пропонує нічого, лише вважає, що не допускати мігрантів – погано і крапка, не бачачи очевидних наслідків неконтрольованих людських потоків, які не здатна “переварити” Європа.
Дещо некоректно ставити в один ряд біженців Азії і Африки з біженцями з України. Чому ж на думку автора така консервативна Польща і навіть не дуже дружня Угорщина спокійно пропускають усіх охочих з України, але ставлять додаткові огорожі на кордонах в момент, коли прибувають біженці з Сирії і Іраку? Дуже просто сказати, що всі в Європі ісламофоби та расисти, але це маячня. Автор чомусь уникає писати про реальні причини такої різниці в відношенні, хоча й надає цікавий факт того, що левову частку терористичних актів коїли мусульмани, які вже народились в Європі і це вони вже типу інтегровані в суспільство. Але стають вони терористами тому, що на їхню думку інтегровані погано і їм образливо. Їм хочеться більше прав, більшу платню, більше того і отого і взагалі Європа апріорі винна, бо колонізувала їх. Такого не буває і не буде, на жаль світ жорстокий і несправедливий, а Європа не Земля обітована. Еш вважає націоналізм чимось поганим і небезпечним, що може знову переростати в фашистські погляди. Ну нехай так, але ж при цьому не усвідомлює, що націоналізм – наслідок і не розуміє, що причина в тому числі і в неконтрольованій міграції. І чим більше мігранти будуть вимагати нездійсненного, особливо силовими методами, тим частіше до влади будуть приходити праві і популісти, яких автор так не любить. Що в свою чергу ще більше буде підживлювати консолідацію і упевненість у своїй правоті громадян, які привели цих правих політиків до влади. Згоден, країнам потрібно робити набагато більше в питаннях інтеграції, але ілюзій створювати також не потрібно. Не хочуть приймати порядків і законів країни в яку приїхали, тоді до побачення, завжди можна переїхати.
Занадто багато води стосовно виходу Великої Британії з ЄС (брекзит), автор не пише чому це погано і до яких наслідків він призвів. Це погано, бо це погано? (я нагадаю, автор британець і хто як не він міг розкласти по полицях всі за і проти) Натомість ¼ книги розповідає про те, які деякі політики негідники і як вони довели Британію до катастрофи. Але це катастрофа суто особистісного характеру.
Автор ідеалізує Європейський Союз фокусуючись на тому, що це щось неймовірне і всі країни мають в нього вступити, ще й Канаду долучити. Чому? Знову загадка і лише одні емоції автора. Еш наче і підмічає недоліки ЄС, по типу того, як одна людина/країна може легко блокувати будь-яку ініціативу всіх інших країн-членів, бо може, та все одно продовжує гнути свою лінію. В нинішньому стані засади ЄС застарілі, вони в задовільному стані працюють у мирний час, який невпинно закінчується. Їх потрібно змінювати, десь наступаючи самим собі на горлянки в питаннях ліберальних демократій. Якщо не зробити висновків і залишити все як є, то ЄС дуже швидко розвалиться, тому що якщо один Орбан може створювати хаос, то можна лишень уявити коли таких Орбанів стане 5-10. І що тоді планують робити інші? Знову складати лапки і казати, що у нас тут взагалі-то в Європі демократія, ми нічого не можемо вдіяти?
Розділ про війну в Україні поверхневий, якщо так нас бачать іноземці, то це таке собі, якийсь телемарафон на мінімалках, занадто ідеалізовано, але добре, що взагалі бачать і не з'єднують в єдиний організм з росією. Нарешті на 3й рік повномасштабки окремі політики високих чинів дозволяють собі висловлюватись про те, що ця війна є екзистенційною для України і вона не повинна програти. Але їм ще досі не вистачає духу сказати, що програти має росія. Європейці мають нарешті зрозуміти, що досить гратись в демократію і думати про свої кар'єри, досить закуповувати енергоносії у росії, досить удавати, що війна десь далеко і якось воно може розсмокчеться саме по собі. Не розсмокчеться, а в недалекому майбутньому вже самі європейці можуть стати вимушеними мігрантами.
Наскрізною темою книги є питання мігрантів. Автор не пропонує нічого, лише вважає, що не допускати мігрантів – погано і крапка, не бачачи очевидних наслідків неконтрольованих людських потоків, які не здатна “переварити” Європа.
