- December 03, 2018
By Marie-Janine Calic
Translated by Elizabeth Janik
Published by Harvard University Press (2019)
A sweeping history of southeastern Europe from antiquity to the present that reveals it to be a vibrant crossroads of trade, ideas, and religions
Named to the shortlist for the 2020 Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator’s Prize
“A work of ambitious chronological and thematic scope, taking the story from Alexander the Great to the present day.” — Tony Barber, Financial Times
“Calic has created a masterful narrative that reveals the interconnectedness of the Balkans with Europe and the world.” — Mary Elizabeth Walters, H-Net
“The book is an engrossing account of south-eastern Europe within the framework of global history. . . . Calic’s work impresses through its comprehensiveness and, paradoxically, attention to detail.” — Bogdan C. Iacob, International Affairs
“Calic’s book represents a magnificent achievement and will surely become a standard work on the region.” – Dejan Djokić, Journal of Modern History
“The elegant translation of Marie-Janine Calic’s The Great Cauldron adds an indispensable new history of southeastern Europe to English-language scholarship.” – S. G. Jug, Choice
“The Great Cauldron by Marie-Janine Calic is the best text by far on the history of the Balkans yet written, and I suspect it will remain the standard for a long time.” – Nick Miller, The Slavonic & East European Review