Evropa, náš domov - Od vylodění v Normandii po válku na Ukrajině – Ash Timothy Garton (2023)

The renowned historian and journalist has been exploring the role of Europe in shaping the modern world and the challenges it faces for nearly half a century. He witnessed revolutions in several Soviet Union 'satellites,' and his contacts with the inspirers of political changes provided him with valuable material for this book. He offers an informed perspective on the process of Western European integration and the transformation of Central and Eastern Europe between the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The author describes how Europe emerged from the devastation of war to democratize, unify, and then collapse. He highlights a period of unprecedented progress alongside how many things went wrong, from the financial crisis of 2008 to the current conflict with Russia. He does not shy away from discussing the corruption and intolerance that marked the entry of an increasing number of candidate states into the EU. He reflects on what should define the potential boundaries of EU expansion. At the same time, he presents some lessons from the past half-century, such as the clumsy and inhumane attempt to create a 'Fortress Europe' against immigration, which fueled the resurgence of the racist far-right. Timothy Garton Ash's book is also his personal story of discovering and understanding Europe.