Дещо некоректно ставити в один ряд біженців Азії і Африки з біженцями з України. Чому ж на думку автора така консервативна Польща і навіть не дуже дружня Угорщина спокійно пропускають усіх охочих з України, але ставлять додаткові огорожі на кордонах в момент, коли прибувають біженці з Сирії і Іраку? Дуже просто сказати, що всі в Європі ісламофоби та расисти, але це маячня. Автор чомусь уникає писати про реальні причини такої різниці в відношенні, хоча й надає цікавий факт того, що левову частку терористичних актів коїли мусульмани, які вже народились в Європі і це вони вже типу інтегровані в суспільство. Але стають вони терористами тому, що на їхню думку інтегровані погано і їм образливо. Їм хочеться більше прав, більшу платню, більше того і отого і взагалі Європа апріорі винна, бо колонізувала їх. Такого не буває і не буде, на жаль світ жорстокий і несправедливий, а Європа не Земля обітована. Еш вважає націоналізм чимось поганим і небезпечним, що може знову переростати в фашистські погляди. Ну нехай так, але ж при цьому не усвідомлює, що націоналізм – наслідок і не розуміє, що причина в тому числі і в неконтрольованій міграції. І чим більше мігранти будуть вимагати нездійсненного, особливо силовими методами, тим частіше до влади будуть приходити праві і популісти, яких автор так не любить. Що в свою чергу ще більше буде підживлювати консолідацію і упевненість у своїй правоті громадян, які привели цих правих політиків до влади. Згоден, країнам потрібно робити набагато більше в питаннях інтеграції, але ілюзій створювати також не потрібно. Не хочуть приймати порядків і законів країни в яку приїхали, тоді до побачення, завжди можна переїхати.
Занадто багато води стосовно виходу Великої Британії з ЄС (брекзит), автор не пише чому це погано і до яких наслідків він призвів. Це погано, бо це погано? (я нагадаю, автор британець і хто як не він міг розкласти по полицях всі за і проти) Натомість ¼ книги розповідає про те, які деякі політики негідники і як вони довели Британію до катастрофи. Але це катастрофа суто особистісного характеру.
Автор ідеалізує Європейський Союз фокусуючись на тому, що це щось неймовірне і всі країни мають в нього вступити, ще й Канаду долучити. Чому? Знову загадка і лише одні емоції автора. Еш наче і підмічає недоліки ЄС, по типу того, як одна людина/країна може легко блокувати будь-яку ініціативу всіх інших країн-членів, бо може, та все одно продовжує гнути свою лінію. В нинішньому стані засади ЄС застарілі, вони в задовільному стані працюють у мирний час, який невпинно закінчується. Їх потрібно змінювати, десь наступаючи самим собі на горлянки в питаннях ліберальних демократій. Якщо не зробити висновків і залишити все як є, то ЄС дуже швидко розвалиться, тому що якщо один Орбан може створювати хаос, то можна лишень уявити коли таких Орбанів стане 5-10. І що тоді планують робити інші? Знову складати лапки і казати, що у нас тут взагалі-то в Європі демократія, ми нічого не можемо вдіяти?
Розділ про війну в Україні поверхневий, якщо так нас бачать іноземці, то це таке собі, якийсь телемарафон на мінімалках, занадто ідеалізовано, але добре, що взагалі бачать і не з'єднують в єдиний організм з росією. Нарешті на 3й рік повномасштабки окремі політики високих чинів дозволяють собі висловлюватись про те, що ця війна є екзистенційною для України і вона не повинна програти. Але їм ще досі не вистачає духу сказати, що програти має росія. Європейці мають нарешті зрозуміти, що досить гратись в демократію і думати про свої кар'єри, досить закуповувати енергоносії у росії, досить удавати, що війна десь далеко і якось воно може розсмокчеться саме по собі. Не розсмокчеться, а в недалекому майбутньому вже самі європейці можуть стати вимушеними мігрантами.
June 23, 2024
oh fck yeah. Amazing book (except for the boring beginnig). Apart from very engagingly retelling 20th century with almost picturesque memoir snippets of person who lived through the history, it also opened my eyes to the fact that I too lived through historical moments (refugee crisis, brexit, Trump election) and it was cool to see them positioned in a broader historical narrative. Even if you do not generally like history, but you are at least a little bit interested in the meaning of Europe, this is a good book.
