Croatia's path to modern European statehood since 1848 has been fraught with civil strife, revolutions, two world wars and the bloody Balkan wars of the mid-1990s; Croats have been ruled by kings, emperors, fascists and the Communist Party. Today's Republic of Croatia is a member state of the European Union - but its stability is recent, and hard-won.

Unlike most available histories of the country, Robin Harris's compelling account of Croatia's political and social evolution focuses on the nexus of the twentieth century. Making use of a wide range of Croatian and other sources, including historical material rarely consulted before the recent loosening of the country's national archives, Harris tells the story of Croatia with the same narrative flair and depth of detail demonstrated in his previous works.

Harris also engages with issues fiercely debated within Croatia today, such as the uses of nationalism and the role of the murderous Ustasa party during the Second World War. He investigates the cultural and intellectual achievements, social and regional divisions and contrasting economic conditions in all the Croat lands.