Book excerpt: The dramatic, tumultuous, often tragic human events that erupted in the Balkan Peninsula following the collapse of communism between 1989 and 1991 have captured the Western world's attention throughout the past decade. The Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Balkans provides 50 two-color, full-page maps, each accompanied by a facing page of explanatory text. These maps illustrate key moments in Balkans history in a way that is immediate and comprehensible, making it come alive. Students will regard it as a useful reference, and general readers will enjoy it for its clarity and wealth of information.