March 1, 2025
Honestly, my rating on this book is less about the author and the book itself, and it is just me being happy to have bumped into a little bit of history again at the ripe age of 24. Shoutout to all my history teachers who made my history experience the equivalent to shitting oneself on a bus mid summer. Anyways, I loved reading this book and found myself getting emotional at numerous points. I’m just really thankful for the perspective that history gives, particularly in the political realm. I definitely want more of that perspective.
November 10, 2024
Moc příjemně překvapení. Skvěle napsaná, čtivá, osobní historie Evropy po 2. světové válce. Plná autorových osobních vzpomínek na významné lidi, se kterými se setkal a debatoval s nimi. Plná i jiných zajímavých informací z mnoha oborů a zajímavými úvahami.
April 4, 2025
Många perspektiv och resonemang kring Europa och dess utveckling efter andra världskriget och efter murens fall. Referenser till möten med många personer från olika håll i Europa med olika tankar kring var vi är och vart och varför vi är påväg.
September 9, 2024
suuper leerzaam en goed geschreven, gaat dat lezen!
February 2, 2025
Si voleu un repàs amè i profund alhora de l’esdevenir del nostre continent els darrers 50 anys i que ajuda molt a entendre el món d’avui, us recomano ferventment que llegiu #Europa del conegut analista britànic Timothy Garton Ash
October 9, 2024
gewoon prachtig
May 27, 2024
Llibre que havia de llegir per una assignatura de la carrera. No me'l he acabat perquè al final a l'exàmen no entra tot el llibre, i tot i que seria xulo poder-me'l acabar, ara mateix no tinc temps ni (amb molt de respecte) massa interès.
Tot i que el llibre és molt interessant i el format de redacció fa que sigui prou àgil a l'hora de llegir, la temàtica europea tant concreta no m'acaba d'agradar: Tinc un conflicte personal contra la història de la Unió Europea, i obviament, al tractar-se d'un llibre d'Europa, la Unió Euorpea és esmentada amb freqüència. (Axiò no vol dir que tingui un odi cap a la Unió Europea, sinó que més aviat, sento un cert rebuig cap a la història de les institucions europees). Saltant-nos les parts de la Unió Europea (que repeteixo, entenc completament que hi sigui) el llibre és molt interessant i enriquidor. Aviam com em va a l'examen, potser després d'aquest tinc una opinió del llibre diferent jaja.
Tot i que el llibre és molt interessant i el format de redacció fa que sigui prou àgil a l'hora de llegir, la temàtica europea tant concreta no m'acaba d'agradar: Tinc un conflicte personal contra la història de la Unió Europea, i obviament, al tractar-se d'un llibre d'Europa, la Unió Euorpea és esmentada amb freqüència. (Axiò no vol dir que tingui un odi cap a la Unió Europea, sinó que més aviat, sento un cert rebuig cap a la història de les institucions europees). Saltant-nos les parts de la Unió Europea (que repeteixo, entenc completament que hi sigui) el llibre és molt interessant i enriquidor. Aviam com em va a l'examen, potser després d'aquest tinc una opinió del llibre diferent jaja.
March 16, 2025
I was hopeful this book would be a good read on the history of Europe post WW II but unfortunately for the most part this was not the case. There are several insightful chapters on specific events / time periods from 1945 to the present but I found most chapters were a meandering recap of the author’s experiences. I wish it had been better.
January 22, 2024
As someone who has recently started listening to The Rest is Politics podcast, I’ve been exposed to ‘centrist’ tendencies of late and this is perhaps a sign of encroaching age – although I don’t have any kids, so can’t be accused of the current worst thing you can be – a ‘centrist Dad’. Speaking seriously though, the deeply worrying increase in extremism in today’s international politics does certainly lead one to seek out voices of reasoned calm and hence, Timothy Garton Ash’s book fell in my lap.
The author is privately educated, has friends in high places, is male, middle-aged and wealthy so one has to remember all that – but for almost all of the book, this is a sensible, moderate voice for tolerance and good sense. It’s mainly a defence of pan-European, internationalist identity and argues mainly that the horrors of the mid-twentieth century needed the counterpoint of the EU’s first 40 to 50 years and that this is more important than the various economic arguments. In particular, the author is outstanding in a passionate argument for humanism when faced with the refugee crisis – a far cry from most of today’s politicians. The book is also useful as a whistle stop reminder of recent events – especially the timeline of Brexit (way too boring to follow closely at the time) and other sequences. It probably isn’t an essential read – but if someone offers to lend it to you, do take them up on it.
