The Shortest History of Europe — John Hirst

Hirst argues that European civilisation is the product of three distinct inheritances — Greek philosophy, Roman law and governance, and Christianity — and that the history of the continent is largely the story of how these three traditions have combined, conflicted, and evolved. Unapologetically a work of synthesis, it is a book for readers who want an analytical framework rather than a detailed account, and it delivers one with economy and precision.