very well written, opinionated and fairly detailed history
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An excellent if somewhat topical race through the extremely complicated histories of the three Baltic repubics, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. If you are intending to visit any one of these new countries, this is - as far as I know - by far the best summary of "how they got here". Particularly interesting is Lieven's analysis of how the Balts differ from each other, and the many-layered approaches in each country to their substantial Russian minorities. Also very revealing, is how contemporary and ancient Balts viewed each other (mostly with considerable dislike). The history stops in the mid 1990s when the book was written, but delves back into the extremely misty past of the various peoples who have inhabited the Baltic region. The analysis is very balanced, with several points of view being given on the numerous controversial issues. But the author does not shrink from giving his own, very pro-Western and liberal opinion - but always with a dose of practicality and an awareness of the threat which the West itself poses to these small, chippy states - in the form of consumerism.
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