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World » Europe » The European Union

Most Recommended Books

The Euro by David Marsh

“My reason for choosing this book is that it is the most meticulous picture of how this great experiment of a single currency was embarked upon. David manages to report in minute detail and yet make it a cracking read. It’s all there: the personalities, the colour, who would talk to whom in public, and then what they said in private. It’s written in such a smooth way that you never feel lost or snowed under by complicated economics and too much detail.”

Giles Merritt,

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The European Union began fairly modestly in the 1950s when six European states agreed to create the European Steel and Coal Community to share their resources in these areas. Coal and steel were seen as crucial for waging war and the idea was that if these resources were collectivised, then war between the participating states would be impossible.

Since then, what eventually became the EU has evolved into a bloc of 27 countries that has developed a common approach to nearly every aspect of economic policy, including a single currency. The EU also insists on a common approach to human rights and democratic institutions. Candidate countries have to sign up to these, as much as to the disciplines of the single market.

Giles Merritt choses five books to help you understand the challenges facing the EU and what it might look like in the future. One of the biggest challenges for Europe over the past 10 years has been making good some of the Euro’s shortcomings, exposed during the financial crisis. Economic historian, Barry Eichengreen looks at the challenges facing the single currency. And Philippe Legrain looks at some of the broader issues of identity and belonging that the EU throws up.

    The best books on The European Union, recommended by Giles Merritt

  • Read
    The best books on The European Union - Fractured Continent: Europe's Crises and the Fate of the West by William Drozdiak

    1

    Fractured Continent: Europe's Crises and the Fate of the West
    by William Drozdiak

  • Read
    The best books on The European Union - The Future of Europe: Towards a Two-Speed EU? by Jean-Claude Piris

    2

    The Future of Europe: Towards a Two-Speed EU?
    by Jean-Claude Piris

  • Read
    The best books on The European Union - The Euro by David Marsh

    3

    The Euro
    by David Marsh

  • Read
    The best books on The European Union - The Pro-European Reader by Dick Leonard and‎ Mark Leonard (eds)

    4

    The Pro-European Reader
    by Dick Leonard and‎ Mark Leonard (eds)

  • Read
    The best books on The European Union - Rethinking Europe's Future by David Calleo

    5

    Rethinking Europe's Future
    by David Calleo

  • The best books on The European Union - Fractured Continent: Europe's Crises and the Fate of the West by William Drozdiak
  • The best books on The European Union - The Future of Europe: Towards a Two-Speed EU? by Jean-Claude Piris
  • The best books on The European Union - The Euro by David Marsh
  • The best books on The European Union - The Pro-European Reader by Dick Leonard and‎ Mark Leonard (eds)
  • The best books on The European Union - Rethinking Europe's Future by David Calleo

The best books on The European Union, recommended by Giles Merritt

The EU started life as a small trading bloc but now spans 28 (soon to be 27) countries with half a billion people. What can be done to help its institutions catch up with the new reality? Giles Merritt, author of Slippery Slope: Brexit and Europe’s Troubled Future, has some ideas.

The best books on The European Union, recommended by Giles Merritt

    The best books on Europe’s Vanished States, recommended by Norman Davies

  • Read
    The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - The Last King of Poland by Adam Zamoyski

    1

    The Last King of Poland
    by Adam Zamoyski

  • Read
    The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - Iron Kingdom: the Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947 by Christopher Clark

    2

    Iron Kingdom: the Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947
    by Christopher Clark

  • Read
    The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - The Mediterranean in History by David Abulafia

    3

    The Mediterranean in History
    by David Abulafia

  • Read
    The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - The Goths by Peter Heather

    4

    The Goths
    by Peter Heather

  • Read
    The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - Realm of the Black Mountain by Elizabeth Roberts

    5

    Realm of the Black Mountain
    by Elizabeth Roberts

  • The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - The Last King of Poland by Adam Zamoyski
  • The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - Iron Kingdom: the Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947 by Christopher Clark
  • The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - The Mediterranean in History by David Abulafia
  • The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - The Goths by Peter Heather
  • The best books on Europe’s Vanished States - Realm of the Black Mountain by Elizabeth Roberts

The best books on Europe’s Vanished States, recommended by Norman Davies

The rise of China means the study of its history is suddenly in vogue. But, says historian Norman Davies, there’s as much to learn, if not more, from looking at states that have disappeared

The best books on Europe’s Vanished States, recommended by Norman Davies

    The best books on The Euro, recommended by Barry Eichengreen

  • Read
    The best books on The Euro - Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt

    1

    Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
    by Tony Judt

  • Read
    The best books on The Euro - The Euro by David Marsh

    2

    The Euro
    by David Marsh

  • Read
    The best books on The Euro - Varieties of Capitalism by Peter Hall and David Soskice

    3

    Varieties of Capitalism
    by Peter Hall and David Soskice

  • Read
    The best books on The Euro - The Euro by Marco Buti

    4

    The Euro
    by Marco Buti

  • Read
    The best books on The Euro - Europe and the Euro by Alberto Alesina and Francesco Giavazzi

    5

    Europe and the Euro
    by Alberto Alesina and Francesco Giavazzi

  • The best books on The Euro - Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt
  • The best books on The Euro - The Euro by David Marsh
  • The best books on The Euro - Varieties of Capitalism by Peter Hall and David Soskice
  • The best books on The Euro - The Euro by Marco Buti
  • The best books on The Euro - Europe and the Euro by Alberto Alesina and Francesco Giavazzi

The best books on The Euro, recommended by Barry Eichengreen

With hindsight, was the euro a good idea? Will it come through the present crisis intact or will any country decide to leave? And what happens if they do? Economist Barry Eichengreen recommends the best books on the euro.

The best books on The Euro, recommended by Barry Eichengreen

    The best books on Europe, recommended by Philippe Legrain

  • Read
    The best books on Europe - Europe: A History by Norman Davies

    1

    Europe: A History
    by Norman Davies

  • Read
    The best books on Europe - In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century by Geert Mak

    2

    In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century
    by Geert Mak

  • Read
    The best books on Europe - Unhappy Union: How the euro crisis – and Europe – can be fixed by John Peet and Anton La Guardia

    3

    Unhappy Union: How the euro crisis – and Europe – can be fixed
    by John Peet and Anton La Guardia

  • Read
    The best books on Europe - The In/Out Question by Hugo Dixon

    4

    The In/Out Question
    by Hugo Dixon

  • Read
    The best books on Europe - Identity and Violence by Amartya Sen

    5

    Identity and Violence
    by Amartya Sen

  • The best books on Europe - Europe: A History by Norman Davies
  • The best books on Europe - In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century by Geert Mak
  • The best books on Europe - Unhappy Union: How the euro crisis – and Europe – can be fixed by John Peet and Anton La Guardia
  • The best books on Europe - The In/Out Question by Hugo Dixon
  • The best books on Europe - Identity and Violence by Amartya Sen

The best books on Europe, recommended by Philippe Legrain

Europe should be run for all Europeans and not just the French and German banks, argues the author of European Spring, Philippe Legrain. He recommends the best books on Europe.

The best books on Europe, recommended by Philippe Legrain

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We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

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