Ivan Berend’s work in economic history generally and in the economic history of Eastern Europe in particular is well known for its depth and range, and (concomitantly) for the contribution it has made, over many years, to our understanding of economic, social and political modernity. In this unusual collection of case studies, the culmination of many years of research and intellectual exploration, he has achieved something of a tour de force through a combination of analytical sweep and impressive empirical focus. He has joined a dynamic framework, which lays out the economic evolution of the European continent, with an extraordinary spread and wealth of illustrative (and detailed) case studies of people, trends and structures. The use of information, while abundant, is measured, relevant, and continuously stimulating. The result is a stimulating advance in our understanding of major forces in history at the level of those who fostered and experienced them. He has placed established scholars as well as university students in his debt. - Barry Supple, University of Cambridge, UK