Book excerpt: Now in its fourth edition, this leading text has been extensively revised to reflect the sweeping changes the past decade have brought to Europe and to incorporate new research in the field. Employing a richly topical rather than a mechanistic region-by-region approach, the book simultaneously presents the overarching unity of Europe as a human entity and its underlying internal diversity. Inclusive, intellectual, rich in ideas, lively, controversial, humanistic, and above all interesting, The European Culture Area is the text of choice for courses on the geography of Europe. Visit our website for sample chapters!