The author is privately educated, has friends in high places, is male, middle-aged and wealthy so one has to remember all that – but for almost all of the book, this is a sensible, moderate voice for tolerance and good sense. It’s mainly a defence of pan-European, internationalist identity and argues mainly that the horrors of the mid-twentieth century needed the counterpoint of the EU’s first 40 to 50 years and that this is more important than the various economic arguments. In particular, the author is outstanding in a passionate argument for humanism when faced with the refugee crisis – a far cry from most of today’s politicians. The book is also useful as a whistle stop reminder of recent events – especially the timeline of Brexit (way too boring to follow closely at the time) and other sequences. It probably isn’t an essential read – but if someone offers to lend it to you, do take them up on it.
June 17, 2024
Ένας Βρετανός που λατρεύει την Ευρώπη.
Και μέσα από την ιστορία της προσπαθεί να τη σώσει από τον φασισμό.
Και μέσα από την ιστορία της προσπαθεί να τη σώσει από τον φασισμό.
January 7, 2025
I’d really like to give it 4.5 stars.
A spectacularly and beautifully written book, and one of few history books to make me laugh at points. That Garton Ash was an eyewitness to so many important moments (and personally knew so many important people) of modern European history is incredible, and this book is at its best when it leans into his recollections (gratefully recorded in what must amount to hundreds of notebooks) more than pure history. Aside from Garton Ash’s gift for almost novel-like journalistic storytelling, the book also deserves praise for its non-exclusive focus on Western Europe—Eastern, Central, and Southern Europe rightly receive far more attention than usual, although oddly enough Northern Europe is scarcely mentioned!
This book is something of a personal telling of Tony Judt’s classic, Postwar. If you are starting from a fresh slate, I would not recommend it as an entry point to modern European history; Garton Ash assumes a certain level of familiarity with the main characters, events, and ideas. I see this as a strength, however—since Garton Ash is writing for an audience who already knows something about de Gaulle or Adenauer, he can include personal vignettes and anecdotes that other histories could not afford to. This, in my opinion, is what makes this book worth reading: you will not get the full story of the “fall” of the Berlin Wall for the billionth time, but rather Garton Ash’s vivid (and often humorous) storytelling, which is closer to that of a journalist reporting live from the scene than that of a historian.
There were a few chapters where he started to lose me—not because I disagreed with his perspective, per se, but rather because it almost felt like I had started reading a different book. For a few chapters roughly midway through, especially those on Europe in the 2000s and early 2010s, what had so far felt something like Garton Ash’s history-infused memoir (or perhaps memoir-infused history?) started to feel more like an op-ed. Thankfully, the book finds its footing again, with Garton Ash leaning back into his gift for journalism, especially in his discussion of the refugee crisis.
The best part(s) of this book, in my opinion, are the descriptions of Garton Ash’s travels throughout Europe over the course of the 70s and the 80s, over the course of which he has run-ins with the East German Stasi, witnesses the ascendancy of the Solidarity movement in Poland, and introduces a variety of characters that, taken as a whole, put a human face on the seemingly cold and rigid communist Europe (socialism with a human face, you could say…). Garton Ash’s encounters with the leaders of the day also offer a valuable insight: rather than the leaders just being part of the history, we get to see what they were thinking.
I also found the last few chapters particularly fascinating, on the future of Europe in the face of challenges ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the rise of illiberal democracy, as in Hungary, to still unanswered (or at least unsatisfactorily answered) questions about the future of immigration and Islam in Europe. This book offers much to think about—not just about the past, but also the future. Most importantly, Garton Ash reminds us that while we have good reason to be worried about the future, that is no excuse not to work toward a better future. Concluding, as the author does, with some of Vaclav Havel’s many words of wisdom, we are reminded that it is possible to hope for a better future even in dark times: “Hope is not prognostication. It is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world that is immediately experienced.”
A spectacularly and beautifully written book, and one of few history books to make me laugh at points. That Garton Ash was an eyewitness to so many important moments (and personally knew so many important people) of modern European history is incredible, and this book is at its best when it leans into his recollections (gratefully recorded in what must amount to hundreds of notebooks) more than pure history. Aside from Garton Ash’s gift for almost novel-like journalistic storytelling, the book also deserves praise for its non-exclusive focus on Western Europe—Eastern, Central, and Southern Europe rightly receive far more attention than usual, although oddly enough Northern Europe is scarcely mentioned!
