Ian Armour's authoritative history of Eastern Europe spans the turbulent years from 1740 to 1918. Armour provides a compelling account of how the concept of Eastern Europe as a distinct region emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century. The book is structured to lead the reader chronologically through a number of themes including the struggle by rulers to modernize; the disruptive power of nationalism; and the persistence of supranational state structures that, in turn, resisted and promoted modernisation and nationalism.