The Pursuit of Power

“The Pursuit of Power…unpacks the fascinatingly complex and interconnected range of historical forces at work between 1815 and 1914. . . [A] skillful  interweave of political conflict and transition, economic transformation social upheaval and cultural change.”—The New York Times Book Review

“An outstanding volume that leaves no stone unturned in providing a taut narrative of this important era of modern European history. Using dense and well written narrative and cogent analysis of cause and effect, Professor Evans has provided another excellent contribution to [the Penguin History of Europe] series.”—New York Journal of Books
 
“Wonderfully researched, highly readable, engrossing . . . The Pursuit of Power is required reading for anyone looking to understand what is at the foundation of today’s global economy, the difficulties between nations, or for those simply wondering how Europe as a whole came to its current form.”—Portland Book Review

“A massive and masterful account . . . This is a beautifully written, wide-ranging study that explores in depth the political, social, and economic factors that shaped and continue to shape modern Europe and the wider world.”—Booklist, (starred review)

“An impressive and richly documented new book . . . A distinguished scholar of Germany, Mr. Evans is just as sure-footed across the continent . . . The book is particularly illuminating on how social trends after 1848—the spread of education, the standardization of languages, railway development and the mass production of newspapers—led to the rise of political forces like nationalism and democracy . . . Mr. Evans is a skilled synthesizer with a strong eye for narrative . . . the book’s real success lies with its timeliness. Europe is rendered not as a geographical space—its eastern borders have always been hard to define—but as a collective entity with a shared history. European leaders invited ruin upon themselves when they forgot that in 1914. They should never do it again.”—The Economist

“Sweeping, panoramic history . . . Splendid . . . Evans wants above all, as he puts it, to convey ‘the flavor of the period, in its mixture of strangeness and familiarity, and as far as possible to allow contemporaries to speak for themselves.’ This he does beautifully, enlivening his straightforward narratives with short sketches of little-known but fascinating personalities . . . fine scholarship.”—Financial Times
 
“Magnificent . . . masterly . . . This outstanding and authoritative synthesis, weaving social, political, diplomatic, cultural, engineering, scientific and economic history, is eminently readable and so carefully crafted that I was always reluctant to put it down. It will help readers appreciate the period of Europe’s growing dominance in the world as seen from variety of perspectives and better understand some of the roots of World War I.”—BookPage

“Transnational history at its finest . . . social, political and cultural themes swirl together in one great canvas of immense detail and beauty.”—The Times

“Dazzlingly erudite and entertaining.”—Dominic Sandbrook, The Sunday Times