Black Sea

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History. In this study of the fateful encounters between Europe and Asia on the shores of a legendary sea Neal Ascherson explores the disputed meaning of community nationhood history and culture in a region famous for its dramatic conflicts. What makes the Back Sea cultures distinctive Ascherson agrues is the way their comonent parts came together over the millennia to shape unique communities languages religions and trade. As he shows with skill and persuasiveness Black Sea patterns in the Caucasus Russia Ukraine Romania Turkey and Greece have linked the peoples of Europe and Asia together for centuries.