Table of Contents

An introduction - seeing the scene for contemplation, on a bollard in Trieste; Holy symptoms - sacred complexities of Europe, starting with Paganism, ending with art; the mishmash - Europe's ethnic and geographical confusion, embracing frontiers, minorities, enclaves, islands, anomalies ad miscellaneous surprises; nations, states and bloody power - the mess the Europeans have made of their continent, country by country; the Internet - despite itself, Europe is bound together by habit and technique; spasms of unity - six attempts to make a whole of Europe, from the Holy Roman Empire to the European union. An epilogue - wry smiles and brave hopes, back on the Trieste waterfront.

Reviews

Morris has led such a varied life and traveled so widely that this collection, which she calls an "album," brims with extraordinary associations, byte-sized sidelights on places and history, and stimulating opinions. The Anglo-Welsh author of more than 30 books on diverse subjects draws on her background as a war correspondent, editor of an underground newspaper and finalist for the Booker Prize. Morris has climbed Everest, trekked the Arabian desert and, not least, underwent sex-change surgery 25 years ago. Almost any subject fires ruminations both erudite and personal. She mulls over the ever-evolving characteristics of the English, French culture, the relationship between religion and art, the difficulties of creating a united Europe, the railways on the continent and much more, all of it entertaining, thought-provoking and richly rewarding. The five chapters have unrevealing titles and within each, Morris's ruminations range randomly. Similar topics pop up again and again, and there seems to be no particular organization. Readers will have an interesting ride, but from one turn in the road to the next will hardly know where they're headed. (Nov.)

Travel writer par excellence Morris on Europe over the last half-century