This book is something of a personal telling of Tony Judt’s classic, Postwar. If you are starting from a fresh slate, I would not recommend it as an entry point to modern European history; Garton Ash assumes a certain level of familiarity with the main characters, events, and ideas. I see this as a strength, however—since Garton Ash is writing for an audience who already knows something about de Gaulle or Adenauer, he can include personal vignettes and anecdotes that other histories could not afford to. This, in my opinion, is what makes this book worth reading: you will not get the full story of the “fall” of the Berlin Wall for the billionth time, but rather Garton Ash’s vivid (and often humorous) storytelling, which is closer to that of a journalist reporting live from the scene than that of a historian.
There were a few chapters where he started to lose me—not because I disagreed with his perspective, per se, but rather because it almost felt like I had started reading a different book. For a few chapters roughly midway through, especially those on Europe in the 2000s and early 2010s, what had so far felt something like Garton Ash’s history-infused memoir (or perhaps memoir-infused history?) started to feel more like an op-ed. Thankfully, the book finds its footing again, with Garton Ash leaning back into his gift for journalism, especially in his discussion of the refugee crisis.
The best part(s) of this book, in my opinion, are the descriptions of Garton Ash’s travels throughout Europe over the course of the 70s and the 80s, over the course of which he has run-ins with the East German Stasi, witnesses the ascendancy of the Solidarity movement in Poland, and introduces a variety of characters that, taken as a whole, put a human face on the seemingly cold and rigid communist Europe (socialism with a human face, you could say…). Garton Ash’s encounters with the leaders of the day also offer a valuable insight: rather than the leaders just being part of the history, we get to see what they were thinking.
I also found the last few chapters particularly fascinating, on the future of Europe in the face of challenges ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the rise of illiberal democracy, as in Hungary, to still unanswered (or at least unsatisfactorily answered) questions about the future of immigration and Islam in Europe. This book offers much to think about—not just about the past, but also the future. Most importantly, Garton Ash reminds us that while we have good reason to be worried about the future, that is no excuse not to work toward a better future. Concluding, as the author does, with some of Vaclav Havel’s many words of wisdom, we are reminded that it is possible to hope for a better future even in dark times: “Hope is not prognostication. It is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world that is immediately experienced.”
September 30, 2024
Hieno, voimakas ja henkilökohtainen Euroopan ja eurooppalaisten arvojen puolustuspuhe brittiläiseltä Euroopan lähihistoriaan erikoistuneelta historioitsijalta.
Teos kuvaa hyvin mielenkiintoisella tavalla historiallisen muistin merkitystä ja voimaa, ja eurooppalaisten erilaisia todellisuuksia. Lännessä toinen maailmansota oli perikato, ja sodan päättyminen 1945 merkitsi uuden alkua. Toista oli rautaesiripun taakse jääneillä, joille 1980- ja 1990-lukujen taite ja Neuvostoliiton kaatuminen merkitsi vapautumista.
Myös Jugoslavian raa’at hajoamissodat ja Neuvostoliiton hajoamiseen liittyvä Venäjän hyökkäyssota Ukrainassa käsitellään historiallisen muistin näkökulmasta.
Kirja ja sen sanoma on yhä ajankohtaisempi Euroopan integraatiota haastavien oikeistopopulististen puolueiden noustessa, ja Venäjän käydessä raakaa hyökkäyssotaa Euroopassa. Eikö enää ikinä?
Teos kuvaa hyvin mielenkiintoisella tavalla historiallisen muistin merkitystä ja voimaa, ja eurooppalaisten erilaisia todellisuuksia. Lännessä toinen maailmansota oli perikato, ja sodan päättyminen 1945 merkitsi uuden alkua. Toista oli rautaesiripun taakse jääneillä, joille 1980- ja 1990-lukujen taite ja Neuvostoliiton kaatuminen merkitsi vapautumista.
Myös Jugoslavian raa’at hajoamissodat ja Neuvostoliiton hajoamiseen liittyvä Venäjän hyökkäyssota Ukrainassa käsitellään historiallisen muistin näkökulmasta.
Kirja ja sen sanoma on yhä ajankohtaisempi Euroopan integraatiota haastavien oikeistopopulististen puolueiden noustessa, ja Venäjän käydessä raakaa hyökkäyssotaa Euroopassa. Eikö enää ikinä?
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