The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine

by Serhii Plokhy (Autor)

Paperback, 2021

Status

Available

Call number

DK508.51

Genres

Publication

Basic Books (2021), Edition: Revised, 448 pages

Description

"From one of the foremost experts on Ukraine and the former USSR, a concise, authoritative history of Ukraine. Ukraine is currently embroiled in a tense battle with Russia to preserve its economic and political independence. But today's conflict is only the latest in a long history of battles over Ukraine's existence as a sovereign nation. As award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy argues in The Gates of Europe, we must examine Ukraine's past in order to understand its fraught present and likely future. Situated between Europe, Russia, and the Asian East, Ukraine was shaped by the empires that have used it as a strategic gateway between East and West--from the Romans and Ottomans to the Third Reich and the Soviet Union, all have engaged in global fights for supremacy on Ukrainian soil. Each invading army left a lasting mark on the landscape and on the population, making modern Ukraine an amalgam of competing cultures. Authoritative and vividly written, The Gates of Europe will be the definitive history of Ukraine for years to come"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member gypsysmom

I only got half-way through this book before it was due back at my library. I intend to take it out again at some point so I can finish it. The author manages to cover the historical record from pre-Christian eras up to the very recent past but never makes the reader feel bogged down in the details.

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LibraryThing member Ailurophile

A genuinely fascinating book, which I read as part of an ongoing effort to understand current events in Ukraine and Russia. My main takeaway from Plokhy's work is that the history of Ukraine is so long, so complicated, and so multi-layered that it defies any simple summary. I will certainly be

seeking out additional works to read on this subject.

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LibraryThing member nmele

I found this comprehensive history of Ukraine helped me understand what is going on there in the war with Russia. Plokhy manages to cover millennia of history while focussing tightly on the events of the last 80 years, which offers insights into the competing narratives of Russia and Ukraine about

the current conflict.

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LibraryThing member jcvogan1

Well written. Very pro-Ukrainian nationalism, but honest enough to show how views have varied over time.

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