Between East and West: Across the Borderlands of Europe

Book Overview: Between East and West: Across the Borderlands of Europe

In 1991, Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag, Iron Curtain and Red Famine, took a three-month road trip through the borderlands between the fallen Soviet Union and Europe–lands that became Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Moldova. In her iconic reportage, which has become indispensable history, she captures the harrowing story of a region that is once again threatened by Russia.

An extraordinary journey into the past and present of the lands east of Poland and west of Russia–an area defined throughout its history by colliding empires. Traveling from the former Soviet naval center of Kaliningrad on the Baltic to the Black Sea port of Odessa, Anne Applebaum encounters a rich range of competing cultures, religions, and national aspirations.

In reasserting their heritage, the inhabitants of the borderlands attempt to build a future grounded in their fractured ancestral legacies. In the process, neighbors unearth old conflicts, devote themselves to recovering lost culture, and piece together competing legends to create a new tradition. Rich in surprising encounters and vivid characters, Between East and West brilliantly illuminates the soul of the borderlands and the shaping power of the past.

Product Information

ISBN-13	9780525433187
ISBN-10	052543318X
Publisher	Anchor
Publication Date	2017-06-13
Edition	Reprint
Language	en
Pages	336
Dimensions	in x in x in
Weight	lbs

Editorial Reviews

“In her relentless quest for understanding, Applebaum shines light into forgotten worlds of human hope, suffering and dignity.” — The Washington Post

“The interleaved surveys of the region’s history [are] sweeping and elegantly-written.” — The Independent (UK)

“Applebaum’s receptiveness encourages borderlanders to tell her the myriad of ways that political partitioning has subjugated their personal lives, cultural traditions and languages.” — Publishers Weekly

“Achieves both specificity and readability.” — The New York Times

“Ms. Applebaum offers us windows into the lives of the men and sometimes women who constructed the police states of Eastern Europe. She gives us a glimpse of those who resisted. But she also gives us a harrowing portrait of the rest–the majority of Eastern Europe’s population, who, having been caught up in the continent’s conflicts time and time again, now found themselves pawns in a global one.” — The Wall Street Journal

“Applebaum wants to give flesh to a concept.” — New Yorker

“She is a terrific writer, rare among regional experts. . . . Applebaum possesses an overarching vision of what occurred in Eastern Europe.” — Christian Science Monitor

“Her researches have led her radically to reappraise some of the most basic historical assumptions made in the West.” — Evening Standard (UK)

“Applebaum [has the] ability to take a dense and complex subject, replete with communist acronyms and impenetrable jargon, and make it not only informative but enjoyable–and even occasionally witty.” — The Telegraph (UK)

About the Author

Anne Applebaum

Anne Applebaum is a distinguished journalist, historian, and renowned author who has made significant contributions to the discussions on international politics and history. An American and Polish citizen, she is distinguished for her meticulously researched historical accounts and her insightful discourse on current global matters.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Applebaum’s works typically delve into the history of Central and Eastern Europe. Her most notable contributions include books like “Gulag: A History,” which earned her the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction, and “Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1956,” demonstrating her profound understanding of the region’s complex history. In addition to her extensive list of publications, she has also served as a columnist for The Washington Post, providing her expertise on contemporary global affairs.

Applebaum’s work extends beyond writing, as she is a Professor of Practice at the London School of Economics, where she leads projects on 21st-century propaganda and disinformation. A highly respected thought leader, her unique ability to analyze history and link it to modern-day politics makes her an indispensable voice in today’s international discourse.

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