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Baltic

The Future of Europe

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Baltic

By: Oliver Moody
Narrated by: Kaffe Keating
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About this listen

 THE MUST-READ BOOK ON THE WORLD'S BIGGEST FLASHPOINT

'Magnificent ... As exciting to read as it is important' Peter Frankopan

'Fascinating ... essential reading' Helen Thompson

'Alarming and uplifting' John Kampfner

The Baltic will decide the course of the West in the coming years.

These nine borderlands are not only the historical battleground of Russian aggression; they are also a factory of ideas for how to revive Europe. Shaped by the past one hundred years, each Baltic country offers lessons in adaptability, hope and prosperity in an era of instability.

Innovation in Estonia, patience in Finland, resilience in Poland, even poetry in Latvia: with their tumultuous pasts and exposed geography, these poorly understood frontline states are reconfiguring the balance of power around the heart of Eurasia. From pioneering environmental initiatives and world-leading innovations in technology to ever-growing economies, from tackling disinformation to tempering the populist right, the Baltic states are now key to understanding how political events might unfold in the coming years.

Blending history, politics and reportage, this is the first book to explain why these are some of our most imaginative allies, yet most of us know so little about them. Interviewing prime ministers, presidents, generals, intelligence officers, business leaders and ordinary people, Oliver Moody traces the extraordinary emergence of a new fulcrum of great-power rivalry. But the real reason we need to understand them is that their fate is ours.©2024 Oliver Moody Europe Politics & Government World Russia Imperialism Socialism Soviet Union War Middle East Military Africa American Foreign Policy Capitalism Interwar Period

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Critic reviews

Moody has extensively travelled around the Baltic Sea and written a fascinating book on its changing politics in the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Baltic is essential reading for beginning to understand the present tumult in Europe as part of long European history (Helen Thompson, author of DISORDER)
There are countries that take on Russia, and countries that don't. In this masterful account of political and societal resistance, Moody travels across Poland, the Baltics and the Nordics describing how this part of Europe understood Putin long before the rest. Mixing deep research with vivid reportage and a clear-sighted argument, this essential book is in turns alarming and uplifting (John Kampfner, author of WHY THE GERMANS DO IT BETTER)
This is a brilliantly written book on an area about which many in Britain know little but they will now no longer have any excuse for remaining ignorant. Moody takes us through the entire Baltic sea littoral to show us how it is the frontline in the confrontation with Vladimir Putin and how it has much to teach us (Brendan Simms, author of EUROPE: THE STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY)
An absolute must-read (Andrew Marr)
This is a fascinating and original book examining the nine Baltic sea countries, looking at their troubled history and their current resurgence within Europe. Elegantly written and fizzing with fresh insights, this is an important and definitive study (Frank McDonough, author of THE WEIMAR YEARS)
Oliver Moody's lucid and accessible book sheds light on one of the most crucial yet least understood places in Europe. Baltic is a tour de force, somehow packing the mind-boggling complexity of the region into a captivating page-turner (Katja Hoyer, author of BEYOND THE WALL)
Magnificent. An outstanding book that underlines the critical importance of the Baltic that is as exciting to read as it is important (Peter Frankopan, author of THE SILK ROADS)
The Baltic emerges in Moody's well-researched book as an East-West borderland shadowed by Slav-Teuton antagonisms . . . urgent (TLS)
Brilliantly written, convincingly argued and compelling... Moody's truly impressive achievement in this book is to provide a detailed explanation of the background to the Baltic
conflict
All stars
Most relevant
Finally, a book to explain the one unexplained streak of Europe, with a correct, honest description of cultures ignored and misunderstood. As a Balt, I particularly appreciate author's approach to both positive and negative sides of each country's stance in the current geopolitical climate. The actor, while pleasantly paced, really did a lousy job with surnames from each culture (even German), comically illustrating exactly what the book describes the Western ignorance or laziness when it comes to the Baltic. All in all, highly recommended. You will thank yourself for listening to this.

Finally

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For those seeking to grasp the intricacies of European geopolitics and the enduring spirit of the Baltic nations, this book provides an invaluable resource. A worthwhile read.

Invaluable

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A well researched deep dive into a v topical subject. Broad and deep. However it’s not a light listen and needs absolute concentration. How many times did I have to re-wind as my mind had drifted… ? A lot. Not like me normally. Narration seemed adequate. Nothing to fault there. But it could definitely have done with more editing… Also clearly the message is fairly stark although you’d have guessed that before you started. Most heavy-going listen of my non-fiction reads this year.

Expertly put together but requires concentration

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I really enjoyed this book. Extremely well researched, lots of very interesting information that I have never heard before. Very update with contemporary insight. I can highly recommend this book and the narrator, it is paced, chaptered and edited wonderfully.

Excellent, detailed and well read.

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This book gives a clear account of where Europe is in relation to Russia and what its options are. Very perceptive, concise and persuasive in its account of the Baltic states as the current fulcrum of Europe's history and future.

Well researched, well aimed and convincing.

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