The force of destiny : a history of Italy since 1796

The greatness of Italy's culture and way of life have had a powerful attraction for many generations of visitors.

This has created an overwhelming sense that Italy is a fundamentally benign and easy going country.

The Force of Destiny, Christopher Duggan's immensely enjoyable new book, lays waste to this idea.

While sharing everyone's enthusiasm for Italy as a place, he strongly distinguishes this from its political role over the past two centuries, which has been both vicious and ruinous for Europe as a whole.