Historical Atlas of Central Europe: Revised and Expanded Edition (History of East Central Europe, Vol. 1, 1)
This first-rate sequel to the Historical Atlas of East Central  Europe takes a mostly chronological approach to the region,  providing histories of the various areas, as well as maps that  show not just political boundaries but also population and  population movements, canal and railroad construction,  industrial growth, linguistic distribution, and cultural and  educational institutions, among other factors. An effective use  of color makes for maps that are easy to read and interpret.  There is considerably more to this revised edition than the name  change; the previous edition, though up-to-date for its time,  was published just as the Soviet empire was crumbling and the  Soviet Union itself was splintering into l5 independent  republics. The current edition has integrated those historical  changes and of 109 color maps presents 21 that are new and 41  that are substantially revised. As to the title change, Magocsi  (chair, Ukrainian studies, Univ. of Toronto; A History of  Ukraine) points out that "the articulate elements in many  countries of this region consider eastern or even east-central  to carry a negative connotation and prefer to be considered part  of Central Europe." He adds that "precise boundaries" for the  area are not fixed but are often a matter of opinion, so he has  been guided mainly by geographical criteria. Wherever you  believe "Central Europe" starts and ends, this volume is highly  recommended for academic and larger public libraries.Edward  Cone, New YorkCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.