An Age of Conflict

Rating:
Summary: A missed opportunity
Review: The book (third edition)is a treasure for those who like to scan the views of well-know public figures (Leon Trotzky, George Kennan, Winston Churchill, etc.) and scholars (H. Stuart Hughes, Walter Laqueur, Francis Fukuyama, etc.) on topics of general interest (Bolshevik Revolution, Holocaust, European Unity, etc.) pertaining to the 20th century. The book's title is "An Age of Conflict." The perhaps most traumatic conclict in the know history of humans is World War II. Reading the book can leave one wonder whether it ever occured. The war receives mention in chapters entitled "The Nazis" or "Resistance or Collaboration," but the contributions by the various authors lack overarching coherence because there is no overarching plot to be found of this event in this rendition of the age of conflict. As a result, the book should generate much confusion among students of history who are not familiar with the subject. Others may indeed learn from it.