A World on Edge

Schönpflug’s study of the immediate aftermath of the first world war brings a fresh and varied perspective to a familiar narrative, and reminds one of the brief period of optimism and hope that came out of the carnage and chaos.Financial Times, Books of the Year

For a brief moment a century ago the end of the Great War offered peace and the prospect of a bright new social order to a dark, ravaged Europe. In his moving and inspired book, historian Daniel Schönpflug recreates how these days were experienced by the people who lived them—their struggles, dreams, and desires—and traces the elusive fate of their noble visions. An evocative and deeply affecting requiem for what might have been.Douglas Smith, author of Rasputin and Former People

Outstanding ... a wonderfully stimulating guide to a world that knew it had changed utterly but was fearful about where it was headingEvening Standard

Historian Daniel Schönpflug gives us a kaleidoscope of sparkling stories . . . elegantly composed and beautifully written.Alexander Gallus, Die Zeit