You may imagine that the name Dark Continent refers to Africa but this disturbing and insightful history book concerns itself with Europe. Emerging from the First World War with borders redrawn and a grim determination to avoid anymore bloodshed on such a terrifying scale the growth of powerful ideologies nevertheless led us into an even more horrifying conflict. Mark Mazower masterfully weaves his way through the 20th century revealing a history often untold in a witty and extremely readable style. This falls somewhere between textbook and popular history and it proves to be a valiant attempt to explain the path Europe has taken.

Nowadays people take a democratic Europe for granted. The countries seem to us to stretch back into history and have a kind of imagined permanence which history makes a complete fool of. Borders have changed recently, whole empires have disappeared and the veneer of democracy is more fragile than you might imagine. To a large extent the history of the 20th century is a history of competing ideologies. Liberal democracy, communism and fascism squared off in a bitter competition which costs millions of lives. Even in today’s capitalist dominated world the after effects of this ideological battle resonate.

To take such a complex period of history and flux and attempt to consolidate it and explain it in a book that runs to just over 400 pages may seem ambitious to say the least. Mazower is a skilled historian and his obvious dedication to research and evidence gives his arguments clear purpose and a convincing edge which is often lacking in historical writing. He never focuses too closely on any one event or country, instead we explore the vista of European development as modern day politics emerged and the old hierarchies were swept away for good.

The horror of the Nazi age and the effect of the holocaust are dealt with carefully and Mazower never shies away from revealing just how dark things have gotten on this continent at times. He also doesn’t shy away from pointing out that ethnic cleansing was hardly an exclusively German past time and the similarities between opposing ideologies and the governments acting in their names make for interesting reading.

The book favours an exploration of general events and progress over specific battles. The tide of changing society and public opinion wins out over the beliefs of individual characters, even the great leaders. Mazower clearly has a special understanding of the 1940’s and as the book wears on so the material loses a little of that edge. Nevertheless it is a fascinating and at times appalling and shocking read. The import of such a sweeping study and the conclusions it helps the reader to develop are vital to anyone seeking to understand the development of Europe in the 20th century.

Dark Continent is extremely well written, features excellent research and despite drawing on many familiar texts and documents, manages to bring a fresh perspective to some of the most important events in recent history. After the text there are some fascinating maps and tables, detailed notes on his research and a terrific section of suggested further reading. This is a deeply impressive work and highly recommended.