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Postwar (book)
Encyclopedia
Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 is a 2005 book by historian
Tony Judt
, the Director of New York University
's Erich Maria Remarque Institute. The book examines the history of Europe
from the end of World War II
(1945) to 2005. It has won considerable praise for its breadth and comprehensiveness. The New York Times Book Review
listed it as one of the ten best books of 2005. It won the 2006 Arthur Ross Book Award for the best book published on international affairs.
As is made clear in the introduction, the author makes no attempt to expound any grand theory or "over-arching theme" for contemporary European history, aiming to avoid narrative fallacies
by plainly retelling the entire scope of European history in that period, to let what themes do exist become self-apparent.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
Tony Judt
Tony Judt
Tony Robert Judt FBA was a British historian, essayist, and university professor who specialized in European history. Judt moved to New York and served as the Erich Maria Remarque Professor in European Studies at New York University, and Director of NYU's Erich Maria Remarque Institute...
, the Director of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Erich Maria Remarque Institute. The book examines the history of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
from the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1945) to 2005. It has won considerable praise for its breadth and comprehensiveness. The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
listed it as one of the ten best books of 2005. It won the 2006 Arthur Ross Book Award for the best book published on international affairs.
As is made clear in the introduction, the author makes no attempt to expound any grand theory or "over-arching theme" for contemporary European history, aiming to avoid narrative fallacies
Historian's fallacy
The historian's fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when one assumes that decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision...
by plainly retelling the entire scope of European history in that period, to let what themes do exist become self-apparent.