EUROPE RECAST: A History of European Union

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EUROPE RECAST A History of European Union Desmond Dinan Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2004. xviii, 373pp, US$59.95 cloth (ISBN 1-58826-205-7), US$23.50 paper (ISBN 1-58826-230-8)

Desmond Dinan's Europe Recast is a superb, eminently readable history of the European Union. Dinan weaves a lively account of the ways in which this complex multilevel system of governance developed and operates. Along the way, he explains why the system has become increasingly complex, making it difficult for students to absorb or understand. In doing so, he offers insights into both events and personalities. The book is a gem. Missing are the hagiography found in some accounts and the dense jargon that …